While a pandemic rages on across the country…

And hospitals are nearing capacity in many places…

Some wrestling trainers have kicked their doors wide open, and they keep packing them in like Covid-19 never happened, with nary a health protocol in place.

Wherever you stand on the Covid issue, there’s a big problem with proceeding in a haphazard, irresponsible way, like many trainers are doing out there.

As the numbers creep higher across the country, we are fast approaching another shutdown – meaning, merely weeks before the start of wrestling practice, the shuttering of the 2020-21 season.

Regardless of your stance on the issue, it won’t be you that makes the decision.  It will be health boards and elected officials.

Those who are acting irresponsibly – packing in their gyms with kids from all over, with little to no regard for health protocols,  are selfishly contributing to the problem and greatly increasing the likelihood that our wrestling season will be cancelled.

Higher numbers of covid-19 cases mean we all risk suffering through another shutdown, and this next one is likely to rob our young people of the opportunity to compete.

This is why I drastically revamped my training program and packed my training room full of strict health protocols to keep wrestlers and their parents, friends, etc., as safe as possible.

ACE looks a lot different this season as a result. 

Groups of 4-7 kids instead of the usual big crowd.  

And since I’ve recently received inquiries about available training, I am opening up a few more opportunities – on a very limited basis.

These training opportunities will take place on Monday and Wednesday.

Health protocols will mirror our ACE protocols.

We will have room for groups of 2, 3 or 4 (no solos, and you have to have a partner).

It is, in a sense, personal training.

Your first step is to go here, read the info and email me.  I don’t have a form yet and spots will be filled by invitation only, after I receive your email.

Go here now to read all about it.

Randy

Talk about biting the hand that feeds.

For example:  in 2018, a framed copy of his painting, Balloon Girl, sold at an auction at Sotheby’s for over $1 million.  Shortly after the gavel came down…

The painting began to self destruct.

A shredder hidden inside the frame, triggered remotely, destroyed most of it.

Now, in most areas of life, the buyer of such shredded works would immediately be demanding for a refund.

Not in the art world.  

Instead, the buyer decided to go through with the purchase….

The painting was given a new name: Love is in the bin….

And the value skyrocketed.

Banksy’s latest work, which recently sold for just under $10 million, is called, Show me the monet.   

There’s some irony for you.

I’m no Banksy, but I have been known to operate counter to the norms of the wrestling world – often utilizing methodologies and techniques that exploit the common, most popular methods used by the masses – all to the benefit of my students.

This includes my approach to teaching a powerful system of wrestling, as opposed to the usual hodgepodge of moves.

My attack system philosophy also differs greatly from the most commonly used approach in the sport – the wait and see what happens method of wrestling.

I will be opening up new training opportunities in the next few days, so keep an eye on your inbox.  In the meantime, go here to learn about me, as well as my system, and philosophies, of wrestling that run counter to the norm.

Randy

How’s that for decisiveness?

The truth is, no one knows at this point.  All we can do is everything in our power to

• Help make it possible to have a season, and
• Be ready for it when (if) it happens.

The good news: high school football is moving along.
Playoffs are around the corner and so far, all is well.

More good news:  wrestling training and competitions are opening up.

Schools are also in session again in many districts across the state and the country.

Now for the worrisome news:

• Covid cases are on the rise again – in Ohio and almost every state in the country (all but 10 states are seeing an increase in positive tests).
• Hospitalizations are up in many locations, and having the space to treat patients is starting to become an issue again in many hospitals
• The mortality rate has been dropping, which is very good news, but as hospitalizations go up, that number will be closely monitored as well.
• Many colleges are seeing a spike in cases, meaning a danger to students as well as threatening the very financial viability of these institutions (many colleges will close within the next two years – some have already).
• Wrestling training and competitions are opening up.

Right now you’re wondering, how can that last item be a positive and a negative?

Here’s how:

As we are seeing throughout the country, large gatherings can and often do lead to super-spread situations (just look at the white house – from a distance of course).

And there’s often a couple-week delay between event and wide-spread infection.

Right now, people are starting to relax their standards – in and around our wrestling world as well.

Concerning events taking place such as:

• Big tournaments being held like no Covid ever existed.
• Crowds starting to pour back in with little or no safety protocols in place.
• Wrestling trainings and camps taking place like nothing ever happened – gyms packed, again, tons of wrestlers pouring in, little or no health protocols in place, no regard to health or safety whatsoever, leaving YOUR KIDS EXPOSED to this deadly virus.

Now some of you think the virus is a hoax.  Or political in nature.

There are over 210,000 Americans that provide proof that it is no hoax

Some also believe young people can’t get the virus, or if they do, they won’t be affected by it.

And while their young immune systems are certainly better equipped to handle it than mine, or other older people, some have been adversely affected by it.

This quote from a local school administrator puts it in its proper perspective:

We’ve only had one case of Covid among our students.  But while he recovered, he also developed a heart issue that has been associated with the disease, and now he has to hope he can get cleared by a cardiologist so he can play sports again.  But its possible that he now has a lifelong heart condition due to this virus.


Look, the truth is, I could have done what many other trainers have done – ignored the virus and just swung my doors wide open, just like every other year.

But I feel a deep sense of responsibility, not only to the students who train here, but also to their parents, grandparents, other relatives, and their communities as a whole.

So I bite the bullet, accept smaller, manageable numbers, enact the most stringent and health-minded protocols anywhere in the sport – and do everything I can to protect the young people who entrust their health and training to me.

At this point, ACE signup is closed, although I would accept a student here or there who I could trust to follow health protocols and who would fit in to a group (junior high and high school).

But at this point, I have a self-imposed open date.

I’ve left Mondays open for just this occasion.

I am willing to open up a Monday training for a team, under these non-negotiable terms::

• No more than 6 athletes
• all on the email list (they can join at my website’s home page
• all of whom are willing to follow my health protocols,
• all willing to make an ACE-like commitment (every Monday for 9 weeks, eg).
• the group should prepare to have athletes that match up by size (in other words, don’t plan on 5 115 lbers and one 215 lber who could crush you all like a grape).

The arrival time would likely be 7 pm. 

You can view the details at the ACE page – the training setup would be similar to that.  I have not created a separate landing page for this yet.  If you have an interest, and have a group of 4-6 athletes willing to make the commitment, email me.

PS:  Important Note:   I’m only taking one group of 4-6 athletes.  First accepted, first in the gate – so don’t delay, if you have some athletes who are looking to train hard in a safe environment.
PPS:  This Monday training is not limited by age group but all the kids in the group should be similar in age (in other words, it could be 6 high schoolers, or 6 4th-6th graders, etc).