The Standard Is Raw Inside One of North Carolina’s Top Wrestling Clubs

How Raw Wrestling Club Began

Raw Wrestling Club didn’t begin with a long-term plan or a goal of becoming one of the top programs in the state. It began because athletes needed a place to train.

“I had been coaching for a number of years, working with multiple high schools and a pretty prominent club in the area,” said Raw Wrestling Club head coach Casey Gashaw.

“When that club closed its doors, I walked away from coaching.” That break didn’t last long. “Soon I was getting calls from former athletes who had nowhere to train and needed someone to step in to provide opportunities,” Gashaw said. “That’s when I decided to start RAW.”

Built by NC Athletes, for NC Athletes

From the beginning, Raw Wrestling Club was built with a clear identity and purpose. RAW stands for Raleigh Area Wrestling Club, and the name reflects exactly what the program was created to be. “RAW represents North Carolina wrestling in every aspect,” Gashaw explained. “We were founded and built by NC athletes, for NC athletes.” The foundation of the program is simple, but demanding. “We believe in consistency and integrity in all aspects of life,” he said. “Show up and work hard and do that over and over again.”

A Culture Built on Perspective

That mindset defines the culture inside the room. “Our culture is built on the idea that wrestling is the greatest sport in the world,” Gashaw said. “We’re lucky every day to have been exposed to this sport, and we’re even luckier to be surrounded by people who love it as much as we do.” For Raw athletes, training isn’t viewed as extra work. “It’s not ‘extra work,’” he said.

“It’s a privilege every day to be able to compete in the greatest sport in the world.”

Personal Growth Over Comparison

Rather than comparing athletes to one another, Raw emphasizes individual growth.

“We strive for our own personal excellence in the club,” Gashaw said. “One kid’s best isn’t going to look like anybody else’s.” Adversity is not something the program avoids it’s something it embraces “Self-growth is our only goal,” he explained. “There are going to be setbacks and adversity, but we invite adversity. Without setbacks or hardships, we don’t grow. Don’t avoid it accept it.”

Measuring Success Without Chasing It

That approach has translated into consistent results. Last season, Raw athletes combined for 11 state championships and 26 state placers, but Gashaw is quick to explain that outcomes are not the focus.

“We don’t specifically put emphasis on in-state results,” he said. “But it’s a good litmus test or measuring stick to see how we’re doing as a club.”

Preparing athletes to compete against the best in the country changes how they handle pressure. “When you’re preparing to wrestle the best in the country, it puts you in a unique situation,” Gashaw said. “The stress of a regional or state tournament doesn’t affect you the same way.” Results are used as information, not judgment.

“We use the data to measure growth,” he said. “At the end of the season, we evaluate our coaches way more than we evaluate our athletes. The athletes do their part every day showing up and working hard.”

Raising the Standard Through Opportunity

One of the biggest opportunities for Raw has been its partnership with North Carolina State University wrestling. “I developed a strong working relationship with Coach Esposito and spent time learning from him as one of the best clinicians in the country,” Gashaw said. “They approached us about partnering with their seasonal youth program, and for the greater good of our athletes, we sent them to NC State.”

Roughly 15 Raw youth athletes trained there initially. When the season ended, the conversations continued. “We talked about keeping it going year-round,” Gashaw said. “A partnership between Raleigh’s elite club program and North Carolina’s elite college program just made sense.”

The impact has been immediate.

“It’s been a great opportunity for our athletes to be surrounded by so much talent and to have access to Division I coaches and Division I athletes,” Gashaw said. “You’ll show up to practice and see guys like Zepeda and Vince just rolling live. I tell our kids all the time, That’s the level. That’s what it looks like.’”

Wrestling as a Path, Not the Destination

Seeing athletes train in that environment reinforces Raw’s long-term vision especially as more wrestlers move on to compete in college while also setting themselves up for their futures through earning degrees at schools across all levels, "With so many Raw athletes committing to wrestle at the next level, we always try to keep things in perspective,” Gashaw said. “No matter who you are, everyone has a last wrestling match.” For him, college wrestling is part of a bigger picture. “Wrestling is a vessel it helps you become a better person and achieve life goals,” he said. “We want our athletes to use wrestling to set themselves up for successful lives, not just successful seasons.”

Expanding the Raw Family

That same mindset guided Raw’s expansion west. With a growing number of athletes traveling from the Greensboro area, the club launched Raw West to better serve its community. “It wasn’t fair to those kids that their options were limited,” Gashaw said. “They wanted to be part of the RAW family.” To lead that expansion, Raw turned to Josh Wilson, the head coach of Raw West and an NCAA national champion at Greensboro College. “Putting Josh in charge of Raw West was a no-brainer,” Gashaw said. “He’s a talented young man, an NCAA national champion, and someone who represents everything we want Raw to be about. He’s part of the future of North Carolina wrestling, and the sooner he could start giving back to the sport, the better.”

Defining Success Beyond the Podium

When asked how Raw defines success beyond wins and medals, Gashaw didn’t hesitate.

“Success to us is watching kids fall in love with this sport as much as we love it,” he said. “I don’t want any athlete looking back on their career with anything but fondness.”

Wrestling, he believes, leaves a lasting mark.

“This sport has done so much for me as a person,” Gashaw said. “It’s important that we fill it with great people who will pass those values on to the next generation.”

For Raw Wrestling Club, that legacy is the standard and it’s one they work to meet every single day.