PREP WRESTLING | SEASON PREVIEW

Unlike many high school seniors, Kyle Hanson knows exactly what he wants to do with his life.

He can thank his brothers for his plan.

Hanson is T.F. South's best wrestler. Last season, he finished second in the regionals and sectionals at 119 pounds. This year, he's at 125 and hoping to replicate his brother Erik, who was fifth in the state at 152 as a senior two seasons ago.

Kyle has already decided that he wants to be a physical education teacher and wrestling coach. Erik is pursuing the same goals as a Loras (Iowa) College sophomore. Brother Chet is a South physical education teacher and its freshman wrestling coach.

In addition, their father, Chester, coached a local youth wrestling club for many years.

"I want to go the road they took," said Kyle Hanson, who also plans on going to Loras, about his two brothers. "I look up to them because they have been successful at whatever they have done. If I follow in their footsteps, I'll be all right."

Though the brothers have many similarities, here are differences. Chet, 26, began wrestling in high school although their dad, who wrestled for Thornridge, coached the Little Rebels Club. He was a Concordia (Ill.) University linebacker and at South was a football star who almost made the state wrestling tourney as a senior at 189.

Despite their much smaller size, Erik and Kyle were star defensive linemen at South. However, neither has plans to play football in college. Both began wrestling at about 7 years old.

"I really didn't teach them anything because they knew more than I did," Chet said. "Erik has more of the (wrestling) tools, but Kyle has more of the determination and drive to succeed."

Chet Hanson and South wrestling coach Mike Tisza said Kyle is successful because he is more confident and more mentally prepared for matches than other grapplers, including Erik.

"He's his own person," Tisza said. "Erik was a little more gifted and talented. Kyle is in a good position because he has older brothers to watch."

Kyle attributes his wrestling moves to his father and credits Chet for helping him quickly fix his mistakes, and says Erik helped him improve daily. The bond between the younger brothers explains Kyle's desire to attend Loras, where Erik stars at 157 pounds.

"We look out for each other and motivate each other," Kyle said. "He always taught me a lot of things. He taught me how to deal with losses and how to deal with pressure. He's one of the main reasons I wrestle."