Troxlers: Like Father, Like Son

SIMI VALLEY —  Chad Troxler needs to look no farther for motivation than across the dinner table.

Or, perhaps, the living room carpet.

Never in the 25-year history of the state high school wrestling finals have a father and son won state championships.

Troxler, a senior heavyweight for Simi Valley High who placed third in the state last season, will attempt to duplicate the success of his father, Craig, who won at 154 pounds in 1976 as a senior at Morro Bay.

“That’s it,” Troxler said. “That’s the thing that’s driving me this year. I think it’s cool. We go to tournaments and everyone knows who I am because of my dad.”

Chad hasn’t done badly making a name for himself.

A two-time Marmonte League champion, Troxler last season was 49-6 and wrestled his way to a Southern Section Division II championship and a second-place finish at the section Masters Meet.

At the state meet in Stockton, Troxler lost a 2-1 decision in overtime to Billy Wilder of Anderson in the second round. He then recorded five victories on the second day of the tournament--all by one point, including three by scores of 1-0.

Ranked third in the state this season, Troxler, also a standout defensive tackle, will strive to become the region’s first state champion since Keith Harvey of Newbury Park (119 pounds) and Miller Aupiu (175) of Channel Islands in 1985. No regional heavyweight has ever won a state title.

“I’ve only lost, like, 12 times in my life,” Troxler said. “I like wrestling because you have to work harder. There is no one else to blame if you lose. You can run five miles to be in football shape. Then you get into the wrestling room and you realize how out of shape you are.”

Winning by narrow margins has served to toughen Troxler, whose tenacity, rather than his muscle or moves, might be his strong suit.

“Mentally, he can see the positive outcome of a match and can stay focused on what he needs to do,” said Guy Greene, Simi Valley’s coach. “He has the mental aptitude of a competitor.”

The watchful eye of his father has helped.

Craig Troxler, a walk-on assistant at Simi Valley, further distinguished himself at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, where he won an NCAA Western Regional championship. An Olympic hopeful, Troxler’s decision to start a family while still in college forced him to quit.

“In the room, I push him hard,” Craig said. “In his conditioning, I push him hard. But I don’t push him harder than any of the other guys.

“Where Chad is at now, he’s a lot farther along than I was at his age. His major qualification is his dedication. He lifts weights five nights a week, year round. Off-season, he wrestles every tournament there is.”

Between bouts, Troxler trades moves with his father. After dinner, the sofa is pushed aside and strategy is reviewed.

“Our living room is like a second wrestling mat,” Chad said. “He can still beat me.

“It’s the experience. He gets on me at practice, but it stops at home. I ask him a lot of questions about moves.”

Greene, a former assistant at Morro Bay, has coached both Troxlers and has known Chad since birth.

“We may expect a little more out of Chad,” Greene said. “But that’s because we should be able to get more out of him.

“Sometimes, he might feel like, ‘Gosh, he’s really making me do extra.’ But he knows he’s not going to go home and get any sympathy.”