Wrestle Against Autism
When: May 16
Where: OSU's French Field House
Info: www.wrestle againstautism.com.
A desire to help others has led an area group of wrestling officials into an unlikely partnership with a major-college mats program.
For the third straight year, the Mad River Wrestling Officials Association is teaming with Ohio State University’s wrestling team and the Ohio National Guard to try to take down and pin autism.
They’ll be holding their “Wrestle Against Autism” tournament at OSU’s French Field House on May 16.
It is a fast-growing effort that started in 2008.
“We said we needed to do something to give back to the community a little bit, do a service-oriented project,” said Jack Beard of the MRWOA. “We thought about having a wrestling tournament and using that money for a charity.
“We talked with (coach) Tom Ryan at Ohio State, and they said they’d like to join us. The goal is to raise money to help combat the financial problems people with autism are facing, and also raising awareness about it.”
There are hundreds of worthwhile charities who need help. Why autism?
“One of the things was Coach Ryan’s sister has a son who is autistic,” he said. “That seemed to be something that hit close to home.
“Another thing is autism affects more boys than girls. There are girls in wrestling, but much more boys than girls.”
It’s certainly a cause near to the Buckeyes grapplers’ hearts.
“This is just one that we’ve really gotten behind as a team and we are really excited,” said Ryan, the Buckeyes’ third-year head coach. “My sister is very much in the loop about the epidemic. She has kept me on the front line about that.
“It (the spread of the condition) is alarming. It’s so out of control, you have to fight for more funds for the children.”
The strange part about the story is Beard’s organization had no personal connection to the OSU mats program.
“We really didn’t have a special connection to him,” he said. “A couple of us in the association are college officials as well. We had a little bit of a relationship a that way.
“It mainly grew out of wanting to have something to give back.”
The effort has been well-received so far. The first tourney in 2008 drew 225 wrestlers and raised around $9,000. Last year’s event included 425 wrestlers and raised $17,000.
“We’ve had a lot of success talking with people,” said Beard. “We have a big group of people from Cincinnati coming, and a group from Barberton comes every year. It’s kind of grown.
“Originally, I was thinking about a local tournament, with maybe 60-100 kids wrestling,” said Beard. “This has been a great opportunity for us to help out. It’s a very unique and rewarding tournament.”
C
ontact this reporter at (937) 328-0364 or krowe@coxohio.com.
About the Author