The plans for the 100th birthday of Penn State wrestling sound very exciting. I appreciate the efforts that you and the rest of the club put forth towards supporting the program.
I have so many memories of the four years that I spent at Penn State as a member of the wrestling team. Unfortunately, some of those memories were on crutches due to the three knee surgeries that I went through. The Penn State wrestling program exudes CLASS and PRIDE. I learned very quickly that the program, coaches, and fans expected nothing less from the wrestlers. I felt honored to be part of such a long-standing tradition and legacy.
I learned to overcome much adversity while wrestling at Penn State and learned that extremely hard work can make up for what one may lack in natural ability. I wrestled with some very talented teammates and built lasting friendships over the years and Penn State. One of those friendships was with Kerry McCoy. Kerry was one of the most instrumental teammates in my wrestling career. He went above and beyond when working with me, both on and off the mat.
I also have a tremendous amount of respect for Coach Oishi. He ingrained an unbelievable work ethic in his athletes and demanded no less than 110% out of you. Although some of my most painful memories involve Coach Oishi, I understand that he was always pushing you beyond your limit in order to have you discover your full potential as a wrestler. Although I was never a national champion, or even an All-American, I will always hold the PRIDE of being a Penn State wrestler very close to me. I feel that I would not be where I am in life today, if it were not for the lessons I learned, the work ethic I developed, and the relationships that I built while wrestling for Penn State.
I wish the program tremendous success in the years ahead! Thanks!
