CJ On-Line Article

Linwood's Sheets walks barefoot into wrestling retirement


























Adam Sacasa / The Capital-Journal

By Rick Peterson Jr.
The Capital-Journal
Published Sunday, July 13, 2008


Dean Sheets knew that wrestling in the Sunflower State Games might not have been the smartest thing he ever did, but the 81-year-old Linwood man was willing to give it a try anyway.

Sheets, who hadn't wrestled competitively since the 2001 Sunflower State Games, was one of about 200 participants in Saturday's event at Seaman.

Dean Sheets, 81, coaches one of his wrestlers on Saturday at Seaman High School. Sheets competed in the Sunflower State Games for the first time in seven years, winning the gold medal in his weight class and age division.

"I might not get off (the mat), but I'll get on," a smiling Sheets said before his first match.
And he did get on. But before he got off, he removed his shoes and set them on the mat, which in the wrestling world signals retirement.

Sheets was still smiling at the end of the day. The former Kansas State grappler — he competed for the Wildcats from 1949-52, placing as high as third in the Big Eight — won the gold medal in the 190-under weight class in the 50-and-over age division.

Sheets has been involved with Kids Wrestling since 1963 and coaches the DeSoto wrestling club, which brought several competitors to Saturday's SSG competition.
"I started the Linwood team in '65 and we went to the first kids tournament that Fritz Knorr had, and I've missed one state tournament since then," Sheets said.

Sheets said he was willing to compete one last time to identify with the kids he coaches.
"I still coach the kids so I thought I'd give it one more try. This is it," he said. "I (was) kind of iffy about it. I haven't been practicing too much."

Sheets provided the perfect ending. Following his gold-medal win, he removed his shoes and placed them on the mat to officially announce his retirement. The crowd roared.

And with that, Dean Sheets walked away a winner.