'24 - '25 SEVERANCE HS WRESTLING TO BE "AWESOME" - A chat with coach Dare

Coach Samuel Dare (pictured above) is optimistic and excited for the '24-'25 season to get started.

The Severance High School wrestling room's coach's office is exactly what you would expect it to be. Dark. Tucked away. Secluded. It's exactly the kind of place you want to do an interview with a wrestling coach that is focused on getting ready for an upcoming season. Coach Dare carved out about 30 minutes for me to talk about the upcoming season right before the teams second pre-season workout. He was, as he always is, congenial and open, and when we wrapped up, I couldn’t help but have a MASSIVE amount of excitement for the year to come.

The 2024-25 wrestling season at Severance High School promises to be a game-changing year for the program under the leadership of head coach Sam Dare. Known for his strategic approach and deep commitment to the sport, Dare enters the season with high expectations for both his boys' and girls' teams.

With the release of the schedule this week (to be posted over the weekend), The team’s schedule is packed with elite competitions, and Dare has deliberately designed it to push his wrestlers to their limits. He aims for the state tournament to be, in his words, “the fourth or fifth toughest tournament” of the year, with the Rockwell Rumble and the Top of the Rockies being highly intense and filled with as good of talent as you will see anywhere. These national-level tournaments will not only challenge the wrestlers physically but also serve as a bonding experience. “At Rockwell, we’re away [from home and the school], together. We become one at that tournament,” Dare explained. This focus on unity is a recurring theme in his coaching philosophy, as he believes that these experiences foster the close-knit relationships that make a championship team.

Also Among the most anticipated events of the 2024-25 season are the duals against Ponderosa (Wednesday, January 8th) and Windsor (Thursday, January 16th), both of which will take place at home and are expected to showcase the team’s strength. Coach Dare expressed particular excitement for these matchups, noting that Windsor has developed into a fierce district rivalry. "The atmosphere it brings to the school is incredible," Dare remarked, recalling previous sell-out crowds that made the duals electric. He’s also looking forward to Ponderosa, a high-level competitor, emphasizing that these duals will not only test the team’s abilities but further strengthen their unity and drive as they prepare for the toughest tournaments of the year​

Perhaps one of the biggest developments this season is Severance’s move to 4A competition, a transition that Dare is excited about rather than intimidated by. Having always sought out the toughest competition, he believes his wrestlers are more than prepared for the challenges ahead. “Our kids are battle-tested,” he said confidently. “We’ve always wrestled in a 4A conference, so it’s not going to be a big transition for us.” Dare’s vision for the boys’ team is ambitious—he aims for a top-five finish at state, a feat he believes is achievable given the talent and work ethic in each wrestler, up and down the roster.

When talking about Severance High School Wrestling, we had to discuss the return of standout wrestler Drake Vombaur. His return is central to the team’s prospects this season. Vombaur, who went undefeated last year at 106 pounds and claimed a state title, has set the standard for hard work in the wrestling room. “Drake came in and set a new standard for work in our room,” Dare recalled. “He brought the level of the room up.”

Steve Stack (pictured above) made MASSIVE gains in the 2023-2024 Season. Will this season be the one he marches his way to a podium performance in February?

Vombaur is not the only returning talent though. Wrestlers like Dennis Campos, Kelson Gazdik and Steve Stack are expected to make significant contributions as well. Campos, who qualified at 138 pounds last year, is likely to compete in the 126-132 range this season. Gazdik, a football player-turned-wrestler, has developed a love for the sport and is poised to make big moves this year​, and Stack is a kid that not only made his own gains last year, but was an essential part (as a teammate) of the training success of Vombaur. Now, Stack has his own glory and success to chase as well in this new season.

Dare also spoke quite highly of “the wave” of underclassmen entering the program, including but not limited to Jackson Felker, Tatum Garcia, and Simon Carter. Jackson Felker has a laundry list of success at the local, regional and national level. Tatum Garcia, has put in an amazing off-season of work in the weight room and on the practice mat, and with that work has seen INCREDIBLE gains in his wrestling this past off-season. Both Felker and Garcia come into the Severance High School room having had phenomenal 8th grade years at Severance Middle School last year. 

Tatum Garcia (pictured above) is one of several exciting freshmen coming into the Severance High School room with a lot of promise.

Simon Carter is also coming in as a freshman this year. When asked about him, Dare stated that "...having watched the young man wrestle, he is a highly technical wrestler ", and that as he grows into the 106-pound class through the season, he's a wrestler everyone may need to really “Watch out,” for. 

This influx of young talent has created a highly competitive environment in the lighter weight classes, with many of these underclassmen battling for varsity spots. As we talked through possible scenarios, coach Dare said it like this… “We have a lot (of guys from 100 to 126) ...that, if [they] are not varsity guys here, [they] could be varsity guys on ANY of the surrounding areas rosters.”

As a fan of Severance High School wrestling, those are the concepts that excite me.

On the girls’ side, Dare is taking over as head coach and is eager to push the program to new heights. For the first time, Severance will have a full girls' roster (cue the WAHOOOOO chorus), including returning senior Faith Vondy and promising freshman Eila Schultz. Dare’s approach to coaching the girls will be no different from the boys—he plans to run a rigorous program that challenges the athletes to rise to their full potential. “Girls can handle it,” Dare asserted, noting that the right athletes will thrive under the same high expectations as their male counterparts.

Beyond the immediate goals for the season, Dare’s long-term vision for Severance Wrestling Club plays a crucial role in the program’s development. Initially created as a way for families who couldn’t afford traditional club fees to get involved in wrestling, the club has evolved into a key fundraising and support mechanism for the high school program. Dare hopes to grow the club into a cornerstone of the Severance wrestling community, providing both financial support and a pipeline of young talent. “It takes money to be successful at the level we want to be successful at,” Dare acknowledged. 

The upcoming Casino Night fundraiser is just one example of how the club is working to build a robust wrestling community around Severance, and Dare was adamant about getting people out for that event; “It is going to be an amazing night, with not just the casino night, but with the reveal of the beef drawing as well as some AMAZING items up for silent auction.”​

At the heart of it all, Dare’s passion for wrestling is evident in everything he does. When asked why he commits himself so fully to the program, his answer was deeply personal: “Wrestling made me the man I am today.” He hopes to pass on those same life lessons—grit, determination, and respect—to his wrestlers, both boys and girls. His ultimate goal is to build a powerhouse program that commands respect across the state. “My expectation is to build a team that people fear—not because we’re mean, but because we’re aggressive, hard-nosed wrestlers who take it to you,” Dare explained.

Dare was also quick to point out it isn't just him in this fight, his wife is right there with him. " I think the one person that truly understands how much [work and sacrifice] it is is my wife. For sure. And I’m really blessed to have the wife that I do, that supports me with what I love to do. You know, she supports me [in] everything."

With a blend of experienced leaders, hungry underclassmen, and a coach with a clear vision for success, Severance Wrestling is set to make waves this season. Whether on the mat or in the broader community, Dare’s influence is poised to shape Severance into a wrestling powerhouse for years to come, and the ‘24 - ‘25 season is sure to be one for the record books.