The Benefits of Wrestling:

Football has several physical benefits associated with wrestling. The coordination
associated with wrestling has enhanced the skills of many of today’s top professional
athletes. All Pro Linebacker, Ray Lewis is a former Florida State Champion. Miami
running back Ricky Williams, formerly from California, was a standout wrestler at his
high school and former world freestyle wrestling champion Stephen Neal is currently a
lineman for the New England Patriots. Stephen never played a down of college football.
The skills developed go hand in hand with the sport of football. Leverage, balance,
tackling, inside hands, level changes, and the ability to execute techniques with a low
center of gravity (a good stance) are a few of the skills taught and reinforced in the sport
of wrestling. In a Monday night game, color analyst John Madden gushed over a lineman
from the Houston Texans calling him a natural “knee bender” and further illustrated that
this favorable lineman quality was common with football players with wrestling
backgrounds. Carleton Haselrig won 3 National Titles in college wrestling. Even though
he did not play football, he was drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers. Within 3 years he was
an All-Pro Lineman.
Gymnastic movements are also developed when training wrestlers. The development
of kinesthetic awareness is a staple in any quality wrestling program. This coupled with
the muscular strength and endurance developed by wrestling provides participating young
men with a “leg up” on their competition. In my years of coaching I have seen several
athletes go from second to first team in their respective sports due to the benefits of
wrestling.
Wrestling also teaches athletes how to compete. When you watch a game of basketball,
football or soccer, you often see young kids, while on the field, taking plays off, or even
avoiding. In a one on one sport such as wrestling the athlete is forced by the nature of the
activity to engage with the opposition 100% of the time. It demands complete focus. In
wrestling the athlete must focus and compete all the time for if they do not, the match is
lost. Because of the characteristics specific to the sport of wrestling, young athletes
develop tenacity, persistence, and skills that carry over into their other sports arenas.
Wrestling teaches personal accountability. There is little room for blame when you are
the lone participant from your team competing at the time. How often have you heard
kids blame other people for the team’s loss (Coach, Teammates, and Officials)? This is
quite rare due to the individual component related to wrestling. This can be intimidating
at first, but over time becomes liberating. You can lose as a team and win your match,
and vice versa. The confidence that is not there at first because of the one on one nature
of the sport becomes to flourish with more experience. Challenges and risks which
require them to stand alone are not as daunting.
Because this is a football banquet, I have compiled a list of celebrities (mostly football
players) who not only have wrestled, but are grateful to the sport for how it helped them
to achieve greater heights in other areas of their lives. Also See attached letter from Bob
Stoops, Head Football Coach of the Oklahoma Sooners. Division 1A Football Champions
: See next page
 Abraham Donald Rumsfeld Walter Barnes Harris Barton Brad Benson
Lincoln Sec. of Defense 49ers
President
Fred Smerlas Tom Cousineua Tom Covert Roger Craig Larry Csonka
Bills Browns 49ers Dolphins
Curley Culp Dan Dierdorf Bill Fralic Eagles Bubba France Bill George
Cardinals
Charlie Getty Kevin Glover La’Roi Glover Bob Golic Mike Golic Eagles
Saints, Cowboys Raiders
Tim Green Archie Griffin Carlton Haselrig Ron Heller Chad Hennings
Falcons Steelers Dolphins Cowboys
Jay Dave Joyner Alex Karras Tim Krumrie Ernie Ladd
Hilgenberg Bengals
Ray Lewis Kirk Loudermilk Joel Mackovica Mark Chris McIntosh
Ravens McDonald
Jim Nance Lorenzo Neal Stephen Neal Jeremy Leo Nomellini
Syracuse Chargers Patriots Newberry
Chuck Noll Jonathan Ogden Irv Pankey Jim Plunkett Mike Pyle
Steelers Ravens Raiders
Mike Reid Errict Rhett Cory Tony Siragusa Dave Szott Chiefs
Ravens Schlessinger Colts/Ravens
Lions
Tiki Barker Bo Jackson Marvin Lewis Adam Vinateri Ashton Kucher
Giants Raiders Bengals Coach Patriots/Colts Actor
John Rowland Martin Lawrence Philip Seymour Tom Cruise Daniel Baldwin
Governor Actor/Comedian Hoffman Actor Actor
Ludacris Charles Moose Tedy Bruschi Rick Schroder Jay Leno
Rapper Police Chief Patriots Actor Actor/Comedian
Chuck Hagel Stephen Baldwin George Norman Al Franken
Actor Washington Schwarzkopf Actor/Comedian
1st President General
John McCain Bruce Willis John Roberts Roon Arlege Robin Williams
Senator Actor Chief Justice Ex. Producer, Actor/Comedian
TV Pres.
Howard Dean Tony Danza Dwight David Norman Borcaul
Politician Actor Eisenhower Chokachi Argonomist
Actor
Kirk Douglas Lincoln Chafee George John Irving
Actor Senator Stephanopoulos Novelist
Political Pundit

See more at: http://www.amiannoying.com/

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