Moore West Junior High
2000-2004 |
Coach Dick started his coaching career at Moore West JH in Oklahoma City in 2000. He became the interim head coach his first year out of college after attending the University of Central Oklahoma. There at Moore West Coach Dick earned his first achievement as a coach by winning the Harvey Wiegel Trophy as the Moore Conference Champions in 2003. He got to coach his brother as a Freshmen his last year in JH.
"I got thrown into the fire right out of High School. When I left Bacone University and did not wrestle and got right into coaching it helped me grow up quickly. If I would have continued to wrestle, I may not have had the opportunities that I have now." |
Coach Dick in 2004-2006 was moved up to assist his old high school coach, Mark Peck at Westmoore High School. He had the privilege of coaching his brother in that season as a senior. In these years the Westmoore Wrestling team was crowned District Champions and Coach Dick got the opportunity to Coach at Dual State during this time.
"Coaching is all about mentors, I had great ones at Westmoore High School in Coach Mark Peck and Coach John Finn. Great people and great role models. Always loved coaching there and Westmoore will always be in my heart not only as a coach but a wrestler." |
Westmoore High School
2004-2006 |
Noble High School
2006-2007 |
Coach Dick's first teaching job was at Noble High School. He had the opportunity to Coach with William "Butch" Jacobsen. Coach Jake and Coach Dick clicked immediately and still have a lasting friendship even today. The coaching pair took hold of a team that was very talented taking 2nd in conference and nearly defeating State Champions that year Catoosa in the semi-finals in Dual State.
"This is still today one of my most memorable years. Coach Jake let me take hold of that Noble program as my own. He asked me to show all the technique and do the lineups. My first state champion was Josh Johns at that school and Colby Whitlock. Whitlock being 280 pounds jumped on me when he won. Butch laughed pretty hard because he knocked me on my back in front of 10,000 people." Coach Estep, Coach William "Butch" Jacobsen, Coach Brad Dick
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Harrah High School was one of the most successful teams that Coach Dick ever coached. He went to Harrah as the High School assistant one week before school started. He actually turned down an offer to be the head coach and take the assistant position. He coached along side Bryan Miller. Coach Miller and Coach Dick took the team from being ranked number 11 in the state all the way to number 3 in the state that year. They had a pretty successful dual run just missing the state finals losing to Duncan. However, managed to go down to Grapevine, TX and win the Grapevine Duals beating Allen, TX in the finals.
"There was a lot of talent on that Harrah team, we had 3 state finalists; 1 state champion and still managed to take 3rd in the state. That year I felt like I helped the younger kids more than the older. The older kids were already talented. I took under my wing kids named Austin Quinton and Adrian Gregory who both went on to wrestle for UCO." |
Harrah High School
2007-2008 |
Western Heights Junior High
2008-2012 |
Western Heights JH to Coach Dick still has a special place in his heart. It is the first job that really made him feel like he was apart of a family since leaving Westmoore High School. The principals and staff around him made it so great to create a successful wrestling team there.
Coach Dick's first year there he made it a priority to teach the basics to about 45 first year wrestlers who had never seen a mat before. He preached to the kids that they will win conference before these 7th graders became freshmen. Coach Dick's first three duals were learning experiences for the kids. They finished though with a strong effort taking 5th in the conference and finishing 5-5. |
The second year Coach Dick was there he pushed them a little harder. He started the Freestyle Program and the Little League program at Western Heights calling it "Stealth." The second year the team should have went to the conference finals but ended up in a 3 way tie and took 3rd in the conference ending up with a 6-4 record.
The third season under Coach Dick he now had the kids believing they could win. They had a undefeated conference season winning their first conference title and taking 3rd at the El Reno tournament. Western Heights had not had a conference championship in wrestling since the conference was established. Freestyle was pushed again in that season and the kids earned All-American honors by 5 Western Heights kids getting to go to the Oklahoma National Team. Coach Dick went with these kids earning a spot as a National Team Coach for Team Oklahoma. As High School kids that team would go on to become Western Heights very first team to go to Dual State. Western Heights would go on to win another Conference title the very next season. They would finish 5th in Coach Dick's last year at Western Heights. Coach Dick would go on to earn "JH Coach of the Year
The third season under Coach Dick he now had the kids believing they could win. They had a undefeated conference season winning their first conference title and taking 3rd at the El Reno tournament. Western Heights had not had a conference championship in wrestling since the conference was established. Freestyle was pushed again in that season and the kids earned All-American honors by 5 Western Heights kids getting to go to the Oklahoma National Team. Coach Dick went with these kids earning a spot as a National Team Coach for Team Oklahoma. As High School kids that team would go on to become Western Heights very first team to go to Dual State. Western Heights would go on to win another Conference title the very next season. They would finish 5th in Coach Dick's last year at Western Heights. Coach Dick would go on to earn "JH Coach of the Year
"Western Heights was a good place to really spread my wings as a coach. I got the opportunity to truly on paper do the things I wanted to do to build a program. The key ingredient was having a good bunch of kids who loved the sport and were athletic. I still love to see all those kids that started with me as 6th graders and went to Dual State their 10th grade year. My assistant coach Dan Varnell was a HUGE help in the development of our kids. I thank Western Heights for being my first home."
-Coach Dick
While Coach Dick was at Western Heights he really loved how things were operated at Mustang. He always watched great coaches Dave Rankin and Will Allen how they handled themselves and their team. He looked up to them very much and still does to this day. Coach Rankin got Coach Dick the opportunity of coaching with them in 2013. Coach Dick came to Mustang as the 2nd assistant behind Will Allen. Coaches Rankin and Allen had a group of kids who they had been mentoring for the last three years. Because of their efforts, this team five state qualifiers.
Coach Dick as a first year coach at Mustang pushed the Freestyle and summer workouts for the kids. With the help of Brian Picklo as the technician the kids got better in the offseason. Coach Rankin retired and Coach Will Allen became Head Coach. Coach Dick then moved up as his assistant and Coaches Allen and Dick pushed the kids even harder. Many graduated from the previous team and it was time for the new kids to step up. They performed even better than expected winning 11 duals and tied Southmoore for the district championship. The future is bright for the Mustang Wrestling team with Coaches Allen and Dick. Coach Dick decided to leave for a better opportunity at Southmoore High School to coach with his old wrestling coach, Greg George. Mustang Wrestling Team
2014-2015 |
Mustang High School
2013-2017 |
Mustang has been the best experience out of all the places I have coached. I have truly enjoyed the administration, and the coaches whom I have coached with. Coach Allen and Coach Rankin are great people and great mentors. I have always said it, the best coaches come from the best mentors. I really appreciate the people I am around here. Thank you Mustang for all you do. Go Broncos!
-Coach Dick
Southmoore High School
2017-2018
2017-2018
Coach D with his unofficial nephew, Joe Stover. Coach D and Joe's father have been friends for over 20 years.
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Crazy story on how Coach Dick ended up at Southmoore. 10 years ago, Southmoore was opening. Greg George was hired as the first ever head coach. Believe it or not, Coach Dick was planning on coming to Southmoore as their first Assistant Wrestling Coach and Head JH Coach. However, things changed because Southmoore could not hire Coach Dick officially until more enrollees happened. Coach Dick took a job at Western Heights and a week later, Southmoore came calling to offer the job officially.
Coach Dick was loyal to Western Heights, his word is everything. He told Coach George he would one day return. 10 years later, he is now at Southmoore helping with what he should have helped start with Coach George. Coach Dick left Southmoore in 2018 to once again have an opportunity of being a head wrestling coach at Westmoore JH. He loved his staff members and administrators at Southmoore! I truthfully feel like I am home once again. At Southmoore, it is more family than just friends. That means more than anything to me. Coaching with Coach George and Coach Paul is extremely rewarding - Coach D. |
The Return to Westmoore 2018-Present
Coach Dick was walking into a JH Wrestling team that was fairly talented. He did not know what was really there, all he knew is the team needed help being rebuilt from the bottom up. When he found out that he had 2 returning state placers on the lineup along with a handful of returning starters he and Coach Will Evans agreed those starters needed to go to the high school for practices to get better. Coach Dicks job now was to get the next generation of Westmoore Wrestlers ready! He took many young first year wrestlers and had 5 of them get 1 match away from placing at the state tournament. His first year as a head coach at Westmoore JH was successful with a 9-4 record. He had 3 state placers this year and
Brink JH Coach Dick will be at Brink JH in the year of 2019-2020. He is going to be the Head Wrestling Coach for Westmoore JH wrestling and the Head Football Coach at Brink. At Brink the education, administration, sports, and staff there are all excellent and so far Coach has expressed how excited he is to be there! |