When Orem takes to the wrestling mat today at the Golden Spike Arena it will use the family approach to make its run at a second consecutive state title.
"We emphasize team goals," said coach Robert Steele. "We may have 15 guys go to state and not all of them will be state champions but they still work for third, fourth or fifth place spots so that we all can be team champions."Developing this attitude did not come easily to the Tigers. Steele takes his squad to a wrestling camp at a family cabin early in the season where they have a chance to get to know each other and develop personal relationships.
"The kids don't always have the same classes or friends and the hard thing in wrestling is developing a team bond," Steele said.
Steele knows that it take more than a family atmosphere to develop a winning wrestling program.
"Those kids work their guts out. When our kids leave practice every day we want them to know that there is not anybody in the state that worked harder than them that day. When you're the best people are shooting at you and you can't coast on top."
The team has worked for the state tournament, which runs through Saturday, from the first day of the season. A few years ago, Orem's goals were a little more modest.
Steele worried in those days that setting goals for state might leave his team in an all-or-nothing situation. He didn't want his wrestlers to leave the program feeling as if they had failed if they never earned the title.
In the 1989 season, Orem didn't qualify one wrestler for state. The Tigers shared a region with 4A powerhouse Pleasant Grove who is working on its fifth consecutive state title this season. When Orem was reclassified as a 5A school last year they started what they hope will be a dynasty of their own.
They have three returning state champions on their squad that make up part of what Steele's team refers to as the "Power Alley." The alley is made of the middle weight divisions from about 130 to 160 pounds. During the entire season, the wrestlers in the alley have lost only two or three matches according to Steele who says his heavyweight is wrestling well also.
In the Region 4 championships, which Orem won over strong Alta and Brighton squads, the alley won every weight division except one.
Steele knows the title is far from a sure thing, noting that even weaker teams can have three or four excellent wrestlers that can surprise anybody. But in an one-on-one sport like wrestling, Orem has an advantage - it has family.