Niebauer’s passion and intensity for wrestling has been clear for a long time
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I had always known Penn Cambria coach Todd Niebauer to be an intense and passionate coach. All you had to do was watch him on the bench during dual meets or as he was coaching in the corner of one of his wrestlers in a tournament.
But it wasn't until one of his wrestlers pulled off one of the biggest wins in program history at the PIAA Championships that I got to experience that intensity and passion.
Evan Link knocked off Line Mountain sophomore returning state champion Zain Retherford, 4-3, in the 112-pound semifinals of the 2011 PIAA Class 2A Championships.
Yes, that Zain Retherford, who went on to win his second state title for Benton as a senior in 2013 and won three NCAA titles at Penn State. He was twice named the Dan Hodge Trophy winner, which is the college wrestling equivalent of the Heisman Trophy. Retherford only had three losses in high school and three in college -- all his freshman season.
When the semifinal was over on that Friday night session at Hershey's Giant Center, Link and Niebauer left the floor on the opposite end of where the wrestlers and coaches wait for their bouts to be called.
I hurried out from press row, through the hockey locker room and into the hallway so I could get an interview with both. Sometimes wrestlers and coaches disappear after they leave the mat, but I needed these interviews for such a big story.
I consider Niebauer a friend and appreciate him being media friendly when other coaches aren't.
As I neared Niebauer walking in the hall, I extended my right hand to shake his hand. The excited Niebauer didn't shake my hand. He slapped my hand with so much force that it was red and tingled in pain for several minutes afterward. I thought I might have nerve damage in my hand.
I shook my hand in much the same way as a baseball player would after hitting the ball in the wrong spot on a cold day. For the record, my hand recovered.
"I tell that story all the time, Todd," Niebauer said laughing. "I just had this conversation with somebody today. They were saying that was probably your best win. I said it was a pretty dang big win if people talk about it for a long time.
"My brother Matt and Matt Wills, our assistant coach, were like 'No!' They saw you stick your hand out and they knew I was pumped up. You've seen it as much as anybody has. I felt bad, but when you're in that moment you can't hold back.
"There are things that people get excited and passionate about. I've been in wrestling since I was 8 years old."
Link, a two-time state runner-up and 2010-11 Altoona Mirror Wrestler of the Year, eventually had to settle for second after being pinned by North Star's Nick Roberts in the finals.
While winning still got him excited, Niebauer had to adjust his coaching intensity late in his career as times changed.
"It's kind of funny because a lot of the older guys will be like 'Man, you've gotten soft,'" Niebauer said.
One of the common themes of those successful teams 10 to 15 years ago was the intensity of toughness of the Penn Cambria practices.
"I have zero negative things to say about Penn Cambria ever," Niebauer said. "Have times changed a little bit as far as depth in the room that can handle the crazy workouts? These (past) kids were raised by their dads and put through some amazing workouts as youth kids. That's changed a little bit. You've got to adjust your practices.
"I was intense. Was I too intense sometimes? Ask my own sons (Reed and Bryce). (They'd say) dad's being pretty rough at practice. Ask Paul Myers. Ask Nathan Link and those guys.
"They've got to see your passion too with that intensity. I think they saw the passion. When they can see you're passionate about it that can trickle down."
I definitely saw the intensity and the passion on that day 15 years ago.
Todd Irwin can be reached at sports@altoonamirror.com.