Shane Onufer returns to Auburn as new wrestling coach

Auburn High School has a familiar name as the new head coach of the boys wrestling program.

After two state championships, Shane Onufer has returned to his alma mater with a new title.

Onufer wrestling journey has led him back here, back home in the green and gold. After his historic career at Auburn, Onufer’s journey took him to Laramie, Wyoming. He began a career with the University of Wyoming Cowboys that ended with him being named an All-American.

After his playing career ended, he jumped right back into the game and was an assistant with Auburn from 2013-18, and from there, he went to Auburn Mountainview until the pandemic. Then a head coach opening at Bonney Lake gave him an opportunity to take hold of a program.

Two years came and went with the Panthers before the Trojan job opened up this past spring. It was an opportunity Onufer could not pass up.

“It was a no-brainer when this one opened up. I was like, ‘I gotta apply,” Onufer said. “It just feels right to be back, you know.”

It’s a program that has taken immense strides over the past two to three years. Just last year, there were two state champions, Jace Longmire and Bryce Rowland. Along with those two, Taras Onika also placed at the state tournament.

Of those three, Rowland was the lone returner. Building a program around wrestlers like Rowland is what Onufer is all about, especially taking and crafting young wrestlers into state tournament threats.

“It’s fun to be able to take those kids who haven’t really had a life of kid wrestling and get them out there. Developing good, hard-working adults is the other piece of it. It’s not just about the wrestling for me,” he said.

Overall, the Trojans are a young team, which is exciting for Onufer.

A few wrestlers have turned Onufer’s head early in the season, including a lot of freshmen who can make waves in their careers.

AJ Frazier, Joe Modogbe and Junior Leapai, who is a sophomore, are some of the key pieces who will keep Auburn in the mix for years to come.

“We’ve got a lot of kids where in the next year or two we can be a top 10 team in the state. If everybody can stay healthy and going in the right direction, we have a lot of potential,” Onufer said.

Along with success on the boys side, the Auburn girls wrestling program has progressed immensely. Onufer’s career is a great way to track the progress of the girls’ sport, from just one wrestler to whole programs developing wrestlers — including the one he is now sharing the wrestling room with.

“When I was wrestling, we had one or two… Erick Opel has been here for 10-15 years and has done a really great job in our girls program. I am a firm believer that we train together… It really helps them get better. We are one team,” Onufer said.

Success is not defined as wins and losses, but success is building a program and “having good numbers,” Onufer said.

He’s had to work hard to show the former wrestlers that he is a coach they want to wrestler for, and his message got through. In the first week of practices, there were 60-70 wrestlers, packing the wrestling room.

“Success has a lot to do with getting the program moving in the right direction. I want to look like a first class team… Looking the part and getting that tradition built back up to where it used to be is my focus,” Onufer said.

As far as college wrestling achievements go, Onufer being named as an All-American at a Division I school is as high as it gets. Outside of a national championship that is. An additional benefit of Onufer coaching is that he shows his team what is possible because he has been in their shoes. Literally.

“It takes a lot of work. You have to do everything right and put the time in. They understand it, and helps them to know that I know what I am talking about a little bit,” Onufer said.

He also complimented his coaching staff, saying that they are integral to his growth as a coach and the growth of the program.

“Having guys on my coaching staff like Kip Herren here every day helps build a solid staff. That is huge for me, having the help and support that I need to run a program that can be successful,” Onufer said.

There haven’t been many challenges for the Trojan wrestling program this year, but one that sticks out is the record boards that Onufer’s name is on. But if all goes to plan, they might as well keep them up because they’ll just have to take them down again in the future.

“I’m excited where this program is going,” Onufer said.