Coached by people
who have been there

Head Coach

Anthony Welsh

• WPIAL Champion
• 2× PIAA State Placewinner
• 2019 PAC Champion (174)
• 149–30 career record

Anthony Welsh brings a wealth of wrestling experience to Valor Wrestling Academy as both a competitor and a coach.

Before becoming the Head Wrestling Coach at Waynesburg Central High School, Anthony coached at the collegiate level as an assistant at Washington & Jefferson College.

As an athlete, Anthony wrestled at West Virginia University, Waynesburg University, and the University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown. He was a 2019 PAC Champion at 174 pounds and helped Waynesburg capture a conference championship.

A standout at Beth-Center High School, Anthony compiled a 149–30 career record, won a WPIAL Championship, and became a two-time PIAA State Placewinner.

Anthony is passionate about developing athletes through disciplined training, strong fundamentals, and a championship mindset, helping wrestlers reach their full potential both on and off the mat.

Assistant Coach

Rocco Welsh

• Big Ten Champion
• 2× NCAA Finalist
• U23 World Team
• Penn State University

Rocco Welsh is an assistant coach at Valor Wrestling Academy and one of the nation’s top collegiate wrestlers.

A Pennsylvania native, Rocco is a Big Ten Champion, two-time NCAA Finalist, and U23 World Team member currently competing for Penn State University.

Known for his relentless work ethic and technical approach, Rocco has trained alongside some of the best wrestlers and coaches in the world. His mission is to provide athletes of all ages with a proven system that develops elite technique, discipline, confidence, and a championship mindset.

At Valor Wrestling Academy, Rocco is committed to developing more than great wrestlers, he strives to build leaders of character who pursue excellence on the mat, in the classroom, and in life.

Assistant Coach

Mark Powell

• Powerade Champion
• 2× WPIAL Runner-Up
• PIAA State Placewinner
• 2016 WPIAL Coach of the Year

Coach Mark Powell brings over 15 years of coaching experience and a lifetime of wrestling excellence to Valor Wrestling Academy.

A Washington, Pennsylvania native and Trinity Area High School graduate, Mark finished his career with 138 victories, earning honors as a Powerade Champion, two-time WPIAL Runner-Up, and PIAA State Placewinner.

He competed at the NCAA Division I level for Purdue University, where he served as Team Captain, earned the Durham Brothers Leadership Award, and was a three-time Academic All-Big Ten. He later completed his collegiate career at the University of Pittsburgh.

Coach Powell spent 10 seasons as Head Coach at Trinity Area High School, earning 2016 WPIAL Section 4 Coach of the Year honors, before serving five seasons as an assistant coach at Canon-McMillan, helping the program capture WPIAL and Regional Team Championships and contributing to the school’s first PIAA Girls Team State Championship.

At Valor Wrestling Academy, Coach Powell is committed to developing technically sound, disciplined, and confident wrestlers. His coaching emphasizes strong fundamentals, relentless pressure, and championship habits while using wrestling to build character, resilience, and leadership both on and off the mat.

Assistant Coach

Nick Whipkey

• PIAA State Qualifier
• NCAA Division II Recruit
• McGuffey High School Staff
• 2× WPIAL Team 3rd Place

Coach Nick Whipkey brings a passion for wrestling, athlete development, and faith-based leadership to Valor Wrestling Academy.

A former PIAA State Qualifier and NCAA Division II recruit coming out of high school, Coach Whipkey understands the dedication, discipline, and perseverance required to compete at a high level.

In addition to his competitive experience, Coach Whipkey has served on the coaching staff at McGuffey High School, helping lead the Highlanders to back-to-back WPIAL Team Tournament 3rd-place finishes. His coaching philosophy centers on hard work, accountability, and continuous improvement, believing that success is measured not only by victories on the mat but by the character developed through the process.

At Valor Wrestling Academy, Coach Whipkey is committed to helping athletes become the best versions of themselves, physically, mentally, and spiritually. He believes wrestling is one of the greatest tools for teaching discipline, resilience, humility, and leadership. Grounded in faith, his mission is to develop wrestlers who compete with purpose, serve others with integrity, and pursue excellence in every aspect of life.

“Champions are not built by talent alone, but through consistent hard work, unwavering faith, and a commitment to becoming better every day.”

MMA & Striking Coach

Mark Shrader

• Golden Gloves
• Silver Belt
• 20+ Years Experience

Mark Shrader brings more than two decades of experience in martial arts, boxing, kickboxing, and MMA to Valor Wrestling Academy.

Mark began training in martial arts at age 14 before transitioning to kickboxing and boxing. Throughout his competitive career, he earned multiple Silver Belt and Golden Gloves accolades and gained extensive experience against high-level competition.

In 2000, Mark began training in MMA at Pittsburgh Fight Club. During an era before sanctioned MMA competition was legal in Pennsylvania, he gained significant experience through numerous “smoker” bouts, developing the toughness, adaptability, and composure that shaped his approach to combat sports.

Throughout his career, Mark has trained alongside elite amateur and professional fighters and worked with legendary athletes including Royce Gracie and world champion boxer Roy Jones Jr., serving as a sparring partner for Jones during his preparation to face Felix Trinidad.

At Valor, Mark leads our MMA striking program, developing athletes in boxing, kickboxing, footwork, defense, timing, and overall striking ability while emphasizing technical fundamentals, discipline, and the Valor standard.

Recovery Coach

Maverick Sullenberger

• Licensed CHEK Practitioner
• Certified Breath Work Coach
• Oxygen Advantage Student
• 8+ Years Experience

Maverick Sullenberger has over 8 years of holistic health, nutrition, and recovery protocol experience, helping hundreds of clients and high level athletes in both competition and life.

As one of the only licensed CHEK practitioners in the state, Maverick brings exclusive tools and assessment knowledge to identify and correct musculoskeletal imbalances, so Valor athletes perform at their best. He travels all over to master different practices and sharpen his hands-on work.

Maverick is trained to address the athlete as a whole system, not just the symptoms, coaching athletes on nutrition, mobility, lifestyle, and mindset, and how each of those carries over to competition.

He is a certified breath work coach and a current student of the Oxygen Advantage program, which gives him the tools to train Valor athletes in specific breathing techniques for before, during, and after competition, increasing mental resilience, performance, and recovery.

At Valor, Maverick’s mission is to bring the highest level of recovery and performance practice to our athletes, teaching them that health and performance is not just for a season, it is forever.