- Thanks to Gordon Stover McMichael for this 1983-1984 Gator Grappler Picture -

Sportatorium II will have an awesome wrestling program as its anchor. Wrestling is the anchor because Smitty and Dana have coached and mentored wrestlers for decades. Building work ethic, character and discipline are just a few of the values which wrestlers gain from their sport. Our thought is that just as wrestlers gain these core values from their experience in the sport, that youth and young adults can feel similar values via their own sports. In other words, we believe we can replicate a similar values-building initiative not only with wrestling but beyond the sport itself to other sports. Reflecting on the impact of wrestling on his life, Dana wrote the following article, which appeared within LinkedIn.com. This article provides a robust and dynamic perspective on lessons in wrestling within the business world. Throughout all Sportatorium II sports, a heavy emphasis will be on physical fitness and lessons similar to the lessons below...

For 20+ years, I have been associated with the great sport of wrestling. From wrestling to coaching to piloting youth wrestling programs, I have met some amazing people through this sport. In fact, most of my friends in my inner circle have been wrestlers from Allegheny College.
We had a heck of a team at Allegheny College but one day the Athletic Director informed us that wrestling was no longer going to be a sport at Allegheny College. We did not "lie down on our backs" and instead waged a campaign to return Gator Wrestling. As a team, we each did our best on this campaign, contacting Alumni, Board of Directors and even State Leaders. My late Father, the Rev. H. Leigh Jarvis, was particularly helpful as a mentor for our campaign, giving us advice and direct help. Let's face it, our wrestling team was ranked in the Top 20 of NCAA Division III schools the previous year (Rock on Pendo & Kali) and it was simply ridiculous that the program was going to be dropped. In the final analysis, we were able to secure our wrestling team up until freshman finished their wrestling careers at the College. Scott Payne was one of our last Gator Wrestlers and he made us all proud in his journey.

Throughout my wrestling and life journey, I’ve thought long and hard about the 10 Reasons Wrestlers Rock in Business:
  1. Passionate - Take a look at video of Coach Terry Brands from Iowa and you will see a guy who is fully passionate about his wrestlers being successful. People who are passionate in their business care about it to the max. They routinely do all they can do to ensure their business is successful because for them it is also their passion. When business and passion intersect, it creates the "Wow" Factor!
  2. Resilient - In 69 international wrestling matches, Olympic Gold Medalist Jordan Burroughs was a winner. Match 70 was different because Burroughs lost. Moving on to match 71, Burroughs won and continues to win currently. Wrestlers like Burroughs do not know the meaning of quitting. Every awesome business person knows that loss is simply a part of the game. Wrestlers know how to respond to loss, which is keep working hard, think strategically and never, ever, ever, give up!
  3. Focused - If you’ve ever watched a youth wrestler before their match, you will see an intensity that is unrivaled. At an early age, wrestlers learn to critically focus on the goal. Wrestlers have short, medium and long-range goals. They also have immediate goals like when they must stare down a bigger, tougher and stronger opponent. Instead of running away, which can be one's gut instinct, wrestlers battle for the win. The focus to accelerate towards victory may result in others being doubtful but for a wrestler in business, it is simply a way of life.
  4. Disciplined - Losing weight, running 5 miles a day, conditioning at 5am, wrestling for a 2-hour practice, along with classes, study group and homework is ordinary for most varsity high school wrestlers. This sense of discipline carries with these young men and women as they grow up. A business leader with discipline is essential for sustainable success. Knowing that there are sacrifices to be made on their way to the top is par for the course.
  5. Persistent - Wrestlers fight hard for every point. They cannot wait around because if they do, they will be beat. This persistence evolves as the wrestler transitions into business. They put a goal in front of them and they go after it because that is the only way they know how to do it. When businesses reach their goals, they go after other goals, similar to a wrestler winning one State Championship, then sets his/her goal with associated actions on the next State Championship.
  6. Dedicated - There is no doubt that the life of a wrestler requires a level of dedication unlike most other sports. Dedication is in the form of doing what it takes to achieve the goal. Similarly, in business, professionals must commit themselves to their organization’s mission, employees around them and customers in which they serve.
  7. Humorous - On the bus rides from matches in college, we laughed a lot. We shared stories of the days’ wrestling action but mostly stories about having fun. Playing cards was a blast, especially when Coach Wilcher’s wife let him join the games. All of it was in the spirit of decompressing and having fun. Every business meeting I’ve ever attended, included humor. We need to enjoy ourselves in business because if we don’t, then we need to move on. Life’s too short to dance with ugly jobs!
  8. Team-Oriented - Every member of a wrestling team contributes to the success or failure on the whole. Just ask Olympic Gold Medalist and Penn State University Wrestling Coach Cael Sanderson about teamwork. For the last 4 years, the PSU Wrestling Team has won the NCAA Division I Title. It wasn’t just team leaders, David Taylor and Ed Ruth who made it happen but everyone who dawned the PSU singlet. Teams in business have almost become a cliché. We see teamwork sayings all over the place but when it comes to genuine teamwork; it starts and ends with a wrestler’s collaborative mindset.
  9. Inspiring - There is nothing more inspirational than watching Arizona State’s Anthony Robles, who with one-leg, earned a NCAA Division I Championship. Robles is truly spectacular but so are wrestlers who daily inspire each other, along with their friends and family with their accomplishments. We need more people in business to be inspirational via being positive role models. It’s not in words but in actions that wrestlers make things happen on the mat, in life and in business.
  10. Engaged - To be engaged means to be consistently highly involved with purpose and meaning. If you’ve ever watched the movie Vision Quest, you’ll recall high school wrestler Louden Swain. He is amazingly engaged on his journey to beat the best high school wrestler in Washington State, Brian Shute. Swain represents the archetype wrestler who surrounds himself with everything to reach his goal. He has purpose and meaning, similar to a business owner who knows exactly what he wants to do and how to get there. His moments are consumed by his journey to elevate his company to the next level.
No matter if a wrestler has won, the wrestler will always shine through in business. In order for U.S. businesses to accelerate, we need more wrestlers in business. We need more people that understand what it takes to sacrifice to be their best. What if your business was comprised of employees who engaged the 10 Reasons Wrestlers Rock in Business into 100% daily practices? Just imagine how much fun your business would be as it tops the market with employees who truly want to do their best, do the right thing and are driven by a competitive spirit unshakeable by failures. Sign me up because I want to work at that business!

As a postlude, realize that the lessons above can play out in other sports in their own unique and engaging way. Wrestling is THE anchor at Sportatorium II but diverse sports in a safe environment are the boat guiding our mission.

Source: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/20140616153609-11483156-10-reasons-wrestlers-rock-in-business?trk=mp-reader-card

Join the Evolution of Sports as a Sportatorium Friend by emailing Dana at djarv4@gmail.com. As a Sportatorium Friend, we value your Time (volunteering), Talent (professional insights) and Treasure (financial donations, in-kind gifts). We are a nonprofit under Smitty's Wrestling Club (501c3). All donations are tax deductible. Sportatorium II has multiple sponsorship levels, where your company could also help the cause. We are in conversations with UPS and Under Armour to be Sportatorium Friends, among other corporate entities. Our current needs are:
  1. Time: Volunteers to Paint the Gym and Build the Ninja Warrior Course (Calling U.S. Marines and AmeriCorp)
  2. Talent: IT Professional to Build/Maintain the Official Sportatorium II Website and App
  3. Treasure: Heating and Cooling Units (2 Commercial Roof Top and 7 Internal Units) = Retails at around $120,000 (Calling Billy Baldwin and His Wealthy/Famous Friends...Billy Played a Vital Role in the Return of Wrestling to the 2020 Olympics and is a Huge Wrestling Advocate)