Takedown for Two; Wrestlers with Disabilities

As a former high school wrestler I have an appreciation for the sport. An appreciation that only those who participated could have. I love to read stories about local wrestlers who are so successful they break the barrier of the mainstream media to tell their story. Recent local stories include Martin Mitchell from Tonasket (my home town!), Burke Barnes from Lake Stevens, Brandon Sitch from Kelso and Jimmy Belleville from Black Hills (my alma mater), all of which recently won four state titles a piece during their high school careers.

Unfortunately, the level of success required for the media to sell the story is extremely rare. Five times in the history of high school wrestling in Washington State has a participant won four-straight state titles. For a sport that requires a great deal of mental focus paired with physical strength and conditioning it just doesn’t get covered too often. That’s why when I see stories in The Seattle Times about wrestlers like A.J. Leitch I’m encouraged by not only the progress of the sport, but the determination and heart shown by athletes like Leitch.

A.J. Leitch is a 103-pound wrestler from Sammamish High School, but unlike Mitchell, Barnes, Sitch and Belleville, he  has a condition known as thrombocytopenia-absent radius (TAR Syndromes), meaning he was born without kneecaps and the ulna and radius bones between his wrists and elbows. Leitch’s condition makes what he does on the mat even more impressive.  Throughout my career as a wrestler I encountered several people who participated in the sport despite physical disabilities that made it difficult, but not impossible. I watched kids wrestle with only one leg or arm, some who were deaf and some who were even blind.

I watched these athletes with admiration for their accomplishments in such a difficult sport despite their disabilities. I couldn’t help but notice though, some people underestimated these wrestlers, especially opponents. However, it was quickly apparent that underestimating these kids would undoubtedly lead to defeat and opponents and spectators alike quickly realized the physical skill exhibited and noticed less of the physical disabilities.

It’s athletes like these, like Leitch, who are great examples of what the human body is capable of and a testament to the human spirit. Although the sport of wrestling may never make it into the mainstream media as a heavily popular sport, it’s nice to see a piece like the one about Leitch that tells the story of overcoming great difficulty to succeed.

Like the article mentioned, Leitch might not win every match, but he wins people over by competing.