Why Are Penn Staters So Passionate About Wrestling
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- Опубліковано 8 бер 2024
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From the podcast this week, Darian and Steve ask Jeff Byers, Penn State wrestling announcer, why Penn Staters and Pennsylvanians are so passionate about wrestling.
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PA has good elementary, middle, & high school wrestling. Now they're a legitimate powerhouse in College. Incredible to behold.
I wrestled in PA in middle school. And the level of competition in the state is outrageous. I also had my son wrestle in PA. And again, the level of competition even at ages 7-8 is ridiculous.
The moms are screaming at their sons, dads are coaching their kids. Brothers and sisters are in the stands smashing popcorn down their gullets.
It’s literally a full time all year round obsession for wrestling families. I couldn’t keep up the pace and my son wore out in two years. We were both tired of the grind and it stopped being fun.
But I still will never ever forget the absolute enjoyment my son has when I took him to his first ever PSU wrestling match. What a memory In Rec Hall.
Unforgettable. PA, NJ, OH, and MD are wrestling hubs. But there is nothing like a PA wrestling tournament.
Thank you for watching and a thoughtful response! - Darian
I went to Nazareth HS. I almost went out for wrestling in middle school, but I was intimidated. I was already so far behind. In hindsight, I still should have done it.
Pennsylvania wresting is a birthright! I was handed a gym bag and was told I was going to wrestling practice at the age of 8. It is handed down through generations like a family treasure.
Grew up much more of a basketball fan, but went to Nazareth HS. As a kid, we were also ranked Top 25 in the country and great rivalries with other powers such as Easton and Northampton. It was hard not to get excited.
DYNASTY !!!! For Years to come !!!!
I think it's a farming, agricultural thing. Agriculture has always been the #1 economic engine in PA and farmers are drawn to it. But it's cultural in that kids who aren't on farms are drawn to it in the school programs. Just look at the college programs in the state. PSU, Lehigh, Pitt, Edinboro, Clarion, Lock Haven, Bucknell, and numerous D2 & D3 programs.
Thank you for watching and a thoughtful answer! - Darian
So, wrestling cows and livestock is a thing?
Just as a point of reference, of the 15 broad categories the US Dept. of Commerce ranks Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by, in Pennsylvania (with a GDP of $726 billion) agriculture is dead last - 15th out of 15 -- with $4 billion in economic activity. Agriculture is 0.6% of PA's economy. Not even 1%. Agriculture takes up land, yes, but not $. So, it's not, and hasn't been, the #1 economic engine in PA for eons.
I love me my Penn State wrestling!
LOVE YOUR CONTRIBUTIONS, JB. PA WRESTLING IS TOP NOTCH, NO SECRET SAUCE, DO THE RESEARCH, FOLKS!
Surprised that Jeff Byers did not know that John Fritz WAS from Pennsylvania. John Fritz wrestled at Bethlehem Liberty H.S., in the birthplace of Pennsylvania's High School wrestling dominance, the Lehigh Valley. Bethlehem Catholic, Faith Christian, Nazareth, Notre Dame (Green Pond), Easton, and more. They all surround tiny little Lehigh University, who has FOUR of their grapplers seeded in the Top 5 of their weight classes in next weekend's NCAA Championships -- including an unbeaten Ryan Crookham from Saucon Valley H.S. (another Lehigh Valley school), who beat the defending NCAA Champion, and WORLD Champion, Vito Arujau not once, but TWICE this year, and is unfairly seeded at #2. Hopefully, he'll FIX that (LOL) Saturday.
As a PSU wrestler, John was part of an amazing competitive triumvirate, which included himself, Lehigh's Mike Frick, and Pitt's Rande Stottlemyer (RIP). John won one NCAA Championship, Mike won two, but Rande never won one -- although he was a 3x All-American.
Fritz always beat Frick, Frick always beat Stottlemyer, yet Stottlemyer usually beat Fritz. Crazy.
As a side note, John's sister, Bernadette, was my 8th grade English teacher. She was great!
Good job in listing all those powerhouse high school wrestling program in Eastern PA which have a rich tradition of wrestling as a sport. I want to add there are a couple outstanding smaller high school wrestling programs in the WPIAL such as Canon McMillan HS in Washington County and West Greene in Greene County which also are proud of their rich tradition. I've often enjoyed the Powerade Tournament in Canonsburg which brings together some of the best competitors.
PA has always had a lot of youth tournaments during the summer. Thats how i got started. The first couple years i was in the 10 and under age group i got my butt kicked. I began working out and at age 9 we were wrestling every day in my neighbors basement on a small mat. I was 95 pounds in 4th grade and bench pressing 150. I won the US Kids state championship. My friends in school started to train with me. Before you know it, we had over 20 kids working out inder the age of 13. Thise bonds lasted a lifetime. And they translated into excelling in other sports because we were fit, disciplined and willing to learn. By the time our kids got to high school, we were ready to compete with anyone, but usually the greatest competition was in our own gym. Im 58 now and the kids and grandkids of the kids I went to school with are continuing the tradition. Wrestling prepares you for so much in life. When your taking the mat with a gym full of people watching, it can be overwhelming. You learn real quick at a young age that preparation is key. And once you begin seeing positive results, it motivates you to do more. That mindset translated to other sports and into the classroom. It's a sport that will humble all but 1 in the weight class every year.
Because wrestling is the toughest and best sport
There was passion even before Cael, that's why he came to PSU.
Wasn't a wrestler but always enjoyed the matches in high school. (1970's) Lower Dauphin, east of Harrisburg, was essentially a large farming community. Many of my buddies were busy planting in the spring and harvesting in the fall. But....But....During the winter these young men would fill out the wrestling team.
I hated wrestling, during the winter months, in gym class. I was a runner, not a wrestler. My buddies took great pleasure in twisting me up in knots! They never hurt me or banged me up but you got a sense of how good they were. Made me want to go to all the home matches.
Been a fan ever since. Flipped out when State got Cael. Can't get enough! Advice....Wanna know what wrestling is to PA? Go to the high school finals at The Giant Center in Hershey. What a zoo and what great wrestling!
I still haven't been but I need to go to the state tournament. I've heard it's a unique, cool experience. Thanks for watching. - Darian
The same reason why Oklahoma and Iowa does. Pennsylvania doesn't have any more than than the people in the two states I mentioned!
It's like CA with surfing
This weirdly makes way too much sense. - Darian
PA is second all time in MOH recipients with 380. They are behind NY who has 676. Also, interesting that Ohio and Illinois rank fourth and fifth. A lot of people put PA, OH, and ILL in the top 5 toughest states to win state championships. Tough people who answer the bell if you ask me.
Keystone State is the best wrestling State in the country , PSU took it to another level with their success!!💙🤍💙🤍
WE are PENN STATE
Cuz it's pennsylvania
A lot of guys say Penn State dominate because they have a lot of money to sign on recruits we we're winning titles before the NIL i was looking at Penn State roster yesterday most of the team is from Pennsylvania or the state next to Pennsylvania this year was the greatest wrestling team in college wrestling history
Penn Staters were NOT so excited about wrestling until Cael arrived. Fair weather fans.
not as much as iowans love wrestling
Cause they can't win a title in any other sport. Same as Iowa.
So if PSU could win a football title then they would not care about Wrestling??? You dont know much about PSU or wrestling in PA then.