Sadly, not everyone who wants to wrestle can afford the latest and greatest in mat footwear ... which can be a barrier to some would-be wrestlers from even participating in the sport.
Enter Joey Butler and his parents Joe and Alyson Butler, and their organization, Wrestle in my Shoes, which provides gently-used wrestling shoes and other gear to athletes who otherwise could not afford these basics.
Meet the Butlers
Joey Butler is a New Jersey high school freshman wrestler who has earned a number of honors in his young career, including being a three-time New Jersey state Greco-Roman champ, two-time New Jersey state freestyle champ, and 2017 Maccabi Games national champion.
Joey Butler"Fast forward a few years. When Joey was 10, he saw four or five kids share one pair of shoes at a wrestling event."
"It was something we talked about on the way home," Joe Butler continued. "He got the idea of donating his old wrestling shoes."
"A few weeks later, he brought up 'the shoe thing' again. Thought about how to expand things further, to provide more shoes to wrestlers in need. Came up with the name 'Wrestle in my Shoes.' Built a website."
The 411 on Wrestle in my Shoes
Here's how the official website describes the organization:
"Wrestle in my Shoes is a non-profit focused on breaking down the economic barriers that prevent children of low-income families from participating in wrestling due to a lack of basic equipment, by collecting and distributing equipment to kids in need ...
"Wrestle in my Shoes has changed the dynamic in how wrestlers and clubs can acquire the basic equipment to compete. Instead of throwing shoes away or throwing them in the back of a closet, Wrestle in my Shoes does the following:
Right from the start, Wrestle in my Shoes was off and running.
"He (Joey) was wrestling at a club at Rutgers (University)," according to Joe Butler. "He started with a donation of 25 pairs of shoes from Rutgers wrestlers."
"Then the Iron Horse Club donated 40 pairs of shoes, along with singlets and headgear."
The website offered wrestlers needing shoes and other basic equipment the convenience of being able to apply online.
"Our first applicant was an Illinois high school heavyweight," Joe Butler said. "His dad was in prison, he was living with his grandmother."
The elder Butler has also mentioned the story of another wrestler with similarly challenging circumstances, forced to wear beat-up shoes held together with tape.
"Every story was more heartbreaking than the one before it. You wanted to do what you could to help."
Wrestle in my Shoes is growing tremendously ...
Wrestle in my Shoes has all the attributes of a well-established charitable organization, including 501(3) c status. And it continues to grow from the simple concept that originated from a young wrestler who saw a need ... and came up with an ingenious way to fill it.
"We've made about $200,000 worth of donations in the past four years," according to Joe Butler. (That includes more than 2,000 pairs of shoes, and approximately $30,000 worth of wrestling mats.)
Wrestle in my Shoes has launched its own clothing line to help raise funds to cover shipping and handling costs. The proceeds from sales of that clothing means there's no cost for recipients or for those who donate equipment. That's more important than ever, now that Wrestle in my Shoes has made donations to wrestlers outside the U.S., including Mexico, Spain, and Bulgaria.
In addition, Wrestle in my Shoes is now able to purchase new shoes to fill specific size requirements that have not been met through shoe donations.
Wrestle in my Shoes now has big-name wrestlers to help get the word out about the organization, including Jordan Burroughs, Jake Herbert, and Frank Molinaro ... as well as the women's national team.
Joey Butler with Jake Herbert"Joe Butler is a special kind of person," the two-time NCAA champ for Northwestern and 2012 Olympian told InterMat. "His organization is all about helping others, giving those who wouldn't normally have a chance to wrestle, have that opportunity to participate."
"Everyone remembers his/her first pair of wrestling shoes," Herbert continued. "It's a gift that can change your life. The world needs more Joe Butlers. I am happy to support him and Wrestle in my Shoes."
Another sign of growth: Wrestle in my Shoes has just formed an advisory council which includes Cory Cooperman, Joey's advisor/coach, who also serves on the advisory panel at adidas.
... yet is still very much a family affair
Despite Wrestle in my Shoes' tremendous growth, it's still very much a home-grown operation, run out of the Butler family garage, where gently-used items are processed and kept before being matched with donors.
"It's nice to see a kid (son Joey) see a need and figure out a way to solve it," said Joe Butler. "It's still very much a family affair."
"There are people who need shoes. There are wrestlers who go through shoes quickly through the normal growing process."
Big-time recognition
Wrestle in my Shoes has earned some serious recognition in the past couple years -- including an interview with Jason Bryant for his Short Time wrestling podcast -- which will only help their efforts to help grow wrestling, especially among young people who may not have the financial resources to purchase new shoes.
This summer, WABC-TV in New York City aired a news story about the organization, with a focus on Joey Butler, the young man who came up with the idea nearly a half-decade ago.
Joey told ABC's Laura Behnke, "I love the sport. The physicality, just being independent."
Joe and Alyson Butler appreciate the positive aspects their son Joey has gained from his participation in Wrestle in my Shoes.
"He's learning to give back to other people," said Joe Butler. "The sport has really given him so much."
Earlier this month, the Butlers and their Wrestle in my Shoes program gained recognition at the 2017 NWCA All-Star Classic, held in early November at Princeton University in their home state of New Jersey.
At this year's All-Stars, the Princeton chapter of the Wrestlers in Business Network decided to present special awards to deserving individuals involved in wrestling called the WrestleBack awards. This honor was designed to honor wrestlers who had wrestled back from adversity, or given back to the community.
When Alyson Butler learned of the WrestleBack awards, she immediately decided to nominate her son Joey for the "giving back" category.
Joey Butler was presented the award at the All-Star event.
In addition, the young man whose idea became Wrestle in my Shoes received two banners he can use to help promote Wrestle in my Shoes, courtesy of Matt Roeloff of Crown Trophies, who is on the board of directors of Wrestlers in Business Network's Princeton chapter.
Big-time needs, big-time dreams
Joey Butler is in his freshman year, concentrating on his studies and the wrestling season. But he -- along with his parents Joe and Alyson -- continue to devote considerable time and energy in bringing much-needed wrestling shoes and other basic gear to wrestlers in need through their Wrestle in my Shoes venture.
That said, Joey Butler continues to aim high.
"My goal is to become an NCAA champion and an Olympic champion," he told WABC-TV.
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