Michigan State and pretty much any amateur wrestling fan in the state will remember the Simmons brothers, Nick and Andy. Both were dominant during their days at Williamston High SChool and carried that on to MSU. Now they're teaming up again to form SAW - the Simmons Academy of Wrestling, which aims to train wrestlers from the area and across the state.
Known as the "East Lansing Strangler" for his prowess in pinning his opponents, Nick Simmons was a four-time unbeaten wrestler in high school, and a four-time All-American in college. His "strangling" days are over now and he's back in Lansing to pass his skills on to the youth.
"I grew up with a lot of the great high school coaches around here, so hopefully I just want to help build their kids and their program or help anyway that we can," Simmons said. "We just want to give back to wrestling."
A seven-time World Team member, Nick was most recently on the coaching staff at Indiana University but came back home in May to link up with his brother Andy, who is a wildly accomplished wrestler in his own right. Now they want to run the best training facility around.
"I learned a lot training in those six years and even the last couple years," Simmons said. "Just being around some of the best coaches in the world, you learn a lot about techniques and stuff like that, that I hope to teach to these kids."
Nick was away for a decade but the reputation hasn't faded. The Simmons name still carries a lot of weight in these parts.
"Our goal isn't to be the best in the state. Our goal is to be the best in the country," said Sam Amine, a former high school wrestling coach who drives his son over an hour each way to SAW. "I can keep training him or take him to the higher level and I think bringing them all the way out here to Lansing, an hour drive, is worth it."
