As Livingston Academy wrestling head coach Cody Newman enters his ninth year leading the Wildcats, the program he has built has earned a reputation across the Upper Cumberland for toughness, resilience and steady progress.
“Wrestling is not an easy sport by any means,” Newman said. “It’s one of the hardest things you’ll ever do, a big commitment…it takes a lot.”
That commitment has helped Livingston remain competitive at the district and state levels in recent seasons. The Wildcats have produced multiple state qualifiers and placers, including John Geist’s runner-up finish at 215 pounds in the 2024 TSSAA Class A State Championships and Kaden Weitzel’s sixth-place finish at 165 pounds in 2025.
This season, however, Newman and his team have faced a unique challenge long before the first whistle. With just a portion of the lineup filled, Livingston has been forced to forfeit six of the 14 weight classes at nearly every meet.
“The team in general has done well,” Newman said. “[But] in football terms, it’s like giving up six touchdowns before you even start the game so it’s hard to come back from that team wise.”
The Wildcats have continued to show growth in duals and postseason competition. Earlier this year, Livingston finished third at district duals, including a win over Cumberland County, a result Newman said reflects the effort and buy-in from his wrestlers despite the uphill battle.
Now, as the team portion of the season winds down, the focus shifts to what Livingston has consistently done well: individual success. Newman said he believes this is where his senior leaders will shine the brightest.
“There’s so much they do for the team,” Newman said. “They lead practice, they help the younger ones learn, couldn’t do it without them, and we’re really gonna miss them next year.”
Newman said those four seniors and captains carry more than just their own expectations into the postseason. Newman said they represent a program that has grown into a respected name in Upper Cumberland wrestling, one built on perseverance, leadership and the belief that even when the scoreboard starts tilted, the fight never does.
As Livingston heads into the individual phase of the season, Newman’s ninth year looks less like a finish line and more like another chapter in a program still climbing, one match, and one wrestler, at a time.