York wrestling coach Nick Metcalf cherishes helping athletes overcome adversity, reach their full potential

As a former athlete, Nick Metcalf cherished the relationships he built with his teammates and coaches.

He understood the importance of role models and mentors.

At an early age, Metcalf had his sights set on his career path.

“When I was a young kid, probably around sixth grade, I knew that there was nothing else that I wanted to come or do other than being a teacher and a coach,” Metcalf said. “When I first started wrestling in sixth grade, I had some of the most influential coaches, especially my father growing up.”

Metcalf, a 2002 Willowbrook graduate, stayed on course. He started his coaching and teaching career in 2007, spending stints at York, Willowbrook and Oswego East. He returned to York, where he teaches health and driver education and coaches varsity wrestling.

Metcalf said he enjoys molding young minds and pushing athletes to reach their potential. A three-sport athlete at Willowbrook, Metcalf gained an appreciation for the impact coaches have on student-athletes through his diverse sports background.

“Being able to see an athlete of yours who was a freshman to then walk across the stage as a graduate from York High School and then to be able to follow their college athletic career accomplishments is one of the most rewarding feelings as a coach,” Metcalf said.

Metcalf’s influence extends beyond the current group of high schools. His coaching style focuses on building close teams and wrestlers willing to sacrifice themselves for the betterment of the program. A two-time state wrestling qualifier, Metcalf wrestled at Eastern Illinois and Elmhurst University.

He credits Terry Clarke for serving as an early mentor-coach for him, along with his father.

“I wouldn’t be where I am today without him giving me a chance,” Metcalf said of Clarke. “My father was also a big mentor to me. His hard work ethic and life philosophies helped impact me as a teacher and a coach.”

Joshua Mathiasen, a 2020 York graduate who played football and wrestled, credited Metcalf for pushing him to reach his full potential. Mathiasen is a starting nose guard for Samford University in Alabama.

“There were two big things that coach helped me with,” Mathiasen said. “First, he helped with my championship mindset. Coming in, I didn’t really know much about wrestling. I knew it would help with football. Coach helped me a lot to become a better heavyweight and helped me with my mindset. He had a similar upbringing as me. He helped me to use those things to channel a better mindset.

“Secondly, I had a hard upbringing. He was someone who I could trust and he helped me a lot. Everybody bought into him. He was, along with the other coaches, a huge part of who I am today.”

Mathiasen said Metcalf and his coaching staff helped him through a tough time in his life, which showed the program’s commitment to him extended outside the wresting room.

“My mom was in the hospital in my junior year. Just seeing them come to see if I was OK and supporting me showed what a great group of guys they are and that they really cared about me,” Mathiasen said.

During his tenure at York, Metcalf has led numerous teams to success, including sending several wrestlers to the individual state tournament. He’s had five individual state qualifiers, most notably Sean Berger, who finished fourth in the Class 3A 132-pound weight class. The Dukes just concluded a historic season, winning a regional championship for the first time since 2008. The Dukes also earned a ticket to the team state series for the first time in program history.

Metcalf said coaching wrestling appeals to his competitive nature.

“One aspect of wrestling that I love is being able to watch young athletes overcome adversity and grow, physically, mentally, socially and spiritually, and develop a mindset of being able to achieve anything in life,” Metcalf said. “The beautiful thing about wrestling is that you can never stop learning the sport. Wrestling is an art that just continues to get refined as time goes on.”