Brandon High Coach, Wrestlers Reflect On What Happened, What's Ahead After Historic Streak Ends - # - MyPaperNow.com

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By LINDA CHION KENNEY (Original Posting, Jan. 9, 2007) - On Jan. 8, Brandon High wrestling coach Russ Cozart, under the documentary cameras of ESPN-TV, met with his team for the first time since its historic loss Jan. 5 -- the loss that ended the team's 34-year winning streak. The streak, now a high school record for any sport, stands at 459 consecutive victories and 468 matches without defeat. This gallery reports on that first practice back. Back to Main Page: http://www.MyPaperNow.smugmug.com

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"We had the streak. The streak no longer exists. We've done it, we did it," Russ Cozart said in the wrestlers' den Jan. 8, at the team's first practice since its first loss in 34 years. "We no longer have a streak but we have a record."
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"How do young boys become men? By setbacks and learning how to grow," coach Russ Cozart told his team at its first practice since the Saturday, Jan. 8 streak-breaking loss. "Let's face it, we're going to live with this loss a long time, no doubt about it. But we can do a lot about it right now by using it to motivate ourselves to work harder. Every time you think about letting down think about Saturday night. That's what I do. I think about my losses and use them to work harder."

"There's not a wrestler who doesn't lose," Cozart said. "We deal with losing all the time. Everybody suffers defeat. It's alright to lose but you don't want to get used to it. Too many people get used to (defeat). They live with it. They're comfortable with it. Never get used to losing. It's alright to get a silver medal but don't look to having a silver medal. Go for the gold."

"I know you guys didn't want to be the team that lost," said Cozart, who earlier said he had wanted to lose the streak at home, before a full gym and at the tournament he established to challenge the streak with an open invitation to teams nationwide to participate. "It's no big secret that this year's tournament, four of the best teams showed up." This year, too, ESPN-TV signed up to document the team's historic run of victories.

"I was a little bit relieved and you know the guy I am, I push you hard," coach Russ Cozart told his team about the streak's end. "You'll live with this definitely a long time but you have to be satisfied with what you're doing right now and what you've been doing."

"We got beaten. But we've had a lot of time off since the match . . . a little time to reflect on the loss and where we are and where we're going," coach Russ Cozart said, as his team listened intently.

"You guys are a good team. We got nosed out a little bit," Cozart told his wrestlers.

"It was a lesson, it was a good lesson to learn," Cozart said. "We're in the business of wrestling."

"We had the streak. The streak no longer exists. We've done it, we did it," Russ Cozart said in the wrestlers' den Jan. 8, at the team's first practice since its first loss in 34 years. "We no longer have a streak but we have a record."
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Back to Main Page: www.MyPaperNow.smugmug.com" href="javascript:openLB(241522267,'',XLarge,'',1024,681);"> "We had the streak. The streak no longer exists. We've done it, we did it," Russ Cozart said in the wrestlers' den Jan. 8, at the team's first practice since its first loss in 34 years. "We no longer have a streak but we have a record."
Back to Main Page: www.MyPaperNow.smugmug.com

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Keywords: school high wrestling brandon team russ record streak cozart

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