LOCK HAVEN — Life is pretty hectic these days for Neil Turner.

The Woodward Township resident is not only involved with the Mat-Town USA Wrestling Club, but he’s also undertaking a new adventure in life.

Recently, the former Lock Haven University head coach began his new duties as Director of Coaching Development with the National Wrestling Coaches Association. Turner officially kicked into the role full-time as of July 1.

“I’ve spent a lot of time in wrestling, and I enjoy encouraging and mentoring people that are involved in coaching,” he said. “The coach has a lot to do with the improvement of the athlete. The high school coaches are the CEOs of their respective programs. You need to have those skills — fundraising, working with the parents. And we’ll be involved in helping parents to understand their role.

“Everyone is involved in some way of helping the student. You want to get everyone on the same page. We have to recognize we are involved in the education of the student through athletics. A very small number of students go professional in sports.”

Despite his role with the NWCA, Turner will continue to reside in Woodward Township, even though the association is based out of Lancaster.

Coaching is Turner’s first love, and the former high school and college coach admits that right up front.

“To be honest, I enjoy the teaching and developing of the wrestler,” he said.

That’s why he is staying involved in Mat-Town as much as he possibly could.

According to Dr. Thane Turner, president of the board, Neil will still be involved with the board of directors to help lead them in the philosophical direction of the organization.

Also, he’ll still be involved with coaching — probably one or two days a week in Lock Haven and a few times a month in Lancaster.

“It’s extremely important to have coach Turner involved with Mat-Town,” Thane Turner said. “We’ll help to design a practice schedule that’s suited for coach Turner and the local athletes and coaches. It’s going to be a schedule where he’s still involved, while working in his new position at the national level.”

Neil Turner admits club wrestling “is a very unexacting science.” Yet, like every sport, there exists a need for year-round training.

“In wrestling, one of the most important things is not only improving your skills, but coming together with people of equal or better ability. I’ve been pleased with what we have accomplished,” Neil Turner said.

“We need to do a great job with the multi-sport athlete. I don’t want us to make a student feel like he has to concentrate solely on one sport. At some point, they may come to that conclusion. All the coaches need to work together to keep them playing their sports. You want the opportunities. You want the education. You don’t want them to feel like they have to do it.”

Recently, the Mat-Town board of directors have decided to narrow its focus to the youth, junior high and high school athlete.

“We’ve had a lot of success locally with those athletes,” Thane Turner said. “I think that Mat-Town’s success wasn’t necessarily the direction the college needed to go. We didn’t have enough personnel and finances to meet those needs.”

According to both Turners, the importance of developing a positive relationship with the local high schools and coaches is crucial in the future development of Mat-Town.

“We need to provide opportunities for students that want to train, and be an asset to the sport of wrestling and to our local community,” Neil Turner said. “We are living in a time when almost every student is doing something above and beyond the regular season. The culture of sports today does require that the parents have a greater understanding of the process. Ultimately, you want the best interest of the student at hand.”