3x Minnesota USA Wrestling State Folkstyle Team Champions
NYWA K-6 Team State Champions (2015, 2019)
NYWA K-6 Team State Runner-Up (2016, 2018)
The Brawl, Champion Team (2016, 2019)
NYWA K-6 Coach of the Year (2015, 2019)
Minnesota USA Wrestling Coach of the Year (2016, 2022)

You're paying me to coach your kids, and that's why I'm taking a moment to highlight my coaching ability and skills. What an athlete did in high school or college, while commendable, can often become irrelevant if those skills don’t transfer into their coaching. My career in education has helped me develop the best methods for teaching wrestlers skills and technique in a way that is easy to comprehend. My Master’s degree in Special Education helps me accommodate and modify technique for all types of learners. There is no learning style I cannot teach to.

I’ve coached in Northfield for 10 years and in that time, the youth program has transformed from an average of 15 participants a season, into the well-known and successful 75+ member James Gang Wrestling program. While I’m very passionate about the James Gang, my coaching vision has shifted to include providing wrestlers with specialized, next-level training for competing on the national circuit.

Riley Graber is a senior at Northfield High School. Riley wrestled for several years, where he achieved goals such as: 

    2x Tulsa Champion
    8x Folkstyle State Champion
    Multiple Time National Champion

Unfortunately, Riley has a neck issue that limits him from wrestling.  He has turned his passion for wrestling into a passion for coaching. Riley loves studying the sport and is always learning.  He enjoys working with kids, seeing them improve and achieve their goals and is a great asset to our program. 
    

2x State Qualifier
Triton Varsity Volunteer Coach
Triton Youth Head Coach

Coaching and competing is a passion of mine as I continue to train for and enter in tournaments each year.  Over the years I've competed and won several titles:

2004 Austria National Champion
2005 Australia National Champion
2003-2008 MN State Champion Olympic Style Weight Lifting
2012 State Champion - Army Combative
2020 Corncob National Champion
2021 Rumble on the River Champion
2022 USAW Masters National Champion
2022 Rumble on the River Champion

Coach Lofton wrestled at the NJCAA and NCAA Division II level in college at South Dakota State University, and was also a record-setting power-lifter in high school and college.

Coach Lofton went to Doctorate school to become a chiropractor, and currently specializes in neurological-based chiropractic care. One of Coach Lofton’s specialties is motor and neurological pattern entrainment of the brain and nervous system; he uses his knowledge in this area to teach muscle memory to athletes, including World Team and US National Team members, NCAA Division I national champions, and collegiate wrestlers.

Coach Lofton has assistant coaching experience with the New Prague Trojans Middle School, as well as assisting the Minnesota Storm women’s team.  Coach Lofton joined Coach Faust in bringing the Summit's women's team to Heartland Nationals which took the championship title in 2019. 

Coach Lofton and his wife have 10 kids (5 boys and 5 girls), and every one of them has been, or currently is, involved with wrestling. We’re glad to have Coach Lofton on our team!

In 1992, I started my wrestling career in Florida, continued my career at the University of Minnesota, Morris.

My career in Law Enforcement and Education has helped me to develop the best strategies for teaching wrestlers the skills and techniques needed to comprehend and develop their abilities. I have a Master’s degree in Educational Leadership that helps me accommodate and modify techniques for all types of learners. There’s no learning style I cannot teach to.

I’ve coached wrestling, off and on for over 20 years, youth and high school. During that time, I have coached a US Women’s National Team Bronze Medalist and many State of Texas youth champions. In 2013 I started my own wrestling club in TX and during that time I came into contact with members of the Summit Wrestling Academy. Over time I grew to respect the Summit family and when my family and I decided to move back to MN, Summit was one of my first choices for my kids and I. I have three kids who all wrestle for the Summit Wrestling Academy.  I am looking forward to bringing my years of training and experience to the Summit family.

14 years wrestling experience 

Wrestled for UMD

16+ years coaching at youth, middle and high school levels.

Black Belts in Tae Kwon Do and Aikido 

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