Tell us a little about yourself.

[johnstownsteel]

I'm 49. North Carolina born..."yinzer" raised. Played every sport I could join as a kid but wrestling will always be my passion. Older brother started wrestling and first time I went to watch him I was hooked. I was too young to join but they couldnt keep me off the mat so they'd allow me to practice and give me an occasional exhibition match here and there.

Wrestled up to the 9th grade. Most of that time I was one of the more accomplished wrestlers in johnstown area losing only handfull of times winning most tourneys I entered (have a pic of carlton haselrig giving me my medal at a junior Olympic tourney. I was around 13 or 14) The two best shots I had of winning state tourney I got sick (The guy I beat in Area tourney got second in state) and another time I went up a weight class so my twin brother and I were in seperate weights. The kid that won the state tourney in my brothers weight I beat 3 times that year and he was actually my fastest fall. I had shitty luck. Then the summer heading into 9th grade year I sprouted up to 6'3. I had a tough choice to make because I was an even better basketball player. I actually wrestled a match and played in a basketball tourney on the same day once. After the growth spurt I was no longer as effective on mat...completely changed the way I wrestled. Also in hs, basketball and wrestling fell during the same season (winter). I really didn't want to but I moved over to basketball. Even though it was the right choice, I hated it because wrestling was my passion.

After hs, went to a small college, became a dad during that time and eventually moved to NC to work. Always missed PA so it seemed as if I was working harder to move back home than I was at my actual job. Had a pretty good life but certainly have gone through a lot of bad as some of you know. Now that I'm getting older, theres very few things I concern myself with outside of my faith, family, friends and PSU wrestling. Oh yeah...and Harassing the hell out of Hawkeye fans. I still work (public utilities) and probably always will if my health allows but I no longer put my job as some high priority in my life like I used to. Thinking that way I know I'll never be rich but to me theres just so much more in life to put my heart and soul into than a job. I only wished I'd have seen that earlier. Love this board, love you guys that post here and love PSU wrestling!

So that's pretty much me.

 

[4theglory54]

I work at a college as a janitor, even though I feel like I'm smarter than most of the people that go there. Sometimes I'll see an equation written on a black board, like half an equation, and I'll just figure it out.

I'm 71, and aside from 1969 and 1970 spent in the U.S. Army, lived in Union Co., NJ, until age 28, and since then, in Monmouth Co. Six weeks ago I retired after a 47 year career with the same consulting engineering firm.

I never wrestled. When my son was 4, I introduced him to a local kids group and he took to it. I became involved, read books, watched VCR's, attended camps, started coaching, and ran our youth program for 10 years. My son had success in the sport and was a two year starter and a National Qualifier at PSU. He has been the head coach at his H.S. alma matre the past 8 years and one of his guys will be an incoming freshman on the PSU team this fall.

 

[tikk10]

Re Kurt Russel, here's a video of him interviewing writer Guy Cipriano just prior to the January 2011 Penn State Iowa dual at Rec Hall that that Iowa ultimately won 22-13. Penn State, of course, would go on to win the NCAAs that year. Interesting comments by Cipriano about Cael's development of an "Olympic freestyle program here" and, separately, how David Taylor "wants to be part of history."

 

[PSUNAV]

If you are 70, you must have been in hs in the '60s. 1973 was the first year of 98 pounds. Before that it was 95 pounds. And at the first states I attended, (1961), they had an 85 pound exhibition final because the WPIAL was the only region that still had that weight class.

I saw my first match in 1958. I began wrestling in 5th grade. I saw Mike Johnson and Jim Nance at states (a kid on my team won in '61 along with a bunch of studs - none of whom were him). In '62 I met Elliot Gray Simons - the god of wrestling then. He was coaching at West Point and I cornered him after the Lehigh meet.

My little brother lost to Andy Matter by a point in a high school dual. My older brother wrestled behind Mike Caruso at Lehigh - which means he didn't wrestle much there. I wrestled in Jr Hi, HS, and 4 years of college. I coached youth wrestling for 20 years -- had a couple of Nat Prep champs and place winners, and a number of PIAA place winners. I actually coached Matt Storniolo for a year when he was 6, and told his mother he was going to be a super star. I never said that to any other parent. Matt could bend his body like a pretzel and come out the other end. He style was so unique and his core strength even young was terrific. I knew the sky was the limit for him..

I'm among a group of guys that have been coming to PIAA states since '85. So I got to see Kolat and Ty Moore in their prime. One of my wrestlers gave Ray Brinzer all he could handle his senior year at states -- actually tied 9 - 9, I think, going into the 3rd period. Oh well, it might have been.

I have one claim to fame. In 10 years of wrestling I gave up a total of 3 back points. And I still maintain that I was screwed. Never pinned. Wrestled a lot of state champs, a national champ, a couple of national place winners. My final claim to fame: the national champ I lost to by a point is currently facing sexual assault charges in Colorado. I have mixed emotions about that. He's 74 years old too. Is he on viagra or what?

I'm thinking that the younger readers might not recognize the names I dropped:
Mike Johnson--4x PIAA champ and considered PA's all-time great in the '60s
Jim Nance - 2x NCAA champ, NE Patriots all-time fullback, the guy the PIAA created the HWY division for.
Mike Caruso -3x NCAA champ.
and the NCAA champ I wrestled that is currently in deep doodoo: Wayne Boyd.

I’m sure you’re right about the 95 lbs. Fall of my freshman year was 1963. I guess the old memory isn’t what it once was!

 

[amattaro]

39. Grew up about two hours west of state college. Since college I have lived in King of Prussia (04-07), Colorado Springs (07-13), Orlando (13-17), Pittsburgh (17-19), and Colorado Springs (19-Present). Never again moving east of Colorado. Three kids: 7, 5, 2. Currently sitting in house on vacation in St. George while the little guy naps. Zion yesterday, Bryce tomorrow (@El-Jefe i think you had a good national parks thread last year).

Wrestled into 9th grade. Weight cut too much for me. Mt. Pleasant during the Waller/Spates era.

Systems engineer for a defense contractor. My wife and I “committed” to early retirement when we were 25. I put it in quotes because we had no real plan other than “put as much as possible into 401k”. The “plan” is solidified and is now to punch out at 50 and move to AZ once the two year old graduates high school.

 

[pawrestlersintn]

<raises hand> Hi, I'm Doug, and I have a problem with board addiction.

I'm 53, grew up in Juniata County, but went to the school on the other side of the county from PSUranger. Spent 10 years in Saratoga Springs, NY, then 13 outside of Memphis, until two of my boys said they were going to PSU, at which point, Mrspa took me by the short hairs and said, "We are moving home." So, we've been back in PA (Lewisburg) since 2014.

I wrestled in junior high, only, and the only thing I remember was one day the kid I was scrapping with took a leak while I was wrestling with him. I don't believe it was out of fear of wrestling me. It turned out that track (jumping and hurdling) was my thing, so I focused on it for high school, but I don't think I ever missed watching a wrestling match during my senior year.

One day, while living in Memphis, I was at the kids wrestling practice, and a fellow wrestling Dad (Maryland graduate) said, "Do you follow PSU? They've got a really good thing going up there. Well, that was all it took. I was at the Scuffle the following year, where I met NoVaLion, who introduced me to Roar, and the rest is history or history being made.

Now, it's two graduated Penn Staters, one soon to be graduated Penn Stater, and a wife who's happy to be near family again. I sell industrial chemicals, mostly water treatment for cooling towers, boilers, waste treatment and the like.

 

[johnstownsteel]

Many of you know me as the person that first coined the phrase " FULL COURT PRESS!" but what you might not know is, I was actually a pretty DAMN GOOD WRESTLER in my day!!!! Started wrestling when I was 6 and finally gave it up my senior year of highschool with a career 159 and O RECORD!!!!!!It was a tough decision but after extensive discussions with my agent, he thought it would be best if I left my shoes on the mat because of the injury risk and what it could mean to my LIFE LONG GOAL OF BEING A HAND MODEL...

After highschool I attended PENN STATE! The greatest University ON THE PLANET! Loved my time there, got a 4.8 GPA and was the Nit Lions BIGGEST WRESTLING FAN!!!!! The coaches would occasionally approach me to join the team...knew I was the missing piece they needed but I was still an aspiring hand model I had to refuse the offer. I've ALWAYS stayed close to the program, went to EVERY match and later became the wrestlers GO TO GUY when they needed advice to become better. I WAS ALWAYS HAPPY TO OBLIGE!!!!! GO PSU!!!!!!!

After college, I took a few menial jobs until I FINALLY GOT MY SHOT AT BEING A MODEL!!!!!!!!!! I gave up the sure thing of being GREATEST WRESTLER OF ALL TIME to FINALLY LIVE MY DREAM!!!!!!

Unfortunately, on the way to my first photo shoot, I was in a serious car wreck and lost all 4 fingers ON BOTH HANDS!!!! I was devastated but I still had PENN STATE WRESTLING TO FALL BACK ON!!!!!! Today, you can find me in ROWS H AND G REC HALL.!!!!!Season ticket holder for years. Spend much of my time standing outside the weight room at Rec Hall and DOWN IN THE WRESTLING ROOM.....teaching kids how to beat NICO, giving Cael and the rest of the coaching staff advice and scrolling the Internet (with my thumbs of course) looking for "BUY 2 FOR THE PRICE OF 1" DEALS ON PSU GEAR!!!!!!!!

YOU GUYS ARE GREAT!!!!! LOVE THIS BOARD!!!!!! Gotta run though. Need to send out my weekly email to the coaching staff. GO LIONS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

!! !!

SIGNED
SPYKER

 

[98lberEating2Lunches]

My not yet Hall of Fame coach, Steve DeAugustino, asked prepubecent me in 10th grade to come out for wrestling. I guess he was impressed by my dodgeball skills and ability to hand-over-hand that rope to the ceiling, because I never had wrestled before (except as required in gym class).

They always need 98lbers, I guess. I never cut weight or even had to use any late season allowance. I stuck it out the year and even won a JV match. I still have the Booster Club program from '79 in the sports memorabilia section of my man cave.

I gained 20lbs a year for the next three years, and decided to give intramurals at University Park a go my 'true freshman' year. Somehow I won my first match in the old dirty South Gym (now Lorenzo Center). I remember two things about that match: 1) being called for stalling on top a couple times, and 2) having to rest on a bench near Pattee on my walk back to East Halls, thinking I was either going to puke or die. Then and there I decided to forfeit my next match.

I graduated BSEE in '85. While at PSU, I remember not that many fans in the stands. Students sat in the center of the North section.

After working in the defense industry and for the government for over 36 years, I'm all set to retire before I turn 59 (wife doing same). We've lived in Central Maryland the whole time. It takes me about 2 3/4 hours to drive to Penn State without traffic.

I bought a seated ticket in January 2011, (before the first championship), so I don't consider myself one who has jumped on the bandwagon. Season tickets weren't sold out then.

I am an NLC, NLWC, and PSWC member. I go to a few wrestling matches a year, standing room only based on NLC early offer. I went to Big 10s in Columbus with an tOSU alum. I predicted Morgan could beat Kyle and still have a pic of the final score. I also went to St. Louis that "punt" year for NCAAs, and Madison Square Garden and Pittsburgh afterwards.

Shortly after Cael was hired I went to a merchandise signing just to welcome him and his wife to the area. As an afterthought, I got a hat and shirt and magnet signed as well. My sweat erased his hat signature, so I had to get another for the man cave.

My avatar is a limited edition Cael Sanderson PSU Christmas ornament. My brother got it for me, because he likes to kid Cael is my mancrush.

 

[dunkej01]

My not yet Hall of Fame coach, Steve DeAugustino, asked prepubecent me in 10th grade to come out for wrestling. I guess he was impressed by my dodgeball skills and ability to hand-over-hand that rope to the ceiling, because I never had wrestled before (except as required in gym class).

They always need 98lbers, I guess. I never cut weight or even had to use any late season allowance. I stuck it out the year and even won a JV match. I still have the Booster Club program from '79 in the sports memorabilia section of my man cave.

I gained 20lbs a year for the next three years, and decided to give intramurals at University Park a go my 'true freshman' year. Somehow I won my first match in the old dirty South Gym (now Lorenzo Center). I remember two things about that match: 1) being called for stalling on top a couple times, and 2) having to rest on a bench near Pattee on my walk back to East Halls, thinking I was either going to puke or die. Then and there I decided to forfeit my next match.

I graduated BSEE in '85. While at PSU, I remember not that many fans in the stands. Students sat in the center of the North section.

After working in the defense industry and for the government for over 36 years, I'm all set to retire before I turn 59 (wife doing same). We've lived in Central Maryland the whole time. It takes me about 2 3/4 hours to drive to Penn State without traffic.

I bought a seated ticket in January 2011, (before the first championship), so I don't consider myself one who has jumped on the bandwagon. Season tickets weren't sold out then.

I am an NLC, NLWC, and PSWC member. I go to a few wrestling matches a year, standing room only based on NLC early offer. I went to Big 10s in Columbus with an tOSU alum. I predicted Morgan could beat Kyle and still have a pic of the final score. I also went to St. Louis that "punt" year for NCAAs, and Madison Square Garden and Pittsburgh afterwards.

Shortly after Cael was hired I went to a merchandise signing just to welcome him and his wife to the area. As an afterthought, I got a hat and shirt and magnet signed as well. My sweat erased his hat signature, so I had to get another for the man cave.

My avatar is a limited edition Cael Sanderson PSU Christmas ornament. My brother got it for me, because he likes to kid Cael is my mancrush.

Where at in CM? Will you be going to the PSU v MD game?

 

[98lberEating2Lunches]

Where at in CM? Will you be going to the PSU v MD game?

South of Westminster but with Westminster address. I didn't buy an away game ticket for MD. Currently, I'm not planning to go.

I do have season football tickets (2) and hockey (4). I split the latter with a brother and a friend (both PSU alums whose sons play hockey).

 

[dunkej01]

South of Westminster but with Westminster address. I didn't buy an away game ticket for MD. Currently, I'm not planning to go.

I do have season football tickets (2) and hockey (4). I split the latter with a brother and a friend (both PSU alums whose sons play hockey).

I'm in mt airy but live right inside the boarder of Montgomery co.

If you ever get south send a note.

 

[amattaro]

My not yet Hall of Fame coach, Steve DeAugustino, asked prepubecent me in 10th grade to come out for wrestling.

 

[98lberEating2Lunches]

I'm in mt airy but live right inside the boarder of Montgomery co.

If you ever get south send a note.

Your real close. Wife likes to eat at Mt. Airy Tavern from time to time. I prefer Carter 'Cue myself. Maybe we can car pool to PSU some time.

I should have more free time come 2022.

 

[98lberEating2Lunches]

It's okay to be a late bloomer. Good things come to those who wait. (I'm the anti-JTS.)

 

[baccafarmer]

Well, it's after 0300 and I can't sleep (again). 32 years of shift work in law enforcement has taken its toll on my sleep patterns. Since I'm up and have nothing better to do, I thought I'd start a new thread,

On a separate note, I have truly enjoyed the last ten years or so I have been following this Forum. I find it is my go-to happy place, much like comfort food and sweets

Well . . this has been a hoot to read all
The mini- bios of those who haunt the Wrestling Room. Thanks Psalm for the interesting nudge! I’m 72 (PSU 70) and never wrestled. I played Lacrosse 67-70 at PSU and had a room mate on the wrestling team. My sister coached 2 sports at PSU and gave me a place to crash after matches in Rec Hall throughout the 70’s. I’m a long time season ticket holder and even commuted 465 miles each way (Bristol, Va/Tn) to most matches in the 1993 to 2005 seasons. I was lucky enough to retire in 2005 and ended up buying a house in “Vortex”. Today I split my time between State College and a working farm in far southwestern VA. I’m also a wrestling season ticket holder at Virginia Tech ($60/year) and Appy State. Just like all the rest of you lucky SOB’s .... I’m just livin on Cael’s planet .... and enjoying the ride to world domination.

 

[Psalm 1 guy]

Good stuff guys! Since most of you have given your bios and I never did, here goes. I grew up on the Oregon Coast in the North Bend/Coos Bay area. My sister's house in Coos Bay is about half a mile from Marshfield High, where Travis Wittlake went to school. Her house is also only two homes away from where Steve Prefontaine grew up. I wrestled two years JUCO and made it to Nationals one year where I went 1-1. I then transferred to Southern Oregon University where I wrestled for a year. I never wrestled my senior year because I had lost my joy for the sport.

I moved to San Diego to join SDPD in 1987 and retired in 2019. I have a 15-year-old daughter and a 25-year-old daughter who is getting her Doctorate in Chemistry at Baylor University. I am one of those fans who started following Penn State in 2011. I had not followed wrestling for years other than to watch the occasional NCAA Finals broadcast on TV. It was about 2010 or 2011 that I started following wrestling online. I soon read about some undefeated freshman named David Taylor and the rest is history! I consider myself a PSU fan not solely because of their success, but also for the way they wrestle and the character of the wrestlers I have seen come through the program. I am consistently impressed with the character of not only Penn State wrestlers, but wrestlers in general.

If any of you are ever in San Diego on vacation or business, I am sincere in inviting you to stay at my home if lodging is ever an issue. I have a beautiful home on eight acres that sits up against the Cleveland National Forest. And as an added benefit, I am only a 15 minute drive from San Diego Safari Park, which used to be called the Wild Animal Park. Thanks again to all of you who make this Forum so enjoyable.

 

[PSU Mike]

Good stuff guys! Since most of you have given your bios and I never did, here goes. I grew up on the Oregon Coast in the North Bend/Coos Bay area. My sister's house in Coos Bay is about half a mile from Marshfield High, where Travis Wittlake went to school. Her house is also only two homes away from where Steve Prefontaine grew up. I wrestled two years JUCO and made it to Nationals one year where I went 1-1. I then transferred to Southern Oregon University where I wrestled for a year. I never wrestled my senior year because I had lost my joy for the sport.

I moved to San Diego to join SDPD in 1987 and retired in 2019. I have a 15-year-old daughter and a 25-year-old daughter who is getting her Doctorate in Chemistry at Baylor University. I am one of those fans who started following Penn State in 2011. I had not followed wrestling for years other than to watch the occasional NCAA Finals broadcast on TV. It was about 2010 or 2011 that I started following wrestling online. I soon read about some undefeated freshman named David Taylor and the rest is history! I consider myself a PSU fan not solely because of their success, but also for the way they wrestle and the character of the wrestlers I have seen come through the program. I am consistently impressed with the character of not only Penn State wrestlers, but wrestlers in general.

If any of you are ever in San Diego on vacation or business, I am sincere in inviting you to stay at my home if lodging is ever an issue. I have a beautiful home on eight acres that sits up against the Cleveland National Forest. And as an added benefit, I am only a 15 minute drive from San Diego Safari Park, which used to be called the Wild Animal Park. Thanks again to all of you who make this Forum so enjoyable.

Love the OR coast for FFing for coastal cutts!

 

[js8793]

Just thought of something fun to add to mine. In my first year of wrestling in 7th grade, my coach told me on a friday to tune into ESPN the next night to watch the NCAA finals. I remembered a little late, but ran up to my parents bedroom to put it on because they were watching their tv shows in the living room.

The first college wrestling match I ever watched...Caldwell-Metcalf.

Not sure what's wrong with my brain chemistry that I ended up a die-hard hawkeye fan after that lol. I really fell in love with the team the next year, especially McDonough and Borschel.

 

[PSU Mike]

Just thought of something fun to add to mine. In my first year of wrestling in 7th grade, my coach told me on a friday to tune into ESPN the next night to watch the NCAA finals. I remembered a little late, but ran up to my parents bedroom to put it on because they were watching their tv shows in the living room.

The first college wrestling match I ever watched...Caldwell-Metcalf.

Not sure what's wrong with my brain chemistry that I ended up a die-hard hawkeye fan after that lol. I really fell in love with the team the next year, especially McDonough and Borschel.

You need to get to the coveted aches and pains phase of life 🙃

 

[CropDuster507]

Damn kayfabe really is dead.

 

[zzs006]

So I’m 44 and live in Portland, OR now but grew up in Colorado. My father loved wrestling so got me started at 5 years old. I fell in love with it right away. Was a 4 time state placer in HS taking 4th, 3rd, 2nd, and 2nd. Heartbreaking losing my senior year in state finals in double overtime. Took 3rd at hs nationals with Eric Guerrero winning my weight. Went to Ohio University on a partial wrestling scholarship. Had some health issues and took a couple years off. Went back to a Div 2 school and took 3rd in the country my final year. Fought mma for a bit afterwards but wrestling is my favorite sport and I still follow it religiously. My claim to fame is that I wrestled Cael and his brother Cole in HS. Cael and I wrestled at 119 lbs! He won obviously but it was fairly close. 7-3 I think. Being from CO I saw the Sanderson family multiple times a year at different tournaments. Wonderful family then who truly lived by the things they now preach to their wrestlers. Followed Cael’s career and became a PSU fan because of him. I absolutely love seeing that many on this forum didn’t wrestle at all. Speaks volumes to me about how great this sport truly is!

 

[creamery freak]

I'm 62 and retired 19 months ago from County Corrections, where I was a work crew foreman at the Pre-Release center. I had an interesting job training inmates how to build and maintain things. It can be kind of mind boggling when a 20 something kid/man has never mowed grass in his life, and you've been doing it since you were 11. My favorite story from work came when we were working at the County Farm. I had 3 residents along with myself weed whacking. I asked the one guy to weed whack around the barn. I returned about 10 minutes later and he was where I had originally left him, looking kind of perplexed. I asked him what was wrong and he asked me, which one is the barn? I really believe that God put me in the right job because I always treated the residents like I would want to be treated.

I attended the Williamsport Area Community College, which is now Penn College in 80-82. I had several different construction and sales jobs, until I settled in with the County in 99. I did wrestle in elementary school and junior high, but had a growth spurt in 9th grade and switched to basketball. I always enjoyed watching wrestling in and after high school. My entire family are huge PSU any sports fans, and I had several cousins that graduated from PSU. Our Family had season football tickets from the late 70's to the early 2000's. I got season wrestling tickets in 2012, with my sister and it has been fantastic. I actually get more excited about wrestling season than football season anymore. It's been great getting to know more about the guys on this forum and I appreciate your passion for wrestling.

Psalm 1 guy, I had an Aunt & Uncle that we visited in San Diego back around 70. He lived a block or two from Balboa Park, which was pretty close to the San Diego Zoo. My Uncle used to jog in the am, and I went with him and he ran through the Park and then by the Zoo. I was wondering if that would be close to you? Great thread, Thanx!

 

[Psalm 1 guy]

You need to get to the coveted aches and pains phase of life 🙃

Speaking of pains, I thought I just saw a small piece of bark on my master bathroom floor, but my eyes aren't what they used to be. As I went to pick it up the "bark" attached itself to me and stung my finger, causing immediate intense pain. It was a scorpion! I flung my hand to try to detach it, sending the scorpion who knows where. It took my wife and I about 20 minutes to find it. There is no way we could have slept peacefully tonight if we didn't find it! Anyway, like I said earlier, my home is always available if you need a nice safe place to stay P.S. Fortunately scorpions out here don't produce too many adverse effects if you get stung unless you are allergic, and so far I'd guess I'm not!

 

[Psalm 1 guy]

I'm 62 and retired 19 months ago from County Corrections, where I was a work crew foreman at the Pre-Release center. I had an interesting job training inmates how to build and maintain things. It can be kind of mind boggling when a 20 something kid/man has never mowed grass in his life, and you've been doing it since you were 11. My favorite story from work came when we were working at the County Farm. I had 3 residents along with myself weed whacking. I asked the one guy to weed whack around the barn. I returned about 10 minutes later and he was where I had originally left him, looking kind of perplexed. I asked him what was wrong and he asked me, which one is the barn? I really believe that God put me in the right job because I always treated the residents like I would want to be treated.

I attended the Williamsport Area Community College, which is now Penn College in 80-82. I had several different construction and sales jobs, until I settled in with the County in 99. I did wrestle in elementary school and junior high, but had a growth spurt in 9th grade and switched to basketball. I always enjoyed watching wrestling in and after high school. My entire family are huge PSU any sports fans, and I had several cousins that graduated from PSU. Our Family had season football tickets from the late 70's to the early 2000's. I got season wrestling tickets in 2012, with my sister and it has been fantastic. I actually get more excited about wrestling season than football season anymore. It's been great getting to know more about the guys on this forum and I appreciate your passion for wrestling.

Psalm 1 guy, I had an Aunt & Uncle that we visited in San Diego back around 70. He lived a block or two from Balboa Park, which was pretty close to the San Diego Zoo. My Uncle used to jog in the am, and I went with him and he ran through the Park and then by the Zoo. I was wondering if that would be close to you? Great thread, Thanx!

Actually no. The zoo is downtown. The Safari Park is affiliated with the San Diego Zoo, but is about 30 miles away. To put the two in perspective, the San Diego Zoo is 100 acres and the Safari Park is 1800 acres. It is great to see the animals in a more natural environment.

 

[Dogwelder]

I’m 53. I am an accidental wrestler. My high school in California was starting a new wrestling team, and the new young coach was prowling the campus looking for savage looking individuals. Naturally, he came to talk to … my best friend, who was on the football team and had been all-star in every sport all his life. In contrast, I was the world’s biggest (100-pound) nerd, who had never played any organized sport. Just to be polite, since I was standing right there, the coach included me in the invitation to come join the team. I wrestled 10-12th grades and was mediocre. My friend went to State(s) and got a couple of wins there, which I think was pretty good in California for a guy who only wrestled three years. Anyhow, my great coach and the sport of wrestling changed the entire trajectory of who I was going to become. I was just a nerdy wise-ass with no confidence, and now I’m a nerdy wise-ass with too much confidence.

I went on to study engineering and work in high tech. My wife and I have a son and daughter, both not yet in college. They both tried wrestling and dropped it in favor of other activities.

I enjoy this forum very much. You are a great group of human beings!

Psalm 1 guy offers his mansion to you guys. I can’t do that because I don’t have that kind of house. What I do have is a framework and system for effective non-fiction communication, that my kids and I have developed through homeschooling and through debate and through workplace experiences. If a small number of you (non-lurker) guys have an important memo or presentation to do that could mean the difference between promotion or no promotion, ask me if I have time to review it. If I have time, I can tell you the merits of a nonfiction document or presentation according to a complete framework, better than any writing coach or debate coach or debate judge my kids have ever encountered. (For free, of course. I’m not a professional writing coach, just an enthusiast. )

 

[Cali_Nittany]

Just thought of something fun to add to mine. In my first year of wrestling in 7th grade, my coach told me on a friday to tune into ESPN the next night to watch the NCAA finals. I remembered a little late, but ran up to my parents bedroom to put it on because they were watching their tv shows in the living room.

The first college wrestling match I ever watched...Caldwell-Metcalf.

Not sure what's wrong with my brain chemistry that I ended up a die-hard hawkeye fan after that lol. I really fell in love with the team the next year, especially McDonough and Borschel.

No one's perfect.

 

[Cali_Nittany]

This is why BWI is the bestest wrestling forum in the entire world. Thanks @Psalm 1 guy for starting this incredible thread. I love to hear about people's stories and backgrounds! Maybe because I've always been a geography and history nerd.

I lived and breathed basketball growing up. All you needed was a ball and a park with a court (I grew up on the other side of the tracks). I didn't really get into wrestling until my freshman year at Penn State (1991). For the PE requirement, I took "jogging". Jogging in parenthesis because the instructor was Hachiro Oishi.

After a semester of running stairs at Beaver Stadium and doing wind sprints in the middle of a 4 mile run, I was in the best shape of my life. As a cool down after our runs, Hachiro would show us wrestling moves. He'd pick a victim for the instruction and then have everyone pair up to practice the takedown, throw or turn that he picked for the day.

I have four boys and son #3 has picked up wrestling and will be a HS freshman. The kid is a honey badger and I'm looking forward to watching his matches. (@82bordeaux , 5 daughters! No wonder you have a good sense of humor.)

 

[82bordeaux]

The first college wrestling match I ever watched...Caldwell-Metcalf.

Not sure what's wrong with my brain chemistry that I ended up a die-hard hawkeye fan after that lol.

You clearly had an aversion to well executed back flips! Thanks for sharing your story.

 

[Reslo]

I picked up wrestling in junior high, after moving to central PA from Northern Wales. I might be one of the few immigrants on this board! Now I'm mid 40's, living just outside Philly and working as a scientific researcher.

I didn't like wrestling much when I started, but I gave it shot because my first friends after coming to the States were wrestlers and they convinced me that I'd be a good fit for it.

They were wrong.

My parents were also very encouraging, wonderful people they are. But still, I was terrible at first, and really wanted to give it up. But a chance encounter with Mr. Sanshiro Abe changed it all. It was my freshman year, and our team regularly practiced at Rec Hall on Sundays. I got paired up with Sonny for some drills and in the process of fighting off a litany of outside singles, he taught me so much about technique, positioning, and mindset. Told me not to quit, not to give up, where to place my feet, how to generate power. Keep learning and allow yourself time to improve, he'd say. I never forgot those words of advice, especially the 'time to improve' suggestion, and it meant a lot to me that Sonny would take time out of rigorous schedule to roll around with an undersized, uncoordinated patsy.

His advice allowed me to stick with it and become decent enough to wrestle in college (although I was never a starter), and I've been a PSU fan ever since.

Wrestling has afforded me the opportunity to visit lots of cities I'd normally never go to (looking at you, St. Louis), and I have gotten to meet David Taylor, Brandon Slay (at a taco stand in Pittsburgh!), Cenzo, and several other amazing wrestlers and fans. I do love the camaraderie of the sport, and I hope to continue to post on the board for a long time.

 

[johnstownsteel]

No one's perfect.

Well there is Cael...

Just sayn.

 

[seeyajohn]

During my senior year at Penn State the head football coach was Rip Engle and the wrestling coach was Charlie Spiedel. The sports that filled Rec Hall were wrestling and men’s gymnastics. I never had the guts to wrestle with my only sports participation coming in baseball at Behrend in my home town of Erie. My only real recollection of watching wrestling at PSU was a match between Bob Haney and Mike Johnson of Pitt. Haney came up with a great move to tie Johnson 2-2.

My interest in the sport continued as a teacher and administrator in high schools in Ohio and Illinois. First at Eastlake North in Ohio which had strong teams that competed against the Maple Heights dynasty of Mike Milkovich. It continued in Illinois attending several state tournaments following Richards High School which was coached by Tom Heniff. Heniff, it turned out, had wrestled for Pitt and won the match preceding the Haney-Johnson bout!

In case you haven’t done the math, I am 78 years of age. When I left education for a career in finance, I lost contact for several years with the sport. When one of my son’s took up the sport in high school, he and I began attending NCAA tournaments. In the late 80s and early 90s you could just walk up to the window and buy tickets. While we rooted hard for Penn State in those glory days of Iowa, it was not easy to follow the sport from our home in Dallas, TX. My biggest memory of those NCAA tournaments was getting so upset with the Sunderland-Steiner final that I walked out of the tournament. I still think he was robbed!

Since retiring in 2004, my wife and I have been living in a motorhome and traveling throughout the United States, Canada, and a bit of Mexico. Thanks to the introduction of Flo it became much easier to see matches and follow the team. Since we winter in Florida my only opportunity to see the team live has been the Southern Scuffle, which became an annual drive for a few years. My favorite Scuffle year was the year that Bo, Jason and Nick red shirted. It was obvious then that more big things were ahead!

 

[82bordeaux]

During my senior year at Penn State the head football coach was Rip Engle and the wrestling coach was Charlie Spiedel. The sports that filled Rec Hall were wrestling and men’s gymnastics. I never had the guts to wrestle with my only sports participation coming in baseball at Behrend in my home town of Erie. My only real recollection of watching wrestling at PSU was a match between Bob Haney and Mike Johnson of Pitt. Haney came up with a great move to tie Johnson 2-2.

My interest in the sport continued as a teacher and administrator in high schools in Ohio and Illinois. First at Eastlake North in Ohio which had strong teams that competed against the Maple Heights dynasty of Mike Milkovich. It continued in Illinois attending several state tournaments following Richards High School which was coached by Tom Heniff. Heniff, it turned out, had wrestled for Pitt and won the match preceding the Haney-Johnson bout!

In case you haven’t done the math, I am 78 years of age. When I left education for a career in finance, I lost contact for several years with the sport. When one of my son’s took up the sport in high school, he and I began attending NCAA tournaments. In the late 80s and early 90s you could just walk up to the window and buy tickets. While we rooted hard for Penn State in those glory days of Iowa, it was not easy to follow the sport from our home in Dallas, TX. My biggest memory of those NCAA tournaments was getting so upset with the Sunderland-Steiner final that I walked out of the tournament. I still think he was robbed!

Since retiring in 2004, my wife and I have been living in a motorhome and traveling throughout the United States, Canada, and a bit of Mexico. Thanks to the introduction of Flo it became much easier to see matches and follow the team. Since we winter in Florida my only opportunity to see the team live has been the Southern Scuffle, which became an annual drive for a few years. My favorite Scuffle year was the year that Bo, Jason and Nick red shirted. It was obvious then that more big things were ahead!

You wouldn't recognize Behrend any more!
Where do you winter in Florida?

 

[mjmirv]

I am a wrestler at Thompson High School who has just turned 18 and decided that I need to do something truly meaningful in my life. Ive embarked on a mission or, in a Native American term, a vision quest, to drop two weight classes to challenge the area's toughest opponent, Brian Shute, a menacing three-time state champion from nearby rival Hoover High School, who has never been defeated in his high school career. In my zeal to drop from 190 pounds to 168 pounds, against the wishes of my coach and teammates, I have disrupted the team around me and created health problems of his own.

Meanwhile, my father has taken on a boarder named Carla from Trenton, New Jersey, passing through on her way to San Francisco. I’ve fallen in love with her and begin to lose sight of my goals as a wrestler. Worse, my drastic weight loss culminates in an unhealthy situation where I get frequent nosebleeds which, I assume, is due to a lack of iron in my diet (which costs me a match that I should have won). The two of us finally admit our love for each other, but Carla realizes she is distracting me from my goals. She decides to move out and continue on to San Francisco, but not before seeing my big match in which I pin Shute in the final seconds with a hip throw after suffering a nose bleed.

 

[7brwnpsu]

Good stuff guys! Since most of you have given your bios and I never did, here goes. I grew up on the Oregon Coast in the North Bend/Coos Bay area. My sister's house in Coos Bay is about half a mile from Marshfield High, where Travis Wittlake went to school. Her house is also only two homes away from where Steve Prefontaine grew up. I wrestled two years JUCO and made it to Nationals one year where I went 1-1. I then transferred to Southern Oregon University where I wrestled for a year. I never wrestled my senior year because I had lost my joy for the sport.

I moved to San Diego to join SDPD in 1987 and retired in 2019. I have a 15-year-old daughter and a 25-year-old daughter who is getting her Doctorate in Chemistry at Baylor University. I am one of those fans who started following Penn State in 2011. I had not followed wrestling for years other than to watch the occasional NCAA Finals broadcast on TV. It was about 2010 or 2011 that I started following wrestling online. I soon read about some undefeated freshman named David Taylor and the rest is history! I consider myself a PSU fan not solely because of their success, but also for the way they wrestle and the character of the wrestlers I have seen come through the program. I am consistently impressed with the character of not only Penn State wrestlers, but wrestlers in general.

If any of you are ever in San Diego on vacation or business, I am sincere in inviting you to stay at my home if lodging is ever an issue. I have a beautiful home on eight acres that sits up against the Cleveland National Forest. And as an added benefit, I am only a 15 minute drive from San Diego Safari Park, which used to be called the Wild Animal Park. Thanks again to all of you who make this Forum so enjoyable.

Psalm, we tend not to mention Travis Wittlake around here or any others that get off the hook before they are in the boat. 😉

As a former high school distance runner, Steve Prefontaine was the man.

I looked at my calendar and I'm free for the period between the Big Tens ( also known as the warmup tournament) and Nationals. Thanks for the housing offer! Getting a little tired of Bordeaux's Cottage and hearing Stand with Pride doing metal working at 3:00 am.

 

[7brwnpsu]

Psalm, just caught up reading. Saw your post about the scorpion. I have to cancel my "reservation". When I said I'd be in the area it was actually Ohio. I'll stay in Western Pennsylvania for now. Thanks for the offer.

 

[Rhino80]

I wrestled for Benton back in the day. I placed twice at State (6th, 4th). I had some offers to wrestle at a few D2 offers but decided to go in the Marine Corps. Once in the Corps I found out what Greco was. Wrestled 4 cycles on the Marine Corp team without many notable results. After 9/11 my wrestling days were over. Now I coach youth wrestling and my son is way better than I ever was. We are actually in the process of moving across country, back to PA, somewhat for family and somewhat for wrestling. The boy will be wrestling JH for Benton this upcoming season.

 

[dclark145]

Really appreciate this as a daily reader and rare poster! It's cool to put stories to the usernames.

I started wrestling in 9th grade in Philly after the coach gave us a quick seminar at the end of 8th grade. I was soft and unathletic, but the team really took me in, so I stuck with it. Made varsity the next year, but never did too much beyond winning a match at regionals. I was able to go to Fargo up a weight class and went 0-2. Rough week, but had a ton of fun, especially at the gear marketplace outside! Got a pair of shoes stolen, haha.

I had a terrible weight cut at Junior Freestyle Duals in Oklahoma City my senior year and really lost the love for the sport. Originally went to PSU to try to walk-on to the team and hopefully wrestle for Puerto Rico, but found out about the club team on campus and promptly gained 50 pounds and switched over. Had a lot of fun there, made some good friends, got to explore other parts of life, and started working as a photographer for the Big Ten Network. Was able to parlay that into a freelancing career out here in Chicago. Prior to COVID, I was planning on trying to become a wrestling photojournalist, but it's really hard to crack into the field with so few points of entry. Hopefully some day! I really miss covering wrestling.

I have a lot of 'what-if's' about going to Penn State, but I don't regret it one bit. Ed Ruth came to a PAL practice in Philly and someone had printed out a thread on TheMat about me asking about walking on, and he told me to look Coach Cael in the eyes and say "I'm going to wrestle for you!" I never got to actually meet Cael during the walk-on process, so I didn't get to do that lol, but it was pretty cool talking to the coaches and meeting other students walking on to other sports. I coached at a local high school for a year when I first moved and it was the most fulfilled I've felt in wrestling, so I'm glad I didn't keep forcing myself to compete. Would really like to get back to coaching one day once work allows it.

 

[kingslayer_85]

PSALM this is a great thread and appreciate it. Wonder how many of us are one or two degrees separated . I am 53 wrestled jr and high school in berks county was ok , neither terrible or great. Wrestled a couple years DII win nothing notable , got interrupted by social scene at college . Now live in NJ working in NYC and coached the last 6 years or so in local rec club, one of our guys is currently on the Columbia Wresting team ( have to think Tikk knows him). Love hearing all the guys who wrestled in PA back in the 80's , I myself followed Penn State ever since I was in high school along with all the other PA schools. My interest in Penn State took off based on my brother covering the wrestling team for the school paper when he attended PSU in the late 80's / early 90's

 

[seeyajohn]

You wouldn't recognize Behrend any more!
Where do you winter in Florida?

Dunedin. In the Tampa Bay area.

 

[androcles]

…gotta “fess-up”… I’m 89 and still feeling rather healthy, thanks to an Aortic Valve replacement a couple of years ago…
…I never wrestled…I was a swimmer for Edinboro my freshman year and that’s where I saw my first wrestling match…
…when I arrived at Penn State my sophomore year I pledged DU and met a slew of athletes including the Maurey brothers - Don and Jerry - who introduced me to Charlie (Doc) Speidel - the head wrestling coach. Charlie had no children - his teams were his children. I became a manager for him and served 3 years - over that time Penn State went undefeated in dual meets, won 3 straight EIWA titles and the NCAA title my Senior year … the first title for PSU and the first Eastern team to win it. It should be noted that back then the NCAA title was almost an impossible accomplishment for Eastern teams who typically sent only individual EIWA champions to the NCAA tournament- because of the cost of transportation back then. The tournament was most often held in the mid-West. Charlie recognized the future strength of his early 50’s team and persuaded the PSU Athletic Department to host the 1953 NCAA ‘s where he was able to enter almost a full team - and the rest is history!
Over the ensuing 68 years I have maintained a very close relationship with the teams and coaches …. though somewhat less the last 10 years as the attention to a growing family - 4 children, 8 grand children and 8 great grand children (a 9th is on the way) have taken up more of my attention, and rightly so.
I have been able to attend 57 NCAA tournaments where many old friends gather year after year - though the numbers are starting to decline noticeably. That’s why this venue is so important in providing a place to talk over past history and look forward to the new history that is being written every year.