Wrestling becomes a Culton family affair

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SYCAMORE - In a way, you could say that wrestling has a firm hold, maybe even a headlock, on Randy Culton's family. Randy, a top wrestler in high school, coaches the middle school students of the Sycamore Wrestling Club. His oldest son, Kyle, won a regional title this year for the Sycamore wrestling team as a freshman. His youngest son, 12-year old Austin, is the first Sycamore wrestler to win a state title in the Illinois Kids Wrestling Federation Tournament, which he captured on March 8 in Rockford. As if that wasn't enough, Randy's wife, Dana, was a high school cheerleader, and his mother-in-law, Pat Colby, once drove a wrestling bus. “We're a close-knit family,” he said. Randy began his wrestling career in the sixth grade in Rhinelander, Wis. As the first member of his family to wrestle, he competed in high school as an eighth-grader. Wrestling at 167 pounds throughout high school, he was ranked No. 2 in the state his senior year, but was denied a medal when he lost his first-round match in the state tournament. An all-state running back, Randy spent a year at Northern Michigan on a football scholarship before getting hurt and deciding to go into the construction business. Moving to Sycamore in 1990, Randy eventually accepted an offer from Dan Pritchard to help with the Sycamore Wrestling Club. After a year as an assistant coach, he became head coach. “Coaching became natural for me,” he said. Today, Randy coaches both the middle school wrestlers of the club as well as the Middle School program. Randy said he combined the two in an effort to get them ready for high school coach Chauncey Carrick. In fact, he proudly notes that - besides edging out nearby DeKalb for the conference title two years in a row - he has coached all but one or two of the current Spartans. That includes senior Jason Schepler who earned the club's first state medal several years ago. “It's good to see the kids grow,” Randy said. When he first took over, the club had 22 members, a number that has grown to 80. One of those youngsters was his son, Kyle. He said he began wrestling at the age of 5, at the same time his father started coaching, but didn't like it and quit. “I didn't want to pressure him, so he took a little hiatus,” Randy said. “I didn't like it at first, but then I tried it again and I did,” Kyle said. For Austin, it was a little different story. “I didn't really know what was going on because I was 5,” he said. “I didn't really know until I was like 7 or 8.” He definitely knew what was going on a few weeks ago as he became the first Sycamore wrestler to win a state IKWF title. “When you wrestle in the finals, you kind of think you have to win because you may never be there again,” he said. So what's it like having their father as their coach? “I don't know what it's like not having him as my coach,” Austin said, adding that his father has been the only coach he's known. “I think it's awesome,” Kyle said. “He's been my coach my whole wrestling career until this year.” So what's it like not to have his father as coach? “It's very different,” Kyle said, adding that his father picked up every little thing he did on the mat. While wrestling for Carrick this past season, Kyle said he could hear his father yelling from the stands. “It's difficult at times, but it's a joy and a pleasure,” Randy said about coaching his sons. “I'm their biggest critic and their biggest fan.” Kyle, who just missed qualifying for state by taking fourth at Rock Island Sectional, is determined to make it to Champaign next year. “I was really proud of myself, but I was so mad,” he said. “My goal is to place at state next year.” To do that, Kyle has been wrestling at the Overtime School in Naperville. So, after claiming a state title at the age of 12, what is Austin's goal? “To do it again,” he said. The brothers said they used to wrestle together until Kyle got too big and strong. Despite their success, Randy wants to keep his sons level-headed. “It's great that my kids are so successful,” he said. “But I don't want to put them on a pedestal because it can be a big fall.”