“I think there’s probably different challenges for each level of coaching,” Medley said. “If you’re coaching a Division One team, those guys are there for a reason. They’re recruited for a reason, and they have a level of wrestling needed to achieve greatness. More so for them, it’s about fine tuning each individual. Everybody has their own personal style, their own way that motivates them. As a coach you’ve got to understand it’s not just one athlete that’s the same as the others. I think the biggest thing is making an impact on each athlete’s lives and creating an authentic relationship with them, being a mentor. I think that goes beyond just wrestling.”
One of Medley’s current inspirations for leading a team comes in the form of Michigan assistant coach and former UFC fighter, Kevin Jackson.
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The MMA pioneer would not only win the UFC 14 light heavyweight tournament, but also fight for the first 205-pound belt in UFC history in his incredibly short career after bringing home Olympic, Pan American and World golds.
Medley has the privilege of knowing Jackson not as “the UFC fighter” but as the coach and mentor who lives his life to make a difference on the careers of wrestlers, and not to tout his toughness and glory days at the pinnacle of combat sports.
“He’s one of the great, great representatives and ambassadors for the sport of wrestling,” Medley said. “Wherever he’s been, there’s been achieved success.”
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Because of coaches like Jackson, leaders like Medley and life lessons you can’t learn anywhere else, regardless of what careers wrestlers excel at after their time on the mat is done, there’s a reason they’ll always be wrestlers first.
“I just think what the sport teaches you is different than what any sport teaches you,” Medley said. “I’m a fan of Michael Chandler and his story and how he started on as a walk-on at the University of Missouri and ended up being an All-American. Now he’s one of the top guys in his division. He’s gone back to his roots of wrestling. I think what’s so special about it are the relationships and brotherhood you make with your teammates. Things are tough, but you guys are all suffering together and choosing to do it. The values and lessons you learn from the sport stick with you for the rest of your life. With that comes a sense of gratitude for those lessons.”
Before Medley calls it a career and begins the hunt for his coaching career, he’s got one more run in him, and the next stop is at UFC FIGHT PASS’s Battle At Bragg.
Catch Battle At Bragg Friday, November 11, LIVE from the historic Fort Bragg, ONLY on UFC FIGHT PASS!
