Testimonials
I began being coached by Ian when I was 10 years old and continued all the way through high school. His practices challenged me and molded me into a more resilient and overall better human being. The wrestling skills and life lessons that I learned from Ian carried over from youth wrestling into my collegiate wrestling career. He is a big reason why I started having success growing up and continued to achieve my goals as my wrestling career progressed. If I could recommend any youth coach for a young wrestler to learn under, it would be Coach Ian Assael.
- Zain Retherford, Penn State University
2022 World Silver Medalist
Senior World Champion
3X Division 1 NCAA Champion
4X NCAA ALL American
2X Hodge Trophy Award Winner
2X senior World team member
2X PA State Champion
Cadet World Champion
Fargo Champion
Coach Ian Assael has been pivotal in my growth and development as a wrestler and a young man. From a young age, Coach Assael instilled into me a strong work ethic, respect, discipline, and responsibility. He taught my teammates and I how to set goals and work hard to achieve them. His system of teaching the fundamentals of wrestling is second to none. Off that mat, Coach Assael taught us how to be good people. He always pushed us to be the best wrestlers that we could be and encouraged us to help and make a positive impact for others. When I was in 8th grade, I wanted to quit wrestling. He helped me find my passion for the sport and improve my skills, so I could wrestle at the collegiate level and earn a degree. He has made an incredible impact on many lives, and I owe him a lot for the man that I am today. If you want to reach new levels in wrestling or find your greatest potential as an athlete, Coach Ian Assael is one of the best coaches in the country to get you there.
-Trent Hidlay
NC State University
2X PA State Champion 3x Finalist
Multi time Fargo Finalist
Flo Nationals Champion
Ranked #1 in the country
ACC Scholar Athlete of the year
3X ACC Champion
4X NCAA All American
2X World Team member, world medalist
Shortly after coming to my first Legend practice, Ian Assael became a lifelong mentor. Ian encouraged my development as an athlete, but his effect on my life went much further than wrestling. Ian cared about my development as a person, and who I was becoming in a vital time of transitions from middle school, high school, college, and now my professional life. His teachings and support not only encouraged me to excel on the mat, but in school and life as well.
Coming into Legend wrestling I was far from being an elite wrestler. Ian never gave up on me and always pushed me each day. Ian saw potential I possessed well before anyone else, and before I even believed in myself. He tailored his training and style to each wrestler in our practice room. He turned a bunch of kids from neighboring schools into a family that supported one another and became one of the premier wrestling clubs in the nation. By the end of my high school career Ian helped me chase my dreams of earning a division one scholarship and finishing off my high school career as a state finalist.
Ian’s teachings, and encouragement allowed me to make my dreams a reality. I went from a kid with hopes of just wrestling after high school to a ranked high school wrestler, and a national qualifier as a true freshman. Throughout my college career I suffered multiple knee injuries and surgeries. However, I relied on the life lessons Ian instilled in me growing up to never give up on my dreams. Through the hard work, dedication, and never give up attitude Ian taught me I was able to compete for six years in college from Bucknell University to reach my ultimate goal of competing in the Big 10 with Indiana University.
Throughout my college experience the best memories I have was being able to compete on the division one stage with my fellow legend family members. Watching the individuals I went through everything with win national titles, become All-Americans, and develop into the great people they are today which I am lucky enough to call friends and teammates. As I now transition into my professional life, I often find myself relying on the lessons Ian taught me. Without Ian I would never have gotten the chance to live out my dreams, and share priceless moments with my family. The final match of my wrestling career was against my brother Gavin Hoffman an All-American for The Ohio State University. If I had never walked into that Legend wrestling room, I would never have gotten the chance to experience that once in a lifetime moment. I will be forever grateful for the opportunities Ian provided me. In a world where coaches just care about individuals as athletes, Ian went the extra mile becoming a lifelong mentor and a close friend even today. I will be forever grateful for Ian and the Legend Wrestling family.
- Garrett Hoffman, Bucknell and Indiana University
Multi time PA State medalist
PA State Finalist
NHSCA All-American/Finalist
I have been fortunate to have known Coach Ian Assael for nearly twenty years. In that span I have learned the sport of wrestling from him in each step of my development. From a youth wrestler, he instilled the crucial fundamentals that make up a great wrestler. As an adolescent, I was taught how to drill techniques until I couldn’t get them wrong. And as an elite high school wrestler, he helped me refine my game so I could be forged into a great collegiate wrestler. Countless other club teammates and I are thankful for his coaching and would recommend wrestlers of all ages to be guided by him through their own development. Along with wrestling skills, his emphasis on being well-rounded allowed us to bring the same level of focus we had in the wrestling room into other areas in our life, like the classroom and the community. By constantly advocating for a focused approach as a student, athlete, and person, Coach Assael was able to bring out the best in each of us.
- Hayden Hidlay, North Carolina State University
PA State Champion
Ranked #1 in the Nation in HS
MOW Dapper Dan Classic USA VS PA All Stars
Journeymen Champion-Hammer award Winner
Fargo National Champion
Flo National Champion
4X ACC Champion
4 X NCAA All American
World Team member
ACC Scholar Athlete of the year
I met lan when I was in elementary school and Ian would take myself, my brother Garrett, and a few other higher-level guys and run us through drills before practice started. My parents along with myself knew that lan was the coach I needed to become successful in the sport. So, when lan decided to start his own wrestling club in central Pennsylvania, it was without question that my brother and I needed to train there full time. I'll never forget those practices; I was in a wrestling room surrounded by high level wrestlers from a young age. lan ran very intense practices that would push you to your limit. No matter the age of anyone in that room, we all got better. That room is where I learned what it took to be great. I was jumping levels in my wrestling because of my partners, but mainly due to the mentality lan instilled in me at a young age of working as hard as I possibly could and never making excuses. We had a saying of "nobody cares, work harder." This saying is something that I remember and say to myself to this day.
Ian eventually moved to coach at Bucknell University and started Bison Legend Wrestling. The talent in that room was insane. We were one of the top clubs in America. Kids would drive hours for just one two-hour practice. We went to NHSCA duals every year and would consistently be a team contending for the national title. The thing that separated our club from the other teams is that everyone on our team would train at our club. Other teams would try to put together a superstar team with kids all over the country, but our team was filled with only kids lan coached and developed at Bison Legend. When I went off to college, I knew that my time at Bison Legend would prepare me with everything I needed to excel in a division one room. I credit lan a lot for the success I have reached in the sport of wrestling and in life. Ian helped me become a great wrestler, but also made me a better all-around person. He not only cared about us as wrestlers, but who we were outside of the sport. Our grades, how we treat others, living the right lifestyle, and preparing us for the real world is what lan cared about the most. lan has impacted a countless number of lives through the sport of wrestling, and I know that he will continue to leave everyplace he lands up better than he found it.
- Gavin Hoffman, Ohio State University
2022 Division 1 All American Ohio State University
3X Pennsylvania state champion
Ranked #1 in the country
Flo National Champion
Super 32 Finalist
Fargo National Finalist
Cadet World Medalist
Over the past eight years, Ian has been our trusted "coach and partner" for my son's wrestling development. Ian has always been selfless in sharing his time and thoughts on becoming a "complete" wrestler. He instills a work ethic, mindset, fundamentals, and high-level technique for your wrestler to succeed locally and nationally. As a "First time parent of a wrestler," it has been great to consult Ian on all of the different aspects of the sport and competitions that become available to your child. My son knows he can reach out to Ian with any question on the sport (technique, mental, Film Study) he needs. Ian will put the individual needs of your wrestler first and will guide them on their journey.
- Zeno Moore
Nationally Ranked
National Prep All American (while still in in MS)
Super 32 Finalist
As a young wrestler in Pennsylvania, I experienced some early success, winning some high-level matches for my age group and placing at the Pennsylvania Junior State Championships and MAWA Eastern National tournament while in Elementary school. These wins were coming based off natural ability and being highly competitive at a young age. Over time, some of the opponents I was beating started to catch up to and beat me because I wasn’t physically or mentally maturing like everyone else. I was losing important matches, and it wasn’t making sense. Shortly after, my family met Coach Assael and as they say, the rest is history. My brother Kent and I committed to training with Coach Assael and the jumps we made were unimaginable. We both had a tremendous knowledge and foundation in wrestling at that point. However, Coach Assael had the ability to take us to other levels. We both went from not qualifying for the PA Junior High State Championships in 2010, to placing 4th and 1st in 2011. Training with Coach Assael was a major factor in my physical development as an athlete as well as my mental development and mindset toward training and competing.
Coach Assael’s focus on positioning, fundamentals and the criticalwrestling positions are what made training with him so great. As soon as practice started, we knew it was time to get locked in. It was high intensity from the first whistle to the last, but that’s what made it fun. Every training session with Coach Assael allows you to train with a purpose. That purpose was to win tournaments like the PA High School State Championships, USA Wrestling “Fargo” National Championships along with the many other high-level events that we participated in. In addition to elite training, Coach Assael also instilled in us to be great men off the mat. Each day he’d break down practice with a little saying, “Shower. Hydrate. Homework”. Coach Asssael wanted us to succeed off the mat as much as he wanted us to succeed on the mat, and that mindset and belief was a major factor in what I’ve been able to achieve not only in my wrestling career but in life in general. Upon the conclusion of my prep career where I had many successes including winning multiple PA State Championships, Escape the Rock, Fargo Nationals, Flo Nationals and numerous other events.
I was fortunate enough to continue my Academic and Athletic career at Lehigh University wrestling for the Division I Mountain Hawks. I have obtained my Bachelor of Science degree and I’m currently working towards a Master’s Degree all while competing at a high level in Division I athletics. Many of the lessons I learned while under the guidance of Coach Assael have helped me succeed at the collegiate level on and off the wrestling mat. I am so grateful that I crossed paths with Ian and I’m even more grateful for all the time and dedication he put into us and the many other wrestlers that he has had such a positive impact on. They are not just great wrestlers, but great people. I consider Coach Assael a friend and a mentor and I would highly recommend seeking out his guidance if you want to take your wrestling skills to another level.
- Jaret Lane, Lehigh University
2x PA State Champion
3x PA State Finalist
Flo National Champion
2x Flo National Finalist
2x Fargo National Champion
4x Fargo National Finalist
EIWA Champion at Lehigh
When I first began training with Ian Assael, I was a slightly above average wrestler who was sick of being the guy left behind because he didn’t qualify for all of the big tournaments. Within a relatively short window of time under Ian’s tutelage, I went from qualifying once in 7 tries and not placing to winning the PJW Junior High State Tournament. From there, Ian’s training propelled me to become a Fargo All- American, 3X Flo Nationals All-American, 3X PA State Place-Winner, 2X State Finalist, and PIAA State Champion. Those successes provided me the opportunity to compete for 5 years at the Division I level for the Mountain Hawks at Lehigh University. I would attribute the massive jumps that were made to training with Ian. When you are training with Ian, there is an expectation of being intense, detail- oriented, and striving to be elite. In the practice room Ian spends much of the time focusing on the most important positions in wrestling, the crucial positions that will win the most important matches. There is no training to win local league or section titles. Each training session is geared towards winning state and national caliber events. The techniques homed in the room with Ian were the catalysts of my success on the mat. Through endless repetition and drilling, Ian not only taught me the technique I needed, he also sharpened it to the point of perfection. All the athletes at Bison Legend were “technicians” because that was a major point of emphasis. Ian’s intensity is the main driving factor behind the ideals he implements in his athletes. Ian controls a room unlike few coaches that I have interacted with. There is a level of respect that he commands in the room that exemplifies the expectation Ian has training at the highest level. In my opinion the most important attribute Ian instilled in his athletes was striving to be elite. In everything that is part of your day from your diet, training, schoolwork, post workout hygiene, Ian mentored us to do everything at an elite level. When your mind is constantly working and focusing on being elite it is contagious. That desire permeated through the club which created consistent training and competitive results on a national level. Many of Ian’s athletes have gone on to compete at the collegiate level at excellent academic institutions with this mindset. Wrestling is a hard sport, and it is not necessarily “fun” all the time, but understanding the importance of dedicating oneself to being an elite athlete is extremely rewarding when the results come. One day being an athlete comes to an end and it is the lessons that we have learned along the way that make us into the people we are in the real world as co-workers, coaches, brothers, husbands, and friends. I am now coaching at a club of my own and it is the principals and blueprint that Ian laid out for me that I am still adhering to as I train athletes of my own. I am very grateful to have had Ian as a mentor in wrestling and now as a colleague and friend.
- Kent Lane
OG Bison Legend Athlete
Lehigh University
3X PA State Place-Winner, 2X State Finalist, and PIAA State Champion.
Multi time Fargo All-American,
3X Flo Nationals All-American
I’ve had an incredible number of coaches in my wrestling career. I’ve wrestled from youth all the way up through college at the University of Virginia. Ian Assael is one of the most influential coaches I’ve ever had. He has the ability to build a team better than anyone I’ve ever been around. As far as strictly wrestling goes, I made leaps and bounds in my technique and mindset. Under Coach Ian, he coached me to being a 4-time Pennsylvania state medalist (including 3 finals appearances and two championships), a third-place finish at Super 32, an individual NHSCA championship, a Journeymen Fall Classic title, and a Flo Nationals championship. Ian’s ability to correct errors I was making while still embracing my style of wrestling was monumental in me achieving those things. Aside from the individual accomplishments, he put together and coached several teams at NHSCA duals that placed in the top 6 several years I was a part of them (with a highest finish of 3rd). His teams were local club guys that he invested in and raised their wrestling. The whole team was full of high character wrestlers that I’m still friends with. The type of guy you can expect out of Ian Assael is one that is highly motivated, hard-working, passionate, thoughtful, gritty, and honest. Any athlete would be lucky to be coached by Ian in wrestling and in life.
- Brian Courtney, University of Virginia
2x PA State Champion
3x PA State Medalist
Flo Nationals Champion
Journey Classic Champion
Hammer award recipient for winning the most challenging weight
NHSCA Champion
Super 32 Medalist
Member PA All Star team vs USA All stars for the Dapper Dan Classic
I started training with Ian for the first time when I was around 10 years old. This was my first experience when it came to wrestling in a club outside of my school. I must say it was a great first choice, because being consistent with Ian changed my wrestling career in ways I never thought imaginable. Wrestling quickly became something I did all year around and became a healthy centerpiece in my life. Aside from getting better at the sport, Ian also preached on the lifestyle we need to live and how important off the mat factors are. From diet and sleep to making sure we were focusing on schoolwork Ian made sure we knew what to do, to be the best student-athletes possible. Once Ian started Bison Legend, that became the place where I wanted to do all of my training. I would travel an hour each way three times a week to train, much like many other members of the club. There was always something about Ian’s training that brought together the best athletes, for the best training, and it only helped us all make each other better. Looking back, I can not count the amount of state champs and Division one athletes that went through our club. I currently wrestle at West Virginia University, and I can truthfully say Ian’s training helped me prepare for the Division one level. Training with Ian helped me reach a whole new level in my wrestling career, and I can credit much of my success to the training I received from him. Aside from the wrestling aspect, being a part of Bison Legend introduced me to some of the best people, and best friends I have ever had. I have so many memories from wrestling trips with Bison, and even great memories from our everyday club practices. Looking back, it is not hard to see why so many successful wrestlers came out of our club. All it takes is listening to Ian and consistent work in one of his clubs, and you will improve tremendously when it comes to wrestling, and more importantly you learn mental toughness lessons that last forever.
- Caleb Dowling, West Virginia University
West Virginia University
PA State champ
4x PA state placer
HS All American
Looking for a coach who will fully support you and are willing to pour their effort into you is difficult. Coach Ian does just this. I struggled to find a coach who would believe and invest in me because I was a female. Coach Ian was one of the first coaches to ever take the time to invest in my training. He disregarded my gender and treated me like any other wrestler in the room. As a result of Ian’s coaching and support, I reached levels in wrestling I could never have achieved without his help. I became more disciplined, focused, and resilient. Coach Ian is a great coach and supporter of anything that involved growing women’s wrestling in the US. I will forever be grateful for the lessons he taught me in wrestling as they have shaped the woman I am becoming.
- Caelyn Davis
Six years ago, I caught word that my local wrestling club would be getting a new coach. I didn’t know much about him, but what I did hear was about his past accolades and how he had been the club coach of numerous PA State champs, and NCAA champs, and world team members. Needless to say, I was incredibly excited to work with him. From his very first day at the club, it was immediately obvious to me that Coach Ian knew wrestling. Between his wide array of coaching approaches and incredibly vast knowledge of all areas of wrestling, from technique and training to diet and tournament preparation, it would have been difficult for me to not have jumped levels. With Coach Ian‘s help, I was able to make massive improvements on the mat in a very short period of time, and I credit a huge part of my recent success to the few years that I got to spend under his wing. Coach Ian brings a raging fire and intensity to the wrestling room that is impossible to match and makes it so easy to get better because all you have to do is listen and work hard!
- Kyle Montaperto, University of Virginia
4x PA State Champion
Super 32 Champion
Coach Ian Assael has instilled the fundamental of wrestling I still use at the Division 1 level. He started coaching me my freshman year of Highschool where I was able to win 3 state titles, place at Fargo 4 times, and finally win a national title at NHSCA. Without him I know I wouldn’t have been able to accomplish any of that.
- Rich Treanor, West Point Military Academy
3x PA State Champion
4x Fargo All American
NHSCA Champion
I met Ian Assael well over 12 years ago through a summer wrestling camp. As a High School coach and parent of two up and coming wrestlers I immediately picked up on Ian’s intensity, attention to detail and commitment to repetition, positions and fundamental wrestling skills and techniques. My sons formed an immediate bond with Coach Assael which blossomed into a tremendous relationship over many years as they developed their craft in Elementary, Junior High and High School. His influence has helped propel them to wrestling at the Division I Collegiate Level at Lehigh University. Their relationship continues today both on and off the mat as he has had a significant impact on their development as a mentor in wrestling and in life. From a coaching perspective, most parents know it can be difficult to coach your own children. My sons, committed to primarily full-time wrestling in Junior High school so we spent a lot of time in the mat room on a weekly basis. As Bison Legend developed into a premier club in Central Pennsylvania my sons and other wrestlers from our program at Southern Columbia High School (PA) and District 4 and District 6 committed to working with Ian on a consistent basis and primarily with him during the “off season”. Ian has a motto, “Serious Goals, for Serious People” and this applied to the mat, school and life in general as it related to the development of student/athletes on and off the mat. You get out of wrestling what you put in to it as far as commitment and effort goes. Working with Coach Assael propelled many of the area wrestlers to another level which allowed them not only to compete but to have the ability and the confidence to win at the highest levels. Laser focus and well-timed training coordinated by Coach Assael allowed many of the club athletes to develop and accel in some of the most rigorous and prestigious events like the PIAA and PJW State Championships, Flonationals, Fargo, NHSCA Nationals, Powerade, Escape the Rock, Journeyman, Super32 and many other tournaments. Another big part of working with Coach Assael was competing in Club Duals or other events as a group. Teams at all age levels were coordinated and entered into tournaments and events so the athletes could be challenged and develop through targeted competitions coordinated with specific training schedules and regiments. The emphasis not being on winning but training hard and competing hard which in the end results in wins and the ability to identify strengths and weaknesses to further develop a strategy for success moving forward.
A major key to being competitive in State and National level events is the ability to maintain great positioning and execute offensive attacks from the neutral position, the ability to get off bottom quickly and turn guys from the top position. These positions are the building blocks and core training areas which are the daily short term and long term focus of training with Coach Assael. Instruction is conducted with a specific pace with an attention to repetition, detail and most importantly positioning and technique. Coach Assael’s command of the wresting room while running a practice session is incredible and he has the ability to immediately and directly connect with wrestlers of all age levels and wrestling backgrounds during each session. Success doesn’t just happen. It takes a tremendous amount of commitment, dedication and failure through trial and error to become elite at something especially wrestling. Consistent training with Coach Assael will take you through that entire process of hard work, commitment, dedication, and belief. Anyone who commits to the process will see levels of improvement as a wrestler and a person. Speaking as a father I have watched my sons win multiple PA State titles, AA at Fargo and win Fargo Junior National Championships among many other successes at other significant tournaments. As a Coach, I watched many of our wrestlers develop into State caliber wrestlers and State medalists through their extra work with Coach Assael. Everyone trains hard during the “Season” it is the extra work that you put in during the season and out of season that can make a difference in your development and success. Training with Coach Assael must be a part of your regiment if you want to take your wrestling to another level.
- Kent Lane Sr.
Head Wrestling Coach
Southern Columbia Area HS (PA)
Decorated State Police Detective
Head Coach Southern Columbia High School
PA State team champions
PA State coach of the year
When coach Ian Assael got to the club, I was training at he quickly became a very influential coach in my wrestling career. He never treated me like I was just a girl, to him I was one of his go to wrestlers. He has high expectations in the room for everyone.He saw the potential in me that I didn’t see in myself and pushed me for greatness if it wasn’t for Coach Ian I wouldn’t have learned much freestyle. He’s a great coach and amazing person if it wasn’t for him, I wouldn’t be the wrestler I am today. Considering the caliber of wrestlers that have wrestled for Coach Ian it's an honor to be on that list.
- Bella Hoffman, Montreat College
High School All-American
Nationally ranked
Ian Assael provided me with the structure, discipline, and resources that I needed to change the trajectory of my wrestling career and life as a whole. In two short years, he helped me grow as a person and wrestler through his wealth of knowledge, strong leadership, and passion for wrestling. Ian is dedicated to not only developing great wrestlers but developing great young men and women. I think every young athlete needs a coach like Ian in their life to help fuel their passion for the sport and help them achieve their goals.”
- Drew Dickson, George Mason University ‘24
North Carolina State Finalist
Coach Jess is amazing! I recommend her to any parent looking for a wrestling program for their child, regardless of experience. Coach Jess combines an abundance of patience, adeptly navigating relationships with new wrestlers, with the discipline and accountability necessary to develop wrestlers of any age or experience. In 4 months, she has transformed my kindergartner from a brand-new wrestler, shy and nervous at every practice, into a confident and energetic young man who refuses to miss practice. She has cultivated a room of wrestlers who love coming to practice every day and who always leave with smiles on their faces. She's able to keep kids engaged through the entirety of practice, a rare ability coaching beginners and intermediates, and is able to communicate and coach the kids in an age-appropriate manner, to the level of their experience. Over the last months, I have seen daily progress in skill, behavior, and overall maturity in my son. Coach Jess has impressed me so much that I began bringing my pre-k daughter to practice to observe. After watching a few practices my daughter begged me to start wrestling for Coach Jess and has been doing so with an enthusiasm that she never exhibited for coaches in other sports. As we joke, some of the kids come for Coach Jess and stay for the wrestling, which is a testament to her ability as a coach and motivator. I wouldn't trust my kids with anyone else.
V/R,
- Sidney Zven, MD
Beginner/Novice Parent
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