By BRIAN CHARLTON
For the State News
AC/DC blared over the speakers as grapplers dusted off their headgear and tied up old wrestling shoes in the IM Sports-West wrestling room last week.
Amid the many varsity team practices, these unfamiliar faces now have the chance to roll around on the mats as members of MSU’s first club wrestling team.
Meeting from 7-9 p.m. every Tuesday and Thursday, the group hopes to practice yearlong beginning next year and gain new members in the process.
The interest in developing the club came from intramural wrestling tournaments.
“Athletes competing kept asking and writing e-mails to me wondering if there was a club and if they could join,” said Johnny Allen, assistant director of Intramural Sports and Recreative Services.
Allen, who also is an adviser for the club, credited Brian Barrick, a supply chain management junior, for finally organizing the team.
With the help of friends such as Matt Quart, a merchandising management junior, Eric Balsis, a human biology sophomore, and Monica Leslie, a communication freshman, the group wrote a constitution and selected a committee, meeting all the requirements to have an official club.
“We are looking to get our own room but that includes getting our own mats, so we will use the varsity room for now,” Barrick said. “We want to set up fund-raisers to raise money.”
The varsity coaches, especially assistant David Dean, also have helped the club and plan to continue.
“At this point, we’re allowing them to have some usage of our room,” Dean said. “But I’m encouraged that we’ll be able to find those guys a permanent home.”
And Dean said he noticed potential for a club team at MSU and other universities for a long time.
“What I see coming out of this, and I’m seeing this at many institutions across the country, is that the club programs are building,” he said. “There are tremendous athletes on this campus.
“Once they find out there is this club organization, and as they get organized and learn how to fund better, I think they could be a national power in club wrestling.”
The club’s members include former high school state champions and state placers as well as dedicated athletes who just want to explore the sport. Interested MSU students are encouraged to pull out their old equipment and attend the club’s practices.
“We are not going to discriminate,” Barrick said. “In fact, we have had girls interested and hope to eventually form a women’s division.”
The club has yet to schedule meets, but has been talking to other schools. Although only two universities in the Big Ten - the University of Michigan and Indiana University - have club teams, many community colleges and Division III colleges’ “B” teams have shown interest.
Club members also hope to compete in the national club wrestling association finals in the future.
“It’s a great chance for us to get back on the mats and compete, and everyone is open to new ideas for practice,” said Andy Hoppe, a pre-dental freshman. “Plus, we are still hoping to gain members as more people hear about it.”
Besides providing an opportunity for athletes to wrestle, Barrick also wants to help local high schools by finding future coaches. The Michigan High School Athletic Association is having a shortage in the coaching field, which the club could help to fix.
Barrick also hopes to get members certified to referee.
“We have been working on this since last February. I am trying to give back to the sport what I got out of it,” he said.
