After 21 successful years in charge of the Carthage High School wrestling program, Kenny Brown is stepping down.
Brown confirmed his time in charge of the CHS wrestling program has come to an end during a speech at his team’s end of the season banquet.
“It has been a wonderful 21 years as the head wrestling coach of Carthage High School,” Brown said in his speech. “I know that when I was awarded the job, there were a lot of people concerned about what would happen with Carthage wrestling after Coach (Bob) Holman stepped down. I hope I didn’t disappoint them. It is never an easy decision to leave a program that means so much to you. I grew up in Kirksville, wrestled youth in Kirksville and medaled at state for Kirksville, but I am now and always will be a part of Carthage wrestling before anywhere else.”
Among those who Brown thanked during his speech were Bob Brown, Ray Harding and Holman.
“Bob Brown, thank you so much for convincing me to take the job,” Kenny Brown said in his prepared statement. “Ray Harding, I have told you multiple times, but it needs repeated. Thank you for being willing to take a chance on a young coach with a passion for wrestling who didn’t have head coaching experience.
“Bob Holman…I can’t say enough about Coach Holman,” Brown continued. “He handed over the keys to a kingdom. I was lucky enough to take over a program that was already established as one of the best in the area, and that is a testament to Coach Holman. Carthage wrestling is where it is today because of the groundwork laid by him.”
In addition to thanking his former assistants, managers, administrators, trainers, parents, bus drivers, the booster club, youth coaches and alumni, Brown also thanked his wife, Crystal, and his daughter, Morgan.
“Every year, I would ask Morgan if she wanted me to quit because I was gone so much,” Coach Brown commented. “Luckily for me, her answer was always no. She liked the fact that her dad was the Carthage wrestling coach. She actually got mad when she thought there was a chance that I wouldn’t be the coach for her senior year.
“Finally, Crystal. When I started dating her, she had never even been to a wrestling match. Now she is what one would call a zealot when it comes to wrestling. This program would be a shell of what it is now without her. This has always been a team effort in what we do. She is as much a part of this as I have been. A lot of the extra things we do to make this a special experience for the boys come from her rounding off my rough edges.”
Carthage went 176-49 in duals during Brown’s tenure, with an impressive 285-93 overall record with dual tournaments included.
The Tigers had numerous state medalists under Brown’s direction, including state champions Kale Schrader (2019) and Austen Heidlage (2008).
