Cedar Rapids Xavier names Henry Reicks first head coach of girls’ wrestling program

CEDAR RAPIDS — Henry Reicks is no stranger to Cedar Rapids Xavier wrestling.

He has served as an assistant coach for 17 seasons, but he will embrace a new role.

Reicks was named the Saints’ first girls’ wrestling head coach, according to a news release Tuesday. Xavier had a sharing agreement with Marion for the 2022-23 school year — the inaugural season girls’ wrestling was sanctioned by the Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union.

The Saints are looking to field their first official team for the 2023-24 season.

“This is an exciting time for wrestling in Iowa and having Henry leading our girls wrestling program in its inaugural year will go a long way in establishing a solid foundation for our program out of the gate and helping our student-athletes achieve to the best of their abilities,” Xavier Activities Director Matt Svare said in a statement. “Being around Xavier for the past 17 years, it’s clear that Henry embodies and inspires our core values as they relate to faith, excellence, and passion. I’m confident that once our students and families witness Henry’s approach to helping young people grow and develop through wrestling, interest and participation will grow quickly.”

Reicks joined the boys’ wrestling program in 2006. He was a wrestling official for 18 years and was the 98-pound state champion in Class 2A for Turkey Valley in 1975.

His approach expands beyond creating successful wrestlers. Reicks is set on development off the mat, instilling work ethic and lessons from wrestling that impacted his life as a longtime farmer and business owner.

“I am a strong proponent of not only creating good athletes, but also developing good citizens, good students, and helping to advance Christian values in student-athletes,” Reicks said in the release. “Wrestling has been an immensely important aspect of my own personal and professional development, and I am very committed to building a strong girls wrestling program at Xavier.”

Read the official release below:

Xavier High School Names Longtime Assistant Wrestling Coach, Henry Reicks, as School’s First Girls Wrestling Head Coach

Reicks will lead girls wrestling program, which will be offered starting with the upcoming 2023-2024 school year at Xavier.

CEDAR RAPIDS, IA — Xavier High School has named Henry Reicks as the school’s first girls wrestling head coach. Reicks has served as an assistant coach for Xavier’s boys wrestling program since 2006 and brings a wealth of experience to the table, having also served as an IHSAA wrestling official for 18 years and winning a state title in high school at Turkey Valley (1975).

“This is an exciting time for wrestling in Iowa and having Henry leading our girls wrestling program in its inaugural year will go a long way in establishing a solid foundation for our program out of the gate and helping our student-athletes achieve to the best of their abilities,” says Matt Svare, Xavier High School Activities Director. “Being around Xavier for the past 17 years, it’s clear that Henry embodies and inspires our core values as they relate to faith, excellence, and passion. I’m confident that once our students and families witness Henry’s approach to helping young people grow and develop through wrestling, interest and participation will grow quickly.”

“I am a strong proponent of not only creating good athletes, but also developing good citizens, good students, and helping to advance Christian values in student-athletes,” states Reicks. “Wrestling has been an immensely important aspect of my own personal and professional development, and I am very committed to building a strong girls wrestling program at Xavier.”

Beyond wrestling, Reicks has farmed and owned a business for the past 46 years. He and his wife, Jill, have been longtime supporters of Xavier and its mission. The Reicks family have been longtime champions of Catholic education and are happy to support the Xavier community along with their children and grandchildren.

Reicks will officially be Xavier’s first head coach of girls wrestling, a sport that was sanctioned by the Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union in 2022-2023. The upcoming 2023-2024 school year marks the first year that the sport will be offered at Xavier.