Family ties to the mat

HIGHLAND — Lone Peak's Blake Mangum knows all about the challenges of being a competitive prep wrestler.

As a two-time state placer entering his junior year, he is well aware of all the ins and outs of techniques, the intensity of conditioning to make weight and the endurance involved in a dual or tournament. He also knows about leadership and work ethic and doing his part to make the team stronger.

But there's at least one thing Mangum knows even better than some of the older or more accomplished wrestlers. He has an up-close and personal knowledge of coaching because Blake's dad, Lyle, is Lone Peak's head wrestling coach.

Being the coach's son puts Blake in a unique position. It has its rewards but also its challenges. For the Mangums, wrestling doesn't end when practice is over. It follows Blake home to the dinner table in the evening and hangs around with him on the weekends, as well. That's what happens when the person you call "coach" you also call "dad."

"I started wrestling when I was three or four and I've been doing it every since," said Blake. "(My dad) has been my coach ever since I was young. It's easy and hard. I can listen to him easier and know what he's talking about, but then it's hard because, since we do have such a great relationship, we can yell at each other and disagree about stuff."

The same goes for Lyle, who gets the benefits of always having a close eye on his son's progress as an athlete but also having to balance the father-son and coach-athlete relationships.

"I'm with him all the time," said Lyle. "You try to leave the wrestling part of it here (at school), but it's tough because you're with him so much. You don't want to overstep the father-son or father-coach thing. You've got to try and walk a fine line, I think."

For Blake, the challenges go beyond just the relationship with his dad. It sets him apart from the rest of his teammates and makes earning the respect of his peers that much more challenging.

"It's hard because some of the kids say the only reason I'm good is because I'm the coach's son," said Blake. "It motivates me to show them I'm better because of more than just that."

Wrestling is always a part of life in the Mangum household. During the season there's always some coaching going on at home, and any weekend that Lone Peak isn't wrestling, father and son are out watching other tournaments.