Former collegiate wrestler takes over Langley Middle School program

It was chance that led 26-year-old Robbie Bozin to become head coach of the Langley Middle School wrestling team. Bozin, who works in the warehouse at the Freeland Country Store, spotted South Whidbey High School assistant coach Paul Newman wearing Falcon wrestling apparel. Bozin, a former collegiate wrestler and three-time state finalist at Carson High School in Carson City, Nev. in the mid-2000s, expressed his interest in coaching wrestling. As luck would have it, Newman told Bozin that the middle school wrestling program was in need after former coach David Monell stepped away.

It was chance that led 26-year-old Robbie Bozin to become head coach of the Langley Middle School wrestling team. Bozin, who works in the warehouse at the Freeland Country Store, spotted South Whidbey High School assistant coach Paul Newman wearing Falcon wrestling apparel. Bozin, a former collegiate wrestler and three-time state finalist at Carson High School in Carson City, Nev. in the mid-2000s, expressed his interest in coaching wrestling. As luck would have it, Newman told Bozin that the middle school wrestling program was in need after former coach David Monell stepped away.

Bozin and the Cougars, who are in their second week of practice, have been drilling side-by-side with the Falcons at South Whidbey High School. The opportunity has served a double purpose, Bozin said. Bozin keeps a keen eye on the way Falcon head coach Jim Thompson runs his practices and the techniques he teaches. The goal, he hopes, is that the programs can eventually feed off one another.

Around a dozen kids have turned out for the program, Bozin said, which is a positive sign after the program lost some of its traction over the years. Thompson noticed that Bozin knew the names of all his wrestlers within the first two days of practice.

“The blend is really working very well,” Thompson said.

The wrestlers’ progress thus far has been uplifting for Bozin. He said he’s been teaching the grapplers the basics of the sport such as stance and takedowns.

“Good, actually really good, surprisingly good,” Bozin said of the wrestlers’ progress. “We had four kids who wrestled last year and that was it. I think they’re just absolutely doing great.”

“Just getting a feel for what it’s going to be like out there on the mat. The fundamentals, the first things you need to know, so you don’t get taken down,” he added.

Eighth-graders Sam Martin and Michael Cepowski wrestled last year for Monell. They’ve both been impressed with Bozin’s knowledge of the sport in the early parts of the season. They’ve also enjoyed Bozin’s positive coaching style.

“He’s really nice, he’s made it a lot more fun,” Martin said.

Bozin, who has wrestled since he was 5, brings ample experience to the program. A standout during his prep career, Bozin reached the state finals of the Nevada Interscholastic Activities Association 4A State Wrestling Championships three times. He fell short of titles all three times, however.

Bozin wrestled for one year at Northwest College in Powell, Wyo., but due to changes in his priorities, he stopped competing.

“It was just wrestling my whole life,” Bozin said. “I just kind of turned 21 years old and I said, ‘Yeah, I think I’m done. I’m done cutting weight.’ I was burnt. I took a break for a minute.”

Like most wrestlers, the sport left a lasting impression on him. It was his experiences, both negative and positive, which ultimately drew him back. Though he’s never held a head coaching position, Bozin has coached on and off as an unofficial assistant coach at his alma mater while going to school in Los Angeles. During this time, his parents moved to Whidbey Island. Bozin would often come up to Whidbey during his summer breaks to fish and relax.

“I just fell in love with the island,” Bozin said. “A little piece of my heart always stayed whenever I went back to L.A. I just wanted things to slow down.”

Bozin said his goals for the program include being as good a coach as he can be and teaching fundamentals on and off the mat.

“There’s so much more to wrestling than just being on the mat,” Bozin said. “When you’re down and you’re hurt or you’re trying to push yourself, that all happens in life as well. You’re going to get down and you’ve got to find somewhere to dig down deep and push yourself back up, and I really just want to push those fundamentals.”

Thompson, who is contemplating retirement at the end of the season after 12 years as head coach, is happy to see a young and energetic coach take over the middle school program.

“Both Paul (Newman) and I are enthusiastically happy that he’s the one who got the job,” Thompson said. “You never know what to expect, but he’s going to be phenomenal because of the energy he bring.”

Bozin said if the opportunity were to present itself at the high school, he would be more than willing to take it.

“Of course I would,” Bozin said of taking over the high school program.

“I’m really happy that I can have my own little practice and get the basics down and in a sense, be like a feeder program,” he said. “Even in the coaching world, I can just coach the young kids so hopefully, eventually I can move up and coach the high school kids and keep those same fundamentals.”