Story by Carlos Flores

What does wrestling mean to me:

I have a history with wrestling. My Uncle Ernie wrestled for the youth program in Hart Michigan when we were young. I was one of my many cousins that became his practice dummies. I recall the many times he locked up a crossface cradle squeezed the hell out of me. Later, in the 8th grade Doug Twa, my science teacher at Steele Junior High told me that that wrestling is starting after school and he wanted me to come out for the team. I worked really hard and right before our 1st home meet he named me captain of the team. I was successful early in middle school and in the 9th grade some of my teammates from middle school went out for the high school team. I remember us freshman walking in to the wrestling room for the 1st time. New Coach Mike Wenk did an awesome job as a 1st year coach with a team full of novice. Coach Wenk invested a lot in me and I remember the many things he did off the mat that helped me become a better athlete, student, and person. In my 10th grade year Coach James took over the Big Red Wrestling Machine and things started to change. Coach pushed us and challenged us to push ourselves, he immediately demanded a new attitude and work ethic. The years on the mat under Coach James defined me and taught me many lessons. We became successful, we didn’t win a state tournament but we gave it a good run. There are many memories that I still recall and smile. Beating state ranked Grandville, Hesperia, and dominating the city tournament. I did pretty well on the mat but my best memories are from the team hardware we brought home. I remember a band of brothers that worked their assess off to achieve a goal. We pushed ourselves past our limits, to this day I wonder what my lifetime push up count is. Some thing happened along the way.

 I stopped getting in to trouble. My grades went up (enough that I was eligible at least), and I learned about sacrifice, hard work and toughness. Coach always said, “there is no substitute for hard work” and I still can hear him sayin it. I also remember him telling us to take the lessons from the mat & apply them to life. I remember the tough times later, working 12 hours, 7 days a week in a factory and still taking a full load of classes at GVSU, barely sleeping, a non existent social life but I did it, when times got tough I recalled the days of 5 am runs, loosing 4-7 pounds in a practice, running after I got out of work at Plumb’s Grocery Store at night, and of course eating approximately 3 days a week. I knew if I could make it through wrestling season I can make through anything. My wrestling career didn’t end the way I wanted, I didn‘t wrestle in college, or at all after high school. But that’s ok.

I stated coaching very young. I was 20 when I got the coaching job at Steele Middle School. I remember sitting in the athletic office with Mr. Heckaman and him telling me the main reason he is giving me a shot at the coaching job was because the dedication I showed as a volunteer assistant at the high school and how hard I worked as an athlete in high school. He would let us in the pool room to run during gym class because we had to make weight. The years coaching Steele were some of my favorite times. We had great teams and kids still stick out. Antwon Jones, Floyd Banks, Mario Bradford, Joe German, Chad Forward, Ed Knox to name a few but there are many others. Later I became the varsity coach and I was so excited to take over. I remember all the time I spent with the kids and I remember loving every minute of it. I stepped down from coaching so I could get my degree. I finished school and got a job teaching at my alma mater. Later I was named head coach again and I was back at it. Teaching and coaching is a 90+ hour job but it’s the best job on earth. There was a new batch of kids, My captain, Fluarry Jackson, Desmond Colvin, the hardest workin kid in my wrestling room, Kiara Lane my fireball 103 pounder, Carlin Landingham my heavyweight and many more awesome kids that came though the program. It is immeasurable what a wrestling coach does. It’s long hours for the love of the sport and our student-athletes. To this day, many of the boys that wrestled for me over the years are friends now, many have accomplished great things, the most important they know honor, character, dedication, discipline and hard work.

So in regards to the queston: I would not have achieved the things I have in life without wrestling. You can look at the data of the future of a young Hispanic youth from a broken home, living in poverty with parents that didn’t graduate from high school, what is the statistical future of a youth with my background? The data suggest that I wouldn’t graduate from college or be 6 credits from earning my Master‘s Degree. To be blunt, I wouldn’t have achieved the things I have without the lessons from the mat

I love that we are different, we can go hard, the fight we have, I am honored to be in the fraternity. I’m honored that I helped the boys in any way I could because it is the only way I can repay those that invested in me. I will be 40 this year, and I can honestly say I am still worried that my coaches are proud of me, I see some of them once in a while I hope they are happy with the path I have chosen. I hope one of my wrestlers will feel the same. My kids deal with a diverse set of challenges in the area we are in, but they can grind through it. I want to build a toughness in them on the mat and I want them to rely on that when things get hard in life. I am thankful for wrestling, wrestling is my 1st love, my heart starts pumpin when 2 guys are about to do battle, I want success for the Big Red Program and I want young wrestlers to dream big and work towards the highest stage, the middle mat where glory is won.

I have stepped down as head coach because I have a daughter and being a good father is my first priority, Coach Crowley welcomes me back in the room and lets to run some drills. I am hopeful that someday I will have my own program again.

Losing wrestling in the Olympics will cause a ripple effect that will decline collegiate and scholastic participation and program cancellation. In almost every city here and communities around the world wrestling is teaching the principals needed to be successful. The greatest loss will be the life lessons that help us when the life presents challenges. “Once you’ve wrestled, everything else in life is easy” Coach Gable

Carlos Flores

Story by Harley Williamson

• Well I used to go to my big brothers wrestling practice with him all the time and I loved it but i had to stop for a little while but a year ago he got me in a club (tri-citys wolf pack) and my parents noticed that I loved it and put me in a tournament after three weeks of practice. I was so happy that my brother could come and watch me wrestling in my second match. This was during freestyle I got a college move pulled on me and I landed strait on my head. My coach went out there and picked me up of the mat and went to shake the other coaches hand. I did not know my name after that for a while and I went to the next practice and my coaches were surprised I came back. I've worked hard every day after that. Now I’m the rookie state champ of the 85-pound division and the captain of my wrestling team and I will love wrestling every day of my life!

  
  

  
  

Story by Cedrick Miller

Here is my family, most of them graduated in 2011 however we are a huge family. We fight, laugh and compete with eachother. All of us have our differences, either we are gay, straight, color blind, deaf etc... we don't care about that. Wrestling teaches us how to use our differences to win a match. For instance; I thought I was too skinny, but nope my coach took that out of my head quickly, he turned me into a skinny machine, he taught me the advantages of being tall and skinny.

I started wrestling in Germany at age 12, I had no repect for the sport but I only did it because my older brother was my mentor and I wanted to be just like him. During my wrestling journey I grew to love it dearly! As a kid I always got picked on because of my girly habits, being called a fruitcake hurt me but I never did anything about it. Wrestling helped me release that anger, putting my sweat, blood, and tears actually made me feel better. Stripping this sport away from the Olympics takes dreams away from kids, it takes that courage away from the one who gets bullied, it rips away hope for that one with the low self esteem. Most of us are only good at one thing in life and that's wrestling. After college what do wrestlers look foward to in the future if Olympic wrestling was taken away? Exactly nothing at all but that fake WWE crap! Keep wrestling in the Olympics because it teachhes kids discipline, kids like me how to stick up for themselves, and also a endless friendship with fellow wrestlers, because wrestlers understand wrestlers, we do what we love, and just like a real match expect us to keep striking until we get that win, be warned we won't stop until its put back past the year 2020. Wrestling was the wrong sport to mess with! Thankyou.

Story by Maria Maggiulli

At the age of three he was diagnosed with a hearing loss, so to help he was given hearing aids. He learned how to speak, read lips and adapt .Hearing aids only assist so much, sometimes making sounds worse.  Every day he strained to hear teachers, coaches, peers, television, music the school bell. The option was adjust to a hearing world to feel “normal” and included. That didn’t always work especially as a young boy.  Determined to turn his “disability” into an “ability” and prove himself acceptable he turned to sports.  In 1^st grade he gave his parents a recreation sign-up sheet while stating I want to do this, I want to wrestle. He had never seen a wrestling match before nor did anyone in his family wrestle.  They had concerns of course especially since he can’t wear hearing aids under headgear. He didn’t care for some reason he wanted to wrestle. So at his first practice he took off the hearing aids and put on the headgear proceeding just like all the rest. Drilling, sweating, running everything the other wrestlers did but listen. He couldn’t hear what coach was saying and rarely was in the right position to read lips. He adapted. He learned by doing and seeing but never by listening like everyone else. He never knew what moves were called and couldn’t hear his coaches instructions just did what he felt would work. He would tell his opponent to tap him when it was time to stop but they wouldn’t always remember so they’d get annoyed if he continued. Perceived as being annoying both off and on the mat didn’t help with friendships so he worked even harder at wrestling.  This little 8 year old boy would go out on the mat alone, no sounds to instruct or cheer him on just watching for the official’s arm to signal start and feeling his tap to stop. He would win and win a lot. He finally gained notoriety from his peers for something good and started feeling a level of acceptance. Wrestling gave him what he was missing so he continued and never let up. When you can’t hear everything people have no idea what problems it causes, what a social outcast you become. Wrestling became an outlet that gave him confidence and drive but mostly positive recognition. He developed into an honor student known as a good wrestler. It was later discovered that because of another problem with his ears, he would no longer be allowed to play football his other passion and prayed that wrestling would still be an option. It was, so he threw all his energy, all his desire into that sport of one on one competition that test of courage and skill.  As high school began he knew it was time to step it up a notch. He had great success as a freshman starting varsity weighing 174 lbs wrestling the 189 slot sometimes when needed, the 215. He finished solid, made it past districts and into regionals placing 5/6. His Dad takes him to Atlantic City for the New Jersey State championship to see what it’s like and came back in aw but a bit intimidated. Next season it’s time to decide how much do I want to commit? He does a little off season wrestling a little extra workout finishes with an even better record but still 5/6 in the regionals not a ticket to AC.  That next summer before junior year after many discussions with his coaches and parents he decides he wants more. He wants to be better. He hits some tournaments not doing as well as hoped now unsure of what kind of internal commitment he is willing to give. That July he finds out that Jordan Burroughs will be giving a clinic at a nearby gym. Having been so impressed with Jordan’s Olympic accomplishment and him being from New Jersey, he’s excited to meet him. Arriving on that hot summer day he goes to the mats set up outback in the baking sun talking with the other wrestlers many having been his opponents. Jordan gives opening speeches and has them set up to drill, but it’s so hot the wrestlers are dripping with sweat he has to take off his hearing aids or they’ll short out. He watched, picked a partner he knew following as best he could reading his lips when possible soaking up all the instruction Jordan was offering. Unfortunalty, he couldn’t hear all of the inspirational statements Jordan gave as he walked between the wrestlers watching them. His parents tried to remember Jordan’s lines and statements so they could later share his passion and words of wisdom.  At the end of the clinic Jordan directed them to the shade and spoke. He dried out his ears, popped in his hearing aids listening to Jordan’s story of his Olympic journey and commitment to win gold. He became so impressed by his drive, confidence and willingness to share so much of himself. He listened with intent watching that gold medal which he had never seen before, while Jordan spoke and answered questions about his life and its focus. At the end Jordan was nice enough to stay and meet each wrestler taking pictures and signing items. Enamored by the presence of this gold medal Olymiad, he shook his hand posed for some pictures and asked Jordan to sign the Olympic picture he gave out, the back of his phone, and his current high school singlet near the American flag. He left changed went home laid out the three signed items, snapped a shot posting on Facebook “so pumped, met Burroughs and got his picture”.  Since that day, his off season continued but with an intensity. More clinics, camps, tournaments, instruction, running and workouts but with a purpose. He slid into his junior year wrestling season remaining focused telling his coach this year he wants to go to states. While only weighing 195 they decide to bump him up to 220 feeling it was his best shot so he knew he would have to work harder and be smarter.  Once again he made it through districts into regionals but this time gets a chance to fight for 3^rd against a senior who placed in states last year and beat him his last match. He wins his ticket to Atlantic City. As the dust settles he updates his goal stating I want to place, not just be there.  Going in as a low seeded wrestler, fighting through wrestle backs he gets on the podium placing 7^th.

After watching video of states with family someone approached me and said “Yeah Robbie told me that after meeting that Olympic guy he became so inspired.” I asked Robbie about that statement so he told me “He just gave me the drive and made me realize that with hard work and training it is possible. He did it and he made me feel like I could too.” Robbie took the singlet that Jordan signed with him to states. He said if he made it to the finals he would wear it. When he came home he hung that singlet back up in his room reminding him to keep working towards the chance to wear it next season.

His name is Robbie Maggiulli who wrestles for Emerson/Park Ridge in New Jersey. He is now known as a great kid that’s smart and a great wrestler with colleges inquiring about his future as a wrestler/student. Most people have no idea he can’t hear and it’s irrelevant. That’s what this sport has done for him!

Story by Kelli Bilbrey

   I grew up in a town that loved wrestling, my husband however had never been around the sport. Our son, Alex, is 6 now. He started wrestling when he was 4. We put him in wrestling at this young of age in order for him to gain confidence and to learn self defense. Alex had played baseball and was great at it. He is an amazing athlete for his young age. When he was in preschool he got picked on and bullied a lot because he was a quiet and small boy compared to the others. He started getting bullied on a daily basis and would never stand up for himself. He was afraid of getting in trouble. As a parent it is heart breaking. The day that flipped our switches was when Alex was asleep at nap time and a kid kicked him in the face. That infuriated us. 

   I am a high school teacher, so I went to the wrestling coach and asked how young kids could be to join the youth club. We joined the club, but didn't quite know what to expect. Alex was such a quiet and sweet little boy. We were hoping it did not scare him. The first practice he asked us if we were going to put him in a cage...lol...he has seen MMA with his dad. He completely surprised us during the first practice. He did a great job and had fun!

  His first year, he was a 2 time Texas State Champ and won 2 of the Iron Man Series Tournaments. From the wrestling exposure his confidence built! He became the leader of his class, he was not a bully but stood up for kids that were getting bullied, he was more confident in his class work. Our little boy came out of his shell!

  This year, his second year, he won 2 more Texas State Championships and won 2 more Iron Man Series Tournaments. He is now in kindergarten and is a very "famous" wrestler to his classmates! If he gets picked on now, he warns the kid that he will take him down in a double leg, or tie him in a knot. The kids tend to leave him alone most of the time. He knows to never be a bully, but standing up for yourself is okay.

  Alex won the Most Outstanding Wrestler award and the King Pin award for our club this year. He is the smallest and youngest kid on the team. The older kids are wonderful with him. Alex is an only child in our family, but he has gained many, many brothers with our wrestling family!

  He is in baseball season right now, but asks every day when he can go back to wrestling. Wrestling is his passion and he loves it so much. His dream is to become an Olympic Wrestler. In kindergarten they ask the kids what they want to be when they grow up. Alex's answer is to be an Olympic Wrestler. The decision to take wrestling out of the Olympics breaks our hearts. We haven't broke the news to Alex yet. We are hoping they come to their senses!

  Last year we took Alex to Disney World for our first family vacation. That is where he dreamed of going and we promised when he was 5 he could go. This year we asked him where he wanted to go for vacation. He said he wanted to see Olympic Wrestlers! So, we are going to Colorado Springs this summer to see Olympic Wrestlers. Last year his heroes were Disney characters, this year his heroes are Wrestlers!

  I am a huge advocate for the sport of wrestling. It is so different from any other sport. Wrestling has built the confidence in my son they he couldn't find anywhere else. I truly believe that wrestling is the greatest sport in the world!

Sincerely,

Kelli Bilbrey

Story by Nick Tucker

When thinking about how to write a story of the impact wrestling has had on my life it became like seeing my life change before my eyes. Just like all others who have participated in this great sport, we know that it shapes us more than we ever shape it. That is why it has been around for thousands of years and why it should NEVER be excluded from the Olympics! So I will try to briefly describe the impact wrestle is having on me.    

  

Growing up in a small town in Alabama, wrestling found me as an 7^th graders. It was then that my little brother signed up for the new youth league wrestling. Since I was not participating in the MS program I had to go to practices and tournaments with him. The competition in all boys meant that I ended up practicing with them and competing at the final tournament of the year. I was hooked but did not know it. I spent the next year getting thrown around the MS Lunchroom and learning what it meant to take care of property and work. Weighing all of 60lb, maybe, it was an experience. Wrestling totally hooked me as a freshman entering the HS practice room that seemed HUGE at the time but looking back was basically the size of one mat. I still remember to wrestle off match that I had decided before hand would determine if I keep wrestling. It was against another freshman who has wrestled for two years and was WAY more athletic than me. All I knew was to never give up and this is what wrestling wants! People who never give up. I won that match and knew after that match that my focus was now to win a state title. The program was part of a rich tradition in the state, having won 14 total state titles and numerous individual titles. I was part of that tradition and part of wrestling.

Over the next three year I would love to say I won numerous state titles and team titles but that never happened. We were always in the top 5 but I never achieved my dream. Something else happened during that time; I realized this sport was meant to me my means to enjoy life! I decided as a sophomore to pursue wrestling in college and major in education to teach and be a wrestling coach. After high school I attended the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. I was a 110lb freshman trying to survive the college room at 118 then at 125. I spent those first three years battling in that room, mostly getting beat down but learning more about how the sport builds character! Through that endurance I was able to get mat time in those three years. The results were not in my favor but the work had paid off and my dream was realized.  Concussions ended my career as a junior but I was still part of the team and wrestling was now definitely in me.

I have spent the past 12 years coaching wrestling along with softball, volleyball, and football. Wrestling is my passion and that has been my hook to every kid I have ever coached. When I think about all the kids I have coached and am currently coaching it is not the kids who have become champions and excelled that I think about. It is the development of all these guys into young men who can handle any challenge that comes at them. It is the bonds of former teammates that continue to grow as we reunited any chance we can and tell stories. It is watch the families grow of these same teammates. Through coaching I have been able to develop relationships with coaches who have been in the sport for decades and had them become not just mentors but trusted friends. The sport has taken me across this great nation but more importantly it has taught me that there are very few things tougher in life than being an undersized and under skilled JH and college wrestler. As long as you trust your teammate, who will never turn their back you if you are giving them all you have, you will have guys that will always support you. In that endurance you understand that you must have faith in yourself above all that people tell you. Every season is a new endeavor yet I continue to use wrestling to teach the young men about becoming responsible men in society. They get the stories of success and the stories of getting thrown around a practice room. This way they know that I have been in their shoes and understand what they face. To think that wrestling could no longer be in the Olympics drives me nuts along with these guys who are now seeing where the sport could take them thanks to the journey it has me traveling. I know God gave me to wrestling so I could use it to spread his word and show young men that life will be tough but not as tough as wrestling practice.

Nick Tucker

Auburn, AL

Story by Mercedes Rash

When I first met my husband, I had a rambunctious 2  year old son. When he was 3, my husband suggested we put him into wrestling because he loved the sport and thought it would be a good place for him to let loose some of his energy. The results were amazing. He instantly fell in love with the sport and found a positive place to put his energy. He is now 8 and has a goal to win Gold like Jordan Burroughs, after being a 4 time NCAA champion like Kyle of course. He has the confidence to dream big because of wrestling. I was also amazed by the wrestling community. Wrestling families have a unique relationship. We feel a connection with one another wherever we go. The affects of being a part of this community extends throughout your life. We own a small business and it has grown over the last 5 years beyond out expectations and wrestling has a great deal to do with that. When we talk to prospective clients and they notice us wearing our wrestling club t-shirts, we almost instantly get the job. Its funny, wrestlers just believe in other wrestlers. They instantly know that we believe in hard work and dedication. It also amazes me how it is global. We were on vacation in the Grand Cayman and we went to go rent a car. The manager was making small talk and asked us about our kids. Once again, wrestling came up, because we are proud parents, and we instantly made a friend. His son lives in Florida and wrestles also. Suddenly, we had a free upgrade to a luxury car and the guy was excited about doing this for us because we were a member of his wrestling family. I would hate to see wrestling in the Olympics go away. It would break my heart to have to tell my son that he cannot achieve one of his goals because they took one of the most challenging and exciting sports out of the Olympics. I urge the committee to watch a few little league matches before they make their decision. Future leaders are molded on wrestling mats. Boys and Girls learn that hard work and dedication take you far. They learn how to win graciously and lose with dignity. I know my son will be a better man because of wrestling and I look forward to seeing him win his Gold. 

Thanks, 

Mercedes Rash