Memphis East High School has long been known for its outstanding athletic programs. Almost two years go, the linebacker coach of the football team, Charles Smith, approached his administrators with an opportunity to provide the students with an option to participate in a different sport — wrestling.
Though the idea was well receive by administrators, it was too late in the year for the school to start a new wrestling program. Administrators from Memphis East contacted Kingsbury High School about the possibility to form a co-opt team. The schools agreed to allow Smith and his wrestlers to participate with the established Kingsbury program.
With Kingsbury, Memphis East was moderately successful.
“Initially, I thought it would be good for my football players to wrestle,” Smith said. “I ended up getting a lot of interest from the kids around the school.”
The school was represented by Jimtarius Hampton at the Tennessee Secondary School Athletic Association (TSSAA) Individual State Tournament for the 2012-2013 season. This year the team ventured off on their own, grateful of the opportunity the head coach of the Kingsbury team, Ronnie Landau afforded them.
“Coach Landau is a great guy,” Smith said. “I learned a lot from Coach Landau.”
Prior to their time with Kingsbury, Smith had no previous experience coaching wrestling. He wrestled at Fort Lauderdale High School for two years; qualifying each year and placing third his senior year at the Florida state tournament in 1993. Establishing a new program nearly 20 years later, Smith eagerly anticipated the opportunity to implement his coaching philosophy and style with the Memphis East team.
With several programs throughout the Mid-South shutting down, the establishment of new programs garner a lot of attention.