New leader: Connellsville grad Kenney hired as Frazier wrestling coach
For the first time in eight years, Frazier won鈥檛 have a Lawrence on its wrestling team.
The outstanding Commodore brothers, Thayne and Rune, combined for eight WPIAL individual championships and six PIAA titles, including four by Rune, who will wrestle at West Virginia next season.
That doesn鈥檛 deter new Frazier head wrestling coach Tyler Kenney, who feels the cupboard is far from bare.
Kenney was hired at Frazier鈥檚 school board meeting on July 16 to replace former coach Buck Watkins who stepped down after the 2023-24 season.
鈥淚鈥檓 excited for the opportunity,鈥� said the 27-year-old Kenney. 鈥淚 know last year they missed out on the section title. We鈥檝e got a new section this year. Looking at the projected lineup that we have and the opportunity that we have ahead of us, I鈥檓 definitely looking to take that section back. We鈥檙e also looking at getting back to that state tournament in year one.
鈥淚鈥檓 excited to take over, excited to bring in a great staff and excited to work with these student-athletes.鈥�
Kenney is a Connellsville graduate who rang up 101 wins with the Falcons under coach Tom Dolde Jr. before wrestling one year at Pitt and then finishing his collegiate career at Seton Hill.
鈥淭hat room was just full of tough, hard-nosed gritty guys,鈥� Kenney said when looking back on his career at Connellsville. 鈥淚鈥檓 looking to take that to Frazier, guys ready to toe the line everyday and are there to battle and fight to the end of the match regardless of the outcome.鈥�
Kenney isn鈥檛 a stranger to Frazier wrestling.
鈥淎fter graduating from college I was a middle school coach at Frazier for a year so I am familiar with a lot of the guys that are going to be on the team this coming year and they鈥檙e familiar with me and my coaching style as well,鈥� Kenney said.
鈥淟ooking at the team next year we鈥檒l probably fall just shy of 20 guys and I鈥檓 familiar with pretty much all of them one way or another.鈥�
Kenney comes over to Frazier after a stint at Norwin High School.
鈥淭his past season I was the middle school coach at Norwin under Tom Dolde鈥檚 brother Don,鈥� Kenney said. 鈥淲e had a successful junior high season. We had three or four champions and placed first as a team in the District 7 tournament.鈥�
When Watkins vacated the position at Frazier, Kenney seized the potential opportunity.
鈥淚 saw the position open up and I definitely wanted to jump on that,鈥� Kenney said. 鈥淚t was looking favorable for the last month or so that I was going to take over there and it finally became official on Tuesday.鈥�
Kenney doesn鈥檛 foresee moving up from coaching middle school to the varsity level as a huge obstacle.
鈥淚 don鈥檛 really see any issues with the transition from a middle school coach to a high school coach,鈥� Kenney said. 鈥淚鈥檓 sure there will be a bit of a learning curve but I have a great networking support system from prior coaches I鈥檝e had in high school and college.鈥�
Kenney paid attention to all of his former coaches.
鈥淚 took little things from each coach I鈥檝e been under that I look to utilize and help benefit the student-athletes at Frazier,鈥� said Kenney who is still putting together his coaching staff. 鈥淚鈥檝e got a couple guys lined up and a couple guys I鈥檓 going to reach out to. I want to be able to tailor to each wrestler鈥檚 style and needs.
鈥淚 also, through my college experiences, have a familiarity with the recruiting process that I can relay to our wrestlers at Frazier.鈥�
Kenney is already trying to set a plan into motion as he tackles his new position.
鈥淚鈥檓 looking to go over the schedule and set up some tough tournaments that are reasonable for the team that we have, that will give us great competition to get us ready for the postseason and maybe get a couple more state champions on that wall at Frazier,鈥� said Kenney, who promised not to just focus on athletics as a coach.
鈥淲e鈥檙e also looking to have great students that have the highest GPA across the board at Frazier.鈥�
Although he won鈥檛 have a Lawrence on his team, Kenney hopes both Rune and Lehigh wrestler Thayne will still have a positive effect on the Commodores program.
鈥淏oth Lawrence brothers are great kids who come from a great family and, obviously, they鈥檙e excellent athletes,鈥� Kenney said. 鈥淲e did go to the same club growing up. I rolled around with Thayne a couple times at practice. Rune is headed to West Virginia now, right in our backyard, so I鈥檓 looking to get the guys together to go see some college matches.
鈥淎ny time that they鈥檙e around they鈥檙e always welcome in that room to give back to those kids and help them learn as well.鈥�