Jeriah Horsley

After the departure of coach David Holland over the summer the Powell High School girls’ wrestling team has a new coach named to lead the way in September, as Jeriah Horsley was named to lead the team.

“Wrestling has been a part of my life since I was 4 years old, and the sport has taught me more about discipline, perseverance and character than almost anything else,” Horsley said. “Over the years, I’ve seen the incredible growth of girls’ wrestling across the state, and I wanted to be part of continuing that momentum. I pursued the head coaching position because I see an opportunity to help young women grow in confidence, develop mental toughness and find success both on and off the mat.”

Horsley brings a significant amount of experience to the program, coaching and instructing soldiers in the Wyoming Army National Guard for the past 18 years.

In this position he has focused on leadership and discipline as well as wrestling as a platform to the Army’s combative program.

“I also have experience coaching USA Wrestling, and I’ve stayed closely connected to the sport of wrestling my entire life,” Horsley said. “My background combines wrestling fundamentals with the military structure of discipline, conditioning and precision of technique, which I believe brings a unique level of focus and accountability to training.”

Coming into a program that has established a strong base over the past three years of official competition, Horsley said he plans to continue growing the program, challenging his returning wrestlers while creating a strong environment for newer wrestlers to grow the program.

“The goal is to build on the solid foundation already in place,” Horsley said. “For the returning wrestlers, I want to push them to refine their technique and elevate their performance to the next level. For the newcomers, I want to create an environment where they feel supported, challenged and inspired — where they can grow at their own pace while being part of something bigger than themselves. My focus is on developing strong fundamentals, confidence and a deep love for the sport that will carry them far beyond high school wrestling.”

He said his goal for the program overall will center around growth, helping the athletes realize the importance of the process along the way to potentially reaching the top.

“My goals center around growth as athletes, teammates and individuals. Success isn’t just about standing on top of the podium — it’s about the process that gets you there,” Horsley said. “It’s the tears, the long practices, the setbacks and the moments of resilience that define true success. I want every athlete to walk away knowing they gave their best, learned from every challenge and are stronger — mentally, physically and emotionally because of it.”

Based on those principals Horsley said that he wants to continue growing the program as a whole, feeling like the Panthers can be the ones to lead the way and set the standard for being competitive and character driven.

“I plan to continue building a culture of excellence, discipline and unity. That includes outreach to younger athletes, mentorship from returning wrestlers and a focus on fundamentals that develop both skill and confidence,” Horsley said. “I also want to help grow community support and awareness of girls’ wrestling — it’s one of the fastest growing sports in the nation, and I believe our program can set the standard for what it means to be competitive and character driven.”