Wrestling with his faith

[Gob]

DES MOINES, Iowa -- After a standout season in which he went 35-4, Joel Northrup had every reason to dream of winning an Iowa wrestling championship this year, but he gave it all up before his first state tournament match Thursday.

Northrup, a home-schooled sophomore who competes for Linn-Mar High School, said his religious beliefs wouldn't allow him to wrestle Cassy Herkelman, a pony-tailed freshman from Cedar Falls who is one of the first two girls to qualify for the tournament in its 85-year history.

Northrup issued a statement through his school expressing his "tremendous" respect for what Herkelman and Ottumwa sophomore Megan Black achieved this season, but he said didn't feel he had a choice.

“ As a matter of conscience and my faith I do not believe that it is appropriate for a boy to engage a girl in this manner. It is unfortunate that I have been placed in a situation not seen in most other high school sports in Iowa. ” -- Joel Northrup

"Wrestling is a combat sport and it can get violent at times," Northrup said in a statement released by his high school. "As a matter of conscience and my faith I do not believe that it is appropriate for a boy to engage a girl in this manner. It is unfortunate that I have been placed in a situation not seen in most other high school sports in Iowa."

His father, Jamie Northrup, told The Associated Press later Thursday that his son struggled with the decision.

"He's poured his heart and soul into wrestling and into being the best in the state," Jamie Northrup said. "He's never won a state championship, so he's certainly looking forward to that day. So it's agonizing, from all the work and the effort and the hope.

"But it's easy in that, he, a long time ago, drew a line and said 'I don't believe it's right for a boy to wrestle a girl."'

There were several thousand fans at Wells Fargo Arena on Thursday, but many were watching other matches when the referee raised Herkelman's hand to signal her win. There was a smattering of cheers and boos from the crowd before Herkelman was whisked into the bowels of the arena.

Northrup's decision to default put Herkelman in the quarterfinals in the 112-pound weight class, and it put her name in the record book as the first girl to win an Iowa state tournament match. But it deprived her of the chance to show the skills that earned her a 20-13 pre-tournament record.

Tournament organizers declined to make Herkelman available for questions. But her father, Bill Herkelman, told The Associated Press via text message that he understands and respects Northrup's decision.

"It's nice to get the first win and have her be on the way to the medal round," Bill Herkelman wrote. "I sincerely respect the decision of the Northrup family especially since it was made on the biggest stage in wrestling. I have heard nothing but good things about the Northrup family and hope Joel does very well the remainder of the tourney."

Because he defaulted and didn't forfeit, Northrup was allowed to compete in the consolation rounds, and he won his first match later Thursday by major decision.

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncaa/highscho ... id=6131909

Hell of a thing to do to avoid an embarrassing boner...

[Joe Guy]

The kid has made a thoughtful and noble statement that it is not good to wrestle with a person of the opposite sex.

Some day he will look back and wonder what the hell he was thinking.

[Gob]

Or admit he prefers wrestling with people of the same sex?

[Jarlaxle]

Were I the coach, I would IMMEDIATELY throw him out of the tournament and inform him he is no longer welcome at any event involving the wrestling team.

[Sean]

It's like that tosspot triple jumper Jonathan Edwards who refused to compete on a Sunday as he was a Christian. He changed his mind just as it was announced that the world championship qualifiers would be held on a Sunday. What a fortunate coincidence!

As far as this kid goes... Did he know from joining the team that there existed the possibility of wrestling a girl? If he did I have no sympathy.

[Gob]

Were I the coach, I would IMMEDIATELY throw him out of the tournament and inform him he is no longer welcome at any event involving the wrestling team.

I wouldn't go that far, but I'd keep him away from the showers when the boys are in there.

I think we have a potential soap dropper.

[Scooter]

We have an insecure boy who was afraid of the prospect of having his ass whipped by a girl.

He probably has a father like Emilio Estevez did in The Breakfast Club, who who have never let him live it down.

[Jarlaxle]

Were I the coach, I would IMMEDIATELY throw him out of the tournament and inform him he is no longer welcome at any event involving the wrestling team.

I wouldn't go that far, but I'd keep him away from the showers when the boys are in there.

I think we have a potential soap dropper.

I don't give a damn...due to his personal problems, he let the team down and could have cost them the tournament. Throw him off permenently.

[rubato]

We have an insecure boy who was afraid of the prospect of having his ass whipped by a girl.

He probably has a father like Emilio Estevez did in The Breakfast Club, who who have never let him live it down.

We should just get rid of all the "women's" categories for all sports. The olympics would go a lot faster, we'd see a greater percentage of events on TV and it would cost less to put on. If we want to see a lower level of performance by slower and weaker athletes we can always watch the minor leagues, amateur, or highschool competitions.

yrs,
rubato

[dgs49]

Or have girls wrestle other girls. Just like it is in every other sport.

Or if you think he should have wrestled, what would you say about combined track or swimming competition? Being, on average, 6" shorter and 40lbs lighter is no disadvantage in either sport. Women should be forced to compete on an equal basis, or not at all.

This girl and her parents are idiots, and the school athletic officials who allowed this situation to occur have no judgment or balls. Just because somebody wants to do something does not mean that the rest of the world has to accommodate them.

[Scooter]

Girls can be competitive in wrestling precisely because competition is divided by weight class. Did you miss the part where this girl has a 20-13 record competing against other boys? The boy knew this and thus knew that she had a real chance of beating him. He's the one with no balls.

[Jarlaxle]

Or have girls wrestle other girls. Just like it is in every other sport.

Or if you think he should have wrestled, what would you say about combined track or swimming competition? Being, on average, 6" shorter and 40lbs lighter is no disadvantage in either sport. Women should be forced to compete on an equal basis, or not at all.

Are you lying or just dumb as a fucking rock? Or are you lying AND dumb as a fucking rock?

[thestoat]

Or have girls wrestle other girls.

Preferably with mud?

[rubato]

Girls can be competitive in wrestling precisely because competition is divided by weight class. Did you miss the part where this girl has a 20-13 record competing against other boys? The boy knew this and thus knew that she had a real chance of beating him. He's the one with no balls.

He was considered likely to win a state championship.

She was not.

Stop embarrassing yourself.

yrs,
rubato

[Gob]

Or have girls wrestle other girls.

Preferably with mud?

Now your talking...

[MajGenl.Meade]

Ha ha. Ho Ho. A lot of funny stuff there.

But the boy did the correct thing. He is to be commended for upholding a principle. (Look it up)

Females have no business wrestling males. In a wrestling contest. Any more than female "boxers" should be allowed into the ring with male boxers.

I don't agree with rubato that female competitions should be ruled out of the Olympics for example. The issue is not "sub-standard" performers but the excellence that may be seen amongst peers - what matters it if women's track records are smaller, shorter, slower than men's? At Wimbledon, the women's events are as interesting or more so than the men's from a tennis enteratinment pov.

Now if someone wanted to ban womens' soccer that would be a mercy. Even Buffoona Buffoona might stand a chance against a pack of ladies. Come to think of it, African soccer should be banned as well. And Mid-east soccer. And Scandinavians. And the USA. Uh oh! rubato does have a point after all

Cheers
Meade

[Jarlaxle]

But the boy did the correct thing. He is to be commended for upholding a principle.

Yes--the principle of, "Holy shit, I might get pinned by a girl! I'll never live it down!"

He should be barred for life from wrestling events because he quit on his teammates.

[Big RR]

Whether he should be barred should be up to his team and coach, but the girl clearly showed that she had earned the right to wrestle in the championships by winning 20 matches; if she can compete at that level, there is no reason to exclude her. Years ago, it would have been the kid refusing to wrestle a back or a jew; same crap, new target.

[MajGenl.Meade]

I suppose that it’s correct to say that most of the people on this board are, in the main, supportive of a somewhat relativistic viewpoint. People are entitled to their own beliefs – I may not agree with them but I respect their right to have them.

One may disagree with a person’s Buddhist notions but allows that the person holds those views seriously and is not “being a Buddhist” because they are deficient as humans.

Here we have a young man who has views as a Christian which include the inappropriateness of a teenage male wrestling against a teenage female (leaving aside all the sophomoric innuendoes). He appears not to be concerned that he might “lose”. In fact, he does lose by forfeit and she wins. His team and coach support him.

But this board is not content to simply disagree on the issue of the appropriateness of co-ed wrestling (innuendoes aside). Instead, the boy is abused. He is a coward; he is a traitor; he should be punished. It’s even asserted that he probably enjoys groping boys and that showering with him is dangerous. She has a “right” to wrestle him; he has no “right” to believe that to be morally wrong. In fact, he's no different to some past racist who wouldn't wrestle a black or a Jew (really?) - their motivations are the same. (I think that was unworthy of you bigRR).

It seems obvious that the boy’s “fault” is to attempt to live in accordance with beliefs that he’s “allowed” to have but not to apply. He believes that a man shouldn't be trying to beat up on a woman.

In another context, my son played football – defensive and offensive line. He was good and he loved to play (and wrestle). But he quit the football team because he thought that the coaches made vulgar, cruel and even racist remarks. That meant he was never going to wrestle again too (they wouldn’t pick him). He was not a Christian. He just didn’t agree with the abuse. He was ostracised and abused by the team as a “traitor” and a “loser”. Coaches said the same things. I was proud of him.

Now I know that many will nod wisely and go “Oh racist remarks? Well good for Jesse; walking out on that kind of thing”. But if it were just the verbal abuse (without the “n” word) then the same people or most would say “What a douche bag. Can’t take a few bad words; that’s just normal for football”. Actually he would have walked just for the abuse. And I would have been very proud if he’d had to decide to forfeit a wrestling match against a girl because he didn’t think it was “right”. He would have thought that – even as a non-Christian. It is a matter of principle.

Meade

[Gob]

Nicely put Meade, (if overstating the relevance of the mickey taking hereabouts.)

Does it boil down to this, if he was aware of the potential need to wrestle girls in this tournament, he should not have entered.

If he was not aware of the potential need to wrestle girls, he should have bowed out as soon as he was made aware.

Which bit of the bible states "thou shalt not wrestle with girlies"?

Lets not forget, this wasn't a decree, this was a decision HE made.

Funny isn't it, that a Christian would have such a problem, doesn't it show a lack of belief in his belief?