Save Wrestling, Act Now!

Dear Future Champions and Wrestling Fans,
As you have probably heard, the International Olympic Committee’s (IOC) Executive Board recommended that wrestling not be included as a core sport at the 2020 Olympic Games. Keep in mind, this is a recommendation, not a final decision. Our sport was one of the first events in the Ancient Olympic Games as well as the Modern Olympic Games. We have survived attacks on our sport in the past and we are sure to survive this one as well. In order for this to happen, we will need everyone who loves this sport to get involved.
Our first move is to become more educated the process. (See the talking points below). Next we must organize and come together with a plan. Our national leaders are working on that as I write this to you. Lastly, we need to support our sport and remember you can have an impact on the future of the Olympics.
Remember nothing is final so please keep the spirit and the faith as we enter into this new fight to save wrestling all over the world!

Akil Patterson
Director of Programs
Terrapin Wrestling Club

TALKING POINTS ABOUT WRESTLING AND THE OLYMPICS
TheMat.com

USA Wrestling has created these talking points for those in the wrestling community in our nation who may be speaking about our sport in light of today’s International Olympic Committee announcement. Please read them carefully and refer to them in your public statements.

1) FILA, the international wrestling federation, the U.S. Olympic Committee and USA Wrestling did not expect this announcement. None of these leadership groups anticipated that wrestling was being considered for this.

2) This is a decision by the International Olympic Committee Executive Board. The recommendation is that wrestling not be included as a core sport at the 2020 Olympic Committee. This is not a final decision.

3) The next step is for the IOC Executive Board to recommend a sport for the final spot in the 2020 Olympics. Wrestling will be considered for the position along with seven other sports, which happens in May in St. Petersburg, Russia. Then, the next step is for the entire International Olympic Committee to vote on the final program for the 2020 Olympics, which occurs in September in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

4) This is an opportunity for wrestling to tell its story, not only to the International Olympic Committee leadership but also to the entire world.

5) Wrestling is one of the original sports in the ancient Olympic Games in Greece. Wrestling was also included in the first modern Olympic Games in 1896.

6) Wrestling is one of the most diverse sports in the world, with nearly 200 nations from all continents participating in the sport.

7) Wrestling is an inclusive sport which provides opportunities worldwide, regardless of geography, race, gender or physical characteristics. Anybody can wrestle.

8) Among Olympic sports, wrestling has more variety of nations which win Olympic medals than almost every other sport. Wrestling is popular all around the world, and many nations have successful athletes and programs in the sport.

9) This is a challenge for the entire wrestling community on the world level. USA Wrestling, as the national governing body in the United States, is putting its full energy and resources behind this. We will work with our wrestling brothers and sisters everywhere on earth to maintain our sport on the Olympic program.

10) Wrestlers are known for their work ethic. As a community, we will work tirelessly from this point forward letting the world know about why wrestling is so special. We believe that we have the ability to be successful

11) Be honest. Explain why wrestling is so important to you, and also important to the world. Do not be negative or critical of the IOC. It is our job to make them our supporters and allies moving forward.

12) USA Wrestling’s Executive Committee, Board of Directors, staff and leaders are already involved working on this issue. We will continue to update the wrestling community about what is going on.

13) What can you do right now? Stay informed. Join “Keep Wrestling In the Olympics” Facebook page, which is can be found at Keep Wrestling in the Olympics Facebook Page Updates will be posted regularly.

Save my Sport

Dear Future Champions and Wrestling Fans
Yesterday was a sad day for our sport, the International Olympic executive Committee or IOC voted to remove Wrestling as a core sport. Our sport was in the First games of the Ancient Olympics and is one of the original sports of what we call the modern Olympics. We have survived every attack on our sport and we are sure that we can survive this one as well but we will need everyone who loves this sport to pitch in. Our first move is to organize and our national Leaders are doing that as I write this to you. The second thing we need to do is support our sport right here and remember you can have an impact on the future of the Olympics. Here are a few talking points about our sport and how great it really is. Remember nothing is final so please keep the spirit and the faith as we enter into this new fight to save wrestling all over the world!

TALKING POINTS ABOUT WRESTLING AND THE OLYMPICS
TheMat.com

USA Wrestling has created these talking points for those in the wrestling community in our nation who may be speaking about our sport in light of today’s International Olympic Committee announcement. Please read them carefully and refer to them in your public statements.

1) FILA, the international wrestling federation, the U.S. Olympic Committee and USA Wrestling did not expect this announcement. None of these leadership groups anticipated that wrestling was being considered for this.

2) This is a decision by the International Olympic Committee Executive Board. The recommendation is that wrestling not be included as a core sport at the 2020 Olympic Committee. This is not a final decision.

3) The next step is for the IOC Executive Board to recommend a sport for the final spot in the 2020 Olympics. Wrestling will be considered for the position along with seven other sports, which happens in May in St. Petersburg, Russia. Then, the next step is for the entire International Olympic Committee to vote on the final program for the 2020 Olympics, which occurs in September in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

4) This is an opportunity for wrestling to tell its story, not only to the International Olympic Committee leadership but also to the entire world.

5) Wrestling is one of the original sports in the ancient Olympic Games in Greece. Wrestling was also included in the first modern Olympic Games in 1896.

6) Wrestling is one of the most diverse sports in the world, with nearly 200 nations from all continents participating in the sport.

7) Wrestling is an inclusive sport which provides opportunities worldwide, regardless of geography, race, gender or physical characteristics. Anybody can wrestle.

8) Among Olympic sports, wrestling has more variety of nations which win Olympic medals than almost every other sport. Wrestling is popular all around the world, and many nations have successful athletes and programs in the sport.

9) This is a challenge for the entire wrestling community on the world level. USA Wrestling, as the national governing body in the United States, is putting its full energy and resources behind this. We will work with our wrestling brothers and sisters everywhere on earth to maintain our sport on the Olympic program.

10) Wrestlers are known for their work ethic. As a community, we will work tirelessly from this point forward letting the world know about why wrestling is so special. We believe that we have the ability to be successful

11) Be honest. Explain why wrestling is so important to you, and also important to the world. Do not be negative or critical of the IOC. It is our job to make them our supporters and allies moving forward.

12) USA Wrestling’s Executive Committee, Board of Directors, staff and leaders are already involved working on this issue. We will continue to update the wrestling community about what is going on.

13) What can you do right now? Stay informed. Join “Keep Wrestling In the Olympics” Facebook page, which is can be found at Keep Wrestling in the Olympics Facebook Page Updates will be posted regularly.

Not to Fat to get in shape for yourself

While i was in a relationship i allowed myself to become fat and lazy for about 3 months after the Olympic trials. Now i was a little sad but i knew the odds going into this year for me making the team had been high but to go out the way i did was bad. This year has got to be better than before. As i end my 20′s and soon enter my 30′s life has a plan for me and that plan is to live and give back to others. What life does not have planned for me is to die walking up a flight of stairs.

This year i am on my 180 days to save my own life, i havent stopped the fast pace life of working but i have started to give myself a little time each day to do something and get my body moving again. This week its been Insanity, Lifting and cardio with a splash of dance and fun. I remember that the more i workout the more energy i have to do other things that help me move forward.

I am down 28 pounds and i love every minute of the day that i have life in me!

Week 1 Down of 180 Day Challenge

what a week it’s been!

this week will mark the beginning of the second term for Barack Obama while the same time it marks the second week for Akil Patterson and his 180 day challenge to change his life. I’m sure strong right now I feel confident, I feel like I should. Nothing is really bothering me I’m eating good meals I’m spending time with friends am working way more than I have in the past couple months or at least the last year with energy the energy to do it.

this week the majority of my meals have consisted of salads with grilled chicken a few subs with chicken or tuna no condiments such as mayonnaise miracle whip or even mustered. I think the thing that’s helping me the most is that I’m just moving constantly even if it’s 15-20 min. walk run on the treadmill or it’s an hour lifting weights. I still feel like I’m doing something and when I’m at work and I can’t get to the gym I do simple 20 rep push-ups, bent over rows, or even calf raises. Just small things so that I know that I’m staying active.

Hardest thing given up dust far has been my cookies I love cookies somebody help me because I love cookies. Tomorrow I have another wrestling termini will go to the workout hopefully before I go to an inaugural event and then I’ll go to work. I think all of you for taking the time to catch up on things I’m doing and I hope to be more positive your future.

Akil S. Patterson

180 day challenge

today marks the first day of my 180 day challenge, the goal this to drop 72 pounds. I don’t just mean 72 pounds cause i can do that in about a week. No i am talking about a solid 72 pounds creating my body lean mean fighting machine. I had always envisioned myself getting to this point earlier in my life when I knew that my body type my size didn’t match my mental thought. Even when I was 255 pounds I always saw myself as much larger person because everyone around was a lot smaller. When I was down to 264 pounds this last year I still saw myself feel as being too big. The onset of depression and overeating and stress caught up with a bad relationship and a failed attempt at making 2012 Olympics.
I am normally a person for positive thought and positive actions that’s why I’ve made this commitment for the next 180 days. This commitment isn’t really for myself but for the clients that work with the kids I mentor I have to let them know that when we put our minds to something we can accomplish great things. Now I won’t be running marathons I won’t be gone crazy in the gym what I will be doing is recommitting myself to a healthy lifestyle.
What is a healthy lifestyle look like? it looks like eating fruit and vegetable at least three times a day, it’s walking to the grocery store so driving, it’s eating which you need to survive and not living to eat. Simple things can change your entire life I know because I’ve done before and do it again with the support of my wonderful Maryland family I believe I can drop the 76 pounds. Heck if I can always down to 55 I be a dream come true!

As always remember nothing changes nothing changes

Want to play; Lets play

 

As we prepare for the start of the 2012 Olympics I am filled with both excitement and sadness over these games. It was 5 years ago I made a life changing decision to turn my life around so that I could become a open book and live a more productive life as an athlete. I made the choice to come out to my friends and family, Lose over 110 pounds and get myself back into the shape that I was once in to be a college football All-American. Today although my dream is not dead I have some feelings about making it to London, after a shoulder injury heading into the last stage of our Olympic trails I was forced to once again sit at home and make my peace. This time I didn’t falter to far off the grid instead I went right back to work at getting wrestling in my community up to the level I want it to be. I hosted Clinics and camps through the organization I help run called the Terrapin Wrestling Club.

  I am so blessed in life to know that so many people love and support the efforts of my sport, but funny thing is that very few in the LGBT community support sports as a whole. Look I am not saying the majority of the LGBT community does not like sports, what I am saying is that efforts to increase the visaility of LGBT community members with in actual sports is passed up for the level that the academics want to see in sport. Look at a majority of the LGBT community organizations and national organizations that deal with sports. Most are run by former atheltes who are now so far removed from the actual athletes and coaches that many of them say “they are having a hard time breaking in”, while the people who are in athletics are the ones for some reason have problems reaching the LGBT organizations as a whole. Is it a difference of opinion or a difference in philosophy? Nope none of the above what it is, is a difference in ego! Yes buddy EGO! Mine is bigger than yours EGO, and that’s the true story. While people who have enriched them self in the academic views of school climents, perperations, bullying, and policy are working with one another far better, while soldiers on the ground coaches and athletes can be pushed aside for TV rating, interview quotes and sounds bites.

  What really would make the eyes and ears of the “heterosexual” world open up is the ability to relate that “normal” athletes are ready to play and that these normal athletes also happen to be LGBT. This is what i call the “We are you campaign”  The idea that over the top athletes are the norm is not the case and that the stereo types that gender roles play are not always the case when we talk about being lgbt. So who do we go about bringing change? Well stop forcing everyone to except everyone and making them be friends or they are punished. All we are doing is creating a deeper wedge between theose who care and those who don’t give a fuck what happens to you. I remember a coach telling me years ago that he does not hate the government he just doesn’t like the people trying to run it, the system is broken cause the people inside broke it. The system its self still would work fine it we went back to the game plan. Now I see what he means, when we talk about all me are created equal its not that you and I look act or talk alike, its that we are to have the same opportunities available to us some where and some how. That’s itavailable to us nothing more and nothing less. I am a Gay, Blackmale, Republican, wrestler, coach and advocate. What about those three things even match up? One thing is clear that I have found those opportunities and sometimes I have made bad choices that then caused a domino effect to happen but guess what I had the choice of how I would react to things.

 

 So you think that pushing your views down in a persons face will make them like you more? No chance they are just going to tolerate you until its there turn again and the next time they are going to destroy you totally and with extreme prejudices.

Sports is the one thing that all life can see as a even playing field and the true equality. Not this notion that equality is written in the pages of the NCAA manual or the Washington post. If you really want to change hearts and change minds put the athletes up front where ever you can find them. Let them take the lead and make sure they are active in sports. Give them role models to look up to cause sometimes that’s all they really need is someone who they know is in there corner. They don’t need a campaign that forces schools to except them and everyone who might be same gender loving cause it could really harm them. What they want is a fare shake at making the team and starting of Fridays, Saturdays, and one day on a Sunday. What athletes want is to be able to talk to someone when they are having problems with out total judgement, and they want people to respect them for being both a student and a athlete more than anything.

  So big timers make sure you look back at the people your trying to help, Look and see if your really supporting the impact that you wanted to support and aren’t just trying to get some funding for a research paper so that some guy who never even picked up a dodge ball can make judgements of whats really going on in school.

 

  Oh and by the way Kids are mean they always have been and sometimes you just need to grow a set Look someone in the face and tell them to stop being a dick before they ever really wake up.

 

My journey isn’t over its really just getting started

 

All the best

Akil S. Patterson 

Up coming events and Release

Dear Friends

The First Panel of a new campaign in Bullying efforts will kick of next week at the 3rd annual Federal Partners Anit- Bullying Summit during this event Maryland First Lady

First Lady of Maryland, Katie O’Malley gives keynote remarks 

The panel will be moderated by Dr. Lisa Lauxman, the director of the division for youth and 4-H at the US Department of Agriculture. Akil will speak for about 10 minutes to kick off the panel and each of the 5 students will be asked to prepare no more than 5 minutes each on their efforts around bullying prevention. 

The panel has 5 amazing youth plus Akil Patterson, an Olympic Wrestler who, through his own personal experiences with bullying, has been working with youth to ensure they are safe on and off athletic fields.

 

The panel will be moderated by Dr. Lisa Lauxman, the director of the division for youth and 4-H at the US Department of Agriculture. Akil will speak for about 10 minutes to kick off the panel and each of the 5 students will be asked to prepare no more than 5 minutes each on their efforts around bullying prevention.

 

Follow on twitter @AkilPatterson  #Bullyingsummit