Legendary wrestler Severn is guest clinician at MVHS

Dan Severn works with MVHS Wrestling Coach Austin Bethel during his recent visit to Mount Vernon High School for a clinic. Photo by Brandon Cole

By Brandon Cole

Hall of Fame (UFC Class of 2005) fighter, two-time All-American Division 1 college wrestler, Olympic alternate wrestler, and professional wrestler, Dan “The Beast” Severn traveled to Mount Vernon, Indiana taking part in a mixed martial arts and a wrestling session on Oct 10, as a guest clinician.

The 68-year-old legendary competitor worked alongside of MVHS head wrestling coach, Austin Bethel. Elementary, middle school, and high school athletes took part in the workouts. This is another example of how Bethel is willing to think outside of the box when it comes to improving the Mount Vernon wrestling family.

“In my opinion, wrestling is ala carte,” said Bethel. “It is always evolving with new trends, tricks, and unique positions so it is important to stay fresh and search for outside input from time to time. As a coach, I am also always trying to learn new techniques that may be of value to the entire program or to a specific individual in order to elevate them to the next level.”

Bethel and other MV coaches were familiar with Severn’s career. Bethel is too young to have watched Dan fight in his early UFC days, but that did not stop him from watching old highlights and Severn’s later career. “I quickly became infatuated with anything that looked similar to wrestling, from UFC to professional wrestling (WWE/WWF),” said Bethel. “It was here that I first discovered Dan. He was one of the original legends in the UFC back when there were no weight classes, limited rules, and fighters fought consecutive matches in the same night to determine the winner. Long story short, it was brutal and Dan was more than deserving of his moniker, “The Beast”. From there, I followed Dan to his career in the WWF where he competed against some of my favorites at the time as well. Around this time was when I realized the extensive and successful amateur wrestling career that Dan had before his stint in the UFC. A state calibur High school wrestler, a multiple time DI All-American (1X Runner-up), Olympic alternate, NCAA DI Coach, etc. I loved the fact that someone was representing our sport and the skills it provides across global platforms.”

Bethel and Severn agreed how important it is to have a wrestling/grappling base for mixed martial arts. “In recent years, we have seen a massive emergence of wrestling becoming the most dominant base for competing against all other styles,” said Bethel. “If you can take down and control your opponent, chances are you are going to win. Also, most people that begin MMA do not have a great understanding of the aggression and tenacity that combat sports demand. Wrestling is a sport that is offered at very young ages and can forge these traits early and provide a strong base for future growth.”

Dan shared some tips that have helped his longevity in the sport. “I look at food as medicine,” said Severn. “I try to do a work out every day. I'm always doing something.”

The Mount Vernon wrestlers and guest attendees asked Severn questions at the end of the workout. Severn recalled being a freshman on the high school wrestling team. While he was closer to a middle weight, he challenged the heavy weight wrestling spot and made his way on to the varsity lineup. Severn humbly admitted that was not a successful year in regards to wins and losses, but it taught him to be a fierce competitor that didn’t back down from competition.

Severn read some poetry to the MVHS athletes he had written down on an airplane trip on his way to a competition. He called it Poetry with the Beast. The poetry spoke about wrestling mindset, always trying to get the pin, and a continuous pursuit of excellence.

The day was a success and MV wrestlers were getting better when no one was looking. This is one of the important factors that lead to growth in the regular season. Putting in the mat time, learning more about the sport, and getting in wrestling shape before season are all advantages that make for a successful season.

Bethel exudes confidence when speaking on his Wildcats. “We are super excited about the upcoming season,” said Bethel. “We have a larger senior class with a ton of experience. We are hoping to build off that experience with some of our Juniors and underclassmen as well. I truly believe we will be in the front runnings in the PAC Conference as well as being a top 3 favorite within our sectional as well. We are also hoping to qualify for team state this year, and will have to piece together a successful start to the season in order to obtain the wildcard bid for the dual tournament. We have a lot of hardworking individuals with high goals, so we are just aiming to hit the ground running, keep the energy high, and help these young men better themselves all while reaching for their goals. This may seem like a difficult task, but our program has been known to have high standards and expectations. Therefore, even when things are difficult and expectations are high, I thoroughly believe our coaching staff, the men and women of our program/family, and our athletes will rise to the occasion.”