Olympics look to get rid of wrestling
Updated: February 13, 2013
CENTRAL ILLINOIS -- High school coaches are worried students may forget about wrestling if it's cut from the Olympics. That's what the International Olympic Committee recommended Tuesday.
The executive board put the sport on a list with seven others and, in September, only one will be picked to be a part of the 2020 games.
The IOC said in a statement it's part of an effort to make sure the Olympic games stay relevant to all sports fans of all ages. High school coaches say when it comes to wrestling, it's as popular as ever.
"There are hundreds of thousands of kids across this country and across the world who wrestle. Their goals are to make the Olympics someday. Well, now that dream is being taken away from them," said Richard Vetter. head wrestling coach at St. Joseph-Ogden High School.
Vetter says the decision could reverse years of tradition.
"I think for the top tier athletes, it's definitely going to affect [them]. They might think twice about even starting wrestling and go to another sport that they can be successful in," said Vetter.
He was shocked to hear that his sport was on the chopping block.
"It's very disheartening to know the sport that I love and I coach might not be around anymore. There are a lot of schools that are adding it and even in this area there are schools that are picking it back up and starting programs again," said Vetter.
Like at Paxton-Buckley-Loda High School. For many students there, it's their first go on the mat.
"It's given them something to do and something to learn and something to strive for," said Erik Ronney, head coach at PBL.
The team was formed just four years ago and just started gaining steam.
"This just kind of puts a damper on kids' dreams," said Ronney.
But Olympic sport or not, both coaches say wrestling will never be pinned.
"We might take a little bit of a hit short term, but long term I think that we'll be fine and hopefully we get some people stepping up saying we can't get rid of this sport," said Vetter.
"I'll take a ten person team, I'll take a 30-person team. I can shape and mold whatever I have in front of me. They're still going to turn out to be their own individual. It's just going to be a less step than they're going to be able to reach for success," said Ronney.
Other sports on the chopping block include baseball/softball, karate, roller sports, sport climbing, squash, wake boarding and wushu. Representatives from each sport will plead their case to be included in the 2020 games in May.
The executive board put the sport on a list with seven others and, in September, only one will be picked to be a part of the 2020 games.
The IOC said in a statement it's part of an effort to make sure the Olympic games stay relevant to all sports fans of all ages. High school coaches say when it comes to wrestling, it's as popular as ever.
"There are hundreds of thousands of kids across this country and across the world who wrestle. Their goals are to make the Olympics someday. Well, now that dream is being taken away from them," said Richard Vetter. head wrestling coach at St. Joseph-Ogden High School.
Vetter says the decision could reverse years of tradition.
"I think for the top tier athletes, it's definitely going to affect [them]. They might think twice about even starting wrestling and go to another sport that they can be successful in," said Vetter.
He was shocked to hear that his sport was on the chopping block.
"It's very disheartening to know the sport that I love and I coach might not be around anymore. There are a lot of schools that are adding it and even in this area there are schools that are picking it back up and starting programs again," said Vetter.
Like at Paxton-Buckley-Loda High School. For many students there, it's their first go on the mat.
"It's given them something to do and something to learn and something to strive for," said Erik Ronney, head coach at PBL.
The team was formed just four years ago and just started gaining steam.
"This just kind of puts a damper on kids' dreams," said Ronney.
But Olympic sport or not, both coaches say wrestling will never be pinned.
"We might take a little bit of a hit short term, but long term I think that we'll be fine and hopefully we get some people stepping up saying we can't get rid of this sport," said Vetter.
"I'll take a ten person team, I'll take a 30-person team. I can shape and mold whatever I have in front of me. They're still going to turn out to be their own individual. It's just going to be a less step than they're going to be able to reach for success," said Ronney.
Other sports on the chopping block include baseball/softball, karate, roller sports, sport climbing, squash, wake boarding and wushu. Representatives from each sport will plead their case to be included in the 2020 games in May.
