Nash Hutmacher of South Dakota and Louden Haga of Ohio battle in the Cadet freestyle finals at 285 (Photo/Jim Thrall)The Junior & Cadet Nationals event in Fargo concludes this weekend and after a jam-packed week of competition there was once again a familiar chorus being chirped by Twitter: "Wrestling NEEDS Stars!"
Wrestling does need stars, and in fact has them: Kyle Snyder, Hassan Yazdani, Abdulrashid Sadulaev, Helen Maroulis, Risako Kawai, Jordan Burroughs, Mijain Lopez and others. These are professional athletes who have achieved stardom on the world stage, signed promotional contracts with companies and have large/loyal social media following.
By most measures they are stars.
The wrestlers in Fargo? Not stars. These are student-athletes -- who like their classmates on the baseball diamond, tennis courts and football fields -- stand little chance of making a living in their sport. What they do stand a chance to do is acquire life skills through sport. These are kids that still need to learn the values of hard work, modesty, an enjoyment of craft -- not how to placate a for-profit company's far-off appeal of "stardom."
Marketing of wrestling is important, but it should not be done on the backs of 16-year-old kids, but for the benefit of all kids. The most irritating incident from Fargo was the inane and totally harmless Mutombo finger wag by an athlete during the Cadet freestyle finals in Fargo. Half think it's great because it builds interest and gives something for non-wrestlers to attach themselves to, while the other half -- the get-off-my-lawn types -- find it unnecessary. I'm in the latter half, but not because I think kids today are more disrespectful than the last generation, but because there is no growing wrestling through promoting types of adversarial moments, especially at the youth level. We, the media and the fans (an indistinguishable grouping of Twitter faces), shouldn't be in the work of leveraging the behavior of some athletes for the benefit of "stardom?" Viewership? The profit of a few business owners?
Take a minute to think about who is driving viewership and why? At the international level the goal of the media team is to create a greater interest in the sport so that more individuals around the world can engage in the product. There is a premium on that content in the USA, but the organization runs as a non-profit -- any money made is reinvested into new programs, training facilities, mats for developing nations, scholarships, expansion of opportunities and more. Of course the system isn't perfect and as with any organization there are areas for improvement, but the main goal is to promote the sport through showing the qualities it has instilled in the athletes. Even with the older athletes there is no cause to make the sport about something it's not. Wrestling is beautiful because it doesn't require the excess to be enjoyed, and changing that dynamic won't fatten participation roles, only the pockets of a few.
I see the value in promoting events with youth wrestlers, but it makes me feel uncomfortable to ask the individuals to work at becoming marketable stars through questionable behavior. Scholastic wrestling should be first and foremost a learning opportunity about values and the core principles that contribute to good citizens. Getting caught up in the finger-wagging is a boost of sugar for those addicted to the rush, but like any sweet there are side effects.
Let's not lose sight of why we want our kids to wrestle.
To your questions …
Eric Guerrero coaching at the Freestyle World Team Trials (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com)Q: Thoughts on Eric Guerrero leaving Oklahoma State to coach the Oklahoma RTC? He had been in Stillwater forever. Did something happen at Oklahoma State for him to move? Or any idea why he left?
-- Mike C.
Foley: The rumbling was that he didn't see a way to the head coaching position and wanted to advance his career. This move keeps him local, gives him a new career opportunity and brings attention to his coaching ability. Regardless of whether it works, I think 25 years at the same place hints to most that some change could help accelerate a stalled career.
Q: I was wondering what you thought about this. An Eastern Oregon school, Hermiston High School, has no other schools its size close by. It would have to travel five hours each way for competition. Somehow the Portland area schools have said they will not travel east. So Hermiston would have to go west for every event. They said they wouldn't do that, and petitioned to join up with WIAA, where there are schools about 45 minutes away just over the Columbia River. WIAA has allowed them to join, with OSAA permission. I'm on a message board for Washington wrestling. Many people are upset that someone from out of state can win a state championship. And possibly the whole team. Hermiston has had a strong tradition of strong athletes, specifically in wresting. So there is a valid concern. I feel this is what's best for the students, which ultimately should be the concern. But some people are worried their child will be left off the podium. What are your thoughts on this, and other out-of-state schools being allowed to compete with closer schools and conferences?
-- Spokris
Foley: State boundaries tend to be lines of demarcation established by the federal government to distinguish tax bases and afford more local control. In this case the Columbia River was the (mostly) arbitrary line set out by these 19th Century bureaucrats. Today, the population base and HSA travel restrictions (local decision) have forced an Oregonian school to apply for and receive membership in Washington. While unorthodox, it might be one of the most reasonable responses to a bureaucratic mixup I've read about in years!
The parents only have a valid concern if their entire identity is really wrapped into the idea of being a Washingtonian. The truth is that a single exemption for practical purposes serves only as a precedent for rational governance, not taking away opportunities from the hardworking kids of Washington state.
Q: Are these Hassan Yazdani to WWE rumors true? If he does go to pro wrestling, when would it happen?
-- Mike C.
Foley: No. Just someone trolling after the Iranian WWE wrestler gave him a shout out after a match. Yazdani is shy -- almost painfully shy. Nothing about our interactions has even hinted that he'd go out into the world of acting.
Q: During the 2016 Olympics, the IOC fielded ten athletes that are refugees. Six in track & field, two in judo, and two in swimming. These athletes were able to compete under the Olympic flag. Is there a chance the UWW will host a refugee team or a team comprised of stateless wrestlers this summer at the World Championships?
-- Broccoli Ears
Foley: No. The 2017 World Championships will not feature a refugee team. The idea to include them in the 2016 Games was timely and relevant given that many of the athletes had been displaced and were looking for new homes. The most memorable might have even been the Iranian Taekwondo fighter from Iran who fought without her hijab and was forced to move to Belgium, a very serious move with serious consequences.
Wrestling does currently enjoy one of the most active Olympic Solidarity programs in international sports, reaching out to wrestlers from disadvantaged backgrounds and providing them the opportunity to train and compete via financial funding from the Olympic Games. Additionally, United World Wrestling hosts camps and clinics for underserved communities around the world which helps instill wrestling technique and Olympic values. I'm in Asia now preparing for the program (More than Medals) which will start Sunday after the Asian Cadet Championships in Thailand and run for one week. The access to great wrestlers and workshops on learning things we might take for granted will certainly leave a positive impact on these young athletes.
Q: USA Wrestling has a partnership with Nike that prohibits companies like Rudis from selling merchandise inside the Fargodome. What did you make of Rudis setting up a large tent/booth at the Burger King parking lot near the Fargodome? I thought it was clever.
-- Mike C.
Foley: Of course it was clever! Though I understand Nike's frustration and USA Wrestling's support, the fact remains they didn't do anything illegal. It was an objectively business savvy move. What I want to see is how all parties respond in the coming weeks and months. Will Fargo actually try to lock down competing sponsors around the city? I can't imagine that would happen.
Recommended Comments
There are no comments to display.
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now