The ADM wrestling team takes to the practice mat for the first time today, and head coach Justin Schmauss is excited to test the waters as not just the first-year head coach of the Tigers, but in his first head coaching job period.

Schmauss has been an assistant at ADM the past two seasons, and he says he’s looking forward to implementing some of his own philosophies now that he’s the leader of the program.

“(It’s) kind of exciting to be able to put what I’ve learned throughout my career and put it to work and change things up a little bit.  (We’re) focused on mentality–getting the right mentality for our guys is going to be huge this year.  We have pretty young team, so I think if we just start building confidence right away then it will pay off big at the end.”

Schmauss says he’s quickly learning that a lot more behind-the-scenes work goes into being a head coach as compared to an assistant, but he’s making the adjustment as best he can.

“It’s (been) a wake-up call and I have a whole lot more respect for what head coaches do just to make the wheels turn on a daily basis.  There are the little things that add up that you just have to do, so it’s a different ballgame that’s for sure.”

Schmauss adds that he won’t be working his wrestlers too hard in the season’s first week as they get acclimated to being back on the mat.  Most of their work this week will be with simple fundamental drilling.