Licata Blog: Saving Cleveland State and the larger issues in college athletics

Wow! A little over a week after Big 12 Commissioner Bob Bowlsby speaks about the trouble our sport is in unless we change our ways, two programs are notified they are getting axed. D2 Northern State and D1 Cleveland State are the victims.


Just after what our community stated was the best NCAA D1 Tournament ever. Guess that doesn’t mean much?


If this can happen in Cleveland – where they had a D2 team Champion in Notre Dame College last year, where arguably the best wrestlers in the country come from, where the D1 NCAA Tournament for next year is scheduled, where the NWCA All Star Classic kickoff is scheduled – it can happen anywhere! It’s the home state of Congressman and wrestling champion Jim Jordan; St. Paris Graham, the best high school team in the country; and the newly crowned NCAA Championship team, Ohio State. It can and will happen elsewhere!


Bowlsby's speech can be heard in its entirety on the [http://www.wrestlersinbusiness.org/news/223382/Bob-Bowlsby-Speaks-at-the-NCAA-D1-Championships-WIBN--NWCA-Social.htm] Wrestlers in Business Network website. It’s quite prophetic and anyone who cares about our sport needs to watch! The message I heard (and there are plenty of messages in the speech) is that wrestling needs to change the way it views and manages itself, and it needs relevance in its community or it will suffer far greater losses!


When I heard the news about Northern State I felt similar as in the past: sad and unfortunate. When I heard about Cleveland State I wasn't shocked but I truly was surprised.


Today, after thinking about it, and hearing behind-the-scenes conversations from some community leaders I feel we have a chance to turn this around.


Cleveland, along with Washington D.C., is the founding Chapter of the Wrestlers In Business Network. Its President, Aaron Grossman, is a prominent Cleveland businessman. Our organization has a very strong National and Chapter Board with deep roots in Cleveland. I see this as an opportunity for our WIBN to distinguish itself. We are a non-profit who gives back to the wrestling community all the time. What greater gift than this? Unlike other areas we are strong and well organized. The WIBN can be the vehicle to fight this good fight.


What can you do? Keep informed! Tell all of your friends and your personal network to go to visit the WIBN online at www.wrestlersinbusiness.org, create a free profile, and join our group. When our plan to put pressure on the administration in a persuasive fashion is revealed, take the time and be part of it.


Can something positive come from this? I believe so. It’s certainly a fight worth fighting.


But folks, let me be clear, this is endemic of a much larger issue affecting all wrestling programs across the land. We must deal with this. However, unless we deal with the much larger issues, things will continue.


Ultimately, my read from Bob Bowlsby is for us to be organized and be relevant! No relevancy, no care!

John Licata is the Executive Director of the Wrestlers In Business Network.