ORDER GAME PHOTOS

The sport of wrestling is among the toughest individual athletic competitions in the world, if not the most demanding of them all. Some will argue this point of view, but those that have entered the circle understand first-hand the complexities of wrestling and the reality it presents. To come to the point, what it takes to sustain in wrestling encompasses a constellation of challenges that will not only challenge one’s inner core, both physically and mentally, but also exposes their strengths, weaknesses, and character in the process. In my humble opinion, there are a handful of individual sports that mirror wresting in some respects, but as a whole, wrestling is like no other and is second to none. As one of my coaches once said, “In wrestling, you have to become comfortable being uncomfortable.”

In the course of my life, I have observed my share of exceptional wrestlers who through hard work, commitment, and sacrifice have reached the pinnacle of our great sport at multiple levels, whether it was placing at or winning a state title, Fargo, world championships, or the Olympic Games. Being a wrestler (athlete) myself, I understand fully that there is a long, intense, and extremely demanding process one must experience and live through in order to reach these accomplishments and at the end of the day, there are no guarantees. 

It is not the wrestler alone that is part of this process, but many behind the scenes that commit and sacrifice a great deal of their lives to ensure that these wrestlers have the necessary training environment, resources, and a support system to at a minimum make an attempt at attaining these exceptional achievements. They include the coaches, training partners, community support, volunteers, and most importantly, the family.

Throughout my forty-five year journey with wrestling, I have had the honor of meeting many great families in the sport, which includes several families here in Idaho. It is the family dynamic that is paramount to a wrestler’s success. The family not only serves a very important role in the development of a wrestler, but also provide the necessary resources to follow their dream. In essence, a support system that brings about practical and emotional support. Based on my observations here in Idaho, I believe many families have been an instrumental part in the successes we are witnessing today with Team Idaho at the national level. This includes the Valdez family from Boise.

The next in my Hidden Gems series focuses on the Valdez Brothers, Manuel and Carlos from Bishop Kelly (BK) High School in Boise. The roots of their wrestling journey began with their father, Joaquin, a commissioned U.S. Army veteran who flew CH47 Chinook helicopters on missions in Afghanistan and Iraq, and who also wrestled at the prep and collegiate levels. While at Trinity High School in Northern California, Joaquin qualified for the prestigious single class California State Championships in 1995 (900 plus High Schools compete in the state) and at the collegiate level was a member of Boise State program in the late 1990s and early 2000s.

It was after Joaquin’s military service that he and his wife, Angella, introduced wrestling to their oldest son, Manuel, at the young age of three and then followed with Carlos a couple years later when he turned four (the brothers are one year apart in age). In the beginning, the Valdez brothers attended the Arrow Rock Wrestling Club in Boise, which at the time was part of the Timberline High School feeder program. The initial goal was to introduce the brothers to the basics of wrestling and provide an environment where they could grow emotionally and physically, in addition to learning the basic skills, but more importantly learn to love the sport.

After several years into the sport, the Valdez brothers showed a lot of growth and a continued interest in competing and learning. It was obvious at this point that they required a greater challenge to take them to another level. Enter the Suples Wrestling Club in Boise. In this moment, Manuel was now in the fifth grade and Carlos in the fourth. For starters, the Suples is not your typical wrestling club. It is run by international level coaches Ivan Ivanov and Mitko Georgiev, each world class wrestlers from Bulgaria. Since Suples’ opening in the Boise area, they have produced multiple age group All-Americans, National Champions, and in the more recent years, Pan American and World Medalist. The training system is highly advanced, structured, and designed for those that have a strong work ethic, discipline, and desire to compete at the highest level.

At first, the Suples was a culture shock for the Valdez Brothers. According to Manuel, “it was obvious the second my brother and I stepped on the mat that there was a more dedicated and skilled group of wrestlers in the room.” Regardless, the brothers were up for the challenge and pressed forward and adapted to the environment. Not too long after joining, the brothers attended a week-long camp held at Suples during the Thanksgiving holiday period. This was no ordinary camp. It was an extensive training camp designed to challenge a wrestler, both physically and mentally, in an environment that mirrored the rigors of competing in an advanced level of competition. To come to the point, the camp consisted of three arduous training sessions each day; early morning, afternoon, and evening. At the completion of the camp, Joaquin and Angella knew their sons were up for the challenge and committed themselves to move forward.

Training and competing for Suples was not only a full-time commitment for the brothers, it also became a family affair for everyone, including Manuel and Carlos’ youngest brother, Ramon, who is a great fan and supporter of his older brothers. Dedication is the operative word here! We’re not talking one practice a week followed by a tournament now and then. The Suples schedule was a total transformation and change of lifestyle. Basically, day-to-day family life was integrated into the weekly Suples regimen. This meant practices six of the seven days during the week, which involved the entire family. For example, on Monday, Tuesday, and Friday, there were early morning practices before school (5:45-7:00 am), which focused on strength and conditioning, while Wednesday’s session was in the evening hours (6:00-8:00 pm) and focused on technique in addition to more strength and conditioning. This left Saturdays, which during some portions of the season are dedicated to local, regional, and national competitions. If not, Saturdays are an open day for additional training. Let’s not forget early wake-up calls, school five days a week, the parent’s working careers, homework, managing nutrition, and daily household chores. Time management, attention to detail, and focus is essential.

“The Valdez brothers, Manuel and Carlos are great kids! They are very coachable, hard-working, disciplined, and easy to work with. More importantly, the brothers are very respectful, have great morals and integrity. They will both be successful at anything they put their minds to achieve. I also appreciate everything the Valdez family has done for us at Suples…It means a lot to me.”

• Ivan Ivanov, Head Coach Suples WC

As time progressed, the brothers began to experience a net positive in their results at tournaments throughout the state and region, as well as an enhanced development in their overall skill set and mental focus for a higher level of competition. Traveling to these competitions was a family function and became a way of life for all. This included many local, regional (e.g., Reno World), National Duals, and Fargo Nationals in North Dakota to name a few. According to Joaquin, “our family experience has not only been about wrestling, it has been a positive environment for all my sons to grow personally in public, interact with others, as well as learn more about proper nutrition.”

Personally, I had the opportunity to meet up with the Valdez family at the national Fargo camp this year and last, where they had their camper trailer set-up just outside the training site at Meridian High School. It was a setting for many of the wrestlers at the camp to relax between training sessions, eat, and enjoy each other’s company. Even at this year’s Fargo Nationals, a majority of the Valdez family were in attendance in support of Carlos competing in the 16U division (Manuel did not attend, but monitored the entire event and supported his brother from home). Even the youngest Valdez brother, Ramon, was observed interacting with all the wrestlers, vendors, and fans from across the country and having fun while cheering on his older brother and Idaho wrestlers.

What’s more, Joaquin and Angella (brother Ramon inclusive) have also spent a great deal of their time volunteering to cook and provide nutritional meals to BK wrestlers at tournaments, duals, and camps in addition to serving coffee and other food items. This effort does not stop at BK. It has been a common function through the off-season during the freestyle and Greco circuit. On top of that, Angella is also the team mom at BK where she manages the demanding role of being a liaison between school administration, program, and families.

Fast forward to the present day and the Valdez brothers are on course to not only set their mark on the wrestling mat, but also academics and in life. Entering the 2023-’24 season for BK, Manuel is a senior with one state title to his credit along with two state medals, one Folkstyle All-American honor, two varsity letters in Cross Country, and parallel to all his athletic achievements, he has managed an exceptional academic portfolio, which includes several advanced placement (AP) courses. Furthermore, he played on the freshman football team and participated in Track and Field last year. This past summer, he took some time off from the full-time rigors of post season wrestling to concentrate on his other passion, running with the Cross Country team. Despite this change in focus, Manuel still found the time to train in wrestling with several of his peers, remaining focused on winning a second state mat title.

Carlos is still actively training at Suples and recently earned his first Fargo All-American honor in Greco-Roman (16U), which is his highest level wrestling achievement to date. Along with his older brother Manuel, Carlos is also an exceptional student that manages an extensive academic and athletic schedule. In addition to his recent All-American honor, Carlos also earned two All-American honors at the Folkstyle Nationals (16U) and participated in frosh football. Only a junior in 2023-’24, Carlos is focused on winning his first Idaho State High School title. Having already earned two state medals, he is in position to earn a possible four state medals in his prep career and enters this season rated among the top juniors in the state (all divisions).

The future has not been written, but one thing is certain with the Valdez Brothers, they have a great work ethic, strong family support, and the mental and physical fortitude (Can do attitude) to achieve anything they set their mind to do in life. According to Bishop Kelly’s Head Coach, Manny Ybarra, “Both Manuel and Carlos are great competitors. They grind matches out and find a way to win. They bring intensity in the practice room and it transfers to competition.”

For the past two years, I have observed Manuel and Carlos grow both on and off the mat. Without a doubt, they have great potential to achieve whatever they set their mind to. It has been an honor for me to have met them and their family. Together, they have achieved a lot and given so much to wrestling in Idaho. I look forward to the future years to come. More recently, I had the opportunity to meet with the entire Valdez family and discuss their journey from the beginning to this point. Below is my Q&A interview with Manuel and Carlos. Enjoy!

Q&A INTERVIEW WITH MANUEL

HOW DID YOU FIRST GET INVOLVED IN THE SPORT OF WRESTLING?

MANUEL – My dad is a former BSU wrestler and introduced it to me when I was 3 after his military service. He wanted something for us to do and wanted us to grow. He was never focused on making us into state or national champs until Suples when I was about 11, where I would say I truly started to grow under the lessons of wrestling, not just lightly participate in it.

WHO HAS BEEN YOUR BIGGEST INFLUENCE IN THE SPORT?

MANUEL – I’ve had a ton of influences. My dad introduced me to it, Suples Coaches Ivan and Mitko redefined it for me as an achievable goal through grit. Coach Owens demonstrated the mental flow needed to adapt and grow, and Coach Manny from BK helped me find confidence in my style and mindset. But above all the coaches and amazing teammates that I have gotten to interact with, I would say it's my younger brother Carlos, who has been with me through every coach I mentioned above, as competitive wise, we both want to get better, so a brother makes it easier to push oneself. 

DESCRIBE YOUR EXPERIENCE AT SUPLES TRAINING UNDER WORLD LEVEL COACHES IVAN IVANOV AND MITKO GEORGIEV.

MANUEL – I had an amazing experience under Coach Ivan and Coach Mitko. Coach Mitko first helped me grow my body to an amazing degree of strength and endurance that I still find one of my greatest assets. He humbled me my first year by showcasing that there was much I had to learn, while also inspiring me to train so I can achieve much more than I would have thought possible. My experience with Coach Ivan had the same degree of physical training, but he also preached the self-independence side of training and work, not just in wrestling, but in life in general. Which is something that I’ve had to think about more and more through high school. 

WHAT ARE YOUR GOALS FOR THE UPCOMING SEASON AT BISHOP KELLY?

MANUEL – I HAVE 3 BIG ONES. 

 
SECOND: to lead my school to its first team State Championship. While all the eyes are on last year's golden 5, my brother and many more amazing Seniors, Juniors, and Sophomores understand that this year is our year to change the tides of history for BK’s wrestling legacy. 

THIRD: take out some big names at big tournaments. There are a lot of really outstanding wrestlers in the West side of the US who I get to go against, and a lot of them are in Idaho. So, any tournament I get the chance to wrestle someone like that, win or lose I’m excited to at least get the shot to go in and give it everything I got. 

HAVING HAD SOME GREAT SUCCESS AT THIS POINT IN YOUR CAREER, DESCRIBE YOUR TRAINING ROUTINE AND YOUR OUTLOOK IN THE YEARS AHEAD.

MANUEL – My training routine is honestly always changing, as I’m a multi-sport athlete and I need to train separate things at separate times. The few things I’ve found that work best for me are as follows:

• Consistency for food, sleep, water, and training.
• Growth mindset, not just go through the motions but always looking to add a little bit more to something. 
• And learn to have fun in the moment, even if it's a cold 4 am workout. 

DO YOU HAVE AMBITIONS OF COMPETING AT THE COLLEGIATE LEVEL? 

MANUEL – Of course. I would love to compete at the collegiate level. I’m on the fence right now between wrestling or running, and it truly depends on how this year goes for those seasons before I make that choice. 

IS THERE AN OLYMPIAN, COLLEGIATE LEVEL WRESTLER, COACH OR SOMEONE OUTSIDE OF THE SPORT OF WRESTLING THAT YOU WANT TO ASPIRE TO BE SOMEDAY?

MANUEL – My goal was to never become someone. If I become an Olympian in wrestling or running, that would be an amazing feat. But I more look to take a piece from each coach and teammate that I interact with to grow. I never really have a set goal on who I would want to be, I just want to be a better me. 

WHAT LIFE LESSONS HAVE YOU LEARNED IN WRESTLING THAT APPLIES IN YOUR DAY-TO-DAY LIFE?

MANUEL – Push myself mentally and physically. I am in harder AP classes that bash my GPA because of Christopher Martino, which is going to pay off in College. I am a Wrestling and XC captain because I wish to help the teams and the individual members that make them up because they mean so much to me. I am in Speech and Debate because public speaking is the #1 fear in the world and I want to become stronger in my ability to deliver my messages in a confusing world. 

DO YOU HAVE A SAYING, PHILOSOPHY OR MOTTO THAT YOU LIVE BY?

MANUEL –  No. Perhaps “thank you” is something that I find myself saying more and more to my family, friends, teammates, and coaches. 

WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE A YOUNG WRESTLER WANTING TO BE SUCCESSFUL IN THE SPORT OF WRESTLING OR IN LIFE?

MANUEL – Whatever small talent you have, use it to the best of your ability, then grow every other “weakness” you have through consistency, focus, and enjoyment. 

OUTSIDE THE SPORT OF WRESTLING, WHAT OTHER GOALS DO YOU HAVE IN LIFE?

MANUEL – For high school, it’s going to be ending all of the State tournaments I get to go to on a high note, while also making sure that I am prepared for College. Next would be graduating College debt free so that I can be there for my family financially. After that, the goal would be to find what truly makes me feel fulfilled and do that. 

ONCE YOU ARE DONE COMPETING, DO YOU HAVE PLANS TO STAY INVOLVED WITH WRESTLING?

MANUEL – Yeah, probably Coaching a Middle School or High School team once I’ve had a busy and successful 30’s and 40’s. The goal then would be to be the most athletic 50 year old (or older) they know. 

WHAT HOBBIES AND FAMILY FUNCTIONS DO YOU ENJOY MOST?

MANUEL – Family functions and a hobby are listening to stories from people. In a car, at the dinner table, in the gym at a wrestling tournament waiting for trackwrestling to restart, they all are great. The latest one now is hearing how Carlos did at Fargo and how Ramon was practically a celebrity in Fargo interacting with the Idaho Team and the vendors there. 

Q&A INTERVIEW WITH CARLOS

HOW DID YOU FIRST GET INVOLVED IN THE SPORT OF WRESTLING?

CARLOS – My Dad had me start wrestling when I was 4 years old, and started taking me to wrestling practices. I don’t remember all of them, but I remember being at Arrow Rock for a while before I went to Suples in 4th grade.

WHO HAS BEEN YOUR BIGGEST INFLUENCE IN THE SPORT?

CARLOS  – My Suples coaches, because they taught me how to love the sport when I couldn’t before, and my teammates that picked me up and helped me out there. 

DESCRIBE YOUR EXPERIENCE AT SUPLES TRAINING UNDER WORLD LEVEL COACHES IVAN IVANOV AND MITKO GEORGIEV.

CARLOS – It’s amazing, I feel like they teach us with a simple solid structure, and make sure we understand what we are doing and why. It makes looking at wrestling easier because I know that this is what other places in the world do because it’s an international business, and I work out in the heart of it sometimes.

WHAT ARE YOUR GOALS FOR THE UPCOMING SEASON AT BISHOP KELLY?

CARLOS – My goal is to win state and help as many on the team as I can to make it and/or place. I’m trying to motivate people as someone who isn’t an official captain on the team to do as well as they can in every practice and event. I want to be part of making a dynasty at Bishop Kelly with winning our first team state championship and continue the tradition for years to come.

HAVING HAD SOME GREAT SUCCESS AT THIS POINT IN YOUR CAREER, DESCRIBE YOUR TRAINING ROUTINE AND YOUR OUTLOOK IN THE YEARS AHEAD.

CARLOS – I trust in the process that coach Ivan has. I work out with the Bulgarian bags and Suples Balls to improve on strength, endurance, and my range of motion. I do what we go over in practice and work on improving some techniques at the same time. And after that, I work on skills that I struggle with sometimes. I found that going to Best on Best every once in a while, had improved my chain wrestling in freestyle and folkstyle. I see my workouts getting more intense and more specific in the future, but not unloading all the moves, but improving on the basics to the finer point.

DO YOU HAVE AMBITIONS OF COMPETING AT THE COLLEGIATE LEVEL?

CARLOS – Absolutely, I want to compete in college. I am surrounded by so many college commits in various divisions and I train with them, and I believe that I have the ability to compete with them at that level.

IS THERE AN OLYMPIAN, COLLEGIATE LEVEL WRESTLER, COACH OR SOMEONE OUTSIDE OF THE SPORT OF WRESTLING THAT YOU WANT TO ASPIRE TO BE SOMEDAY?

CARLOS – I aspire to be like my Dad, he is so supportive of me and Manuel… he will always be on our side, right or wrong. 

WHAT LIFE LESSONS HAVE YOU LEARNED IN WRESTLING THAT APPLIES IN YOUR DAY-TO-DAY LIFE?

CARLOS – That making the harder choices, choosing the tougher route earlier on in life will make for an easier path later, and you can’t do anything with half effort, it’s either 100% in or out. Small details matter in the bigger picture of things.

DO YOU HAVE A SAYING, PHILOSOPHY OR MOTTO THAT YOU LIVE BY?

CARLOS – In order to win, you have to lose, because if you don’t, you never grow.

WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE A YOUNG WRESTLER WANTING TO BE SUCCESSFUL IN THE SPORT OF WRESTLING OR IN LIFE?

CARLOS – Love what you do, love the workouts, love the grind, love to do the things no one else is willing to do.

OUTSIDE THE SPORT OF WRESTLING, WHAT OTHER GOALS DO YOU HAVE IN LIFE?

CARLOS – I want to run a successful business, and see as much of the world that I can. I want to graduate college and start a family.

ONCE YOU ARE DONE COMPETING, DO YOU HAVE PLANS TO STAY INVOLVED WITH WRESTLING?

CARLOS – Yes, I think I will be a coach at some club or school when I’m all done competing, so I get to teach the next generation and stay involved with the sport.

WHAT HOBBIES AND FAMILY FUNCTIONS DO YOU ENJOY MOST?

CARLOS – I love going RVing with my family, and I love cooking with them. We make our own versions of some food, like a breakfast pizza sometimes.

ACADEMIC/ATHLETIC PROFILES

MANUEL’S ACADEMIC/ATHLETIC PROFILE

SCHOOL: Bishop Kelly H.S.

WRESTLING CLUB: Suples WC

GRADE: 12 (Class of 2024)

WEIGHT: 132 (Fr) 138 (So-Jr)

ACADEMIC ACCOLADES

• GPA: 3.7 unweighted (3.8 weighted)
• College Prep AP Courses – US History, English, Biology, Statistics/Human geography, Literature, and Economics
• National Honor Society
• Multiple Honor Roll Honors
• Speech and Debate team (National competition)

WRESTLING/CROSS COUNTRY ACCOLADES

• Idaho State Champion ’23 (4A)
• IHSAA 4A District III Champion ’23 
• 2x Varsity Letterman – Cross Country, ’22, ’23
• USA Wrestling Western Regional 16U Freestyle – 3^rd ‘22
• USA Wrestling Western Regional 16U Greco – 2^nd ‘22
• Idaho Freestyle State Champion ‘22
• Idaho Greco State Champion ‘22
• Idaho Junior Greco State – 2^nd ‘22
• USMC Folkstyle National Showcase ALL-AMERICAN ‘22
• Idaho Folkstyle State Champion ‘22
• IHSAA 4A District III – 3^rd ‘22
• USA Western States 16U Greco – 3^rd ‘21
• Idaho Freestyle State 16U – 2^nd ‘21
• Idaho Greco State 16U Champion ‘21
• Idaho State Championships 4A – 3^rd ‘21
• IHSAA 4A District III – 2^nd ‘21

CARLOS’ ACADEMIC/WRESTLING ACCOLADES

SCHOOL: Bishop Kelly H.S. (Boise)

CLUB: Suples WC

GRADE: 11 (Class of 2025)

WEIGHT GROUP: 145

ACADEMIC ACCOLADES

• GPA: 3.107
• Idaho Student Advisory Council

WRESTLING ACCOLADES

• 16U Greco-Roman Fargo ALL-AMERICAN – 5^th Place ’23 
• Idaho Greco-Roman 16U State Champion ‘23
• Idaho Freestyle 16U State Champion ‘23
• USA Wrestling 16U Folkstyle ALL-AMERICAN – 6^th Place ‘23
• Idaho 4A State Championships – 3^rd Place ‘23
• IHSAA 4A District III – 2^nd Place ‘23
• Western States Preseason Championships FS/SOPH – 3^rd Place ‘22
• Western States Preseason Championships – H.S. DIV. – 2^nd Place ‘22
• USMC 16U Folkstyle ALL-AMERICAN, National Recruiting Showcase – 4^th Place ‘22
• Idaho 4A State Championships – 4^th Place ‘22
• IHSAA 4A District III – 3^rd Place ‘22