Jeb Wright plans to finish the job he started years ago as the new head coach of the Glenvar High wrestling team. Jeb was hired last week to replace Tim Miles, who stepped down after three years as coach of the Highlanders.
Jeb will fit right in. He’s been assisting Miles for the past couple years after coaching the Glenvar Middle School team. In fact, he goes back farther than that on the green and gold mats.
“I was with these kids when we had a Glenvar Recreation Wrestling team,” he said. “I’ve been around most of them since the first or second grade. I’ve been with this program a long time.”
Growing up, Jeb wrestled in the Salem program through his junior year of high school. He left the Spartans to wrestle for legendary coach Kevin Dresser at Christiansburg High School for his senior year. Jeb was a three-time state placer and developed a competitive foundation that has guided his coaching philosophy throughout his career.
A United States Marine Corps veteran, Jeb is currently serving as Master Deputy in the Roanoke County Sheriff’s Department. He brings discipline and structure to the wrestling mats as well as two decades of wrestling coaching experience and a lifelong connection to the sport. In addition to Glenvar his coaching background includes serving as an assistant coach at Lord Botetourt High School under former Glenvar educator Bob Haynie and a stint as an assistant coach at William Byrd High.
“We’re excited to name Jeb Wright as the next leader of our wrestling program,” said Glenvar Athletic Director Andy Clapper. “His extensive coaching experience, passion for student-athlete development, and deep roots within the Glenvar community make him the ideal person to continue the tradition of excellence that our program has established.”
Wright will have plenty of talent returning. He returns two state champions, including his son Levi, a state runner-up and two other state placers. They’re all rising juniors, and he’s been working hard to fill out a team that had been lacking in big men the past few years. There was somewhat of a conflict between the wrestling and football programs last season and Jeb is working hard to get some of those big football players back on the mat.
“Coach (Football head coach Kevin) Clifford and I have talked and we’re encouraging those kids to wrestle,” he said. “We had big boys wrestling when I was at the middle school. We’ll work together, it’s all about Glenvar.”
The Highlanders have finished a little higher in each of the previous three seasons Miles was coach. Glenvar was Region 2C champions every year and finished sixth in the state in Class 2 in 2024, fourth in 2025 and third this past season. Jeb figures, with some talent added in the upper weights, the Highlanders can return to the days when they were perennial state contenders.
Jeb has already started assembling his staff. Gil Ortega will return, two-time state champion at GHS Jake Cline will join the staff, as will Roanoke College All-American Mac Cafurello. Mac wrestled for Nate Yetzer at RC, and Nate’s twin boys are rising juniors at Glenvar and both are outstanding wrestlers.
As mentioned, Jeb’s son Levi is one of the returning state champs, and like the Yetzers the acorn has not fallen far from the tree. Father and son share a love for wrestling.
“Some fathers and sons go fishing, some go hunting,” said Jeb. “Wrestling is something we’ve done all our lives.”
There’s no doubt what Jeb’s goal is this year. Finish the job he started when the kids were little.
“Getting all these kids back and winning the state, that’s our goal,” he said. “Our motto is work hard and have fun, and everything else will take care of itself.”
