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At first, I thought of myself as an odd choice to speak on amateur wrestling, but on second thought, it gives me an excellent opportunity. An opportunity to personally testify for all the constructive aspects of amateur wrestling.

I concede that there is a gulf between amateur and professional wrestling greater than that between, say, amateur football and professional football. However, there is a gulf between all amateur and professional sports called rule changes. A professional sport subsists on ticket sales, therefore it must earn its fans with more exciting plays and faster paced action. Granted, professional wrestling has over-achieved in this respect, to the destruction of its own foundation -- amateur wrestling.

I won't bore you with the Pancratium history, but will say that wrestling is the oldest sport in the world. Is there any doubt in your mind about wrestling matches between Cain and Abel? Tradition is a tremendous part of amateur wrestling and part of that tradition is an eliteness the athlete feels about himself, even if he loses. He knows it takes someone special just to step on the mat.

In my case, amateur wresling took a shy, awkward, semi-foreigner and gave him the courage, maybe attitude; in today's venacular, to become a world champion. I did a lot of winning in amateur wrestling, because you win every time you compete. My hand was not always raised, but I won a little more confidence, a little more knowledge and a little more humility with every match.

This is not true of all sports. Wrestling is a one-on-one sport and it teaches self-reliance. I have almost worn out this saying: If it is to be, it is up to me. To this day, it will go through my mind when I am faced with a challenge. Challenge is what wrestling is all about -- there is always someone bigger and possibly better. The challenge is to stay focused, stay consistent, stay fit and stay ready. Just like in life.

Another great aspect of wrestling is it's equal opportunity. No matter your size or shape, there is a place for you in the sport. Wrestling only measures one's spirit. Some of the best matches are in the lower weight classes. As we read, on this site, about the athletes of amateur wrestling, I want us to keep in mind the dedication it takes to "make weight" by adhering to a very strict diet, and the fitness training involved, plus the unadulterated love of the sport it takes to step on the mat.

From high school meets, to sitting in with Grey Simons at Old Dominion University, to the World Championships I witnessed in Altanta in 1995, wrestling is a sport of grace, strength, stamina and heart. My amateur wrestling days were very unstructured, and were only intramural in a high school. Our coach was also the coach for other sports. I was trained for professional wrestling by a former Olympiad wrestler and college wrestling coach. As part of my training he would set up matches with the best wrestlers at the surrounding area colleges. Even on a college level wrestling, the organization was not as vast as it is today (travel wasn't that great, either).

The growth of the sport of wrestling in the amateurs and it's production of fantastic wrestlers is almost in direct corrolation to the rise of weightlifters and bodybuilders in professional wrestling. What a sad irony. What gives me a positive perspective is knowing their knowledge will go into the professional world in leadership roles.

Wrestling molds young people into leaders. The same principles of wrestling follow directly into any form of life. When I do business with a professional -- doctor, attorney, banker, etc., I am comfortable with the one who wrestled. He looks me in the eye, faces facts, confronts all the issues and has the courage of his convictions. That spirit survives beyond the wrestling meets and duels -- even beyond age.