Betts a stellar soph

Nobody enjoys Kenny Betts’ success more than his father and assistant wrestling coach Greg Betts.In only his sophomore season, Kenny is returning to the New York State wrestling championships for the third time. Betts was second two years ago as an eighth-grader but was eliminated in his first two matches a year ago as a freshman.

This year as a sophomore, Betts has enjoyed arguably his finest season, setting a Western New York record with 38 pins enroute to a 45-6 record. In just three short years, Betts has compiled a 158-30 record with 108 pins.

“I’ve been extremely pleased with Kenny this year,” Fredonia coach Alex Conti said. “He carried the weight of the world last year after being second in the states as an eighth-grader. After he lost the second match of the state tournament last year, he was a brand new kid again.

“People can say they know how he felt, but nobody can know how he felt,” Conti said. “It’s tough to be that young and carry that.

“We knew this year Kenny was going to come in and light it up,” Conti said. “Our goal coming into the season for Kenny was 30 pins. It was something we knew was achievable and we talked about it.”

After a tough defeat a season ago, one of the people Kenny looked to was his father, Greg, who is a calming influence to all of the Fredonia wrestlers. Working as the printshop manager at Fredonia High School, Greg is involved in the lives of many students at the school.

“Greg has been awesome,” Conti said. “He allows me to really get after Kenny and work him hard. I would love nothing more than to have Greg enjoy the experience of a state championship with Kenny.”

Greg Betts was actually involved in a state championship a few years ago when his stepson Frank Zielinski won a crown.

“Greg had it with Frank, and to have it with Kenny would be extremely special for both of them,” Conti said.

With 48 kids on the Fredonia wrestling team, Greg’s influence is felt by many more kids than just his own son.

“Coach Betts is the reason that Fredonia has wrestling success,” Conti said. “I’m the heavy hand, but nobody at Fredonia High School loves and does more than Greg Betts. He’s the shoulder everyone cries on and a mediator between myself and parents who aren’t happy with me.”

Coach Betts has also been known to host many events for his wrestlers including spaghetti dinners at his house.

“Coach Betts lets all the kids come over to his house and bring anyone they want to bring,” Conti said. “He also holds beef sessions where the kids can say whatever they think is going wrong with the program, then he tells me what I need to straighten up.”

“He’s the good cop. Fredonia would maybe have a few champs here and there, but we could never have as many champs as we do go through our program without Coach Betts.”

So if Kenny Betts is lucky enough to come home with a state wrestling championship this weekend, he will be able to share what his dad and maybe all the other wrestlers that have been affected by Coach Betts a little piece of that title with them.