Babyface: You can be a big draw

Alumni athletes will teach wrestlers all the moves

October 1, 2017

The only thing better than sending Spartans off after graduation is welcoming them and their talents back to Lansing.

That’s certainly the case with a pair of brothers—both award-winning wrestlers—who recently set up shop in Lansing to share their wrestling moxie with up and comers. Andy and Nick Simmons launched the Simmons Academy of Wrestling in REO Town, a neighborhood just south of downtown.

“I decided it was time to come back and help out the local kids,” said Nick, 34, fresh off a five-year stint as associate head coach for Indiana University.

The Simmonses grew up in Williamston where high-school wrestling careers. Andy won four state championships in high school with a career record of 219 one of the longest streaks in state history. At MSU he was a two-time All-American and the 2006 Big Ten champion at 141 pounds. Nick was a member of the 2011 U.S. World team and an Olympic alternate. He was the 2009 U.S. Nationals champion and a Pan American champ. At MSU he won three Big Ten championships.

The duo hopes to use their combined talents to train wrestlers of all levels.

“We understand each level of training and we’ll definitely mold it for younger kids,” Andy said.

Their 3,000 square-foot gym is lined with wrestling mats. It also features a caged ring where UFC and MMA fighters can train.