Click here to download SOW pledge card and fact sheet
Despite recent statements in the media about its coming demise, Oregon wrestling is still very much alive and kicking. Those working to Save Oregon Wrestling (SOW) are active on many fronts. Here's an update on some of those efforts and others in progress.
Coach Ricky Stewart met with Athletic Director Pat Kilkenny on January 22 to present a plan to save wrestling that calls for raising $6-7 million over the next ten years to endow the program. Kilkenny is taking their proposal to his financial committee for further consideration. He's also going back to the UO general counsel, Melinda Grier, for further ruling on Title IX compliance. This could be very good for us.
SOW is making the rounds to many major wrestling tournaments throughout the state. We're handing out thousands of pledge cards and information sheets, along with sales of T-shirts and other items to promote our important message of saving wrestling in Oregon. We hope to have a presence at all of the upcoming district tournaments in the Northwest. We're also putting packets of information together to give to every school and wrestling program that will help us promote our cause.
On the political front, we are currently setting up a caucus meeting with former Speaker of the House, Dennis Hastert, who will be coming to Oregon in early February to meet with key Oregon lawmakers and SOW allies in Salem to focus on the Title IX compliance issues. We also have enlisted the prominent support of Sen. Ben Westlund and Rep. Vicki Walker and their colleagues, who are using their political muscle to put more pressure on UO officials to reconsider the educational interests of Oregon athletes and communities hurt by the loss of wrestling.
Our fight transcends simply saving UO wrestling-this is no less than a referendum on the future of wrestling in the West. Already high school administrators in Oregon and Washington have cited the prospective loss of wrestling at the UO as justification for future elimination of their high school wrestling programs. There will be a domino effect and it will hurt wrestling everywhere.
SOW's Chael Sonnen and Kevin Keeney will soon have a new billboard up on I-5 near Aurora to promote Save Oregon Wrestling. SOW is teaming up with USA Wrestling to launch a national email and online campaign to raise awareness and support for Oregon
wrestling. We are currently working on a TV commercial that would run during national cable broadcasts of Big Ten and NCAA Wrestling Championships.
SOW is putting together UO wrestling alumni events for both the Civil War match in Corvallis on February 17 and for the Pac-10 Championships in Eugene on March 1-3.
SOW is actively collecting donations and pledges through a number of outlets. The fastest and easiest way to contribute is to go to saveoregonwrestling.com and make a credit card donation and an online challenge to your friends. You can also download and
print your own pledge forms.
SOW continually seeks fresh ideas and new avenues of support, like our new alliance with LA artist Joey Krebs (The Street Phantom) who is creating portraits of famous MMA fighters for sale to benefit SOW, and has connected us with other supporters in the fitness and entertainment fields.
Everyday there are new people joining our fight. But we need more. It could be your ideas, energy and skill that make the difference. Don't let them steal what belongs to all of us.
Go to SaveOregonWrestling.com and join the fight!
SAVE OREGON WRESTLING.COM
Despite recent statements in the media about its coming demise, Oregon wrestling is still very much alive and kicking. Those working to Save Oregon Wrestling (SOW) are active on many fronts. Here's an update on some of those efforts and others in progress.
Coach Ricky Stewart met with Athletic Director Pat Kilkenny on January 22 to present a plan to save wrestling that calls for raising $6-7 million over the next ten years to endow the program. Kilkenny is taking their proposal to his financial committee for further consideration. He's also going back to the UO general counsel, Melinda Grier, for further ruling on Title IX compliance. This could be very good for us.
SOW is making the rounds to many major wrestling tournaments throughout the state. We're handing out thousands of pledge cards and information sheets, along with sales of T-shirts and other items to promote our important message of saving wrestling in Oregon. We hope to have a presence at all of the upcoming district tournaments in the Northwest. We're also putting packets of information together to give to every school and wrestling program that will help us promote our cause.
On the political front, we are currently setting up a caucus meeting with former Speaker of the House, Dennis Hastert, who will be coming to Oregon in early February to meet with key Oregon lawmakers and SOW allies in Salem to focus on the Title IX compliance issues. We also have enlisted the prominent support of Sen. Ben Westlund and Rep. Vicki Walker and their colleagues, who are using their political muscle to put more pressure on UO officials to reconsider the educational interests of Oregon athletes and communities hurt by the loss of wrestling.
Our fight transcends simply saving UO wrestling-this is no less than a referendum on the future of wrestling in the West. Already high school administrators in Oregon and Washington have cited the prospective loss of wrestling at the UO as justification for future elimination of their high school wrestling programs. There will be a domino effect and it will hurt wrestling everywhere.
SOW's Chael Sonnen and Kevin Keeney will soon have a new billboard up on I-5 near Aurora to promote Save Oregon Wrestling. SOW is teaming up with USA Wrestling to launch a national email and online campaign to raise awareness and support for Oregon
wrestling. We are currently working on a TV commercial that would run during national cable broadcasts of Big Ten and NCAA Wrestling Championships.
SOW is putting together UO wrestling alumni events for both the Civil War match in Corvallis on February 17 and for the Pac-10 Championships in Eugene on March 1-3.
SOW is actively collecting donations and pledges through a number of outlets. The fastest and easiest way to contribute is to go to saveoregonwrestling.com and make a credit card donation and an online challenge to your friends. You can also download and
print your own pledge forms.
SOW continually seeks fresh ideas and new avenues of support, like our new alliance with LA artist Joey Krebs (The Street Phantom) who is creating portraits of famous MMA fighters for sale to benefit SOW, and has connected us with other supporters in the fitness and entertainment fields.
Everyday there are new people joining our fight. But we need more. It could be your ideas, energy and skill that make the difference. Don't let them steal what belongs to all of us.
Go to SaveOregonWrestling.com and join the fight!
SAVE OREGON WRESTLING.COM
Read More#
ESPN presents the NCAA Div. I Championships from Philadelphia, March 20-22; 3 nights of primetime wrestling & 19 hours of live coverage
Three 2024 national runners-up fall in opening round of NCAA Div. III Championships
NCAA Div. I Nationals brackets are released; Download them here
Life pushes six into semifinals, leads team race after day one of NAIA Women’s Wrestling National Championships
