Commitment! Now is the time. ~Coach Fraser
Bill Scherr and the Wheelbarrow
By Steve Fraser
November 2005
Bill Scherr, who was one of our countries best wrestlers in the mid though late 80’s, recently wrote an article which talks about the importance of making a total and absolute commitment to our wrestling careers.
Bill is a world champion, Olympic bronze medal winner and NCAA Champion among many other lofty titles. He and his brother Jim Scherr, who is now CEO of the United States Olympic Committee, both nationally dominated their weight classes during their competitive days.
Both of these guys were two of the most versatile upper weights, technically speaking, this country has ever had. Great upper body attacks, great lower body attacks and great defense was their strengths. They could headlock or arm throw you one moment then double or single leg you the next moment. Coached many years by world champion Stan Dziedzic, these two brothers were multiple world medal winners’ through-out their careers.
Even with all of Bill’s great accomplishments he writes in this column about how he may have done even better if he had been totally committed. It surprises me to read that Bill felt he was not totally committed. I was on the tail end of my competitive career when Bill was wrestling and I remember him being pretty darn committed!
The dictionary defines commitment as “The state of being bound emotionally and intellectually to a course of action”. Commitment to do what it takes to succeed is really one of the most important attributes one can have when trying to be the very best at something.
Committing means that we will think of our dream first… before life pulls us in other directions. Committing means we will prioritize our daily actions ensuring that we focus on the tasks that will help us achieve our goals. It means we will, as Bill puts it, take control of our circumstances, eliminate any obstacles in our path, and pledge ourselves to the mission.
To be the very best in the entire world we must fully commit to our dream. 100% commitment means that we have got to want it, oh so bad! It means that we are in it… hook, line and sinker! All the way baby!
Thanks to Bill Scherr for all he has done for the sport of wrestling, setting a great example for others to follow, and sharing his expertise with us in this column.
Get in the Wheelbarrow!
By William Scherr
Nov. 10, 2005
My wrestling career was successful by most measures. I won National and International Championships at almost every level. Not a single day goes by, however, that I do not look back with regret because I realize that I could have been better and done more if I would have been fully committed to my sport. Could I have won the Olympics if I was not taking graduate school classes at the same time? Should I have been living in the same city as my brother and training with him every day? Could I have been more thorough in my approach to lifting weights and nutrition? The list of questions goes on and on and the answer to most of them leaves me wondering. What could I have accomplished if I was fully committed?
What type of commitment does it take to reach your full potential? In the 19th century a French tightrope walker, Jean Francois Blondin, gained fame by walking over Niagara Falls on a 3 inch round strand of manila rope that stretched over 1100 feet and was 160 feet above the dangerous rapids below. He first crossed successfully in 1867 and made numerous trips later, each more bold. He crossed blindfolded, with a man on his back and finally pushing a wheelbarrow. As the story goes, after crossing with the wheelbarrow he asked the crowd if they believed he could push a man across in the wheelbarrow. They answered enthusiastically in the affirmative. However, they were not as enthusiastic in their belief when he asked for a volunteer to get into the wheelbarrow so he could push them across the Falls. That would have required them to commit their very lives to their belief. And that is the type of effort that it requires to fully succeed at any endeavor, especially at the highest levels of wrestling.
Are you giving your entire life—your very self in the effort? Many will not because they do not believe strongly enough that they will be successful even if they give their full effort. Others, like me, were able to rationalize their chances for success without putting forth the full effort. I firmly believe that if you make a full commitment that it will be difficult for you not to succeed. And, in the worst case, you will be able to look back when you are finished and not wonder what you might have done if you were fully engaged.
“There is a difference between interest and commitment. When you are interested in doing something, you do it only when circumstances permit. When you are committed to do something, you accept no excuses, only results.” I am not sure who said that but it is very true for our sport. If you want to be fully committed then you will not let anything stand in your way. YOU CONTROL YOUR CIRCUMSTANCES! And that does not happen at the end of the year when you get to the NCAA Championships or World Championships. The effort has to be made now while you still have time to train. What obstacles are in your way of making a full commitment? Are you in the best training situation? Is your lifestyle conducive to proper training? Are you working with a sports psychologist and a nutritionist? Are you doing everything in your power to improve and get better? Are you placing yourself in the hands of your coach and listening to everything he or she is telling you?
How do you fully give yourself to achieving your goals? It is not that difficult as we all realize what is in our way of being our best. If you do not know what is holding you back ask your coach or a trusted advisor. Then eliminate every one of those obstacles in your way and train each and every day with full commitment. You may think your time competing is long but it really is a small portion of your life. For those in college it is a very short four years. International competitors may have five or ten years at most. Then it is behind you and you are left to wonder, “how good could I have been if…?” Get in the wheelbarrow now and eliminate all the “ifs” today and train to reach your goals. Because it is not enjoyable to look back and wonder…