From Coach Bartram

Character counts. It counts at work, in school, in sports, at home, in life. I believe, more so than any other sport does, or at least most other sports do, that character counts. It has to. Why, because the wrestler steps out onto the mat alone and if life has taught me nothing else it is that character counts most when you are alone or unwatched. When you are asked to count money alone; do your chores unwatched; take an un-proctored closed book test; travel without your family; anytime you are depended upon to do the right thing, unwatched, unnoticed, and unsupervised; character counts most.

Many feel that character forms at an early age and shapes our actions and behaviors forever. Some religion’s doctrine states that at about 8 years old, children unequivocally know right from wrong and should own up to their failures, face repercussions head on, and learn from the lesson. Some might call this character building. Although I agree with character forming early and shaping our behaviors forever, I do not believe that those two things are intrinsically linked forever. That is, learned bad character early in life can be overcome by later teachings. The converse is also true. One thing never changes, we do know right from wrong; we choose to do the right or wrong thing, sometime inexplicably to ourselves and to those that watch.

Follow up:

In wrestling when you step out on that mat alone and you have cheated the weight management process it shows. It shows not on the scale but in your performance, you cut too much weight too quickly and you dread the third period; you stall, you run, you skate, you fail to strive to achieve everything that is possible. Your performance indicates a character flaw not just for you but sometimes, also for those that failed to enforce the rules, those sanctioned, obligated, and duty bound to enforce those rules.

There is an old adage about stealing in wrestling; it says that if you steal another wrestler’s gear you will be destined to lose not win a state title. The moral, character counts.

Character counts because you cannot hide amongst your teammates on the field. If you are dirty player in football, twisting ankles and bending fingers at the bottom of the pile, you can hide. Throw an elbow at the back of a head, repeatedly grab a solitary finger, fake an injury, throw a punch, all these result in instant exposure. It is just you out there on the mat, fans watching from what is relatively afar, teammates and coaches closer, an official even closer, and your opponent up close. Real close.

In modern high school sports there have always been those that were willing to place winning above all else. That will lie, cheat, steal and encourage others to do the same, just for another mark in the win column. I am talking about coaches, players, and administrators. Often they appear to enjoy great success at the level they operate. However, when it is time to climb to the next level their flaws are more often than not exposed and often they are excluded quickly from even participating at the next level. Character counts.

I recently remarked to a high school coach that I truly believed his school’s wrestling program was successful not because of the high caliber of technical wrestler or technique demonstrated by the staff but, because the program was built on character. Those individuals that were in the program that had or have character flaws may achieve a level of temporary success but eventually each and everyone is exposed. They may have hid from the public temporarily, but their lack of character was always apparent to their teammates. Eventually, because the wrestler steps out on to the mat alone he is exposed to the public for what he is. This is both figurative and literal. Graduating high school and moving on to the next phase of life is like stepping into that inner circle and facing your next opponent, yourself. Character counts.

Those lacking character know they lack character; they must because they know right from wrong. It is choice time. Like the 8 year old, you can admit your failings, face the repercussions head on, and work for reconciliation. Choose the hard right over the easy wrong and things may get worse before they get better, but they always get better. Once exposed, those that continue to choose the easy wrong over the hard right, often turn against those that once held them close, disparaging individuals and organizations, lashing out publicly and privately to anyone that will listen. “See it can’t be me, it is them!” They seek out someone, something, some organization that they can hide their character flaws in. When and if they are accepted in, if the person, thing, organization has character, the acceptance is fleeting, temporary. Why? Wrestling exposes those without character. If they found a person, thing, or organization already laden with character issues, they might hide out longer, even forever, but if they try to move to higher level, they are exposed for what they really are. Sometimes the addition of one more character flawed individual exposes the whole organization for its flaws. You are now the proverbial straw and the camel is going to turn, blame, and spit on you; just as you blamed and spit on those you left.

The county I was born in, that I live in, that my kids go to school in, that one of my children has graduated from, and that my boys wrestle in, recently was exposed for a character flaw. Yes, the county. One school in the county you say, but I say the county was exposed because the county is like a family, secrets are never known by just one family member. Because it was football related it was huge news, as we should expect. Football dominates the sports media and the media in general in America when it comes to sports. Because it was football the flaw took longer to expose, it easy to hide at the bottom of the pile figuratively speaking.

Those of us proud to call ourselves part of the wrestling county often publicly cry the lack of media attention for our sport, the lack of public comment. But what about now? Wrestling has exposed a character flaw in the county again, and it was immediately evident. However, while there is abundant private outrage and incredulity, there is an amazing lack of public outcry. Nevertheless, we should not be surprised; this is not football. We should not be upset. Public knowledge does not matter. The character flaw is there, exposed for all, and the wrestling community and wrestling family are aware and there is nowhere to run. Those exposed turned and spit on the individuals and organizations that once welcomed them as family and soon the camel will turn and spit on them. There is no hiding at the next level. The next level is aware and despite the public claims of “It’s them not me,” they are not fooled.

Wrestling exposes character, good and bad and character counts.

~Coach B