Brent Harvey"It is with heavy heart that I need to inform everyone that last night I lost the love of my life, Brent Harvey. He was killed on his motorcycle on his way to the Whitmore Lake High School football game ... I am beyond heartbroken, not only for myself and our girls Brittany and Brook and his mother Linda but also for 1000s of kids, both boys and girls, whom he has impacted over the years with his passion for wrestling. The world sure has lost a good one tonight …"
Harvey's LinkedIn page made clear his commitment to women's and girls' wrestling that spanned nearly two decades.
In 1999, Harvey organized the first non-profit, all-girls wrestling program in the state of Michigan. In June 2011, he became involved in Michigan USA Wrestling. The following year, Harvey became USA Wrestling Central Women's Director, as a board member for the women's age-group committee. In 2013, Harvey was named USA Wrestling National Women's Age-Group Coach of the Year.
In addition, Harvey established and continued to run the War of the Roses tournament series for girls, including this coming weekend's USA Girls Preseason Nationals -- the Folkstyle Nationals on Oct. 28, and the K-12 National Duals on Oct. 29 -- in New Palestine, Ind.
In an in-depth June 2017 article about the state of women's wrestling in Michigan in the Detroit Metro News, Brent Harvey was featured prominently.
"At least some of that success can be credited to Brent Harvey. Like (Cliff) Cushard and (Dominic) Adams, he's a former school wrestler who got his start in girls' wrestling watching his daughters compete," according to the Metro News. "These days he lives in Whitmore Lake, where he's head coach at the high school, helping to restart the school's wrestling program after a 33-year hiatus. He runs their youth club as well, where he's got a few girls on his team. In addition to that, he runs Michigan Women's Wrestling, a girls-only U.S.A. wrestling club that feeds up into the national Olympics program. It keeps him traveling all over promoting his War of the Roses competitions. If anybody around the country wants him to come in and run a girls-only tournament, he does his best to make it happen."
Harvey first took up wrestling at age 8, according to Metro News, and continued through high school and college. He passed on that passion for the sport to his two daughters, "watching how wrestling electrified his daughters. What had been a fatherly interest now became a guiding passion."
"Wrestling has lost a great friend, advocate, and ambassador far too soon," said Terry Steiner, USA Wrestling Women's National Coach. "Brent Harvey will be missed by many who crossed his path. Brent opened many doors for those fighting to be a part of this great sport. USA Wrestling Women's Athletes, Staff, and Program send our deepest sympathy and condolences to the Harvey family. Be proud to know that your father, husband and friend has led many to a better life because of his passion to help others. RIP Brent Harvey!"
Brent Harvey with wife Jennifer"He started supporting women's wrestling many years ago when his daughters were young, and showed an interest in wrestling. Brent helped grow Michigan Girls Wrestling by managing the National Team and putting together trips for any girl wrestling to travel to the USAW Folkstyle Nationals, Body Bar, Fargo or any other distant event. Brent also helped grow girls wrestling across the nation through his War of the Roses wrestling tournaments."
Ryan Lancaster, who was a board member of the Michigan chapter of USA Wrestling with Harvey, shared these insights on his long-time friend with InterMat.
"Brent as many who knew and loved him, was the busiest man on the planet. I would complain about my own schedule (busy in its own right) to him and half way through would I realized my concerns were falling on deaf ears. If I worked on wrestling until 10 p.m., Brent would text me at 10:30 p.m. still working. His work ethic was something out of Greek mythology. The man could not and would not stop working."
"And to me, this made him the quintessential American: a man who had passions, followed them, and rolled up his sleeves and worked tirelessly to build a world he wished to see," Lancaster continued. "He was a trailblazer, building America's greatest girls wrestling league and created opportunities fueled by Olympic dreams for countless women. A father, a mentor, and, above all, a friend."
Friends, family and those in the wrestling community will have multiple opportunities to pay respects and honor the memory of Brent Allen Harvey. A visitation will take place Friday, Oct. 27 from 2-8 p.m. at Borek-Jennings Hamburg Chapel, 7425 E. M-36, P.O. Box 735, Hamburg, Mich. A second visitation opportunity is scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 28 from 10-11 a.m. at Shalom Lutheran Church, 1740 East M-36, Pickney, Mich., with a community farewell service starting at 11 a.m. at the church. Condolences may be left at the funeral home's website, www.borekjennings.com or by phone 1-877-231-7900.
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