Working From the Ground Up With Grant Leeth of Tarleton Wrestling
Tarleton wrestling is still early in its story, but it does not operate like a program waiting to find itself. Under head coach Grant Leeth, the Texans have built with purpose from day one, focusing less on labels and more on habits that hold up regardless of opponent or level.
That approach was tested recently at the Norman Duals, where Tarleton stepped into a Division I level dual competition. The results were mixed, but the weekend offered exactly what Leeth wanted: clarity. Not about where the program stands today, but about where it needs to go.
At the core of Tarleton wrestling is a defined identity.
Wrestling Texas: When you think about the long term vision for Tarleton wrestling, what principles do you want to remain the same regardless of division or classification?
Grant Leeth:
“We currently have four principles that make up the foundation of who we are as a team: Ownership, Gratitude, Accountability, and Texan Tough.Ownership is all about the kids taking their career and goals into their own hands. I encourage them to really think about their own wrestling, technique, etc., and come into practice every day with something in mind they want to improve. Gratitude is about focusing on the right things when things might get hard or during a big competition. It keeps their attitude and mind in the right place. Accountability is ensuring you hold your teammates accountable to our four principles. It is also about competing for more than yourself, whether that is building this program or pioneering for the future Texas wrestlers. Texan Tough is our version of ‘one more.’ It means any time we do a film session, workout, etc., you do one more set. It’sputting sweat equity in the bank when you aren’t forced to.”
Wrestling Texas: What lessons from your experience at established programs have most shaped how you’re building Tarleton from the ground up?
Leeth:
“During my time at the University of Missouri (seven seasons), it became very clear how important a team identity could be. TigerStyleis a household term in the wrestling community and has helped create the powerhouse wrestling program at Missouri. Coach Smith created something we were so proud to be a part of and wanted to fight for every time we stepped on the mat. To this day, I find myself doing and saying things that remind me of TigerStyle. As a new program, this was one of the most important things to establish right away; a strong foundation and identity within our program.
My time at Stanford taught me so many things about coaching.Rob Koll and Brian Smithare two very different personalities with very different approaches. Getting to learn from both of them is one of the greatest blessings in my life. The biggest takeaway I got from Rob was how to fundraise and how to lead assistant coaches. His approach was to throw darts at the wall and see what would stick. Here at Tarleton, we’ve done several unique fundraisers (comedy shows, whiskey bottles, a polar plunge, a No Shave November calendar). As far as leading assistants, he was always willing to learn from us and let us run with projects or ideas without much oversight. It created an environment you were proud to be a part of and felt like you really made a difference.”
Wrestling Texas: When you evaluate your roster right now, what traits translate best to success at the highest level of collegiate wrestling?
Leeth:
“The traits that translate best are loving to compete, loving to learn, and being tough. When you love to compete, the stress of winning or losing is minimal. It helps with the mental aspect of competing and allows our kids to wrestle free. Loving to learn goes hand in hand with loving the sport, but the kids who are extra coachable and excited to get feedback tend to develop at a faster trajectory. Being tough is required at this level. Seven minute matches with the highest level of competition in the world are always going to be extremely hard. College wrestling is hard, period. You have to make the decision that it doesn’t matter how hard it gets, you will keep moving forward.”
Wrestling Texas: After demanding weekends like the Norman Duals, what do you look for first on film when assessing progress?
Leeth:
“The first thing I look for is trends throughout the lineup. A glaring trend I saw at the Norman Duals was our inability to get off bottom and not having individual systems. We typically do not struggle on the mat, but against this level of competition, it became painfully clear it was a weak point. Lacking individual systems was the most important takeaway. At other tournaments, this wasn’t something I noticed, but against this competition, it felt like we didn’t know where or what positions we wanted to wrestle. Part of that is being outmatched, but ensuring these guys develop their own systems can help close that gap.
“I balance being honest about the gaps while keeping athletes confident by taking a light hearted approach while simultaneously being brutally honest. These kids are growing into men. Sugarcoating things is an insult in my opinion. If I’m honest but deliver feedback with confidence that they can make adjustments, they see it as an opportunity to grow rather than something that hurts their confidence.”
Wrestling Texas: Texas has strong high school and NAIA programs right now. How do you see college wrestling in Texas evolving over the next several years?
Leeth:
“Our hope is to spark a wildfire of college wrestling programs across the state. That has been our ultimate goal since before I got involved. The Texas Collegiate Wrestling Foundation and myself are working on a blueprint to start programs, with the hope of taking it across the state and continuing to add opportunities. As we grow into a Division I program, we want to work with other programs in Texas and put on some amazing events in the future.”
What’s Next
Tarleton’s development continues immediately. The Texans will travel to Iowa City, Iowa, on January 3–4 to compete in the Soldier Salute, one of the toughest tournaments in the country. The event will feature national powers including Iowa, Iowa State, Missouri, North Carolina, Northern Iowa, and others.
For a program intent on measuring itself honestly, Soldier Salute represents another deliberate step, an opportunity to test progress and continue shaping what Tarleton wrestling is becoming.
Support Tarleton Wrestling
Those interested in supporting the continued growth of Tarleton Wrestling can do so in the following ways:
Team Store
Support the program by purchasing official Tarleton Wrestling gear:
https://www.rich-habits.com/collections/tarleton-state-wrestling-collection
Donations
Tarleton Wrestling is supported through the Texas Collegiate Wrestling Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. Donations help cover travel, training, and athlete support.
Mail a check to:
Texas Collegiate Wrestling Foundation
3200 W Bolt Street
Fort Worth, Texas 77433
Online donations:
https://donorbox.org/tarleton-state-wrestling
As Dan Gable famously said, “Let’s go Texas.”
