“I would have all of my offensive linemen wrestle if I could.”
John Madden
NFL Hall of Fame Coach
Back at Davenport Central High School in the late ‘60s almost all of the wrestlers played football – probably because Jim Fox (in the Iowa High School Athletic Hall of Fame as a football coach, wrestling coach and wrestling official) coached both sports.
That wasn’t all that unusual.
In the ‘70s and ‘80s it was still fairly common for college athletes to compete in both sports. Every Hawkeye fan over the age of 30 remembers Mark Sindlinger, who in December of 1987 started at center for the victorious Holiday Bowl football team and four months later was an NCAA wrestling All-American at heavyweight.
There are dozens of current and past NFL stars who come from a wrestling background. Hall of Fame coach, Joe Gibbs, was once quoted, “I draft wrestlers because they are tough. I have never had a problem with a wrestler.”
Stephen Neal has a phenomenal resume: two-time NCAA heavyweight champion, World Heavyweight Freestyle Champion and 4 Super Bowl rings as a member of the New England Patriots. Neal, however, was not a two-sport athlete in college – choosing to concentrate on wrestling. Carlton Hasselrig, the only 6X NCAA wrestling champion (3 in Division II and 3 in Division I), followed a similar path. He competed only as a wrestler at the University of Pittsburgh-Johnstown but went on to a career with the Steelers and Jets.
Other pro football stars excelled at both sports while in college. Curley Culp is probably the most notable. A 6X Pro Bowl nose tackle, he pinned three of four opponents to win the 1967 NCAA heavyweight title while competing for Arizona State University. He would later be named the Greatest Athlete in the History of Arizona during the state’s centennial celebration.
Pro football players, Rob Essink, Jim Nance and Lorenzo Neal were also NCAA wrestling champions.
Match forfeits have become a major problem in high school wrestling. Somewhat understandably, the 103 and 112 pound weight classes lead in the total number of forfeits. Surprisingly (at least to me), a high percentage of 215 pound matches are also forfeited. Wouldn’t this be a perfect weight class for a lot of high school football players? Why are teams finding it difficult to fill their rosters at this weight? Stephen Neal has said, “Wrestling develops skills that translate to football: leverage, balance, explosion and hand fighting?” Are young athletes specializing too early? Are they missing out on the values of wrestling because of a misguided belief that specialization is the key to success?
Has the day of the multi-sport coach gone by the wayside? If so, is this also reducing the numbers of multi-sport athletes?
Lots of questions. I wish I had some answers.
Showing posts with label high school wrestling. Show all posts
Showing posts with label high school wrestling. Show all posts
Monday, September 8, 2008
Monday, May 26, 2008
A day to remember
A day to remember
I was there when Doug Zembiec became an All-American. Wrestling for the US Naval Academy in the NCAA championships in Iowa City in 1995, Zembiec finished eighth and earned his AA status. I wish I could say that I remember all of his matches – it would make for a better story. In fact – I don’t remember any of them.
The son of an FBI agent, Doug Zembiec was a two-time state champion at Albuquerque La Cueva High School. In an interview in the Albuquerque Journal, his wrestling coach, Ron Owen, remembered, “Whatever you asked of him he was going to do it, and then he was going to do a little more. He had a super work ethic and led by example. He was one tough kid.”
Upon graduation from the Naval Academy, Zembiec was commissioned a Second Lieutenant in the Marine Corps. In 1999 his Force Reconnaissance Platoon was one of the first special operations forces to enter Kosovo. In 2004 (then Captain) Zembiec became famous as the “Lion of Fallujah” – a name given to him by his comrades.
He was decorated for bravery for his actions as a rifle company commander during the month-long campaign. He would receive the Silver Star, the Bronze Star with Combat V, the Purple Heart and the Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal. In November of 2004 he was rotated home for a stateside assignment and in July of 2005 he was promoted to Major. He would not be home long. Doug Zembiec felt that his ultimate role was that of a combat leader, so he went back to Iraq. On May 11, 2007 – just a little more than a year ago – Major Doug Zembiec was killed by small arms fire in Iraq. He left behind a wife and young daughter.
Too often we forget that the young men and women who go to war and die are sons and daughters, and brothers and sisters, and husbands and wives, and moms and dads and – yes – wrestling teammates.
Lance Corporal Randy L Newman was a high school wrestler in Oregon before joining the Marines. He was killed August, 2006 by a roadside bomb.
Marine Sgt. Brian McGinnis’ high school wrestling coach tried to convince him to go to college. Instead, McGinnis enlisted in the Marines. He died March 30, 2003 when his helicopter crashed.
Army Sergeant Damien Ficek was captain of both the football and wrestling teams at Beaverton (OR) High School. Two months after graduating in 1996 Ficek enlisted in the army – eventually becoming a Ranger where he served until the end of his enlistment in 2000. In July, 2002 Ficek enlisted in the Army National Guard. He was a student at Washington State University when his unit was called up and deployed to Iraq. He was killed by small arms fire December 30, 2004 near Baghdad.
Army Staff Sergeant Patrick Lybert was an Eagle Scout and a high school wrestler. On June 21, 2006 in Afghanistan his unit came under a sudden violent attack. The unit was in the process of stowing recently arrived supplies and was caught off guard. Sgt. Lybert was the first to be able to return fire and did so until the rest of the unit could join him. Sgt. Lybert was killed in the action and posthumously awarded the Silver Star for his valor.
While in high school, Marine Sergeant Glen Martinez finished third in the Colorado state high school wrestling tournament. Less then a month ago he was killed by a roadside bomb in Iraq.
So, today – before you head to the Memorial Day furniture sale or before you fire up the grill for the family picnic – take a few moments to remember the fallen – and their families.
I was there when Doug Zembiec became an All-American. Wrestling for the US Naval Academy in the NCAA championships in Iowa City in 1995, Zembiec finished eighth and earned his AA status. I wish I could say that I remember all of his matches – it would make for a better story. In fact – I don’t remember any of them.
The son of an FBI agent, Doug Zembiec was a two-time state champion at Albuquerque La Cueva High School. In an interview in the Albuquerque Journal, his wrestling coach, Ron Owen, remembered, “Whatever you asked of him he was going to do it, and then he was going to do a little more. He had a super work ethic and led by example. He was one tough kid.”
Upon graduation from the Naval Academy, Zembiec was commissioned a Second Lieutenant in the Marine Corps. In 1999 his Force Reconnaissance Platoon was one of the first special operations forces to enter Kosovo. In 2004 (then Captain) Zembiec became famous as the “Lion of Fallujah” – a name given to him by his comrades.
He was decorated for bravery for his actions as a rifle company commander during the month-long campaign. He would receive the Silver Star, the Bronze Star with Combat V, the Purple Heart and the Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal. In November of 2004 he was rotated home for a stateside assignment and in July of 2005 he was promoted to Major. He would not be home long. Doug Zembiec felt that his ultimate role was that of a combat leader, so he went back to Iraq. On May 11, 2007 – just a little more than a year ago – Major Doug Zembiec was killed by small arms fire in Iraq. He left behind a wife and young daughter.
Too often we forget that the young men and women who go to war and die are sons and daughters, and brothers and sisters, and husbands and wives, and moms and dads and – yes – wrestling teammates.
Lance Corporal Randy L Newman was a high school wrestler in Oregon before joining the Marines. He was killed August, 2006 by a roadside bomb.
Marine Sgt. Brian McGinnis’ high school wrestling coach tried to convince him to go to college. Instead, McGinnis enlisted in the Marines. He died March 30, 2003 when his helicopter crashed.
Army Sergeant Damien Ficek was captain of both the football and wrestling teams at Beaverton (OR) High School. Two months after graduating in 1996 Ficek enlisted in the army – eventually becoming a Ranger where he served until the end of his enlistment in 2000. In July, 2002 Ficek enlisted in the Army National Guard. He was a student at Washington State University when his unit was called up and deployed to Iraq. He was killed by small arms fire December 30, 2004 near Baghdad.
Army Staff Sergeant Patrick Lybert was an Eagle Scout and a high school wrestler. On June 21, 2006 in Afghanistan his unit came under a sudden violent attack. The unit was in the process of stowing recently arrived supplies and was caught off guard. Sgt. Lybert was the first to be able to return fire and did so until the rest of the unit could join him. Sgt. Lybert was killed in the action and posthumously awarded the Silver Star for his valor.
While in high school, Marine Sergeant Glen Martinez finished third in the Colorado state high school wrestling tournament. Less then a month ago he was killed by a roadside bomb in Iraq.
So, today – before you head to the Memorial Day furniture sale or before you fire up the grill for the family picnic – take a few moments to remember the fallen – and their families.
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