Truly inspiring Ben Randolph! Thank you for sharing.

Wow and OMG, I can't believe it.
Thank you Ben for sharing.

Those of you who follow the forum regularly already know how I feel about Ben Randolph. Not only is he one of the most entertaining and most exciting wrestlers there is to watch, he is one of the coolest, friendliest, most personable, most respectful, most genuine kids I have ever met.

I cannot think of any scenario that prevents a kid like Ben from wrestling at state his senior year. Quite simply put, Ben Randolph is a great kid. His parents are great as well. It makes me sick to think about that being my son. Surely there were some extenuating circumstances that could have made the consequence, for whatever action that precipitated this, just a little bit more forgiving. I know that I don't have the facts and I cannot just pass judgement but I am saddened non the less.

My thoughts and prayers have always been and will continue to be with Ben and his family. I wish you the best and I am confident that whetever Ben decides to do he will be successful. He will be a positive and productive member of society that we can all be proud of.

Ben,

It took alot of courage to share. It sounds like you are on the right path. Just know that the road is long, narrow, and sometimes lonely- but the experiences you have had wrestling will help you walk it.

When times get tough- just get back on that line!

Good luck!

Kale Mann

#13. We have a group of individuals here in the state of Kansas working to increase the collegiate wrestling opportunities in Kansas. For info read below!

As a mushy,wrestling mom, this post brought me to tears. You must be an amazing young man. Your parents, I am sure, are very proud of you. To handle the situation as you did, is very mature and heartwarming. I don't know you, but it makes me proud, too.
The love wrestlers show for their fellow teammates, coaches and managers is unlike any other sport.
I see great success in your future.
Good luck to you in college.

Let me start by saying that I believe many of us get caught up in the moment. Whether it is a post on the talk form, at a dual or tournament, or just gossip we have heard , and may or may not be engaged in. We all need to remember this is about all the young men and women who make the choice and sacrifice to participate in the sport of wrestling. Some for many years and others just a short time. It is about ALL of them, the GOOD, the BAD and the UGLY. And their love for the sport.

We need to acknowledge them all, because without them, what would we have to talk about, agree and disagree about. From the 1-win varsity wrestler, that steps on the mat every week in hopes for one more win, to the State Champ.

These are young adults, with way to many influences in they lives at their age, both good and bad. It does not take much of a slip-up by one of these young people to have their hopes and dreams crushed. But this is life and this is how we all learn and grow. Their TRUE greatness is how they come back from adversity, both on and off the mat. Win or loose, they have won at life by just being apart of the sport.

Being parents and coaches, we go into every match just as the wrestler does, knowing we have a chance today to win the match and possibly the tournament. But we also know in the back of our minds we could loose just as easy. Yet we continue to go to every match, tournament, and season in the hunt, just as excited. Isn’t it GREAT! The passion displayed by all involved. If anyone can ever attend an event and not get fired-up, then you really are not part of wrestling. The wrestlers are as much a part of our lives as we are theirs.

We as the parents, coaches, family and friends, need to let all the wrestlers know how much we appreciate their contribution to the wrestling community.

Good luck to all, today, tomorrow and in the future!

@BenRandolph I wish you the best of Luck Next year! Your A good wrestler I have seen your two Matches against Lynch from Lawrence even though you didn't win you never gave up, I also saw you at JV League Coaching a Kid on your Team. Even though he wasn't doing to well you just kept coaching him and after he lost it look like you gave him some good tips and put a little spark in his eye.

Luke is one of the most even keel wrestlers that I have ever been around. His emotions don't swing too far to the left or too far to the right. Great wrestler, even better young man (I would bet he is pretty solid in the classroom as well).

Some positive things I could comment on would be:

I remember Luke Henes showing up to freestyle practice where there was no one there his size and just staying and practicing his throws on the dummy. His dedication has paid off.

Two other good stories would be come-backs from injuries to make state - Aberle from Sabetha and Landoll from Marysville.

Watching my son get to hang-out again with Dalton Rodd and Nick Meck, old teammates from different Kansas dual teams. And, watching another one, Trey Francka consoul my son after a loss at regionals.

The 2 seniors on our team, out for their 1st year of wrestling, staying thru the season while getting pounded.

The graduates who came back to support their ex-teammates.

Then, the way the kids at Sabetha wrestled for their coach at regionals at what could be his 2nd to last tourney at the school.

The thing that really struck me were the kids at regionals, the kids that knew they would probably lose their first match the next day, jumping rope to make weight. It was just for pride, nothing more. Maybe that is what wrestling is really about.

Finally, in a week we can start talking about Freestyle/Greco!!! My son might get a week off, Na....

Lee, you and your family are a bright spot in this sport. Glad we got to know you, your awesome wife and family during those years at STA Kids Club.

We'll be cheering on Garrett this weekend!

Sharon,

You don't have to make up stuff just because I did:-] I will be cheering on Luke this weekend as well. I remember the first time I watched him wrestle in Manhattan (Garrett's first open tournament) when I thought the cream of the crop from STA in Garrett's weight class was Menzel. That is when Coach Bob G. pointed out that there was a better STA wrestler. Luke got 2nd I believe, Garrett went two and out.

Coach Bob said that we were welcome to come to an STA practice and there were a lot of scrappy wrestlers around his age and weight. The rest is history.

I read this article every year at the start and the end of the season. Helps keep everything in perspective for me. If you google it you can find it. Good luck to everyone this weekend.

Bronson Star

From "My Own Veritas"

A father’s letter to his son
i
I wrote this after a disappointing tournament when my son was 9 years old. I wrote it as a way to ease my emotions and to also give myself some perspective of my own disappointment in my son’s performance. I’ve yet to give it to him, and I don’t know when or if I ever will, but I thought someone should read it.

To my son,

You had a tough time on the mat today and the ride home was pretty quiet. I admit I was very disappointed but I later came to realize that I shouldn’t be and that it is all part of the journey you are taking.

When I watch you on the mat I worry that you are doing battle while unprepared and that I have failed in your preparation. As a father that is my greatest fear, that you are unprepared to face the challenges that will come before you. I want you to be prepared for your match, but I’ve come to realize that it is the matches themselves that, are in the long run, win or lose, the things that ARE preparing you.

I think that the greatest benefit from wrestling is learning to face challenges and to demand the most from yourself. You learn to fight when you think there is no more fight left within you. You learn to get up after you’ve fallen, time and time again. You learn about sacrifice and about pain. You learn to endure and to overcome. This is what I want for you, not because I wrestled, but because these lessons are the true gifts of this sport. So, those losses today were actually part of this gift, and an important part of the journey.

My dream for you is to not just win championships and fill your room with medals. My dream for you is much greater and I hope you get much more from wrestling. I hope you learn to strive for greatness even if you fail in the attempt. I hope you learn to get up one more time when you think you can’t get up any longer. I hope you learn to not only face your fears, but to stare them down.

Wrestling isn’t about winning. It is about the desire to win. It isn’t about success, but rather the determination to succeed. I want you to succeed as a wrestler, not to win state championships, but I want you to be a successful wrestler so you learn to be all that you can. This sport can help teach you that, if you let it. I look forward to the seasons of our future as you go through these lessons and I’ll be in your corner for each and every one of them. I love you.

Dad

Bronson,
That was an awesome letter. Thanks for posting it. Good luck to your son this weekend.

Thank you and good luck to you too!