Ask not what the
sport of wrestling can do for you, but what you
can do for the sport of wrestling. USA
Wrestling has recently appointed Mike Clayton as its National Coaches Education
Program Manager. Mike Clayton may be new
to this role, but he has big plans, and he is taking action on all fronts.
Mike was kind enough
to provide me with an opportunity to ask some questions relating to his new role
as well as his prior experience in our great sport.
DK: “How great
does it feel to be in this position now after all of the experiences you have
had as opposed to how it would have been fifteen or twenty years ago?”
Mike Clayton: “The timing was right for me. I’ve had the opportunity to coach at the
college level for the past fifteen years.
This job gives me the ability to give back to a much more broad support
base of coaches. I felt compelled that
this is such an important position.”
DK: “What do you
miss the most in regard to coaching college wrestling?”
Mike Clayton: “I do miss the kids; the kids that we had as
the alumni, and the kids that are in the program currently. What I miss the most is the relationship with
the kids.”
DK: “Before you
were in your current role, you were basically in a position where you were an
individual fighting for access to scarce resources...things that come with
building and sustaining a college wrestling program. Now you are the
provider, the person who can help all that were dealing with the adversity you
know all too well. How does it feel?”
Mike Clayton: “I would say, after 2008, I don’t know too
many companies that do not have scarce resources. We are a not-for-profit. We are predominantly funded by our
membership. We have to serve our
members. When you give to the people you
need something from, they are more likely to give to you. An important part of what we do is to make
sure we are doing the right things to drive membership and to provide good
resources.”
DK: “What can the average wrestling fan do to make your
job easier and aid the growth of wrestling?”
Mike Clayton: “Be
involved. The important part of
supporting wrestling in America, at the basic level, is to become a member of
USA Wrestling.”
What I want the readers of this
article to truly take from Mike’s words is that we all can do more for our great sport. Become a member of USA Wrestling. Support wrestling at all levels. Mike made a statement during our conversation
that really grabbed my attention: “When
an individual acts, they become motivated.”
This statement is so true. He then added: “Action creates motivation.” This additional statement made such a
profound impact on me at that very moment.
I hope that many of you reading this article become motivated to act by purchasing a USA Wrestling membership
as an athlete or coach.
For more information on Mike
Clayton and USA Wrestling Memberships, please click the following links:
1. http://www.teamusa.org/USA-Wrestling/Features/2014/March/27/Mike-Clayton-joins-USAW-at-NCEP-Manager
