For the past few years, Tyler Storck has been working to build up Woodford County High School’s wrestling program as an assistant coach, always supporting the team from the corner of the mat.
This winter, he will step into an even bigger role to help shape the program’s future.
Storck is now the new head coach of the Woodford County Middle School wrestling team. This move aims to build a stronger link between the middle and high school programs and help young wrestlers grow before they reach varsity.
For Storck, this opportunity felt like a natural next step.
“We got word that the job may be opening up,” Storck said.
“Harrison (Courtney) asked me to do the job. He thought I’d be good for it, and we really want to mesh on all levels of Woodford wrestling and get the system implemented across all aspects of the sport. He thought I’d be a good fit to go down there and help these kids get ready for the next level.”
Building a strong connection between the two programs is central to Storck’s vision.
He believes that bringing the middle and high school programs together can help restore one of Kentucky’s most storied wrestling traditions.
“I think it’s extremely important,” Storck said.
“Woodford wrestling history goes back so far. In the recent past, we haven’t done as well as we had previously, and I think marrying the programs together and really getting these kids prepared for that high school level will help us get back on top.”
Storck hopes that by the time freshmen join, they will already know the basics, so practice time can focus on more advanced skills.
“By the time they get there, we’re not going to have to focus on the basics and the fundamentals,” he said. “They’re going to be ready to go, and we can hit it hard. We won’t have to spend so much time catching up.”
Storck is already ahead of the game.
All summer, he has led middle school wrestling club practices on Mondays and Wednesdays, and run strength and conditioning sessions three times a week for both middle and high school athletes.
These workouts have given him a chance to get to know the wrestlers he will coach during the season.
“I’m very, very excited,” Storck said.
“I’ve gotten to meet a lot of them through the club over the summer. Most of the numbers that are there are my middle school kids. They’re really, really excited. They’re hard workers. You can tell they love the sport and want to get better. He expects even more students to join once the season begins.
“I know we’re going to have a lot more come the season,” he said. “I think it’s going to be a great opportunity to get these kids ready for the next level and really help them fall in love with the sport.”
Storck may be a familiar face in Woodford County wrestling now, but he did not grow up in the program.
A Lexington native, he wrestled at Henry Clay High School, where he became a four-time state qualifier and two-time state placer.
Even so, Woodford wrestling was always close by.
“I grew up with a lot of the Woodford guys, and I really had a lot of respect for Woodford growing up,” Storck said.
He spent summers training with Elite Training Center (ETC), a nationally recognized club run by the late Rob Boston, whose influence helped shape generations of wrestlers in Central Kentucky.
“I’d go to camp all the time, so I really grew up getting to spend a lot of time with the Woodford program,” Storck said. “If I could go back, I’d probably move here.”
He continued wrestling for a short time at Ohio University, then switched his focus to powerlifting.
That choice brought him great success.
In 2023, Storck won two world gold medals in powerlifting, an experience he believes has made him a better coach.
“I never got to the top levels of wrestling,” he said. “But I got to experience the top of another sport. I got to see what it takes to get there. I like to use both of those experiences to help push my coaching style.”
His experience in strength training has been a big help for Woodford wrestlers, but Storck believes coaching is about much more than just technique or time in the weight room.
For him, the most important qualities are patience, humility, and always putting the athletes first.
“Patience is a big one,” he said. “You’re dealing with middle school and high school kids. They’re teenagers, and they’re not always going to want to listen. You’ve got to be able to reel them in.”
He also thinks that great coaches do not need to have been star athletes themselves.
“I don’t think you have to be an amazing wrestler to be a good coach,” Storck said. “You’ve got to have the desire to push them to get better. You can’t have any ego in it. At this point, it’s not about you anymore. It’s about pushing these kids.”
No matter if lessons come from wrestling, powerlifting, or other sports, Storck wants them all to serve one purpose.
“It’s learning from your experiences and using what you’ve learned to mold them into the best wrestler and athlete they can be,” he said.
Storck’s commitment to Woodford County goes beyond just practice.
This school year, Storck will also join the district as an instructional assistant in a special needs classroom, giving him another opportunity to work with students beyond athletics.
“I’m very, very excited about that,” he said. “I love helping kids inside and outside the classroom, on and off the mat. I just love to cement my place in this community.”
He says the community has welcomed him just as warmly.
“You guys have taken me in with open arms,” Storck said. “I’ve loved being a part of it. Now, to be able to work in the school system and revolve my schedule around that, I think it’s going to be great.”
Storck’s new title may be middle school head coach for Woodford County wrestling, but his mission goes far beyond just one season or one team.