MONROE - Things have a way of coming around full circle in wrestling.
Ben Peterson won an Olympic gold in 1972, just four years after suffering a second straight defeat at the hands of Monroe's very own Rich Hinebaugh, who went on to win the state title in 1968.
"That's one guy I remember all too well," Peterson said. "I came to find out he's a nice, congenial guy, but he didn't seem that way at the time."
Tuesday, on the Cheesemakers' new mats at the high school, Peterson was laying ground for another wave of grapplers that just may be able to take down a future two-time Olympic medalist someday.
"(Peterson) went from 0-7 and not starting wrestling until high school to being an Olympic champion," Monroe coach Jeriamy Jackson said. "If kids work hard and take their lumps, it can happen. They hear it from me and the other coaches, but we're always here. Hearing it from him is priceless."
Jackson heard Peterson's message loud and clear 17 years ago at Camp of Champs, an orgination Peterson and his brother John, also an Olympic Champion, pioneered 30 years ago.
About a month ago Jackson got the great news that Peterson wanted to visit his old pupil's practice and plans were finalized about a week ago.
"I never thought there was a chance (Peterson) would come to one of our practices," Jackson said. "An Olympic champion coming into our little wrestling room here in Monroe, it's incredible to have the opportunity to get attention from someone like that."
"The message doesn't mean more, but it's nice to get a new outlook on things," Gavin Wels said. "Our coaches are very intelligent, but obviously he may know more than them in certain areas."
Wels wrestled up a weight class at 112 pounds in the Cheesemakers' first two outings but, since returning to the 103-pound division in which he nearly qualified for the WIAA state tournament last year, he's won his ladder in the team's last two tourneys.
Tonight, he and senior leader Kyle Klopfenstein lead a young Cheesemaker squad that is seeing new leaders emerge after three state qualifiers, Bobby Bennett, Matt Scott and Kenny Konopacki, graduated but left not only a legacy, but a template.
"I like to see myself as a leader, but Kyle's our senior and doing a great job," Wels said. "A lot of the younger guys are stepping up and aren't much like underclassmen. They're loud. They voice their opinions."
On Tuesday, Jackson leant the reins of his practice room to Peterson, who had 10 of Jackson's athletes at camp this past summer.
"It was fun to see them in their own practice room and not just on my turf," Peterson said. "I particularly appreciated the way that those guys train on their own at the beginning."
Brian Jefferson's middle school squad also joined in on the fun but, much like the high school athletes they want to someday succeed, also got down to work quickly. It wasn't lost on Peterson.
"Not many places do you see kids willing to work on their own," Peterson said. "That was really impressive to me the way they came in, got ready and got after it."
Once the squad was warmed up, Peterson delivered an empassioned message, urging his wide-eyed audience to "always prepare for the toughest competition they'll ever face." He also reminded the group of the dual responsibilities of being a student-athlete and insisted that an athlete should carry their enthusiasm and pride from the ring to the classroom and throughout the rest of their high school experience. He told them to "not go to class to get through the day," but to apply the same tenacity they exhibit in the ring to their studies.
But Peterson didn't settle for talking his eager-eyed students through tricks of the trade; he helped them iron out the wrinkles in their technique. After giving a few quick anecdote-based pointers, he cut the pairings loose and worked with every group, imparting hard-earned knowledge.
Peterson knows that with the dilligence he witnessed and a few newly-acquired tricks of the trade, the Cheesemakers will remain as formidable as ever.
"They're talented, but they're young," Peterson said. "If they continue to work the way they are, you'll keep seeing at least one or two Monroe wrestlers at the state tournament every year."
Ben Peterson won an Olympic gold in 1972, just four years after suffering a second straight defeat at the hands of Monroe's very own Rich Hinebaugh, who went on to win the state title in 1968.
"That's one guy I remember all too well," Peterson said. "I came to find out he's a nice, congenial guy, but he didn't seem that way at the time."
Tuesday, on the Cheesemakers' new mats at the high school, Peterson was laying ground for another wave of grapplers that just may be able to take down a future two-time Olympic medalist someday.
"(Peterson) went from 0-7 and not starting wrestling until high school to being an Olympic champion," Monroe coach Jeriamy Jackson said. "If kids work hard and take their lumps, it can happen. They hear it from me and the other coaches, but we're always here. Hearing it from him is priceless."
Jackson heard Peterson's message loud and clear 17 years ago at Camp of Champs, an orgination Peterson and his brother John, also an Olympic Champion, pioneered 30 years ago.
About a month ago Jackson got the great news that Peterson wanted to visit his old pupil's practice and plans were finalized about a week ago.
"I never thought there was a chance (Peterson) would come to one of our practices," Jackson said. "An Olympic champion coming into our little wrestling room here in Monroe, it's incredible to have the opportunity to get attention from someone like that."
"The message doesn't mean more, but it's nice to get a new outlook on things," Gavin Wels said. "Our coaches are very intelligent, but obviously he may know more than them in certain areas."
Wels wrestled up a weight class at 112 pounds in the Cheesemakers' first two outings but, since returning to the 103-pound division in which he nearly qualified for the WIAA state tournament last year, he's won his ladder in the team's last two tourneys.
Tonight, he and senior leader Kyle Klopfenstein lead a young Cheesemaker squad that is seeing new leaders emerge after three state qualifiers, Bobby Bennett, Matt Scott and Kenny Konopacki, graduated but left not only a legacy, but a template.
"I like to see myself as a leader, but Kyle's our senior and doing a great job," Wels said. "A lot of the younger guys are stepping up and aren't much like underclassmen. They're loud. They voice their opinions."
On Tuesday, Jackson leant the reins of his practice room to Peterson, who had 10 of Jackson's athletes at camp this past summer.
"It was fun to see them in their own practice room and not just on my turf," Peterson said. "I particularly appreciated the way that those guys train on their own at the beginning."
Brian Jefferson's middle school squad also joined in on the fun but, much like the high school athletes they want to someday succeed, also got down to work quickly. It wasn't lost on Peterson.
"Not many places do you see kids willing to work on their own," Peterson said. "That was really impressive to me the way they came in, got ready and got after it."
Once the squad was warmed up, Peterson delivered an empassioned message, urging his wide-eyed audience to "always prepare for the toughest competition they'll ever face." He also reminded the group of the dual responsibilities of being a student-athlete and insisted that an athlete should carry their enthusiasm and pride from the ring to the classroom and throughout the rest of their high school experience. He told them to "not go to class to get through the day," but to apply the same tenacity they exhibit in the ring to their studies.
But Peterson didn't settle for talking his eager-eyed students through tricks of the trade; he helped them iron out the wrinkles in their technique. After giving a few quick anecdote-based pointers, he cut the pairings loose and worked with every group, imparting hard-earned knowledge.
Peterson knows that with the dilligence he witnessed and a few newly-acquired tricks of the trade, the Cheesemakers will remain as formidable as ever.
"They're talented, but they're young," Peterson said. "If they continue to work the way they are, you'll keep seeing at least one or two Monroe wrestlers at the state tournament every year."
