Chuck Colborn has decided to stay on as Beth-Center High School's head wrestling coach.

"My plan was to coach one season and then turn the program back to Dave Nelson," said Colborn, referring to Beth-Center's former coach, who stepped down after the 2006-07 season due to a job promotion.

"Those plans have changed. I've decided to stick around a few more years since my boys are now coming through the program. One son will be in eighth grade this year and the other will be in sixth."

Beth-Center had a 3-9 record last year with a varsity roster of only 10 wrestlers.

"I was worried about the program going south, so I decided to stay on," said Colborn, a 1978 Beth-Center graduate. "I've also been helping with the youth program and junior high the past four years, so I'm trying to build up our feeder program.

"In fact, we may have a full lineup this year. We finally have some bodies to fill the holes we've had the past few years."

Colborn had only two starters -- Aaron Hrutkay and Chris Stay -- graduate, but both were PIAA qualifiers and the two combined for 220 career victories. Hrutkay placed fourth in the PIAA Class AA tournament.

Colborn has seven years of head coaching experience in wrestling. He also coached four years at Ringgold and two at Charleroi. He was also head football coach at Ringgold for six years and Albert Gallatin for seven years. He taught at Albert Gallatin High School for 25 years.

Colborn took a break from teaching last year when he opened a restaurant in Fredericktown called Colborn's Front Street Deli.

"We had the restaurant open for a few months when somebody came in and made me an offer to sell," Colborn said. "Two weeks later, I started a job at Mel Blount's Youth Home as supervisor of programs. I love working with kids. It's working out very well."

Coaching resignations

Two of the WPIAL's most successful wrestling coaches who combined for 251 career victories have stepped down.

Plum's Chuck Froehlich and Mount Pleasant's Mark Mears have turned in their resignation, and family played a big part in the decision for both coaches.

"My son will soon be 9, my daughter just turned 7 and we also have a 6-month old baby boy," said Froehlich, who was the Mustangs coach for 12 seasons. "I've been thinking about stepping down for the past couple years. I finally decided that this was the time."

Froehlich, a 1988 graduate of Seton-LaSalle and a 1993 graduate of Mount Union College, compiled a 130-74 record at Plum and retires as the school's all-time wins leader.

"I've stepped down as a wrestling coach, but I don't ever think I'll get coaching out of my blood," Froehlich said. "I'm currently helping with my son's baseball team and my daughter's softball team. I really enjoy working with kids. It's very rewarding."

Plum made eight appearances in the WPIAL Class AAA team tournament during Froehlich's 12-year stint.

"I was very fortunate to coach a lot of good kids over the years," Froehlich said. "I had seven WPIAL champions, including one each of the past six seasons. Not many coaches have a run like that. I'm very proud of that."

Mears, a 1985 graduate of Mount Pleasant and 1990 graduate of Lock Haven University, had a 121-39 record during his eight seasons at Mount Pleasant. His .756 winning percentage is among the best in WPIAL history among coaches with 100 or more victories.

"I have a son who will be going to sixth grade, a daughter going to fifth grade, and a son who is only 1¹/₂," said Mears, who had a dual reason for his resignation. "Spending more time with my family is a priority, but a job promotion played a big part in my decision."

Mears works at Greater Latrobe High School and actually began his coaching career at Latrobe.

"I was the junior high coach for two years and a varsity assistant for eight at Latrobe before I took the job at Mount Pleasant," Mears said.

"I was offered a promotion at Latrobe prior to the past school year. I accepted the position knowing that I would have to step down as wrestling coach after this season."

Mears is now director of transportation and child accounting at Latrobe. His chief responsibility is to oversee bus transportation during the winter months, the same time as wrestling season.