Help us Celebrate 60 Years of Loveland Wrestling

As published in the Loveland Beacon.

Hi, my name is Joanne Prater.

The 2023-2024 school year marks the amazing accomplishment of 60 years of the Loveland High School wrestling program! Along with that, Head Coach Chris Switzer, a Loveland teacher and alum, has hit the tremendous coaching milestone of 25 years overall with 20 years as Loveland’s head coach for wrestling. So much has been accomplished in these 60 years, most recently, our first Female State Champion, Five Male State Champions, countless league and sectional champions. All of which decorate the walls of the Loveland High School gym and wrestling room.

Before Chris became a teacher and coach, he wrestled for Loveland earning honors as a state qualifier along with sectional and district champion while serving as co-captain for the wrestling team. He has dedicated his life to the Loveland Wrestling Program.

I will never forget the first time I met Coach Switzer; it was the fall of 2020, also known as, the year of COVID. As mother of an incoming freshman, who had never wrestled a day in his life, I was a bit nervous. We weren’t sure what the season would look like. During the parent meeting, it was mentioned how the last season was cut short and what an impact it had on the athletes. Coach Switzer said: “These boys need this. We are going to have a season and I will do everything in my power to make sure we do.”

Chris kept his word. To say he went above and beyond would be an understatement. Imagine what a challenge it was for any coach, especially, a wrestling coach, to keep the athletes and staff safe and healthy. Chris embraced the challenge and the Loveland wrestling athletes had a minimal amount of quarantines and a successful season.

Several parents, coaches, and his colleagues all say the same thing about Chris. He is a great guy. People who wrestled with him in high school and college echo the same sentiment.

Loveland Athletic Director Rich Bryant speaks from personal experience when exulting the value of having Coach Switzer lead the Loveland Wrestling program.

“I have been a part of the wrestling community as a competitor and head coach for nearly 20 years,” said Bryant. “I can honestly tell you that Chris Switzer is the gold standard in coaching. His work ethic, ability to create meaningful relationships with his student athletes and his mastery of the sport is unmatched. We are incredibly lucky to have Coach Switzer as the leader of our program!”

The Loveland Wrestling family is planning to honor the success of the Loveland Wrestling program and the hard work and dedication of Coach Switzer by hosting a banquet. They are holding a fundraiser to help make this happen.

NOTE: Any additional money raised will go to the Loveland Wrestling Program.