Join us for our first ever Real Men Conference, courtesy of RealFaith. This extraordinary event features an interview with former Olympian and MMA fighter Matt Lindland, worship led by chart-topping Christian artist Stephen McWhirter, and a powerful sermon from Pastor Mark Driscoll!
Coming Soon - 2 Day Wrestling Camp in La Grande, Oregon
Coming Soon - Intensive 2-Day Greco Wrestling Camp
Team Quest will be hosting a 2-day Intensive Wrestling Camp on May 5th and 6th with Coach Sprague and Matt Lindland. This is an awesome opportunity to learn Greco and Freestyle techniques from the Best. Be sure to register early as spots will fill up. Team Quest members receive a discount on the registration fee. Contact Team Quest now to sign up.
Real Men Conference
Has a great time speaking with Pastor Mark Driscoll this weekend at the Real Men Conference at The Trinity Church in Scottsdale Arizona
Coaching with a Father’s Heart
With 2021 now having fully arrived, I can’t help but look back and reflect on the year 2020. All of the experiences we’ve had, all of the lessons learned. We were told to isolate and socially distance. I preferred to see it as solitude rather than isolation. And, solitude for me was time alone with my thoughts, and time with God in prayer and worship.
2020 was a unique year for a lot of folks. I don’t know about you specifically, but I’m sure you had faced some type of adversity, as well. The global pandemic has been a struggle affecting everyone’s lives.
I was no exception. I dealt with struggle and adversity right along with the rest of the world. I had a dear friend pass away on an adventure that turned into a nightmare. I also battled with prostate cancer. Bottom line, we all struggle and deal with pain; and when we are in pain, we must look to be embraced by God so that He can walk through the pain with us: “You’re blessed when you feel you’ve lost what is most dear to you.” — Matthew 5:4
Life is amazing. I am truly grateful for all of the blessings I have received. But — 2020 was a tough year! I understand that there are many who endure worse struggles than I. Depression, isolation, addiction… They are all on the rise along with other hardships. I’m confident that you are dealing with, or have dealt with, some kind of adversity yourself.
It is important to have someone in your life who has been through pain of their own, a trusted person with whom you can speak and feel comfortable, like a coach or mentor. Find that someone in your life. It’s likely someone who has had many experiences and has enjoyed an interesting life.
These people are valuable. They are from whom we learn, because chances are, they have been in your shoes at one time or another. We all experience troubles, which is why it is critical to find refuge in Christ, for He is the only true Source of peace. “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” — John 16:33
As a coach, it is your responsibility to serve and strive to be a blessing to those you lead. We have all suffered, and no one on Earth is exempt from life’s struggles. In the midst of conflict, reach out and find someone who you can connect with, with whom you can build a relationship and walk alongside. Someone who will guide you through all of life’s battles, big or small. Learn to seek the Lord through prayer. God puts people in our lives each season — and for a reason. And when we are hurting, prayer is the route we need to take. Prayer is the most important step towards the peace we so desperately require. It is also how we receive God’s love through His own people. “No one has ever seen God; but if we love each other, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.” — 1 John 4:12
Life isn’t fair, nor does life care about your human definition of fairness or justice. The world would just as soon crush us, just as it might propel us through the gauntlet. There is no escape. We must go through the adversity continuum. But that does not mean that any of us should merely try to survive adversity, or settle for a means to cope with it. Instead, we must learn to harness adversity, and use it to climb higher and grow stronger. That way, the next time adversity strikes, it actually helps us to achieve more, rather than holding us back.
Matt Lindland (standing) with the four United States athletes who qualified their respective weight categories last March for the Tokyo Olympic Games. FROM LEFT: Ildar Hafizov (60 kg), Alex Sancho (67 kg), Joe Rau (87 kg), and G’Angelo Hancock (97 kg). (Photo: Richard Immel)
This is how we build resolve. But it does not happen because of us, or because of anything that we are able to do on our own. Such a concept or attitude is fictitious, and nothing more than a guarantee that, eventually, the cycle of adversity will become too much for us to bear.
We were not created to shoulder our burdens alone in a vacuum. Talk to Father God. He delights in being our sounding board, and wants to ease our pain so that we may comfort others. “Praise be to God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God.” — 2 Corinthians 1:3-4
TWO ROADS
Life is always presenting us with opportunities. Every time a road diverges, we are given a choice: a safe, smooth road; or a dangerous, bumpy road.
The first one might be quicker. Maybe it is devoid of toll booths, maybe the blacktop is regularly repaved. The only issue? There is usually a lot of traffic. It’s a popular highway. But once you pull off towards the exit, all of the sudden you will notice there are several intersections to encounter, each one with annoying, two-minute traffic lights.
The second one? That second road is different. It might not offer a straight shot to your destination. Potholes are felt every other mile. You also have to look out for detours. Traffic isn’t much of an issue. That’s a positive. The shocks on the car will probably take a little bit of a beating, but on the bright side, as soon as the exit appears, you will know that you’ve been through the worst of it.
The above example is a regular occurrence. Two roads are proposed to us throughout our lives, and during different times in our lives. One road will challenge us, and the other one really won’t. Most are compelled to choose the road that is safer, smoother, and more familiar. But in doing so, what perspectives might they gain which will allow them to become distinct, unique, and wiser than those who opted for the other road?
What will the person who never takes risks hope to gain that has any real value?
Choose the pain that comes with denying fleeting desires and follow Jesus to gain real life. “Then he said to them all: If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses life for me will save it.” — Luke 9:23-24
“Easy” or “smoother” are not better roads. Nor are they more rewarding. However, the road an elite athlete chooses is the hard one.
No question, there will be failure. There will be pain. There will be times when you question your decision, especially when watching former classmates and friends settle into nice homes, starting families, or receiving more recognition than you. You may feel envious of them during situations such as these. Sometimes, you’ll wish that you also took the easier path.
When this happens, which it will, you must remember: everything you are doing is adding up. You are the one putting in the work. You are lifting the heavy weights, putting in the reps. You are the one sacrificing a sedentary lifestyle, bad food, and other temporal comforts. Meanwhile, you are building a biography, as well. Elite athletes do lead interesting lives and glean vital lessons they can share in an effort to impact others.
Lindland towels off Hancock in between periods during a match at the 2020 Pan-Am Olympic Qualifier last March in Ottawa, Canada. Army coach and two-time Olympian Spenser Mango can be seen in the background. (Photo: Richard Immel)
Of course, it is not just elite athletes or World-level wrestlers who are familiar with taking the harder road. Anyone who pursues a lofty objective outside of the norm is going to encounter a similar degree of frustration or despondence on occasion. Even then, hardships are the furthest thing from belonging to an exclusive club. Every person faces their own customized batch of troubles; and as humans, we must call upon the Lord, because God wants us to ask Him to walk us through all of life’s various trials. “You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.” — Jeremiah 29:13
The key is understanding that all of life’s experiences act as a resource. All things have been given to us for a purpose. Everything that happens to us — turmoil, humiliations, misfortunes, perceived setbacks — all of it is heaved upon our laps to make us stronger and more resilient. In the Bible, we have plenty of examples that show God allowing His people to struggle and suffer for a specific purpose, only to have them come out of the experience improved and reinvigorated.
Whenever I think of a human suffering and struggling in order to achieve a worthy goal or, in this case, accomplish a Divine purpose, Paul is the first person who comes to mind. Paul faced many, many hardships along his travels. He was flogged, beaten, and jailed; he was beaten more, flogged more, and ultimately imprisoned until his eventual martyrdom.
But, even under such persecution and pain, Paul’s resolve never wavered. In fact, he became emboldened. Paul knew from Whom he received all of the comfort he could and would ever need. Because of this, he was steeped in humility — and yet, unfailingly courageous. Why? Because Paul understood that God allows us to struggle as a mechanism to humble our hearts and so that we remain dependent on Him. The result? We grow stronger thanks to God’s grace and love.
Here are Paul’s words to the Church in Corinth:
“Therefore, in order to keep me from becoming conceited, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But he said to me, ’My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ “Therefore, I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” — 2 Corinthians 12:7-10
THESE THINGS I HAVE SEEN
I’ve started businesses — and closed them. I’ve made money, and lost money. I’ve lived in multiple places and traveled the world. I have met great people and shaken hands with some bad people. I have followed amazing leaders as well as some who were a far cry from basic decency. I have been in rooms where important, influential decisions were made, and I’ve observed bureaucracy become swallowed up by incompetence from a front-row seat. Likewise, I have witnessed undeniable excellence and feats of unquestionable courage from the same vantage point.
I have also messed things up, and watched hopes and dreams shatter into pieces. I have experienced loss as well as the debilitating sorrow by which it is accompanied.
In other words, I have consistently been blessed and surprised beyond my wildest imagination.
Whatever happens in life can become useful, whether you are a wrestler, hedge fund manager, or firefighter; or whether we are talking about a sport, relationship, or business. Types of experiences may vary, but their significance doesn’t when it comes to how we should carry them forward in our lives. The word is useful, so make use of adversity. If a wrestler goes down with an injury or illness, they shouldn’t see it as time off the mat. They would do well to see it as an opportunity to slow down and reflect on where life is taking them. A mistake at work doesn’t have to automatically represent stress. If you look closely, it might be a great chance to conceive a new way to approach common problems, or reveal a different path.
Obstacles, particularly and most significantly through God’s loving works, quickly become opportunities.
And the more obstacles, experiences, and general adversity we encounter, the more equipped we are to handle a wider range of circumstances. Most importantly, they are a catalyst to seek the face of God and give glory to Him so that Christ’s power may work through us. It is through strife and pain that God makes us glorious in return. “I consider that our present suffering are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us.” — Romans 8:18
The more we are willing to step out of our comfort zones and look for new experiences and opportunities, we acquire the knowledge and skills to solve new situations we have not faced before. This is equally true in MMA as it is in something like mathematics or science. Our insight into ourselves is constrained only by our inventory of previous experiences. We must be willing to take chances and gain wisdom through experiences. If we can act boldly and courageously, we also increase our ability to inspire and encourage others along the journey. “Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God: I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand” — Isaiah 41:10
— and —
“Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.” — 1 Thessalonians 5:11
This is the kind of person I want to be. The kind who takes his experiences and turns them into wisdom so that I can learn and grow; and then to also be able to pass the lessons learned onto others. It is one reason why I plan on continuing to live an exciting life and finding more fuel for the fire, so that I may inspire people in my own life.
The ride thus far hasn’t always been smooth. Plenty of potholes and my fair share of bumps. But without the bumps, the lessons learned may have been much harder to come by, if at all.
When I finished college at Nebraska and moved back to Oregon, I coached high school for a stint. I had no coaching experience at the time, and little wisdom. Just ask Chael Sonnen, who was a high school sophomore when I first started. Or, ask my wife for that matter. I only stayed in Oregon for about a year before moving to Colorado in pursuit of my goal to become an Olympic Champion in Greco-Roman wrestling.
I grew so much during the three years I spent at the Olympic Training Center. So in 1996 after the Olympic Trials, I moved back to Lincoln for a coaching job at the University of Nebraska. During that season of my life, I gave my athletes everything I had — but there was not yet a ton of wisdom. I loved and cared for my students like a big brother, and coached them and mentored just that way.
I was thankful to have a call a few days ago with Justin Ruiz, the former All-American Cornhusker who would later earn a World bronze medal. He shared with me some of the lessons he had learned throughout our time together. We’ve known each other for years and years now. When I found out Justin was getting married, I offered him some counsel. He assured me that it was great advice that he still lives by today. That made me feel glad.
But although that might have been worthwhile advice, it does remind me of the maturity level I had as a 27-year-old coach when Justin was on the team. Just reflecting on that era in my life helps remind me how much I have grown in wisdom and maturity. “Listen to advice and accept instruction, that you may gain wisdom in the future.” — Proverbs 19:20
For added reference, a blog post by Justin describing my former coaching style can be found below.
“Failure can make you or break you.
“I remember years ago, as a freshman at the University of Nebraska, I wrestled a 30-minute match with one of my coaches. To give you an idea of how good he was, he only lost one match his senior year of college, he won an Olympic silver medal, and he also won a silver medal at the World Championships. Not to mention other national and international titles. So, what I am saying is, he was tough as could be.
“During that match he took me down, held me down for 15 minutes, let me go, took me down again, and held me down for another 15 minutes.
“It was the worst beating that I had ever taken up to that point in my life, but it was one of the best experiences for me, my wrestling career, and my life in general. I hated being stuck on the bottom so badly that I made up my mind to do whatever it took to not get beat like that again. I had to go to work.
“I had to learn new skills. I had to learn new mindsets. I had to learn to wrestle at a new level of intensity that I hadn’t wrestled at before, and I had to learn to not give up. Even when things were really bad, I had to learn to not give up. Over time that hard work paid off. I learned how to get away from people. I learned how to not be held down like that ever again. I got better.
Ruiz was a Division I All-American for Nebraska and later went on to become a World bronze medalist in Greco-Roman wrestling. (Photo: Lincoln Journal Star file)
“The obstacle never changed. There were plenty of wrestlers that I had to face that were tough as nails, but the difference was I had changed.
“This concept applies to any other obstacle that you or I may be facing right now. Maybe you’re getting your butt kicked in your relationships, maybe you’re getting beat in your finances, maybe you’re taking a massive beating in your health. These obstacles or challenges won’t change, but the good news is that you can change.
“You can make up your mind today in a moment that you are going to change, and then you can get to work. You can learn the skill sets and mind sets to get better at your relationships, at your finances, at your health.
“We live in an unprecedented time of awesomeness right now. Despite all of the challenges that the world is facing right now, you can still win. You can still come out on top. You just have to let your faith be bigger than your fear and work your butt off.”
NOW IN THIS SEASON OF MY LIFE I COACH WITH A FATHER’S HEART FOR MY ATHLETES.
The question is What does coaching with a father’s heart look like?
For me, it means being a servant of Christ. To share His news and love His people. Sometimes, that love could be a hug. Other times, it could be a boot in the ass. It means committing to loving God and representing that outwardly. No boasting, no bragging. Only loving and serving.
My wife and I have raised two children and at various times in their lives, both have needed motivation and encouragement, to be pushed to the edge of their comfort zones in order to help them reach their full potential. The athletes I have the privilege to lead are no different. I want what is best for them in all circumstances, on and off the mat.
Coaching with the heart of our Father means following Christ and treating those of whom you are called upon to serve fairly and righteously. Everyone is unique, because God made each of us just a little differently in His image and likeness. Therefore, these men I have been called to lead are all image-bearers of God. These are men with whom I want to build solid relationships, and I want to serve them through God’s grace while giving Him the glory.
Our athletes are future leaders we are preparing to send out into the world. Wrestling careers end; and when you look, it is easy to notice that our society is scarce when it comes to Godly men. We need more of them. We need more Godly men. We need more leaders who are willing to invest in the future generations. Women need Godly husbands, too. And children need Godly fathers who love their children the same way that Christ loves the church.
Jesus teaches us that fatherly leadership comes from the Fatherly heart of God. That is why he teaches us to pray to Our Father.
Fatherhood is based on the heart of the Father God. In the Bible, Jesus referred to God as “Father” more than any other name. A father is one who is there for his sons and daughters. A father exacts authority over us — but first and foremost, a father is always there for his children and shows love and mercy.
Faith is trusting that you have a father whose kindness, mercy, and grace are lovingly displayed. A father who wants the best for his children. And for those of us who are fathers, one day we will stand before God and give an account of ourselves and how we behaved as leaders. In the meantime, we can either live in fear or live boldly in faith. God has not given us a spirit of fear; and His perfect love casts out fear. The spirit of fear is demonic. The enemy wants us to live in fear because he comes to kill, steal, and destroy.
Another question might be, Is God tough, or tender? The answer is “Yes.” God is there to comfort us in our struggles and through the tough times we face. He is also there to guide and correct us when we veer off His path. God provides guidelines, but He also provides liberty.
If I am coaching with a father’s heart, then my job is to guide my athletes and help them become Godly men. To share the Gospel by living my life as an example for others to follow. That’s what coaching with a father’s heart means to me. Showing grace when needed, and giving correction when that is appropriate, as well.
Above all, coaching with a father’s heart means the men who I am privileged to lead must know that they are trusted and respected.
Matt Lindland’s ‘A Coach’s Prayer’
I recently began my fourth year as National coach. I was thinking I’d have this figured out by now. The job of coaching young men has its demands, and will continue to. There are always going to be new challenges and obstacles to overcome.
I pray. I reflect. I contemplate. I also study. One of my favorite pastimes is to read about great leaders and the methods they used to achieve success. There have been plenty of them throughout history, particularly in the world of sports. I’ve studied the works of famed UCLA basketball coach John Wooden, the legendary Bill Bowerman, Tony LaRussa for what he was able to accomplish as the manager of the Oakland A’s and later, the St. Louis Cardinals. But it was reading up on a leader who operated in a completely different realm that has really shaped my perspective as of late — General Douglas MacArthur.
This was a most unusual man. MacArthur was a five-star General and field marshal of the Filipino Army during World War II. He was both extremely intelligent and extremely demanding. MacArthur expected his orders to be followed to the strictest letter of the law. Yet, he had problems all his life following the orders of those who were his commanders.
MacArthur’s mind for combat exuded such brilliance that he could design battle plans which left the enemy no choice other than to surrender or be destroyed. Many of the strategies he was responsible for developing not only played a pivotal role in vanquishing the enemy, but also saved the lives of countless troops under his command. He was extraordinarily brave in battle, perhaps sometimes to the point of near foolishness, at least in the eyes of his critics. Then again, he won every medal and honor the United States can grace a soldier with. Ultimately, at the end of his life, MacArthur rejected war and warned American political leaders to avoid armed conflict.
Often times, people made jokes about MacArthur. Some of his soldiers sang songs that made fun of him. Many others believed he was the best general ever to serve in the United States military.
Through my research, I also came to discover that MacArthur served as the president of the US Olympic committee in 1928 for the Summer Games in Amsterdam. This makes sense. MacArthur led his athletes into the Olympiad like a general leading an army onto the battlefield. In what was a slightly unusual but no less effective message, MacArthur told the US athletes that they didn’t travel 3,000 miles to lose gracefully. This fierce will to win evidently brought forth with it a pronounced source of inspiration. The US team took home twice as many gold medals as any other country at those Games, which included a gold medal from Allie Morrison in wrestling. The US broke 17 Olympic records and to pile on, seven world records, as well. Obviously, given my station in life, this information has made MacArthur’s influence as a leader even more interesting to me.
As I continued to read about one of the great leaders in American history, I happened upon what is called A Father’s Prayer, which appears at the end of his book. The prayer captivated me, and as I read through it, I couldn’t help but reflect on how I have prayed for my children.
I pray I can be the father God wanted me to be.
I pray the lord works through me to teach, train and be an example.
I pray for health, and safety and the ability to protect my children.
I pray that they would know and love the Lord.
I prayed that my children will have character, and that they will take the responsibility to respond rightly to authority and to challenges they face in their lives.
I pray that they will gain wisdom, to make the wise choices in life.
I pray my children find purpose that provides meaning and impact in their lives.
I pray they find relationships and someone to share their lives with.
The reason A Father’s Prayer by General MacArthur felt like it related to me so much is because I wasn’t just studying leadership as I, too, find myself praying for my men the same way I pray for my own children.
I love these men just like I love my children. I want them to have all that I want my own children to have.
A relationship with our Heavenly Father.
Relationships with Godly men.
A relationship with a Godly spouse.
Safety and protection.
Character and wisdom.
Purpose and meaning.
Love and passion.
As I was pleading with God to protect, correct, and shape my men, He put on my heart the idea to draft a coach’s prayer, just like the one General MacArthur wrote. I started writing the prayer and just changing the words from ‘Father’ to ‘coach’ didn’t feel right, like it wasn’t God’s plan. “Give me an athlete” didn’t sit well in my heart. The more I prayed and listened to God, the more I kept hearing “You’re the coach” and this is a coach’s prayer. I know I am the leader God placed over these men and my job is to shape them, mold them, and lead the way.
Thank you for allowing me the privilege of sharing this prayer with you.
Matt Lindland
US Greco-Roman National Team head coach
November, 2017
A Coach’s Prayer
Make me the coach, O Lord, who will love my athletes like I do my own children.
Make me a coach who will show love and encouragement, and a coach who will discipline and correct with love and respect.
Help me to be fair and just, to correct any misdirection, and to send my men on the righteous path step by step.
Lord, work through me as I work to model your example.
Make me the coach, who will show my men the strength to face weakness; the courage to face fear; the grace to accept honest defeat; and the humility and gentleness to accept victory.
Make me the coach who will show my men not a path of ease and comfort, but the ability to accept the challenges of stress and difficulty. Use me Lord, I pray, to be the example of one who can stand up in the storm, and thereby learn compassion for those who fail.
Make me the coach who will teach his men the value of a clear heart and a high goal; to look in the mirror of their own faults before they find fault in others; to learn to laugh, understand it’s okay to cry; to reach into the future without ever forgetting the past.
Make me the coach, O Lord, who will show my men enough of a sense of humor so that they will always be serious, but never take themselves too seriously. Give them humility, so they will always remember the simplicity of true greatness, the open mind of true wisdom, the meekness of true strength.
And after all these things are theirs, add for me, I pray, the wisdom to show them the dubious value of titles, positions, money, and material gain; and the eternal value of prayer, the Holy Bible, a Christian home, and a saving relationship with Your Son Jesus Christ.
Then I, their coach, will dare to whisper, “I have not lived in vain.”
What is 5PM?
Coach Matt Lindland here guys. I have not been posting as often as I would like to. We have been working hard qualifying weights for the Games this summer and preparing our athletes. The other reason I have not been posting as often is because of 5PM and Tim Hands. Let's talk to Tim and find out more about 5PM
What is 5PM?
Five Point Move is a website devoted to Greco Roman wrestling and the US Greco program, in general. There’s a couple of other content areas that offer different stuff for readers, but as far as actual wrestling coverage goes, it is all about Greco and providing exposure for the athletes.
What got you thinking there needed to be another wrestling website? What makes 5PM different?
It kind of happened in two parts, I would say. I remember going back to 2008, it started with a conversation I was having with Dennis Hall. It was like a week before the Beijing games and we were just talking about how the Greco team was basically operating in anonymity compared to everyone else. I mean, to be fair, the web in 2008 was a very different place than it is now, it was almost like “Web 1.0” if you put it up to how the Internet looks currently. So there weren’t so many media outlets at that point to begin with. But the question was, What if there was a platform where these athletes could be featured? What if there was a place where sponsors and brands could learn about the wrestlers, and who knows where that eventually leads? Maybe if more people could see exactly what these athletes go through and what they are all about, it could mean more opportunities for them. They certainly deserve their shot.
But yeah, there was a need and still is. There are people who definitely want this kind of coverage. It’s time to stop acting like Greco should be a throw-in. I know for a fact people want Greco because our numbers say so. To that point, if Five Point Move is different, it’s different in that it is 100% committed to Greco Roman coverage. It’s committed to helping provide exposure for the athletes who so richly deserve it, and it is committed to helping build awareness of the sport.
What was your plan? What made you decide to do this now?
The conversation I had with Hall always stuck to me and also having known a couple of wrestlers who were resident athletes and National Team members. I’d say it happened in phases. I remember at night going on the computer or my phone, whatever, and wanting to read Greco stuff, US Greco stuff. And the outlets we have in the US, I mean, don’t get me wrong, they are excellent at what they do and if something notable occurs in Greco they’ll try to have something on it. But that’s where it ends. You can’t find features or news everyday; they leave that to the folkstyle or even freestyle content. That’s fine, I get the climate. But for me, I’d be interested in reading Greco news.
More than anything, I guess to bring a spiritual component to all of this, is that I’m a praying man. And I went through this period in 2014, I wasn’t unhappy or anything, quite the contrary, but I didn’t have anything kind of pushing me. I wasn’t an athlete, certainly, at least not anymore. I didn’t have something to pour my energy into. So I just prayed for the inspiration to do something with a part of my life that I loved. I didn’t know what that even was or what it meant. I wasn’t praying for anything specific. I just wanted to be inspired to go after something. And then, I don’t know how long into this, but it wasn’t too long, all of this hit me. It all came together at once practically. It was the idea, boom, the name, boom, the logo, boom. It all hit, so to me, Five Point Move was divinely inspired.
I registered the domain pretty much right away. Only, it took a while to get things together. I do have a family, kids, plus writing and editing. However, I was content mapping for the site immediately. My career has been a big help. I’m a writer, I’m a literary nerd, for sure, but I work in digital content, so I had gained the confidence to be a webmaster, although I do have help with the more technical side of things. And then over the last nine months we started to piece this all together, the layout, the content plan, and then a month before the Olympic Trials the site was “live.” It officially launched I guess the week before Iowa City.
Well I am a praying man, too, and it’s almost as if you answered my prayers because I have this Coach Lindland blog, which was to get news out regarding the US Greco program, talk about the wrestlers, and what we’re doing. But as the head coach of the program, I have so many things to do. I have trouble getting stuff up here consistently, but then you came along and have done it all for me. But people do want to know what is going on with Greco in this country and it’s important that there is a place where they can find out what they need to know and what they want to know.
Oh wow, I appreciate that, thank you. Of course, you have been extraordinarily helpful by agreeing to do the Weekly Report, which is big for us. And all of your help with access and even just encouragement has been incredible and meant a lot. Look, people want this. They want to know, they are interested and also, many just want to learn. They want to learn what it is the really well-known Seniors are doing, they want to know about approaches, lifestyles, coaching, and where the athletes are going next. All we are trying to do, my contributors and I, is ensure that we provide the information they are looking for. And hopefully, they stick around because of our concentration on offering high quality content.
You know, I don’t know which approach is better. There are people who are more into taking action first and then moving forward and learning as they go, and then there are those who have a plan in place and execute that plan. You seemed to have had a plan and then went for it.
Yes, there definitely was a plan in place and it was just a matter of being able to unroll it. Even now, we have a content plan that we stick to, for the most part. Sometimes, news just pops up and we have to account for it, or something will happen with an athlete that needs to be talked about, so we will engage the subject. There is flexibility that way. At the same time, there is always learning as I go. You know, your audience tends to tell you what they want from you. Before the site was officially launched, the original content plan was in place and still is. In fact, it hasn’t even been revealed in full yet, which is really encouraging. But we pay attention to what readers want when it comes to their US Greco news. And sometimes, preferences change and you have to adapt so that they are still getting what they want. But thankfully, the people who dig Five Point Move are super loyal and into it and it’s such a great feeling to see that, for sure.
How has the response been within the Greco community and the wrestling community as a whole?
It strikes me, I must say, with incredible humility, the response Five Point has received. I get a lot of “thank you’s” from the athletes and from other wrestlers, families, and fans of the sport. It has all happened really fast it seems. The amount of support we have gotten thus far has been both humbling and gratifying. You know, we’re doing this for them, for everyone. There is also just a slight attitude of defiance mixed in. It’s like, we all have to stick together right now to build the sport, build exposure for the athletes. And quite honestly, I think people who are devoted to Greco Roman are done accepting it being looked at it with second-tier status in this country and Five Point Move is hopefully seen as sort of a mouthpiece for that sentiment.
As for the wrestling media outlets that might be more folkstyle, freestyle, there have been a few journalists from other places who have reached out and wished me luck or have complimented what we’re doing. Some have actually been very nice, Jason Bryant had me on his “Short Time” podcast, which was a a thrill. He’s supportive, no doubt. Others are interested and have reached out, you know? It’s funny to me in a way, because I think most people really do like Greco. Or I should say, I think everyone loves Greco, they just don’t know it yet. Or they haven’t discovered it in the right way, or need to re-discover it, what have you. Part of that is probably because of misconceptions that have been passed down, but part of it is also the packaging and how it’s presented. To me, if everyone is going to point out how Greco isn’t like anything else, then why hide from that? Yeah, it is different. It’s harder, it’s more exciting, and globally, more popular.
It’s the original style, it’s the original Olympic sport. When two guys who don’t know anything are about to fight, they grapple upper-body. It’s an instinct. They don’t go diving at each other’s legs. I have seen it with humans, I’ve seen it in nature. And right, it’s the more popular style of wrestling overseas. But with folkstyle here, it’s as if coaches and athletes are hesitant to learn more about it even though, like I said, it is competed more often on the World level. But that is one of the reasons why Greco doesn’t get the coverage from other outlets in the US.
I think that they try to include event information but miss the overall picture. It comes off begrudging, as if their hands are being forced, they have to throw it in. Some of them are kind of supportive and do highlight athletes on occasion, but the sum of the overall parts is underwhelming, to say the least. But yeah, I mean, you are right on. When two people are about to throw down, they aren’t shooting single-legs. They are going up top. It’s just how it is. You’d know better than anyone. Where and how do you control a fight? You close them up, get in their face. And one of the things I’ve always loved about Greco Roman wrestling is that it is a fight. There might not be punches and kicks, but there is more contact practically, and it has a natural component, like you mentioned. Greco represents our natural inclination to brawl it up and when you mix beautiful technique with par terre scoring, there really is nothing better than that.
Well I would just like to thank you for helping get the word out and for helping grow the sport. Part of my role for the program is to promote awareness, but it’s a process and it is building. We’re all volunteers for this cause and trying to bring it to critical mass. So it’s great to have a Greco-only website in our country that supports our athletes and what we are doing, and thank you very much for being a part of that.
No, thank you. And also, thank you to the athletes. All we are trying to do as a media outlet is provide the platform and tell the stories. The stories are what this is sort of all about. It’s a movement. It is a growing movement and I am extremely pleased to be involved with it. There is work to be done, absolutely, but we’re getting there. It is happening. Greco is getting stronger in the US and people are becoming pumped up about it. Five Point is around to document this, it seems. It just feels like everything is coming together. There is enthusiasm and unity. It’s a pleasure.
I don’t know if it’s timing, if it’s an attitude thing, or if because an awful lot of hard work has begun to get noticed. But it has been exciting so far and definitely a blessing to be involved. And thank you for talking to me about all this. I appreciate the opportunity, as you know, to discuss Five Point and hopefully, more people check out what the site is all about. So once again, thanks to you and to our readers. We’re all in this together.
A sure way to not get what you want
Let go to take control
This past weekend the US Greco team headed back to Frisco, Texas for the Olympic qualification tournament. This leg of the qualification process was the second part, back in September the top 5 athletes qualified their weight class for their nation.
Here at the Pan-Am qualifier, like every other continental qualifier the top 2 athletes in each weight category qualified their nation. This was a great place to get done what we needed to do and right in our back yard.
Three of the four weights did not get qualified. Now we have to go to open qualifier. There are five more total spots available for the Olympics and two tournaments to get this done. The first being in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia over 6,000 miles away. Now, we have to do this the hard way just two weeks after the US Olympic trials.
The team was not out matched; we just did not compete to our team’s abilities. We competed scared and frightened to lose. Why? We were not qualified and had nothing to lose? All we had to do was go out there and do our best and compete hard. The only thing that is expected is we fight and compete to the best of our abilities, instead we wrestled with fear and the fear paralyzed us.
We spoke about what was at stake in this tournament and we knew that getting to the finals meant qualifying the weight for the RIO Games. I told my team to forget everything that was at stake and go out and do what you love to do, compete.
Adding pressure to the situation does not make athletes compete better. Athletes compete best when they let go of the need for control surrendering to the love of the sport and the competition.
Competence and perseverance are such admirable qualities for so many aspects of our lives from relationships to goal setting. We pride ourselves with abilities to pick our mark, aim and hitting the target dead center. We put the work and time in and when the opportunity presents itself we need to learn to surrender and trust in our gifts and abilities that God has given us. Trust the universe or whatever you believe, but just LET GO AND TRUST.
We move through our lives with accuracy, diligence and compassion, yet even our best intentions and carefully laid plans can bring us stress, anxiety and even depression when our plans fall to shit.
Right now take a moment to think about plans you have laid out that didn’t work out the way you envisioned. Recently the US Greco team had planned on qualifying the four remaining weight classes for the Rio Games this summer last weekend in Frisco Texas. I am sure you have experienced something similar.
You probably have made plans before and also have had a back up plan in case things didn’t work out. You may even have a worst-case scenario plan if everything goes to shit. This is a good thing and it is a very stoic philosophy.
Thinking strategically and planning is great. This helps reduce anxiety that typically results in excellent outcomes. What this way of thinking doesn’t teach you is that you cannot control the universe; even if you are a considerate compassionate person you can only control one thing. That one thing you can control is you. So many times when coaching my athletes, I speak only about what the athlete needs to do that he can control, for example, move your feet, make first contact, create angles, level change and so on. I am talking to athletes about what they can control and not worrying about the things they CAN NOT control like the calls of the official or their opponent.
Soon as we realize what we can and cannot control we come to peace, this is a peace that is impossible to disrupt. In the entire universe throughout all the galaxies that exist there is only one thing you can control. That one thing is a magnificent loving being that is you. You cannot control the weather, or another person’s actions or anything else.
You are totally unique with experiences, memories, passions and dreams that nobody else has. You have infinite choices in every moment, what to do, how to react and when to do it, and yet these are your choices and the only things you can control. If this realization feels crazy embrace it, if it feels freeing then welcome it.
Something greater than you exists whether you believe it is God or something else, there is something and it is bigger than you. However you understand it know something or someone created the world and that someone keeps our world spinning. Whether you call it God, love, the universe or something else know it is caring for you in every way.
Whatever has caused this shift in your life? If you are one of the athletes that didn’t get the results he wanted or you may have recently lost a job or maybe even a loved one, whatever it is that shook you know that you are safe. Trust that God is looking out for you even in your darkest time, nurturing you into an even more beautiful being?
We cannot trust without loosening our hold on control. We cling to beliefs, habits and people that feel safe. It’s like holding onto rotting logs instead of letting go and allowing the benevolent waters of life carry you to a world more beautiful than you could ever imagine. If we want to move forward in life, learn from your experiences and grow. We must release the need to control everything; this is both frightening and freeing.
Surrender is something none of us like to do especially combat athletes. Surrender is considered weak and we can’t be weak, we are wrestlers, fighters and men that should be feared. Surrender, what is that?!
Surrendering control is not weak it allows ourselves to float into the paradise that God wants to share with us? Breathe in peace and let go of control.
We grasp at things we want and understanding what we want helps us move toward our goal. Although sometimes no matter what happens things do not go our way. You may dream of winning the gold at the Olympics, but some things are out of our control. Going after a goal with fear is a sure way to not get what you want.
All the best plans sometimes fail, but we can’t be afraid to take action, to try our best. This requires risk. A risk you may fail, a risk you may look stupid in your mind.
If you knew everything that was going to happen, or if you got everything you wanted all of the time you wouldn’t grow much, your life wouldn’t be challenging or much fun. Not getting what you want may be God’s way of preparing you for something much bigger, something so fulfilling that you can’t even imagine it right now.
Not getting what you want may be God’s way of telling you to make adjustments and take more risks so your life. This will be exciting, fun and something that you will grow from. God wants to give you what you want but it may not look the way you think it’s going to look. If we orchestrate our lives down to the finest detail we leave no room for pleasant surprises, exhilarating adventures, and the deep wisdom that comes only from living a valiant life.
Would you prefer a life of boring experiences or would you rather spend each day following your dreams and pursuing your passion? And the tears that go along with seeking and achieving greatness?
Let go of control and fear, allow your life to shift with the experiences we face require immense vulnerability. Like surrender vulnerability is often mocked in todays culture and yet vulnerability is not weakness, instead it is the willingness to drop your façade and experience life’s happenings with every part of your being. It is a willingness to trust your intuition and God.
You are a small ship on a vast and Majestic River, the current will carry you where you want to go if only you stop trying to row up stream. In a day or a week even perhaps a year you will look back on the difficult time with fondness. No matter what happens at this very moment you are learning and changing being carried into a beautiful new awareness by a kind and loving father God.
You can only control yourself, but you are enough to enact big changes on the world. Love, compassion trust and vulnerability are your tools and with these tools you can do everything and achieve whatever you set out to do. You will not only succeed but also thrive. You are a masterpiece in progress as my coach would tell me “You are born to win, Designed for accomplishment, Engineered for success, Endowed with the seeds of greatness” and when you realize this is truth you can ask yourself “Why not me”. If you believe, then anything is possible. Chase your dream without fear of failing, fear of what others think.
Team USA Greco-Roman heads into Pan-American Olympic qualifier
On Sunday March 6th the 4 athletes that have been selected to represent the US Team will compete in Frisco Texas. At this tournament 2 weight classes will be qualified for the Olympic games this summer. Not the athlete that competes but the weight class for that country
This weekend, U.S. wrestlers take the mat for their country, not themselves (link)
We head into this event knowing what this tournament is all about and know what’s at stake for our country. Now, its time to forget all that is on the line and go compete. Each one of the 4 athletes that have been selected to get the job done for the US are ready, willing and capable of qualifying the US for the Olympic games.
The top 2 competitor in each weight class qualifier their nation to send a representative to Rio Olympic Games. We don’t have to beat everyone we just need to wrestle one match at a time, one point at a time. If the US athlete makes it to the finals of the tournament we get the US a spot in the Olympic Games.
I am very confident that the athletes we are sending are the most capable and ready athletes to get the job done. Be sure to tune in Sunday and watch us get it done.
Eventis sultorum magister
"Eventis sultorum magister" (Experience is the teacher of fools)
(for a job application) Describe a time when you did not succeed, and what you learned from it.
To be frank, I have not failed to achieve the large goals in my professional life (although more do remain), as most of my broad professional goals have been achieved thus far - albeit eventually and incrementally– but only through overcoming an array of grant failures, job rejections, and losses that are requisite along the way. That being said, one thing does stand out for when I did not ultimately succeed, and walked away in failure: I failed miserably at my goals to become an NCAA Champion in my college wrestling career. I was a walk-on Division III back-up wrestler on the historically best wrestling team in the nation, and I got horribly brutalized day in and day out during my first semester. However, I got better each and every day, and kept fighting to inch forward in toughness & skill sets. I soon progressed to challenging, and then beating, the national champions and All-American teammates in our daily battles in practice, often giving up over 30-40 lbs. to bigger and stronger opponents. But in so doing, I learned to fight though several torn rotator cuffs and concussions incurred through the years’ fights, and it took a toll in competitions but I kept on pushing.
Then one night, after beating out the top guy at my weight, I was hit by a car at 50 mph while biking home from practice. Miraculously, I survived, and fought hard to return to the mat 30 days later with a torn MCL in my knee. Painfully, I fought through this successfully and continued to compete. But since I was also paying my own way through school at the time, and on the cusp of both a Rhodes Scholarship and full-ride for a neuroscience PhD program in graduate school, it was a sobering time to keep focused on broader goals beyond sport amid the frustration of injury & losses after over a decade of sacrifices. This ultimately impeded my ability to complete my goal of an NCAA championship, sustaining a concussion the night before national qualifiers. The teammate I beat that day ended up as an All-American that year, and another took 2nd in the country.
What did I learn from this? From the scope of this experience, I learned a broader focus of priorities, how to overcome major injury to persevere and return to the fight competitively. More importantly, though, I learned who I was. How do I respond when literally knocked down & out, taken out at the knees from behind? Do you fight back from the ropes, and do you refuse to quit? What do you do when that storm hits? Do you hunker down, or do you climb to the mast like Lt. Dan and scream: “is that all you’ve got?” I learned the answer to these questions for me. I learned also how good I could really be when I put my whole heart, soul, & mind to it: I built up from a walk-on scrub, to competing and then beating some of the best wrestlers in America (I discovered my humbling limitations, too). I had, and still have, nothing to show for it: no awards, no championships, no all-American status, no recognition – only scars of the body and mind. But I learned that those things don’t truly matter in the least; rather, it is the intrinsic rewards of what I knew had been accomplished, which brought true fulfillment. Being “the man in the arena” that T.R. Roosevelt described, standing tall after being broken, and then rising again, doesn’t require any recognition from anyone but yourself, and that is the greatest prize one can win.
~ Dr. Richard J. Addante is a Neuroscientist and professor at the University of Texas at Dallas, and was a walk-on back-up Division III NCAA wrestler for The College of New Jersey from 2000-2004, and Head Coach of Robbinsville High School (NJ) and Florida Atlantic University in 2005 & 2006, respectively.