14 I The Lovell Chronicle I March 7, 2013
work
in
BY DAVID PECK
He is currently the top wres-
tler in Wyoming and is arguably
one of the best in the history of
Wyoming. But you'd never know
it by talking to him.
Humble and somewhat shy,
Lovell senior Dino Collins is the
only wrestler in Wyoming to go un-
defeated for two straight seasons,
der coaches Stan Hedges, Tim
Jones,'Jerry Anderson and James
Habeck and in high school under
coaches Dane Mickelson and Dan-
iel Robertson.
"I just tried to do my best and
work hard," Collins said when
asked about his success. "It's a lot
of hard work and working with
my teammates and having good
people to work with in the wres-
tling room and coaches who take
the time to teach me.
"I definitely think that a
coach can teach you good things.
Coach (Jacob) Bassett and Coach
Robertson have taught me a lot of
great stuff."
Asked about the legacy he will
leave as he moves on, Collins gave
a rather embarrassed smile and
said, "Just hard work. It takes a
lot of time and commitment and
being open to new things and new
ways of doing things."
Asked to name the highlight
of his career, Collins said it would
have to be this year's Ron Thon,
when undefeated Cheyenne East
wrestler Tevis Bartlett moved
down a weight class to challenge
Collins and Collins pinned him
for the title.
"That felt pretty good," he
said. "I knew that hard work and
effort pays off, overcoming one
of the most difficult things I've
faced."
winning the title a year ago with
a 33-0 record, then racking up a
39-0 record this year, winning the
182-pound title each year. That's
72-0 over the last two years. He
also went 31-15 as a freshman,
placing fourth at 152 pounds, and
27-14 as a sophomore, placing
fourth at 171, giving him a four-
year record of 130-29.
And not only has Collins been
undefeated for two years, he won
the all-class, best-of-the-best Ron
Thon Memorial Tournament each
season and received the outstand-
ing wrestler award for the upper
weights each time. At State this
year he won all four matches by
a pin and three of the four in the
first period.
Collins said he has been wres-
tling since he was 6 years old,
starting with the USA Wrestling
program and learning from un-
cles like Toby and Nathan Col-
lins and Grandpa• Glynn Collins.
He excelled in middle school un-
and two
titles
: or BYU.
First, howeveri he will serve a
..... two-year mission for the Church
BinoCollins of Jesus Christ of Latter-day
Saints, then decide where his ath-
"Dino can do both. If he wres- "He's incredibly humble," letic career will take him.
tles a guy who's defensive, he can the coach said, "and that's half Whatever Collins does, he will
out-defense him and wait for op- of what makes him special. Hesucceed because he is such a well-
portunities. He's never out of po- knows how good he is but he'll rounded student and person, Rob-
sition on defense. He only gave up never let anyone know that, he ertson said.
two or three takedowns this year. cares that much. He loves to win. "He's diversified," Robertson
"But he can just turn the of- He despises losing. He had plenty said. "He's an Eagle Scout. He's
fense on as long as there's anof opportunities the last couple of the salutatorian. He does a lot of
opening. If a guy is defensive, years, but he can't stand to lose. different things. Sometimes kids
Dino can just chase him down un- He's incredibly competitive."think they'll be better if they fo-
til he's caught." Robertson said Collins is both cus on one thing and forsake oth-
And now that Collins has sur- humble and coachable, which ers, but that's not what makes our
vived two undefeated seasons, the makes him great to work with kids the best. Being well-rounded
pressure is off a bit, but it's the and helps him learn, is So vital."
kind of pressure that will take "You can be coachable and Returning to the theme of
him far in life, the pressure that not humble," he said. "Dino ap- hard work, Robertson marveled
comes from within, plies what he learns. He's brave at how Collins applies himself.
"I felt pressure this year butenough to try what he learns in "His work ethic is stupen-
not pressure from family, coaches a high-pressure situation. Hedous," he said. "He values the
and teammates. I put pressure on doesn't have to wait until it's a time that he's spending. He does
myself," he said. "I wanted to ac- sure thing to give it a try."everything he can every second
complish my goal and finish it the Asked about his favorite sport, in practice. He values every sec-
right way. I just want to do the Collins said football, though wres- ond. He doesn't have to spend ex-
best job that I can and just grow tling is a close second. He said he tra time because he doesn't waste
and improve." has talked to coaches at North- time."
west College, Western WyomingAnd that is what makes
WILLING TO LEARN Community College and DicksonDino Collins the best wrestler in
Robertson said Collins is a State about wrestling in college Wyoming.
special wrestler, a special athlete but has also considered walking Just don't ask him about it.
and a special person, on for football at either Wyoming He'll just smile.
THE COLLINS STYLE
Robertson said Collins has
excelled in the style of wrestling
that he coaches: being aggressive,
taking a lot of shots and running Dino Collins [Or
a motion-oriented offense. (JR) 29- 0 Bout: 81 lDino Collins LOV
"Dino is passive aggressive,"Gabriel Spoonhunter MMYI / Fall .07
Robertson said. "He doesn't al- (SR) 0-0 Bout: 153
ways have to be on offense, and he Bye
Bout: 82 Jeff Skelton BPB
doesn't always have to be on de- Jeff Skelton BPB
fense. Not like (Jacob) Beck. He's (SR) 2- 4
best when he's always going, andEthan Archibald KEM
Nathan (Grant) is the same way, (SR) 22- 10 Bout: 83 ]Ethan Archibald KEM
whereas Jaccob (Mickelson) has Bye
V
to be patient. Bout: 154
Thomas Haderlie THE
2012 WHSAA 2A State Wrestling Championships
2/24/2012-2/25/2012
182
(SR) 0- 0 Bout: 84 Colby Thurston NIO
Colby Thurston NIO Fall 1.29
(JR) 16- 14
Sterling Baker DUB
(SO) 35-7 Bout: 85 Sterling BakerDUB
Anthony Escobar BGP Fall 1.28
(SR) 4-27 Bout: 155
Dylan Brenner RGB
(JR) 10- 14 Bout: 86 Dylan Brenner RGB
Tanner Wyse SOU Dflt
(FR) 4- 15
Kyle Benefield HEM
:: (SR)22-16 Bout:
Bye
Raustin(FR) 10-28Grandy Bout:COK
Tel West MOR
(SO) 28-12
87 Kyle Benefield HEM
Bout: 156
88 lTel West MOR
j
iDino Collins LOV •
Fall .55
Bout: 301
Ethan Archibald KEM
Fall 4.28
Sterling Baker DUB
Fall 1.21
Bout: 302
ITel West MOR
MajDec 14-4
Dino Collins LOV
MajDec 13-0
Bout: 408
Sterling Baker DUB
Dec 13-8
Ethan Archibald KEM
Dino Collins LOV
Champion
Fall 1.24
