Mickey Cassman is the varsity wrestling coach at Troy High School. His team just won the biggest match of the year, and the league championship. After the season, Mickey is informed that he is being transferred to Mayville High School, where their wrestling program needs rebuilding. As the new wrestling season begins, Coach Cassman is faced with many issues that wrestlers encounter. The story portrays a high school coach helping his athletes overcome issues in their lives and building life-long experiences.
Coach Cassman is struggling with his own grief, after the death of his fiancée, Mary, two years earlier. Mick is comfortably living alone, with no interest in meeting another woman. Mick is introduced to the lovely, Shell Samuels. Mick and Sam begin to spend more time together. Mick's therapist, Dr. Helen Morgan, helps him with the new friendship. Dr. Morgan offers wonderful advice for lonely souls.
The wrestling team decides to start a dream, as they work towards a championship. The biggest match of the year is against Troy, Mick's former team! Mick and Sam agree to start a dream of their own, as their relationship progresses.
Starting a dream uses many heart-warming stories and feel-good episodes; an athletic team "growing" together. It deals with many issues high school athletes encounter. There are romantic moments and a genuine love story involving Mick and Sam.