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Preparing For A New Mission

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By EDDIE DANIELS, The Tampa Tribune

Published: January 4, 2008

LAND O' LAKES - Toiling atop the padded mats inside the Wesley Chapel wrestling room has tapered off for Wildcats coach Brian Simmons.

Instead of the heat brought on by the constant movement of wrestling practice, he soon will deal with the heat of the Iraqi sun. For the next year, he won't be called Coach Simmons. Instead, he will be referred to as Sgt. 1st Class Simmons.

Simmons, an honors and advanced placement teacher at Wesley Chapel, will be deployed to Iraq for his second tour sometime this year. Because of his imminent departure, he has quietly lessened his visibility in the team's wrestling room. He started training in St. Petersburg on Wednesday for his work with the 345th Combat Support Hospital out of Jacksonville.

Coaching will be left to assistants Abel Robinson and Bill Petit.

"I don't mind at all going back, the good that it did from the first time I was there," said Simmons, 28. "It's definitely tougher now, being established in coaching and having my two sons now that I didn't have the first time around."

His initial year-long stint (2003-04) was before the birth of sons Patrick, 3, and Brennan, 1.

Simmons' youngest brother, Kris, also is in his second deployment to Iraq with the Marines.

As the holidays approached, Simmons knew he wouldn't be back for the second half of the school year, so he tried to pack away his things at school and sneak away without much fanfare.

That was a failed mission.

His commitment was celebrated during a small gathering of teachers, which included a banner and a card.

"Brian has been such a great leader for the wrestling program, but not just the wrestling program, for the school," Wesley Chapel athletic director Steve Mumaw said. "He's a great teacher, he's a great role model for the kids, and it's just important to show him and his family how much he means to our family at Wesley Chapel."

The modesty displayed by Simmons in his attempt to quietly remove himself from wrestling and school is not unusual for Simmons. It was also apparent at the end of the 2006-07 wrestling season.

"Last year at the conference meeting, his name was the first name put up for coach of the year, and he quietly said 'no I'm not going to take it because Gulf coach Travis DeWalt had a state champion,'" Robinson said. "He didn't even give anybody a chance to vote. He just felt that Travis deserved it because he had a state champ in Mike Calafiore even though Simmons had two state placers in Eddie Ortiz and Alex Turner.

"He's a good guy. He kind of phased himself out without it being a distraction. It's never about me, me, me with him. It's always about what's better for everybody else."

If he finds time between training in St. Petersburg and preparing for life away from his family, Simmons said he might drop in occasionally to help with practice and tournaments. He said he may show up at Saturday's second annual Fraternal Order of Eagles Wildcat Duals Invitational, hosted by Wesley Chapel.

"By no means am I trying to drop out of complete existence," said Simmons, whose other younger brother, Matt, is the Wiregrass Ranch wrestling coach and a member of the Army National Guard. "They know that it has been turned over to Abel and Bill and they're the primary coaches. Even when I'm there, I'm going to keep kind of a step behind them. There's not really a ranking structure or a head coach, assistant coach between the three of us anyway, but I'll continue to let them keep charge, because while I'm gone it is going to be them, so I don't want to confuse the kids going back and forth like that."

There is one order he has issued to his group. He wants to hear about their successes as the team matures and becomes more competitive.

"They already know they're supposed to be mailing all of the newspaper clippings and all the nice stuff that happens next year when the team gets a year older and starts winning some stuff," said Simmons, who won't return until after next wrestling season.

Robinson even promised to send any trophies the team wins to Iraq.

"He obviously has a big heart and cares about the kids, the program, about me," Abel said, "so his support really does mean a lot to us."

AT A GLANCE

WHAT: Second annual Fraternal Order of Eagles Wildcat Duals Invitational

WHEN/WHERE: 10 a.m., Saturday; 30651 Wells Road, Wesley Chapel
ADMISSION: $3

TEAMS: Mitchell, Sunlake Ridgewood, Wesley Chapel, Wiregrass Ranch, Zephyrhills

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