About
Wrestling assists young people to develop important life skills such as self esteem, sportsmanship, work ethic and leadership. Student-athlete academic success is important for any successful program and is the number one priority at Colonial Forge. Forge wrestlers carry over their intense work ethic from the practice room into the classroom with many Eagle wrestlers continuing on their educational goals at colleges and university’s across the United States. Success at Colonial Forge is based on each wrestler realizing their individual potential and establishing obtainable goals. By doing so each Eagle wrestler contributes in a positive manner to the overall success of the team. Forge student-athletes work hard daily to build self confidence, while implementing sell-discipline at all times and becoming productive citizens by maintaining the highest levels of integrity, morale courage and teamwork.
The Colonial Forge wrestling program is broken down into 3 squads, the Varsity (Green), Sub-Varsity Blue and Junior Varsity teams. The ability to field 3 competitive teams allows all team members, no matter what their skill level, maximum mat time and opportunities to improve. The Green Team is comprised of the most talented wrestlers on the Forge roster and competes at many national level tournaments held across the country, as well as prestigious local area tournaments and dual meets as they prepare for the District, Regional and Virginia State championships. The Green team has traveled and wrestled in tournaments as far away as Kansas City, MO and regularly participates in the Walsh Iron Man in Ohio and the Beast of the East tournament held at the University of Delaware.
The Blue Team is composed of many talented and upcoming Forge wrestlers who compete against local Virginia Varsity High School teams and also participates in some Junior Varsity tournaments. Even though many would look at this squad as the “B” team, nothing could be further from the truth with the Blue team defeating numerous Varsity squads. Most Blue team members qualify for Varsity Letters and have competed for the Green team when called upon; these student-athletes area a key ingredient to the depth and future of the Forge program.
The Junior Varsity team is comprised of future Blue and Green team wresters who are developing fundamental wrestling skills in a collective group training environment, while also receiving one-on-one instruction when needed. JV team members compete in numerous JV tournaments and Jamboree’s in Virginia and on many occasions get the opportunity to compete for the Blue Team. The JV squad is the foundation of the Forge program, where numerous Eagle state qualifiers have developed their skills while waiting for their opportunity to contribute at the Blue and Green team levels.
Coach Bill Swink arrived at Colonial Forge High School with a plan: turn the new Stafford County School into a wrestling powerhouse. When Swink sat down with his staff at a local Pizza Hut in the summer of 1999 and outlined an extensive list of goals for the program, at the top of which was the most ambitious: Turn the program into a state champion within six years. It actually took the Eagles eight years to reach their ultimate objective. It's safe to say nobody's holding the delay against them.
When Swink held his prophetic meeting, the Stafford County School had just opened and Great Bridge High School in Chesapeake was in the midst of a dynasty unrivaled in the Virginia High School League. Great Bridge had won 18 of the past 20 AAA state titles before Colonial Forge's victory on Feb. 24, 2007. "You had the Great Bridge factor and everyone was down on our region. They said, 'The wrestling in your area's not very good,' "Swink said." I don't like to be told I can't do anything, so it's like, 'Yeah, we can do it.' You've just got to believe you can do it.“ Swink stayed true to his plan, and the plan worked. His Eagles became a Northwest Region power, winning their seventh regional championship in a row on February 16th, 2008.
On February 23rd, 2008 Colonial Forge clinched their second straight Group “AAA “ championship before the championship finals even began and, for the first time in a quarter-century, Virginia’s championship trophy resided outside of Hampton Roads for consecutive seasons. “We sat down and we had it all on paper,” Swink said. “We thought we could win a state title, we wanted to be a top-10 team in the country, that’s been our plan since day one.”
“We’ve never really talked about winning districts and regionals. It’s always been about state titles,” Swink said. “And I think our kids were never focused on those goals. It was always the big picture of winning state titles. That was what we put out in front of them.”
The Eagles’ first individual champion came in 2003 from Scott Fisher. Two years later, the Eagles got their second title. Since 2000, Eagle wrestlers have claimed 93 District titles, 110 Regional medalists and 12 Individual State Champs to go with their three Virginia Group “AAA” team titles.
Twenty five Colonial Forge wrestlers have won 100 or more matches during their careers, with Shane Gentry earning 200.
The Colonial Forge wrestling program is broken down into 3 squads, the Varsity (Green), Sub-Varsity Blue and Junior Varsity teams. The ability to field 3 competitive teams allows all team members, no matter what their skill level, maximum mat time and opportunities to improve. The Green Team is comprised of the most talented wrestlers on the Forge roster and competes at many national level tournaments held across the country, as well as prestigious local area tournaments and dual meets as they prepare for the District, Regional and Virginia State championships. The Green team has traveled and wrestled in tournaments as far away as Kansas City, MO and regularly participates in the Walsh Iron Man in Ohio and the Beast of the East tournament held at the University of Delaware.
The Blue Team is composed of many talented and upcoming Forge wrestlers who compete against local Virginia Varsity High School teams and also participates in some Junior Varsity tournaments. Even though many would look at this squad as the “B” team, nothing could be further from the truth with the Blue team defeating numerous Varsity squads. Most Blue team members qualify for Varsity Letters and have competed for the Green team when called upon; these student-athletes area a key ingredient to the depth and future of the Forge program.
The Junior Varsity team is comprised of future Blue and Green team wresters who are developing fundamental wrestling skills in a collective group training environment, while also receiving one-on-one instruction when needed. JV team members compete in numerous JV tournaments and Jamboree’s in Virginia and on many occasions get the opportunity to compete for the Blue Team. The JV squad is the foundation of the Forge program, where numerous Eagle state qualifiers have developed their skills while waiting for their opportunity to contribute at the Blue and Green team levels.
Coach Bill Swink arrived at Colonial Forge High School with a plan: turn the new Stafford County School into a wrestling powerhouse. When Swink sat down with his staff at a local Pizza Hut in the summer of 1999 and outlined an extensive list of goals for the program, at the top of which was the most ambitious: Turn the program into a state champion within six years. It actually took the Eagles eight years to reach their ultimate objective. It's safe to say nobody's holding the delay against them.
When Swink held his prophetic meeting, the Stafford County School had just opened and Great Bridge High School in Chesapeake was in the midst of a dynasty unrivaled in the Virginia High School League. Great Bridge had won 18 of the past 20 AAA state titles before Colonial Forge's victory on Feb. 24, 2007. "You had the Great Bridge factor and everyone was down on our region. They said, 'The wrestling in your area's not very good,' "Swink said." I don't like to be told I can't do anything, so it's like, 'Yeah, we can do it.' You've just got to believe you can do it.“ Swink stayed true to his plan, and the plan worked. His Eagles became a Northwest Region power, winning their seventh regional championship in a row on February 16th, 2008.
On February 23rd, 2008 Colonial Forge clinched their second straight Group “AAA “ championship before the championship finals even began and, for the first time in a quarter-century, Virginia’s championship trophy resided outside of Hampton Roads for consecutive seasons. “We sat down and we had it all on paper,” Swink said. “We thought we could win a state title, we wanted to be a top-10 team in the country, that’s been our plan since day one.”
“We’ve never really talked about winning districts and regionals. It’s always been about state titles,” Swink said. “And I think our kids were never focused on those goals. It was always the big picture of winning state titles. That was what we put out in front of them.”
The Eagles’ first individual champion came in 2003 from Scott Fisher. Two years later, the Eagles got their second title. Since 2000, Eagle wrestlers have claimed 93 District titles, 110 Regional medalists and 12 Individual State Champs to go with their three Virginia Group “AAA” team titles.
Twenty five Colonial Forge wrestlers have won 100 or more matches during their careers, with Shane Gentry earning 200.