Chase'n Dreams

By BRANDON HURLEY

Sports Editor 

sports@beeherald,com

@Brandonjhurley

A pair of black and gray shoes sit quietly just off the wrestling mat during each Greene County home wrestling meet, gently perched a top a black box. It’s an homage to not only the winningest wrestler in school history, but to a kind soul lost much too soon. While the ref signals the latest takedown or reversal, the shoes signify a beacon of confidence, of hope and stability. 

They encourage each wrestler to “Chase” their dreams. To block out the noise and focus on the task at hand.  

Chase Flack’s spirit is evident throughout the Greene County program. He’s forever planted in the Rams’ corner. The immediate significance of Flack’s used pair of shoes may be lost on the casual fan, but to his family and the Greene County wrestling program, Chase Flack represented unparalleled success, milestones he achieved through precise determination.

The 2011 Jefferson-Scranton graduate finished his Rams’ career with 147 wins, the all-time best mark in school history. He also placed third at state in back-to-back years, wracking up 85 wins and just four losses over his final two seasons in Jefferson. 

Tragically, Flack’s life came to an end much too soon when he collapsed a few paces short of the finish line during last June’s DAM to Des Moines 20K. The race took runners from the Saylorville Dam to downtown Des Moines, a 12.4 mile trek. 

His memory was too bright just to let fall by the way side. The Greene County wrestling program wanted to keep it alive, and found several ways to honor his example of sustained success. 

The 2019-20 Greene County squad has dedicated this season in Chase Flack’s honor –which has gone incredibly well during duals with a 23-5 record – adopting the slogan “Chase’N Dreams.” The phrase graces the back of a white, warm-up T-shirt that also lists the number 147 above it. On the front is the Greene County Rams logo. Head coach Zach Beekman, who is in his second year leading the wrestling program, views Flack as a spirit to lean on while simultaneously teaching his athletes the value of respect. 

“It’s a constant reminder that sometimes wrestling, even though the sport seems like a big deal, there are things that are bigger than that. We just try to keep things in perspective,” Beekman said. “Sometimes we don’t want to be here. We don’t want to go out and have to battle six minutes in a tough match. But, you know, when you keep it in perspective, there are people that would give a lot to be in that same position.” 

The shoes were a nice touch to the memorial, reminding the Rams that there is an extra ounce of meaning to this particular season. They help everyone stay grounded. It’s worked to, as Greene County looks poised to make some noise once sectionals begin Saturday, Feb. 8.

“(Chase’s shoes) just represent that he’s still in our corner,” Beekman said. “We don’t know how he would affect our team if he was here, but it’s holding his presence. I know that that means a lot to (his brother) Clint and to his family. But I think as a coaching staff, it just kind of brings us down to earth as we go through our evening.”

Flack’s passion for wrestling’s younger generation combined with his pride for the sport was always at the forefront. He was a regular fan at Iowa State wrestling meets, and even traveled to the NCAA Championships when they were held in Oklahoma City. He was keen on teaching the sport as well, and maybe even had a future in coaching. One of his many interests that allowed Flack to lead a full life in just 26 brief years. 

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Chase Flack’s daily routine revolved around the extreme. 

He was a fitness and adventure junkie, recently having conquered the summit of Kala Patthar, a 18,519 foot peak in the Great Himalayas mountain range in Nepal. He had planned to scale many more like it in the coming years.  

Naturally, Flack was drawn to wrestling as a kid. It certainly isn’t a sport for the mentally weak, but he adapted almost immediately. As his experience expanded with age, so did his dominance on the mat. During his high school years, he became as feared as they come, driven by a red-hot desire to win. 

Current Greene County assistant Chris Conner was also a member of the 2011 coaching staff, where he witnessed Flack secure a state tournament bronze medal for the second time. When Flack set his mind on something, he almost always completed the task. 

“He was laser focused when he stepped on the mat to wrestle,” the coach said. “He was focused on the match itself. And in between periods, I can still see him now. You’re shouting things to him and  he was laser focused on the coaches, too. It was the way he always was in the practice room, too. He was a very coachable athlete.”

Flack quickly became a mainstay in the Jefferson-Scranton wrestling program along with his younger brother, Clint, who was a year below him. Flack lost just 18 times in his four year career, including just a single loss during his senior campaign. Chase entered the 2011 state tournament undefeated with a 38-0 record and a No. 3 ranking at 119 pounds. He captured the school-record in wins during said state tournament, with a third round consolation win over Missouri Valley’s Walker Marshall, 8-7 in a nail-bitter. He won his first round match but was knocked from the winner’s bracket by Osage’s Jobe Goodele. Flack recovered to waltz his way through the consolation bracket, defeating New Hampton’s Matt Paulus, 7-4 in the third place match. 

After a youth career that saw Chase witness more losses than victories, those struggles taught him to strive even higher. Though he fell short of a state title, back-to-back bronze medals is nothing to sneeze at. Winning that much isn’t as easy as he made it seem. 

“His experience is what helped him most,” Conner said. “That’s not to see he didn’t have success his freshman and sophomore years, he was actually a win from qualifying for districts as a freshman. But that experience really helped him.”

Chase was always strong. Even though he was a scrawny-looking freshman, he had the natural ability to out-power his opponents. When you added that with his desire to be the best, it proved to be a lethal combination. 

“It was very deceiving because he came in smaller than he was by his senior year,” Conner said. “But when you went against him on the mat, his strength was surprising. I remember wrestling him for the first time in the practice room and he grabbed a hold of my wrist – it was a very strong grip.” 

Chase also benefited from the coaching of Conner and head coach Mark Sawhill. The staff never had a problem with him going off on his own. He took the time to learn, Conner said. 

“He bought into coaching,” the coach said. “He bought into the offseason work, going to camps and working out.”

 Chase’s closest confidant during those years shared the same blood line, and it became apparent they’d both taste some amount of success. 

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The Flack brothers were each other’s biggest supporters the moment they entered the high school wrestling room. 

Flack’s younger brother Clint, is a varsity assistant on the 2019-20 Greene County coaching staff. The two wrestled together just a shade under 10 years ago in the same Jefferson gym, pushing each other while providing support along the way. The duo even qualified for the same state tournament in 2011 – Chase as a senior and Clint as a junior. 

There wasn’t much of a sibling rivalry between the two, though the coaches often kept them apart during practice sessions. As one would imagine, the potential for a heated match was always too high, even if it was unlikely. But they remained close, cheering each other on mat side. Just another notion why Chase’s old shoes represent so much. They embody an unbreakable connection. 

“(Chase and Clint) were always supportive of each other and always pushed each other,” Conner said. “When one was wrestling, the other was right there in the corner cheering them on. They’d come off the mat and were in their ear, telling them what they did wrong and giving high fives. 

A lot of the time, the support was in a brotherly way, whether it was telling one or the other to pull their head out of their ass or good job.” 

Conner developed a unique relationship with the Flack boys, almost becoming an older brother-type figure throughout the years. They often traveled to collegiate wrestling meets together, whether at Iowa State or Iowa, and grew to truly love the sport together. The trio was drawn to each other by that passion. Conner took immediate notice of it on day one of high school practice. They had a certain look and attitude to them. Conner even jumped into a few sparring sessions during practices, a common occurrence at the high school and college ranks. He became familiar with what made the Flack brothers go. They never once shied away from the Ram way. 

“They were all eyes and ears (in practice),” Conner said. “As a coach, when you have student athletes in front of you and they are all eyes and ears (that excites you right away). They were that way from day one to the last day. And they were fun to be around.” 

Conner sees Chase’s resemblance in his younger brother Clint on an almost daily occurrence. Just by how the younger brother operates on the sidelines and through his dedication to wrestling. 

“I’ve told Clint this, but a lot of reasons who he is today is because of Chase,” Conner said. “He carries a lot of Chase inside him because he was a leader. Clint was trying to emulate what Chase was.” 

Chase, as well as Clint, loved teaching the younger generation, helping them build their knowledge of the sport. Clint has quickly become current Greene County head coach Zach Beekman’s go to guy in his second year. He took the school’s first female wrestler, Emma Hoyle, under his wing as she made her way to the state tournament. Clint is also excited to lead practice as much as he is offering tips to a guy way down on the totem pole. 

Outside of the family bloodline, that’s probably Chase and Clint’s strongest tie – their immense connection to wrestling. 

“(Clint) kind of does anything and everything you ask him to do. I’ve asked him to help with JV, and he’s always here helping with the varsity,” Beekman said. “And we’ve pulled Tiffany, his fiancé into the mix, too. I think she enjoys it as well. 

(Clint) is a guy that’s hard to find. He’s young and he’s still learning the coaching side of it. Every chance that we get, we throw him in there.”

Clint isn’t having much trouble carrying the family legacy. And the Rams have done a pretty good job helping him along as well, winning 23 dual matches while featuring four guys with at least 30 individual wins, including third-ranked McKinley Robbins (106 pounds). 

If anything, Conner’s lasting image of Chase as a wrestler provides a simple lesson for his current athletes as well as his 13-year old son – stay open minded and never shy away from criticism. 

“Be coachable,” Conner said. “Take the coaching, listen to it and try to carry it over into your competition. We aren’t coaching just to hear ourselves talk. There is meaning and purpose behind it. We are coaching to help make them more successful. 

One of Chase’s strongest attributes was how coachable he was.

I’m honored to have been a small part of his life and to continue to be a small part.” 

The 2020 Iowa High School State tournament is set for Feb. 20-22 at Wells Fargo Arena. The Rams will send a pair of wrestlers to Des Moines, McKinley Robbins at 106 pounds and Brenner Gallagher at 113 pounds. The Class 2A first round session begins at 1:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 20.