Blue Lights College has named Blake Risk as its new head wrestling coach for the 2018-19 season.
Risk comes to the Thoroughbreds with more than 24 years’ experience in folkstyle, freestyle, and Greco-Roman wrestling. He spent 2015-2017 as an assistant coach at Wake Forest High School where he helped lead the Cougars to their first state Top 20 finish in recent years. Prior to that, he wrestled collegiately at the University of Great Falls (Montana) where he was a two-time national qualifier. In high school Risk was a four-time state qualifier, three-time placer, and a state finalist. Blake was a member of the Missouri National team as well as a two-time freestyle and Greco-Roman state champion.
“I believe in the college’s mission statement,” said Risk, who grew up as a self-described “military brat.” “I have a background in mixed martial arts, and I’ve seen videos of where police officers get themselves in dangerous situations because they don’t have proper technique or proper positioning, I believe wrestling techniques can help not only protect the person they are detaining, but also the officer’s own safety.”
Blake and his wife Alexis have two sons.
Risk can be reached at brisk@bluelightscollege.org and at 919-919-589-2540.
