2010 Mayor Daley’s Wrestling Festival
Wrestling Returns to Navy Pier!
By Paul Slomski, WSC Contributor
World Sport Chicago, the Chicago Wrestling Coaches Association and IL Kids Wrestling Federation reconnected area wrestlers with an historic era in Chicago wrestling lore and brought the sport back to Navy Pier on Saturday, June 5, 2010. Almost 350 wrestlers competed in a one-day, round robin tournament that included clinics, Olympian autograph sessions and a reunion of many distinguished members of the original Mayor Daley Youth Foundation Wrestling Club of Chicago. From 1968 through the late 1970’s, wrestlers from all over the Midwest came to Navy Pier to practice, learn and compete as members of the Mayor Daley Wrestling Club. Over that decade, Wrestling Club accomplishments included 49 members becoming individual national champions, 14 wrestlers making the US World Teams and seven competing in the Olympics as members of TEAM USA. Many of the original members can now be found as coaches throughout the NCAA.
Head Coach Leo Kocher of the University of Chicago wrestling team is one of the original members who came to the event to give a clinic and interact with the wrestlers. Coach Kocher was impressed with the event’s turnout and happy that so many original members were able to participate as well. “This is what Mayor Daley’s Wrestling Club was all about, something that captured our imagination, allowed us to interact with champions and connect us with a tradition of excellence,” said Kocher, “the kids are taking full advantage of the day, competing on the mats, learning from each other and mingling with great teachers.”
Wrestlers from 5th grade on up to a senior division of age 35 and above were able to compete in a well organized, blocked weight, round robin tournament that included kids from CPS programs and the greater Chicagoland area. Dan Willis, Tournament Director and a strong believer in the old adage “summer wrestling makes winter champions” was a catalyst in bringing this event all together. “Our kids shouldn’t have to travel far to compete, we have a great wrestling tradition and teachers with passion right here in Chicago,” exclaimed Willis. Coach Peacock from DuSable High School brought twelve kids from his team because “it’s a good opportunity to keep his wrestlers in shape, competing and check out other schools and wrestlers they don’t normally compete with.” Coach Norfleet from the Harvey Twisters “knew he wouldn’t miss the opportunity” to bring his kids into the city to wrestler, see Navy Pier and gain some more experience.
Jon Schiewe and Joe Rau placed first in their weight classes in the 18+ age division and were Chicago Catholic League teammates in high school. Schiewe now wrestles at Northern Illinois University while Rau wrestles at Elmhurst College. They were excited about the opportunity to wrestle at Navy Pier and come back to Chicago for an off-season tournament “back where it all started.”
1972 Olympian Gold Medalist Wrestler Ben Peterson conducted a clinic then hung around the rest of the day interacting with the kids and teaching, “I’m like a fish in water, I love this,” as he tried to catch his breath from one demonstration to another of his infamous “Peterson Roll.” Jose Oscar, a Senior grappler at Thomas Kelly High School in Chicago was excited to be there to wrestle and participate in the clinics to “gain more experience and learn more moves from the experts.”
Willis hopes to see the tournament back next year and anticipates an even bigger pool of wrestlers as word of the event spreads. Coach Kocher knows how popular the sport is in Chicago and what a character builder the sport of wrestling can be for a young man. “I like how wrestling tells them who they are, it can get very lonely out there on the mat when it’s just you and your opponent, said Kocher. All in all it was a great day, and the distinguished members of the original club all agreed how nice a venue Navy Pier had become. “All this wasn’t here back when we were wrestling, it was just a pier” exclaimed Peterson.