Randy York’s N-Sider
Mark Manning is competitive, tough-minded, determined, and loyal. Nebraska’s head wrestling coach for 15 years, Manning has recruited and coached Olympic gold medalist and two-time world champion Jordan Burroughs, who joined the Huskers' coaching staff last year. Manning also hired Bryan Snyder as an assistant coach in 2010-11. Now Manning’s associate head coach, Snyder ranks No. 1 on Nebraska’s all-time winning percentage chart, having won 136 of his 147 matches, a .925 winning percentage from 1999 to 2002.
Through the years, both high achieving Husker assistants view Manning as someone who won’t say anything he doesn’t firmly believe. He’s also known to analyze everything inside out and upside down. So please read this introductory quote as carefully and slowly as possible: “Robert Kokesh is probably our best all-time leader in the history of Nebraska wrestling,” Manning told me. “He’s the best I’ve ever worked with and the best I’ve ever seen. He’s very special, a true blessing…a once-in-a-lifetime guy in this program for several important reasons.”
Kokesh Gives Unparalleled Support to Teammates
Now that we have your attention, meet Kokesh, a senior from Wagner, S.D. He's the NCAA's No. 1-ranked 174-pounder. Already a three-time NCAA qualifier, a two-time NCAA All-American and a defending Big Ten Conference champion, Kokesh earns Manning’s highest praise because of what he exemplifies, plus his commitment to optimize his talent and his unparalleled support for every wrestler who wears the same Husker singlet he does. “He’s the best leader because of his character,” Manning said. “He’s just the salt of the earth as a person. What you see is what you get. He’s outstanding in every aspect of his life. He has a 100-percent work ethic. He’s 100-percent in the classroom and a 100-percenter every day he gets to wrestle. The biggest compliment I can give Robert is that he lives every area of his life straight from his heart.”
Kokesh’s Work Ethic Established on Family Farm
As a fellow South Dakotan, Manning knows the source of Kokesh’s strength and inner core. Nebraska’s head coach first heard about Kokesh when he was in eighth or ninth-grade and will never forget visiting his family’s 800 acres of farmland with 300 head of cattle that include 30 cows Robert owns himself. Kokesh grew up learning how to share priorities. In junior high and high school, he checked the cattle every night at 11 p.m. before going to bed. His brother checked the cattle at 2 a.m. and his father, and sometimes even his mother, would make sure the cows were okay at 5 a.m. daily. For Kokesh, accepting Nebraska’s scholarship offer to wrestle was instantaneous. “It was a very simple process,” he told me. “I didn’t even visit Nebraska officially. I visited unofficially. I know it sounds kind of crazy, but the minute they offered, I accepted. My parents went with me on my unofficial trip. They knew I fell in love with the place and the program. I had offers from Minnesota and South Dakota State, too, but Nebraska was amazing. So was Coach Manning. Coach Snyder (below left with Manning) came back to coach the same year I arrived. It couldn’t have worked out any better for me.”
Snyder: Kokesh Epitome of a Champion, Leader
The feeling is mutual. “Robert is the epitome of a champion and a leader, both on and off the mat,” Snyder said. “He comes every day to every workout ready to put in the work to be great. Robert is also extremely coachable, regardless of the situation or wherever the message is coming from. To be honest, I cannot say enough good things about Robert. He’s been the standard for Nebraska Wrestling for the last four years. He trains his butt off daily, excels in the classroom, gives his time to community service, and competes like a warrior on the mat. I feel honored to have been around him for five years, and he’ll surely be missed when he’s gone.”
Burroughs (pictured below responding to Husker fans) reinforces the kudos, giving Kokesh his vote as Nebraska’s best overall leader of all time. “I think he's done a better job than I did," Burroughs said of Kokesh's leadership. "He's more vocal than I was, and he constantly cheers everyone on the team. I like the way he gets involved in other matters outside of who he's wrestling. His work ethic is amazing. It's incomporable to some of the guys I've seen compete at the highest level. I think Robert has set a new standard at Nebraska in the way he's encouraged those around him.” In Manning's mind, Kokesh's confidence is rooted in his plan to return to South Dakota and work on the farm whenever his wrestling journey ends. He envisions helping his dad, who likely will work at least another 10 or 15 years before considering retirement.
Growth, Maturity the Greatest Thrills in Coaching
“Douglas (Robert’s dad) does a great job, but whenever Robert comes back to South Dakota to farm fulltime, it won’t take long for them to double the number of cows,” Manning predicted. “Robert champions our philosophy to get better every day. He works out with Jordan two to three times a week and gives everything he has to his teammates. The greatest thrill in coaching is seeing a kid come here when he’s 18 and how much he’s grown and matured into a young man. It’s amazing, especially with Robert. He’s a tremendous person, and you just hope you’re a small part of it.” Kokesh confirmed that “small” does not begin to describe the big-picture growth he’s embraced. “Coach Manning’s a go-to guy,” he said. “You couldn't ask for a better man to motivate you. Coach Snyder is a go-to guy. He’s taught me so much technique-wise. Bad habits are hard to break, but he’s helped me get off my knees more and to shoot with my head better. Without both coaches, I’m not what I am. I’ve always tried my hardest, but they’ve helped me try harder. It’s awesome to be ranked No. 1, but if I don’t finish there at the end, it doesn’t matter.”
Snyder’s Master’s, Doctorate Degrees Inspiring
The inspiration extends to academics, a priority area for Snyder, who has earned a bachelor’s, a master’s and a Ph.D. degree in sociology and communication studies. “I never miss a class because if I do, I know I’ll miss something important,” Kokesh said. “Coach Snyder and Coach Manning always preach that, and I try to apply that principle in whatever I do, including my social time. I’ve learned 100 percent is the only way to go. Alvin Banks (academic counselor) has guided me academically like Coach Manning and Coach Snyder have helped me athletically.”
Kokesh, in turn, has inspired his own teammates. Ian Ousley, a junior from Saginaw, Mich., said the senior All-American is one of those leaders you hear rumors about before you even arrive on campus as a freshman. "He has a constant positive presence and brings up everyone around him," Ousley said of Kokesh. "On our toughest days of practice, he'll be the first one to say how much we'll gain from that tough practice. His all-in effort is contagious, and it's apparent in everything he does. As a teammate, you know that Robert doesn't just care about you as a wrestler. He cares for you as a complete person, and he'll help you whenever he can."
It all traces back to Kokesh's experiences and a lifestyle he insists not everyone would choose. "I enjoy working hard on the farm, and I want to go back to it," he said. "I enjoy being my own boss and doing a different job everyday on the farm.” Kokesh relishes the daily honing of wrestling skills to earn the ultimate goal – a national championship. Moreover, he believes the same goal can apply to a team title once outstanding recruits realize that Nebraska is equipped to take a fast escalator to another level.
Huskers Hope to Recruit Similar-Minded Leaders
“Robert has really improved as a wrestler on a daily basis,” Manning said. “His leadership in this program can and will elevate our recruiting. He exemplifies everything that’s possible and that includes the opportunity to make the world team or compete in the Olympics. He makes everybody better around him. He’d run through the wall to help teammates. That’s a great attribute, and that’s what we want to continue to reinforce at Nebraska.” The speed of the leader determines the rate of the pack. As Nebraska amps up its national recruiting efforts, expect to see more 100-percent performers choosing to optimize their talents the “Nebraska Way”. The best thing about that? The evidence. It worked for Burroughs, who’s become “The Face” of both USA Wrestling and Olympic Wrestling. All the Huskers need is more high-octane leaders like Robert Kokesh and the wisdom, experience and impact of Manning, Burroughs and Snyder. For his unique accomplishments, it is not a stretch to say that Kokesh has become a Nebraska benchmark, and who knows what that might mean for those bullish enough to follow him?
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Voices from Across the Nation
Thanks for penning the article on Robert Kokesh. What a wonderful ambassador for the University of Nebraska and the sport of wrestling! Well done! Rick Henry, Life Science Instructor, Helena College, University of Montana, Helena, Mt.