Wrestling USA, a magazine that promotes wrestling is looking for a Man of the Year from Kansas.

I'm looking for nominations of a persons who contributes on a lot of levels (youth,
scholastic, FS/GR, committees, collegiate, etc.

Let's hear who you would choose!

I would nominate Randy Hinderliter, who exemplifies all that is good about people, wrestling and life, with his positive attitude and love of life. His active participation in clinics, tournaments and a zest for promoting all activities to the betterment of the participants.

...and his great love of music.

thank you brother! Yes I do love music in fact I was listening to some suggested "warm up" songs! That Godsmack is pretty good.

Not sure how many people while facing debt and poor health (even advised not to go to certain events because of his poor immune system)have done as much for the sport overall as The Swayz.

I know he's mentioned how he was blessed while battling cancer to see Slippery Rock University wrestle this past year, unbeknownst to him that he would outlast their program to see them lose a great wrestling team that wasn't given a chance to succeed and was climbing back up only to get axed.

He went to DII Nationals and was a guest of Hall Of Fame Coach David James at the NCAA DII Hall of Fame banquet and sat beside the legendary coach. Speaking of Hall of Fame, how many people do you honestly know that have visited the Hall more in 1 year living a couple hours away, than some people have in a lifetime that live within a 30 minute drive of Stillwater? Swayz was there in a span of a year 8 times at least! Many times driving out of the way for no reason except that it was "on the way" home when indeed it was off the path back to Chapman, KS.

Do you think while battling cancer still making it to tons of wrestling events including High School and Kid's state, Tagging for Tyler, and Freestyle/Greco State as an "ambassador/fan". Volunteering his time to take a group up to the 2005 Mid America Nationals and coach them, then having wrote ups features on intermatwrestle for Cadet duals is enough to qualify him for man of the year for WUSA?

Or do you think the time spent with helping get kids placed into various colleges via contacts from schools from coast to coast and multiple divisions will do? Maybe it's the many behind the scenes letters written to Athletic Directors about saving programs or thanking them when they add opportunities in wrestling...then again how about promoting the sport in general, especially those from the state?

Don't foget he also officiates, and keep a good contact base with coaches nationwide on the college and high school level as well when it comes to them trying to land an athlete in college or a college trying to sign the next Shawn Bunch or Joe Johnston out of our great state.

Respected to the point that even college coaches have allowed him to sit in a corner in an open tournament or two to coach their wrestler (UCO and Newman both have done it) Asked to hold the Kansas flag at the Kid's state tournament too (ok that's getting deep) Don't forget he has also been named the official's liason for the 4a state tournament and also an assistant to the tournament director and assistant technology guy for the Chapman regional.

#1 in posts on Kansas forums and 4th on themat.com means more than just time on his hands...it means love of the sport. Also asked to help with editing and maintaining the upkeep of the Kansas Krusaders website, not to mention the "thorn" in the Wichita Eagle's side by pushing the button to get coverage for the sport which resulted in some prompt results such as the Furches and Rogers front page article. Also remember trying to get the KSU v. KU dual set up prior to the DI Missouri v. Stanford dual? SWAYZ!


Invited into the homes of great wrestlers such as 1996 Olympian Lou Roselli and Kansas' own Eric Akin, he has proven he's well respected in the wrestling world even if his record on the mat was far from good.

I could go on and on and I'm sure there are others, but I sure think The Swayz is worth mention. Didn't mean to write a novel, but his track record of genuine love for the sport speaks for itself.

Randy Hinderliter and Aaron Sweazy both would be OUTSTANDING choices....both have much passion for wrestling, Kansas wrestling, life, and they are great people.

Their passion for and involvement with wrestling is year around, and they follow/support wrestling in all styles, all seasons, all levels, and are very positive ambassadors for the state's wrestling community.

I don't even own a WUSA card as my money from reffing and such goes to paying medical bills off still. If having a card is a requirement for the honor, then I'm not qualified. I'm flattered by the nomination and honestly will say why not support wrestling year round? It's not like there is anything worth watching on tv these days, and the wrestling community has been so loyal and there for each other through thick and thin.

I'm sure there is more than just myself and Randy though out there though. Kansas has become great for many reasons over the years, and I'm sure many of those names have been ommitted by accident.

I would like to make a nomination. There is a fellow that continues to impress me with all he does for the sport. He has done so much over the years, and in the short time I have been in Kansas I don’t believe he has received the recognition for the things he has done that he deserves. I am speaking of Skip Harrington. He continues to help coach the Derby Kids Club and the Central Kansas Freestyle/Greco teams. Skip is always giving to the kids, whether on his team or not. I seldom see anyone get as much favorable response with high school wrestlers from across the state as does Skip. I think it is because he is there to help and has a genuine love for the sport, and Kansas Wrestling. There are many within the Kansas wrestling community whom are now coaching that was coached by Skip in one capacity or another. He was a part of the development of Freestyle/Greco Wrestling in Kansas. I’ll be honest here, to me it is a shame he is not in the Kansas Wrestling Hall of Fame yet, and I would hope that he would experience this honor at some point. I'll never forget hearing Coach Knox telling his wrestlers and coaches one time, to always make sure they listen to Skip when he goes to help them out, "He's forgotten more than most people in wrestling will ever know." Charlie told them. Anyone around Skip, knows that is true.

Skip travels all across the country to help the kids and be with them, all at his own expense, which is based on a limited income. When it comes to making sacrifices for the sport, he has done so. He has coached and maintained USA Membership over the years and continues to maintain that membership even though he is not a young spring chicken anymore, (even though, I still wouldn’t want to tangle with him). If looking at how “wrestlers” respect an individual is an indication as to the respect of that individual, Skip has to be one of the most respected men in our state and he has maintained that for a long time. You might even say, that he has endured the long run and passed the test of time. I don’t take that so much from what people have told me about Skip, but from what I have observed about him. Of course I have heard a lot of positive, and frankly, he is as humble as anyone I know. Skip is a wonderful man with a wonderful family. I personally think it is time Kansas Wrestling recognizes him for the contributions he has made over the long haul to this sport, and to this state.

I think two worthy candidates might be Bob Phillips or Bob Gonzales. What do you think about these two?

I think those are great candidates.

I think Mike Furches for all the stuff he's done for trying to establish the Tyler Graebner foundation, taking guys to Mid America Nationals, writing articles for The Wrestling Mall, officiating and more is worthy of mention.

I also think we are over looking Eric Akin. Comes back as a surprise entry in the Team Trials and finishes runner up after winning the mini tournament. Goes out of the way to raise funds for the Tyler Graebner foundation and also has started up a wrestling club in the KC area bringing in guys like Shawn Bunch among others to improve the quality of wrestling in the area.