LEMOORE -- Former Lemoore High great Marcio Botelho has been hired as head coach of the Tigers wrestling team, the school announced this week. Botelho will take over a highly successful program built by his high school coach, Kent Olson, who ranks second in the state all-time in dual match wins.

"I think that it's a great honor to be able to coach here at Lemoore,'' said Botelho said. "I've been in and around the room for 12 years now and learned from the best in the sport. It's an honor to just be part of this program.

"I feel good about coming in here. I know that all these years of learning under coach has prepared me for this and now I have to come in and put my knowledge out there."

Botelho is a 2000 Lemoore graduate who went on to star at Fresno State. He graduated from college in 2005.

"No one will ever be able to replace Kent Olson,'' Lemoore athletic director Thom Sembritzki said. "He is a legend at our school, in Lemoore and in the wrestling community. But someone has to follow him and I think that the most qualified person to do that is Marcio Botelho.

"Marcio wrestled for Coach Olson and was a state champion. He later went on and competed at the highest level at Fresno State where he became an All-American. He has the skills and has learned a number of things that will make him a great coach."

Botelho will take over a talented squad led by senior Brandon Rocha, who was a state runner-up a season ago.

"This is going to be a very good group to come in and coach," Botelho said. "We are going to work hard like Coach Olson has taught us. We are going to wrestle Coach Olson's style. I know what it's all about. We are going to work, work, work and then see it all pay off in the end."

Olson will not be at Lemoore for the first time in 21 seasons where he collected 15 West Yosemite League titles and 14 straight. He left his teaching position at Lemoore High two years ago to take the West Hills College-Lemoore coaching spot, but had still been coaching at the high school. A controversial split with Lemoore ensued this summer.

"I really don't know all the details about what's going on with Coach right now," said Botelho, who had worked as a volunteer assistant under Olson.

"It's kind of hard for all of us, but really this is for the kids. I feel like they need someone in the room they know and someone that they can trust. I think that it was time for me to step up and come in here and take more of a role with these kids."

Botelho says he will have a parent/wrestler meeting next Wednesday at 7 p.m. at Lemoore High and practices will start soon after.

"I know that the kids are really hungry right now," Botelho said. "I think the season will depend on how hard they want to work."

(July 3, 2008)