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Forest Lake brings in a heavyweight
Anoka's Billy Pierce named new Rangers head wrestling coach
by Patrick Johnson
Sports Editor
Forest Lake High School has a new wrestling head coach and his name is Billy Pierce.
Pierce, a former three-time Division I All-American heavyweight for the University of Minnesota and state champion at Minneapolis Roosevelt, takes over for Bob Dettmer, who retired after 34 years of teaching and coaching at Forest Lake High School. Dettmer is now a legislator in the Minnesota House of Representatives.
As a Gopher, Pierce was the Big 10 champion and finished fifth in the nation in 1993. He then finished sixth nationally in 1995 and in 1996.
Pierce is coming from Anoka High School, a Class AAA, Section 7 rival where he has been the co-head coach since the 2005-2006 season along with Todd Springer. The Tornadoes are the two-time defending Section 7 champions and have finished third in the state the past two seasons.
“I wasn't planning on leaving Anoka, but I just saw an opportunity present itself,” Pierce said. “In Forest Lake I saw a program very much like Anoka. I thought it would be a good opportunity to branch out by myself and try and work in a program that is well established and try to bring it to the next level.”
Pierce said it will be fun coaching against his former team. The Rangers have a non-conference match on next season's schedule with the Tornadoes at Anoka High School.
“Anoka's going to have a strong team next year and we'll be in a little bit of a rebuilding year,” Pierce said. “But, we'll get our kids prepared and give them the confidence to do their best.”
Something that tipped the scales for Pierce was meeting a lot of the Forest Lake wrestling community at a tournament in Rochester after the State Tournament.
“It seemed like a fun, great group of people,” Pierce said. “Through our conversations I felt it was a good place to be and job to apply for.”
According to Forest Lake Athletic Director Joel Olson there were over 20 applicants for the vacant position.
“As far as experience as a wrestler and experience as a coach, he was, on paper, the person we were hoping to get,” Olson said. “What he said in the interview just confirmed what he felt about him. Hopefully, we got the guy who's going to take Forest Lake to the next level.”
One thing that stood out to Olson was one of Pierce's coaching philosophies. Olson said Pierce believes in focusing attention on developing all wrestlers rather than spending most of the time on the stars.
“The guys that are really good are good for a reason, they have talent and ability and work hard,” Pierce said. “You can push them some more and you do, but they're self-motivated. It's the other kids that are filling in roles that need the attention of their coaches and their teammates. That's what makes a team complete.”
Dettmer said he took a step back from the hiring process, mainly because two of his assistant coaches, Rich Elliot and Joe Kunshier applied for the job, but was happy with how the district went about making the decision. He said the hiring committee brought in a number of terrific candidates. The interview team was composed of administration, the athletic director, parents, athletes and other teachers.
“I felt it would be more appropriate for me to let the administration do their job,” said Dettmer. “I think it was a very competitive, high-profile job to get. The Forest Lake wrestling program is well known throughout the state. We had some great candidates. I'm pleased they did a very professional job in interviewing these people. I support the decision of the committee because it represented administration, coaches, parents and athletes.”
In addition to winning the coaching job, Pierce was also hired as a teacher in the special education department.
“That's important to me, that we have the head coach teaching in the building where he'll be coaching,” Dettmer said.
Dettmer stated he would do it all over again if he was graduating from Bemidji State this spring and that Pierce is a very lucky guy.
“At the awards banquet I told everyone that they were going to get a new head coach and that if the parents, wrestlers, administration, fans and community of Forest Lake support the new head coach like they have me the last 34 years, Forest Lake wrestling is going to continue on being an outstanding program in the state of Minnesota,” Dettmer said. “I can't think of a better place to coach than Forest Lake.”
Pierce said he's well aware of the Forest Lake wrestling program. After college, he got to know Dettmer as well.
“He's a class act and he's run a class program,” Pierce said. “He's offered to help any way he can. We'll definitely ask for his help. I've talked to him a couple times since I've been hired and he's said whatever I need he'll help. I really appreciate that.”
If wrestling experience and success against top competition translates into making a good coach, you'd be hard-pressed to find a better candidate than Pierce.
Pierce said he's wrestled against the two-time Olympic Greco-Roman Wrestling medalist and three-time National Champion wrestler Rulon Gardner more than anyone else. Gardner defeated Alexander Karelin and won the gold medal in the 2000 Sydney games.
“I've had success against him,” Pierce said. “In wins and losses we're probably close to even. The first time we wrestled I was a freshman in college and he was senior and ranked two or three in the country. I beat him 7-4 or 6-4. Over the years I've wrestled him a lot at the senior level, at nationals and at world and Olympic trials.”
However, Pierce said his fondest memories of his wrestling days are more personal in nature.
“What stands out for me the most is the experiences I've had wrestling, the great people I've met and the friendships I've developed over the years,” he said. “I've learned so many life lessons from wrestling. One thing that wrestling does is teach and build character and life skills like hard work and not giving up.”
Pierce's goals are to get the team to the state tournament and is very excited for the upcoming season.
“I wish the season was here already,” he said. “We're six or seven months away before the season starts. I want it to start now. I can't wait.”
Pierce met with a lot of the wrestlers informally when the team put boat docks in the waters of Forest Lake recently. Plans are to meet with the team formally in the next week and then practice once or twice a week this summer.
“I'm looking forward to meeting the kids, working with them over the summer and getting to know them and their families,” Pierce said. “It's going to be fun.”
Patrick Johnson can be reached at 651-407-1232 or sports@presspubs.com
Pierce, a former three-time Division I All-American heavyweight for the University of Minnesota and state champion at Minneapolis Roosevelt, takes over for Bob Dettmer, who retired after 34 years of teaching and coaching at Forest Lake High School. Dettmer is now a legislator in the Minnesota House of Representatives.
As a Gopher, Pierce was the Big 10 champion and finished fifth in the nation in 1993. He then finished sixth nationally in 1995 and in 1996.
Pierce is coming from Anoka High School, a Class AAA, Section 7 rival where he has been the co-head coach since the 2005-2006 season along with Todd Springer. The Tornadoes are the two-time defending Section 7 champions and have finished third in the state the past two seasons.
“I wasn't planning on leaving Anoka, but I just saw an opportunity present itself,” Pierce said. “In Forest Lake I saw a program very much like Anoka. I thought it would be a good opportunity to branch out by myself and try and work in a program that is well established and try to bring it to the next level.”
Pierce said it will be fun coaching against his former team. The Rangers have a non-conference match on next season's schedule with the Tornadoes at Anoka High School.
“Anoka's going to have a strong team next year and we'll be in a little bit of a rebuilding year,” Pierce said. “But, we'll get our kids prepared and give them the confidence to do their best.”
Something that tipped the scales for Pierce was meeting a lot of the Forest Lake wrestling community at a tournament in Rochester after the State Tournament.
“It seemed like a fun, great group of people,” Pierce said. “Through our conversations I felt it was a good place to be and job to apply for.”
According to Forest Lake Athletic Director Joel Olson there were over 20 applicants for the vacant position.
“As far as experience as a wrestler and experience as a coach, he was, on paper, the person we were hoping to get,” Olson said. “What he said in the interview just confirmed what he felt about him. Hopefully, we got the guy who's going to take Forest Lake to the next level.”
One thing that stood out to Olson was one of Pierce's coaching philosophies. Olson said Pierce believes in focusing attention on developing all wrestlers rather than spending most of the time on the stars.
“The guys that are really good are good for a reason, they have talent and ability and work hard,” Pierce said. “You can push them some more and you do, but they're self-motivated. It's the other kids that are filling in roles that need the attention of their coaches and their teammates. That's what makes a team complete.”
Dettmer said he took a step back from the hiring process, mainly because two of his assistant coaches, Rich Elliot and Joe Kunshier applied for the job, but was happy with how the district went about making the decision. He said the hiring committee brought in a number of terrific candidates. The interview team was composed of administration, the athletic director, parents, athletes and other teachers.
“I felt it would be more appropriate for me to let the administration do their job,” said Dettmer. “I think it was a very competitive, high-profile job to get. The Forest Lake wrestling program is well known throughout the state. We had some great candidates. I'm pleased they did a very professional job in interviewing these people. I support the decision of the committee because it represented administration, coaches, parents and athletes.”
In addition to winning the coaching job, Pierce was also hired as a teacher in the special education department.
“That's important to me, that we have the head coach teaching in the building where he'll be coaching,” Dettmer said.
Dettmer stated he would do it all over again if he was graduating from Bemidji State this spring and that Pierce is a very lucky guy.
“At the awards banquet I told everyone that they were going to get a new head coach and that if the parents, wrestlers, administration, fans and community of Forest Lake support the new head coach like they have me the last 34 years, Forest Lake wrestling is going to continue on being an outstanding program in the state of Minnesota,” Dettmer said. “I can't think of a better place to coach than Forest Lake.”
Pierce said he's well aware of the Forest Lake wrestling program. After college, he got to know Dettmer as well.
“He's a class act and he's run a class program,” Pierce said. “He's offered to help any way he can. We'll definitely ask for his help. I've talked to him a couple times since I've been hired and he's said whatever I need he'll help. I really appreciate that.”
If wrestling experience and success against top competition translates into making a good coach, you'd be hard-pressed to find a better candidate than Pierce.
Pierce said he's wrestled against the two-time Olympic Greco-Roman Wrestling medalist and three-time National Champion wrestler Rulon Gardner more than anyone else. Gardner defeated Alexander Karelin and won the gold medal in the 2000 Sydney games.
“I've had success against him,” Pierce said. “In wins and losses we're probably close to even. The first time we wrestled I was a freshman in college and he was senior and ranked two or three in the country. I beat him 7-4 or 6-4. Over the years I've wrestled him a lot at the senior level, at nationals and at world and Olympic trials.”
However, Pierce said his fondest memories of his wrestling days are more personal in nature.
“What stands out for me the most is the experiences I've had wrestling, the great people I've met and the friendships I've developed over the years,” he said. “I've learned so many life lessons from wrestling. One thing that wrestling does is teach and build character and life skills like hard work and not giving up.”
Pierce's goals are to get the team to the state tournament and is very excited for the upcoming season.
“I wish the season was here already,” he said. “We're six or seven months away before the season starts. I want it to start now. I can't wait.”
Pierce met with a lot of the wrestlers informally when the team put boat docks in the waters of Forest Lake recently. Plans are to meet with the team formally in the next week and then practice once or twice a week this summer.
“I'm looking forward to meeting the kids, working with them over the summer and getting to know them and their families,” Pierce said. “It's going to be fun.”
Patrick Johnson can be reached at 651-407-1232 or sports@presspubs.com
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