Keith Shaffer is no stranger to wrestling in northern Nevada.
Shaffer, a civil engineer in Carson City, wrestled for Douglas High School. He was a two-time regional champ and wrestled at the state tournament all four years at Douglas.
Shaffer is Carson High’s new wrestling coach, replacing Justin Shine, who resigned after last season. He takes over a program that has won seven of the last eight Sierra League championships.
“Blair (Roman, Carson athletic director) asked me if I would consider doing it (applying),” Shaffer said Monday night. “When I was going to college, I either wanted to teach math and coach or be an engineer. I’ve been doing the latter for the last 25 years or so. I’m kind of excited to do it.
“Carson is a great place with a great tradition in wrestling as well as football, basketball and baseball.”
And, Roman is happy to have filled the spot.
“He wrestled for a long time (youth, high school and college),” Roman said. “He brings a lot of experience to the position, and I think he’ll do just fine.
“The thing with me the number 1 thing I want in a head coach is someone who is a positive role model for kids. The second thing is coaching experience and what he brings to the table. He will be a great role model to the kids.”
Shaffer, who wrestled at Ricks College in Idaho and then at BYU, coached one year of wrestling in Utah. He has, however, coached various youth sports in the area, including soccer, basketball and football.
The first order of business for Shaffer, besides meeting prospective wrestlers, is hiring assistant coaches. Nick Schlager and Clint Treadway, former wrestling standouts, helped with the program last year.
“I’d like there to be continuity in the program,” Shaffer said, “I have not talked to either of them yet, but if they are interested it would be good to have them. I have a bunch of friends (with wrestling experience), but they have not been on the mat in a decade. We need coaches who can get on the mat with the kids.”
After hiring assistants, Shaffer said he was going to sit down with Roman and finalize the team’s schedule.
This year’s team has some solid returners — Abel Carter, Sheldon Miller, Nathan Mersino, Terin Keller, Brandon Basa and Jarod Butler plus promising youngsters Zach Bumby, John Rupert and John Rowe. Barring injury, Miller and Basa are sure bets to reach state and place.