BVU Ties Show in Award at Iowa High School State Wrestling Meet
Former West Lyon prep has the honor of presenting a prestigious wrestling award to his former coach and longtime mentor, both members of ‘Baxter’s Beavers’ at BVU.
Two Buena Vista Beavers played a role in the 2022 Iowa Wrestling Coaches and Officials Association’s President’s Award, handed out on the Saturday evening finale of the Iowa High School Athletic Association State Wrestling Meet at Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines.
Ty Seaman, a 1986 graduate, was the recipient of the prestigious award, presented by Clinton Koedam, a 1997 BVU grad. Koedam, a teacher and wrestling coach serving the Sergeant Bluff-Luton Community School District, nominated Seaman for the award.
“Ty Seaman was happy as a coach, happy as a teacher. I wanted to be like him. I ended up going to BVU and having a great experience wrestling for Coach Al Baxter.”
Clint Koedam
“We can all credit people for influencing us,” Koedam said. “Ty Seaman is the reason I’m an educator. He’s the reason I’m coaching. I wanted to have an impact on young people the way Ty impacted me when I was on his teams at West Lyon High School.”
Koedam, whose team earned a fourth-place finish in this year’s state meet, said he wouldn’t have had the opportunity to stand on the wrestling mats on Saturday evening were it not for his high school coach, a person who helped direct him to BVU.
“I was a kid from Alvord, Iowa, who probably hadn’t been to Storm Lake,” Koedam said. “Ty Seaman was happy as a coach, happy as a teacher. I wanted to be like him. I ended up going to BVU and having a great experience wrestling for Coach Al Baxter.”
“Earning the award and having it come from a former wrestler of mine really meant a lot,” said Seaman, who coached wrestling for more than two decades at West Lyon and then Storm Lake High School, where he rounded out his career by serving as the Athletic Director. He retired in 2020, but still participates in the sport by working as an official on the middle school level.
“I hadn’t been on the floor on a Saturday of the state finals for several years,” said Seaman, who coached West Lyon to a runner-up finish in Koedam’s senior campaign (Koedam finished third, individually). Being there on the night of the state finals was very special. It was great seeing so many people I came to know because of the sport of wrestling.”
Seaman served as President of the Iowa Wrestling Coaches and Officials Association when the President’s Award initiative began several years ago. He was moved to earn the honor himself, thanks in large part to a student-athlete and fellow BVU Beaver he helped guide.
“I’m super honored,” Seaman concluded. “I’ve seen this award go from its earliest stages to now. I’m very grateful.”
Koedam, whose oldest son is named Ty, said he continues to give thanks to have a mentor like Seaman, who always had time to offer a tip, some encouragement, or counsel.
“When I started my coaching career, I probably called Ty twice per week,” he remembered. “Ty never asked for—nor would he seek—any recognition like this. For me, it was important to be able to honor him this way.”