Heading into last season, the Cherokee High School wrestling program was full of question marks. Then head coach Bill Roller had stepped down after seven years and 106 career victories. Ten starters from the previous season’s Olympic Conference American Division championship squad had graduated.
Enter first-time head coach Michael Booth, and while maybe not all the questions were answered, the important one was: Would the team perform?
The Chiefs finished 21–7 and qualified for the NJSIAA South Jersey Group IV playoffs. Now with 12 starters returning from last year’s surprising squad, including senior standout Alex Baider, Cherokee will not be sneaking up on anyone this season.
“Last season, we were young and inexperienced, but I definitely had some tough kids,” Booth said.
Inexperienced is being generous. The Chiefs were made up of nine sophomores, one junior and three seniors. Only three wrestlers on the team had varsity experience. But Booth is a wrestling lifer who focuses on getting the most out of his students.
He began wrestling when he was just a kindergartner, eventually competing at Camden Catholic High School where he won a state title as a senior in 2000. Booth continued his wrestling career at the University of North Carolina and moved back to the area after earning his degree.
After working with the wrestling program at Eastern High School for four years, Booth came to the Lenape district in 2009. He spent two years teaching math at Shawnee while also serving as an assistant wrestling coach for the Renegades under Tom Mann.
“When I went to Shawnee, I came in hoping one of the four head coaching spots in the district would open up,” Booth said. “I didn’t expect it to be Cherokee, but I was surprised when it did. I had wanted to be a head coach for a long time. I was really excited about the opportunity.”
While relying on the team’s youth to step up and perform last season, Booth is in the much more enviable position this season of knowing what to expect from his unit. Those expectations are especially true for Baider. He finished the 2012–2013 season with a 30–10 record and won Region 7 as a 120-pounder. Baider went on to win his first match in the state tournament and wrestled back to finish sixth in the state.
“Alex is a phenomenal talent and no one has bigger expectations for him this season than himself,” Booth said. “As a senior, he knows this is his last year to really enjoy and perform on the high school level. I think he’s excited for the challenge, and I’m excited to see what he can do.”
And though the season is young, Booth has been happy with what his team has shown him in the early going.
“I’ve got a lot of kids that are truly committed. That goes a long way in this sport,” Booth said. “What you’re looking for is kids that are going to work hard to get better every day.”
By NICK COHENThe SunHeading into last season, the Cherokee High School wrestling program was full of question marks. Then head coach Bill Roller had stepped down after seven years and 106 career victories. Ten starters from the previous season’s Olympic Conference American Division championship squad had graduated. Enter first-time head coach Michael Booth, and while maybe not all the questions were answered, the important one was: Would the team perform?The Chiefs finished 21–7 and qualified for the NJSIAA South Jersey Group IV playoffs. Now with 12 starters returning from last year’s surprising squad, including senior standout Alex Baider, Cherokee will not be sneaking up on anyone this season. “Last season, we were young and inexperienced, but I definitely had some tough kids,” Booth said.Inexperienced is being generous. The Chiefs were made up of nine sophomores, one junior and three seniors. Only three wrestlers on the team had varsity experience. But Booth is a wrestling lifer who focuses on getting the most out of his students.He began wrestling when he was just a kindergartner, eventually competing at Camden Catholic High School where he won a state title as a senior in 2000. Booth continued his wrestling career at the University of North Carolina and moved back to the area after earning his degree.After working with the wrestling program at Eastern High School for four years, Booth came to the Lenape district in 2009. He spent two years teaching math at Shawnee while also serving as an assistant wrestling coach for the Renegades under Tom Mann.“When I went to Shawnee, I came in hoping one of the four head coaching spots in the district would open up,” Booth said. “I didn’t expect it to be Cherokee, but I was surprised when it did. I had wanted to be a head coach for a long time. I was really excited about the opportunity.”While relying on the team’s youth to step up and perform last season, Booth is in the much more enviable position this season of knowing what to expect from his unit. Those expectations are especially true for Baider. He finished the 2012–2013 season with a 30–10 record and won Region 7 as a 120-pounder. Baider went on to win his first match in the state tournament and wrestled back to finish sixth in the state.“Alex is a phenomenal talent and no one has bigger expectations for him this season than himself,” Booth said. “As a senior, he knows this is his last year to really enjoy and perform on the high school level. I think he’s excited for the challenge, and I’m excited to see what he can do.”And though the season is young, Booth has been happy with what his team has shown him in the early going. “I’ve got a lot of kids that are truly committed. That goes a long way in this sport,” Booth said. “What you’re looking for is kids that are going to work hard to get better every day.”
