Fred T. Foard head wrestling coach Mike Carey bids farewell after 15 years with program and 9 state champions

NEWTON - It is said that every good thing must come to an end.

For Fred T. Foard High School head wrestling coach Mike Carey, the time has come for a conclusion to his reign as he announced on Monday, March 20, his intentions to step away from the program.

In the press release sent out to the media, Carey said that he would still be a teacher for Catawba County Schools, but that he has chosen to move aside to spend more time with his wife and two children.

In 15 years as its leader (2008-2023), Carey aided the Tigers to 14 conference championships and nine North Carolina High School Athletic Association team state titles.

Under his guidance, there were 11 individual state champions, four of which came via Landon Foor from 2017-2021. Foor was the only four time individual state champ during Carey’s tenure.

Carey also had the fortune to coach his son Brock Carey the last four seasons.

Brock went on to win his first individual state crown in 2023 after placing in second in 2022. He finished his senior season with a 56-0 record and reached 167 career wins. He will be headed to Davidson College to wrestle next season and Carey plans to support hin on that journey.

“It was a dream come true to coach my son,” Carey told the O-N-E. “The hard part was watching him go through adversity and deal with outside pressure, but to see him overcome that meant the world to me.

“He was able to finish his senior campaign undefeated at 56-0 and help his team win the state duals and then the state tournament, it was a storybook ending for sure!”

In addition to Brock, during his leadership, Mike Carey had 29 other wrestlers reach the 100 career wins threshold including two other members of the Class of 2023 via Dylan Smith and Zane Birtchet. These two finished with 158 and 175 victories, respectively.

A Tigers wrestler from the Class of 2024 has already reached this achievement, as well, via Brayden Mejia (125 career wins).

Carey ends his career as Foard’s head coach with a 479-47 record (91 percent winning percentage).

The last four seasons of his illustrious career may have been the most successful. During this time, the program went 140-3. The Tigers went 37-1 in 2023, 34-2 in 2022, 22-0 in the shortened 2021 season and a program record 47-0 in 2019-20.

In conference action, Foard has been unbeaten for 10 consecutive seasons. Also, during the 2023 season, the Tigers produced a program best four individual state champions which include Brock Carey, Smith, Birtchet and Mejia.

“We have been blessed to have so many committed kids and entire families to help make this a successful program on and off the mat,” said Carey.“We believe that everyone practices, lifts weights, and does what they are supposed to do, but we believe we do it to a different standard. I don’t know if that is standards or culture, but whatever it is, we felt that it gave us an edge, both mentally and physically.”

In the press release, the Fred T. Foard administration thanked Mike Carey for his contribution in building a championship caliber program, along with his strong leadership and commitment to developing young men.

The search for a new head wrestling coach will begin immediately.

Fred T. Foard longtime head wrestling coach Mike Carey during the 2022-23 season.