I have stayed out of a great deal of discussion for sometime on the issue of my son at Clearwater. As of Friday afternoon I can now clarify our situation as I hope to dispel, “rumors” from getting started, and those that have been going on as have been indicated to me via telephone calls, pm’s on message boards, emails and the like even in the last week.

Yes it is true that Nathan is at Clearwater, but until Friday afternoon it was possible that he would not remain there. Some time ago my family decided that our son needed a change and that change was more so for a smaller school. In the process of a number of things going on, I also realized the ministry I am a part of needed additional financial support, or we as a family needed additional finances. The ministry I am involved in does a lot of great work, but we receive very little money. In fact a very large percentage of what does come in, goes out in the form of ministry and helping others.

It has likely been noticed I am on here and other wrestling forums far less than in the past. The reason for is the lengthy requirements regarding my work, between 45-60 hours a week, with very little income. As a result of a number of things going on, I begin interviewing about two months ago at various places, including, Panama City Florida, Roswell New Mexico and others including the possibility of Clay Center. This last Thursday I conducted my third interview with a very well respected ministry in the Wichita area. I have been offered a position that will provide additional income to supplement my income and work with The Virtual Pew, plus allow the Virtual Pew to continue on fully in the capacity it has been going.

During this time, the first part of October, we obtained a home in the Clearwater area. We got a home 3X the size, on acreage on a small farm that we like for a few dollars more a month. This allowed us the option that if I accepted another job out of the area, my wife could finish her tenure year of teaching, allowing her some benefits that were fairly substantial, plus allow the transfer we felt our son needed. If something happened that we stayed in the area, it also gave us the option to consider purchase of the property.

I have heard some comment against Richard Salyer via pm’s and so forth regarding some of the comments on the forums. Let me make clear, I spoke specifically with Richard when this started being questioned, and Richard knew the facts prior to many people. Richard, I want to thank you openly and publicly for sharing the truth in limited fashion and out of respect for our family.

First to dispel rumors I was informed about twice last week. Nathan will be eligible to wrestle at Clearwater starting in January. We checked all of the rules on this, and assuming grades are in order, he don’t get beat out for a spot, injury, or something of that nature, he will be good to go. Anyone wanting information, contact me via phone, pm, or email and I will share the details with you if you need to know them.

Now let me make the second thing perfectly clear. My family will forever be grateful to Coach Ross and the rest of the Derby HS Wrestling Staff. I could name each coach by name, and specifically tell you things they have done for my son, and for my family. You will never hear me say anything negative about Coach Ross or his staff. I don’t want to wear any emotions on my sleeve, but I hope no one takes this the wrong way, I honestly can say our family loves and appreciates Coach Ross, and I can honestly say that I believe and know that Coach Ross loves our family. I won’t go into any more detail than that other than to say, that if Coach Ross ever considered coaching on a college level, I would hope that my son would be considered for the program he is coaching at. I have met few coaches that honestly care about their student wrestlers more than this man. I will forever, as will my family, be grateful for the work Coach Ross did with, and for, my son. He is one of the most above board, honest men, I have ever met. Our decision to move had nothing to do with Coach Ross, in fact, if it had not been for Coach Ross and our belief in him as a man of integrity and as a coach we would have moved Nathan out of Derby last summer.

The last thing I want to comment on, people are different, and sometimes need different things in their lives to help them move to the next level of life. Our family has struggled with that decision, more than most anyone will ever realize. We believe we have made the decision best for our family, not just our son. I have a wife I have been married to for 27 years now, a son I deeply love, and a 25 year old married daughter who lives in the area who will always be my baby girl. Each of us, including people from our church, very close friends from the area, and around the country have been a part of helping us make the decision we believe is best for “our family”. Prayer is an important part of our life and I can honestly say I am grateful for all of those, including some on these forums who knew of our situation and prayed for us in our decision. Thankfully, it looks like we will get to stay in the area. We will keep yelling for Derby in 6A, and now have a new team to be a part of and yell for in 4A. Hopefully things work out and this is the way things will be for at least a few more years, but I won’t limit, or expect anything more from God or my faith than what I have today, I have learned many things over the last year, there are no guarantees about tomorrow, and as for me and my house, we will do the best we can to fall in love with our God more and more each day, and hopefully in the process learning to love each other more, not trying to be perfect, just honest and real.