Yost leaves Cleveland wrestling for McCallie; Bosken to head Blue Raiders

Jake Yost has left Cleveland High School to assist with the McCallie wrestling program.
Jake Yost has left Cleveland High School to assist with the McCallie wrestling program.
photo Jake Yost

After six years at Cleveland High School, four as the program head, Blue Raiders wrestling coach Jake Yost has resigned to accept a position at McCallie.

"We had a need in our wrestling program, and when you have a chance to get a coach the caliber of Jake Yost you have to take advantage," McCallie dean of athletics Jeff Romero said. "He brings a tremendous knowledge of the sport and has a proven teaching and coaching method that will mesh perfectly with what Coach (Mike) Newman is already doing."

Meanwhile, Cleveland moved quickly to fill the void by promoting assistant Josh Bosken, who has played a major part for the Blue Raiders since 2007.

"Some people grow up wanting to be lawyers and doctors. I've always wanted to be a coach," Bosken said. "It is unbelievable that I have my first head-coaching job at a place like Cleveland, where they view wrestling like they do football in those small Texas communities."

Bosken said Joey Knox and Sean Russell would remain with the program and his initial task is finding a successor to head up Cleveland's "Higher Calling" wrestling club.

He feels he has apprenticed among some really good coaches.

"I have been able to learn from Al Miller and Duane Schriver, Coach (Heath) Eslinger, Coach (Eric) Phillips and Coach Yost," he said. "As far as expectations, nothing changes. If anything, Yost raised the bar with three traditional and three dual state championships. I'm well aware of the expectations that Cleveland wrestling has, and I am ready to work tirelessly to assure they are met."

Yost did indeed raise the bar.

The two-time Southern Conference champion for the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga was an assistant to Phillips when Cleveland won its first traditional title in 2010-11. He then directed the Blue Raiders to traditional and dual state championships from 2013 to 2015.

"Cleveland is an unbelievable place to work, from (principal) Mrs. (Autumn) O'Bryan right down the line," Yost said, "and Cleveland is an unbelievable community in which to work."

Yost will work as an assistant coach under Newman and will teach wellness in the McCallie middle school.

"The way things ran at Cleveland is similar to the way things are run at McCallie - a bunch of guys good enough to be head coaches working for the same goal. The guys at Cleveland are good enough to be head coaches, and we worked that way," Yost said. "In my talks with Coach Newman I get the feeling that things are going to be the same here."

Yost and Newman have had a relationship since the former wrestled at Soddy-Daisy for Steve Henry.

"When I was in high school I'd go down and work out with him, and he helped me a lot," Yost said of Newman. "As for me moving to McCallie, it's one of those things where they had an opening and thought I would be a good fit."

* Cleveland also announced the hiring of Miles Christian to coach girls' varsity soccer. A graduate of Bradley Central and Bryan College, Christian was an All-Appalachian Conference and AAC all-tournament player for the latter.

"Miles has enjoyed an exceptional soccer career while remaining active in our youth soccer programs," O'Bryan said. "We are excited to see the future of Lady Raiders soccer under his direction."

Contact Ward Gossett at wgossett@timesfreepress.com or 423-886-4765. Follow him on Twitter @wardgossett.

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