Do you think coach Todd Praska should have been suspended?

What do you think?

By Kelvin Ang

kang@journalnet.com

    POCATELLO — Everything about Pocatello High’s wrestling dual at Preston on Wednesday felt wrong to Tyler Praska.         For the first time in the Poky grappler’s career, he didn’t have his father and coach, Todd Praska, helping him with his pre-match stretch because the elder Praska was on suspension for a controversial chair issue.

Then Tyler’s match began, and he found himself constantly glancing at the coaches’ corner looking in vain for his dad. Finally, Tyler got home from Preston and had to describe how his match went to the elder Praska, an unusual post-match routine for them both.     

    “He was just sitting there (at home) going, ‘Oh, how did it go,’ because he didn’t know,” Tyler Praska said by phone. “It was really weird not having him there.”    

    Of all the people affected by Todd Praska’s suspension, he and his son have probably been the hardest hit. But the longtime coach’s suspension has sparked outrage from more than just his immediate family.     

    His other wrestlers, their parents and even Pocatello students with no connection to the wrestling team have emerged in the past few days with outpourings of support for the popular coach and condemnation for whatever powers-that-be that continue to bar him from his team.     

    “I think this whole chair thing is really, really blown out of proportion,” said Lisa Higbee, mother of sophomore Pocatello wrestler Taylor Higbee. “I’m really sad that it had to come to the point was Praska was put on suspension, because he is the backbone of the Poky wrestling team.     

    “These boys look up to him as a role model, as a dad-type figure. It’s a shame that this is going to affect them, and it’s a shame that the school district let it go this far.”    

    To recap, Pocatello’s principal, Don Cotant, and School District 25’s director of human resources, Douglas Howell, met with Todd Praska on Monday and decided to suspend him indefinitely.     

    District spokesperson Shelley Allen has declined to reveal the reason behind the suspension, but multiple wrestlers and parents insist it stems from the fact that Todd Praska didn’t provide chairs for Highland’s wrestling team during a dual last week. Cotant allegedly ordered Todd Praska to fetch chairs right as the dual was about to start, and when the coach did not comply due to time constraints, he was deemed insubordinate.

    Todd Praska and Pocatello Principal Don Cotant each declined to comment, citing the on-going investigation.     

    Pocatello defeated Preston on Wednesday in its first action without its coach, but the wrestlers say they are still somewhat reeling from Todd Praska’s suspension.     

    “We were all shocked; we didn’t know what he was suspended for,” said Taylor Higbee, a sophomore 103-pounder. “Come to find out it’s something as silly as chairs, that was a shock to us all.”    

    Todd Praska’s absence has angered more than just his current wrestlers. The coach and physical education teacher is, by all accounts, one of the most popular figures at Pocatello High, and at least 25 of Tyler Praska’s friends have approached him in the past several days to commiserate with his family.         

    Brandon Rupp, a former Poky High standout and brother of current 215-pounder Trevor Rupp, found out about Todd Praska’s suspension while in Russia with the U.S. national team for a tournament. Brandon Rupp has been in constant contact with his mother, Katrina, since then for updates about the situation.    

    “Brandon’s mad. Everybody’s mad,” Katrina Rupp said. “Praska’s done a lot for a lot of kids, and he’s been a really good coach. The team really needs him. All the things that he’s done for both my boys ... Brandon probably wouldn’t be where he is without Praska.”    

    The Indians have continued to wrestle well with assistant coaches Tadd Roubidoux and J.D. Plato mentoring them. It appears likely they will have to do without Todd Praska once again at this weekend’s Madison Invitational in Rexburg, but they insist they will do fine.     

    But with the year’s biggest regular-season tournament, the Tiger-Grizz Invitational, looming next weekend, it sure would be nice to see their coach crouched on the fringe of the mat like he has for so many of their of their matches, the Indians say.     

    “He’s been in our corner for the last 12, 13 years of wrestling,” Trevor Rupp said. “Hopefully, he gets back soon. I didn’t like not seeing him there.”