Bloomington High School South, The Gothic, 2009, Page 208

Description:	livinglegendsFrom Bloomington South alone,124 wrestlers have become statechampions. They were respected and honored as legends by thosewho were trying to accomplish the same goal.The Bloomington South wrestling program was one based on excellence andlegacy: excellence in the form of winning and sportsmanship, and legacy inthe form of recognition and honor.The excellence of the program wasproved in the fact that South wrestlinghad produced 124 state champions-more than any other program in thestate. The legacythat he likes seeing improvement in thekids. He also said he stayed involvedwith the program simply because heenjoyed being around wrestling.Jennings Polley, state champion in1941 and 1943, had similar sentiments.[Wresding] is just a good sport - it getsin your blood and you just cant getaway from it. Polley also said that thelegends presenceembedded inthe program wasevident from thefact that many ofthose athletes returned to Southon a regular basisto support the current generation ofwrestlers.Since Mr. Royce Deckard had become coach in 1999, past state champions of South (reverendy calledlegends) were regularly involved inwresding activities. Coach Deckard began by inviting back the legends, manyof whom he knew personally, to recognize them at a special honor night specifically for the champions. Soon afterthis, the legends themselves formed aclub for state wresding champions fromSouth. Coach Deckard said, They decided to form the club and they havebeen supporting us strong ever sincethen.Members of the legends club supported the wresding program at Southby different means. The legends as agroup supported the wrestlers financially, helping to pay for necessitieslike uniforms and an annual billboardfeaturing the team. Legends often offered their support simply with theirpresence at matches.John Gillespie, state champion in1971, refereed wrestling matches, including Souths, for 29 years. Gillespiesaid that his participation allowed himto keep in contact with the team, andWhen they come toour practices it makesus want to work harderand show them whatwere made of.— junior Donald Wienerhelped encouragethe present wres-tiers to give it theirall. They have alot of respect forus. They are trying to achieve thesame thing wehave.Junior DonaldWiener said that the legends helped tomotivate the wrestlers to give it theirall. When they come to our practicesit makes us want to work harder andshow them what were made of.With the nature of wrestling, thatencouragement is quite necessary—it isa sport based completely on individualeffort. Polley said, You win or losebased on what you yourself do.Russell Minett, state champion in1949 and 1950, said, It takes a lot ofcommitment. Theres no glory in it except for yourself. The legends serve asexamples for the current wrestlers: theyare living proof that they can be thebest if they put in the time.Coach Deckard wanted to makesure his wresders knew this. At the honors banquet he told them, We couldnot be as good of a program withoutthem. They laid the foundation. Thelegends support the South wresdingprogram because they want to see itsucceed. After all, current wresders arereally just future legends—or at leastthey hope so. -CAITLIN ADAMSJohn Gillespie. South graduate and wrestling statechampion of 1971, talks to a South wrestler whilerefereeine^HOTO by paul baechtold
Source:	http://cdm17129.contentdm.oclc.org/cdm/ref/collection/hs-bloomsouth/id/8230
Collection:	Bloomington High School South

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