By Kristin Carlson
“It can be a struggle in certain sports to find coaches,” said Mike Vagher, athletic director and assistant principal of Lake County High School. He certainly didn’t expect to find two college-age candidates while working out at his local gym. But that’s just what happened.
“I was lifting weights,” recounted Vagher, “and this kid from the college [Marciano Pauda] started talking about missing football. I invited him to interview to help out with our team. Then he commented on my wrestling t-shirt and said his buddy had been a wrestler in Michigan, and he might be interested in helping too. The next day I got a phone call.”
Ultimately, both Pauda and his friend, Nick Rose, interviewed with Vagher, and both were offered coaching opportunities. Pauda took on a volunteer position with the football team, while Rose served as the head wrestling coach. What followed was a year of transformational growth for two Colorado Mountain College students and the athletes they mentored.
Pauda kept love of game alive by coaching local high schoolers
When Pauda started to miss playing his favorite sport, football, he didn’t retreat into Bruce Springsteen’s “Glory Days.” Instead, he decided to reach out to local students. He had helped with training camps at his high school and had played on a community college team in Dodge City, Kan., but Lake County offered him his first coaching experience.
“It made me open my eyes and see that I could do this,” Pauda said. “I never thought the opportunity would come up this quickly, but I’m glad it did.”
He said he grew through sharing his experience with others. “I think it’s helped me to work with younger students. Some of these kids struggle in school, and when I feel a lack of motivation, I hear what I’ve said to them, and I can’t be a hypocrite. I’m trying to be a role model for them.”
Vagher has been impressed by Pauda’s efforts. “You can see these kids connect with him and with the idea that they can go to college, too,” he said.
Rose encouraged student-athletes to excel at academics, sports
Pauda’s buddy, Nick Rose, was watching Sunday night football with friends when he first decided to see if the high school might need a wrestling coach.
“I planned to volunteer, but I got a paid position,” Rose said.
According to Vagher, Rose took the position very seriously, committing three to four days a week to lifting weights with students to maintain their conditioning, even after the wrestling season ended.
“It’s something I’ve learned through wrestling,” said Rose. “If you have discipline and you work hard, you’re going to succeed. The same in college. The same in life.”
He made an effort to encourage achievement in school as well as in sports. “I tried to make the student part of being a student-athlete a focus in our practices,” he said.
Vagher, who worked directly with Rose, agreed. “Nick always pushed the academics along with the athletics,” he said, “and encouraged the kids to go to college.”
Rose said he plans to coach again next year, perhaps helping with football as well as wrestling. “It was great being able to see the kids grow as athletes and as people,” he said.
Vagher to look to CMC students for future coaching help
Both Vagher and football coach Steve Craiglow were wowed by the energy that Rose and Pauda brought to the athletic program at Lake County High School.
“You could see our students shine around these college kids,” said Vagher. “When a head coach or parent tells them what to do, they’re like, ‘yeah, yeah, whatever,’ but when a cool college kid says it, it means more.”
“I never thought of tapping into the college before,” he said. “But now, if I have openings, I’ll post the opportunity at CMC. I’ve been nothing but pleased with both these students.”