The 2007-2008 Christiansburg High School Blue Demons

The Blue Demons look to extend their Virginia State Championship streak to 7 straight years in 2007-2008. Leading up to that event the Blue Demons, lead by Head Coach Daryl Weber, will again wrestle one of the toughest schedules in the country. With team-dual and individual tournament events planned to test and sharpen the Blue Demons against some of the best wrestlers in the country, Coach Weber prepares them for the season ending VA State tournament.

Coach Daryl Weber

2006-Present Head Coach, Christiansburg HS
2000-2006 Assistant Coach Christiansburg HS
2000-Present Head Coach of Hawkeye East / VA Elite Wrestling Club
2000-2001 National Assistant H.S. Coach of the Year
1997-2000 Strength and Conditioning Coach University of Iowa
1997-2000 Competed Internationally in Freestyle
Placing in over a dozen International Freestyle Competitions
1998 Sunkist Open Champion
1998 U.S. Open Runner-up
1996 NCAA Champion
1996 Big Ten Title
1995 & 1994 NCAA All-American
1990 & 1991 Iowa H.S. State Champion
1989 State Place Winner (3rd)

Eli Garshnick - Assistant coach at Christiansburg High School, is a 2007 Graduate of Pitt-Johnstown where he was a 2x All-American and three-time First Team NWCA All-Academic Team selection. Prior to college, he wrestled at United H.S. in Armagh, PA, where Coach Garshnick was a state place winner.

Alvin Sheppard -

Assistant coach at Christiansburg High School.

Coach Sheppard began working with the Christiansburg program when Kevin Dresser came and has been an integral part in the success of the high school and youth program ever since. He has been in the Christiansburg Wrestling program for over ten years and only Coach Underwood (former Head HS coach, current MS assistant coach) has been with Christiansburg Wrestling longer.

Brian Shortridge -

Assistant coach at Christiansburg High School

3 year varsity wrestler at Grundy High School under Kevin Dresser
3 year state qualifier
95 state runner-up
96 state champion (record year)
2002-present Assistant Coach at Christiansburg High School

Ryan Broughman -

Assistant coach at Christiansburg High School

1999 USA Wrestling Schoolboy All-American in Freestyle

2000 USA Wrestling Junior All-American in Freestyle

2000 Virginia state place winner (3rd)
2001 Competed internationally
4 year varsity wrestler at Lord Botetourt High School
2002 Virginia state champion
2003 Virginia state champion
2003 All-Timesland wrestler of the year
2003 42-0 record with only two opponents scoring against him
2004 Virginia Tech Wrestling Rookie of the Year

Christiansburg Middle School Wrestling is led by Middle School Head Coach Rich Pollack. Coach Pollack will be assisted by Brett Buckner.

Coach Rich Pollock’s Wrestling Bio

Wrestling experience:
* Waynesburg High School (Pa.) – 4 years
* Waynesburg College (Pa.) – 4 year letterman
* Athletes in Action (USA) – 4 years

Wrestling honors:
* Pennsylvania High School (AAA) Regional finalist
* 4-time NAIA All-American
* 4th place in Greco-Roman Olympic Trials
* 2-time USA Wrestling All-American in both Freestyle and Greco-Roman
* 2006 Veteran National USA Wrestling Champion

Coaching Experience:
* Graduate Assistant at Springfield College – 2 years
* Head coach at Waynesburg College – 3 years
* Assistant coach J-H-W High School (Richmond, Va.) – 2 years
* Head coach at Robert E. Lee HS (Staunton, Va) – 2 years
* Head coach at Riverheads HS (Staunton, Va.) -11 years
* Current head coach at CMS (Christiansburg, Va.) – 7th year

VHSL Coaching Record: 160-53-2

Brett Buckner graduated from C.H.S. in 2007 after winning a State Title as a Senior and placing at the state tournament as a junior. While in high school, Brett had a reputation for being one of the toughest and hardest working wrestlers on the team and was a great leader. Brett is attending NRCC and will be assisting Coach Pollock at the Middle School for the ‘07-‘08 season. Brett is also a coach for the CBDWC. We look forward to having them work with the CBDWC wrestlers.

Curtis Elswick leads the Blue Demon Youth Wrestling Program in conjunction with the VA Elite Wrestling Club.

Curtis is the Head Youth Coach and has been involved with Christiansburg Wrestling since 1998 after coaching Radford HS to a Virginia Group ‘A’ state title in 1998. While at Radford, he coached 10 high school state champions over a three-year period. He has been a coach for the Virginia Middle School National Team and Virginia Mason-Dixon Team. Curtis enjoys spending weekends taking kids to tournaments so that they gain experience while having fun. Kids wrestling year around for Curtis get as many as 70 matches during the season. He is a former Grundy HS wrestler under Kevin Dresser.

According to Coach Elswick, both Assistant Coaches, Jackie Toney and Matt Stump provide valuable experience gained from wrestling at Christiansburg under Coach Kevin Dresser and Coach Weber. Both are dedicated and responsible and are very good with the youth wrestlers.

Jackie Toney is a graduate of CHS where he was a 3-time HS state champion and 4-time place winner. In addition, he is a Cadet Nationals All-American. Jackie is in his 2nd year helping Coach Elswick with the Virginia Elite youth program where his knowledge of wrestling and ability to work with kids 4-12 years of age make him a great asset.