A lot of people from Wyoming already know who Ben VomBaur is, but for those of you who don’t know or can’t quite remember here is a quick rundown of some of his career highlights:

Three time Washington state champion
High School Record: 102-0
NJCAA All-American for Clackamas Community College in Oregon City, Ore.
Two-time NCAA All-American at 125 pounds for Boise State University
Coached Wasatch High School in Heber City, Utah to Back to back state titles in his 2 years as their head coach
Assistant Coach at University of Wyoming for Four Seasons
Current Head Assistant Coach at University of Northern Colorado

When I was looking for volunteers to write about how wrestling has impacted them Coach VomBaur was more than willing to help out. Following is the story he wanted to share with us.

I grew up playing a lot of sports. I played organized soccer, football, baseball and basketball, but it wasn’t until I wrestled that I could channel my energy. Wrestling has made me the person I am today. It helped me transform my life from a struggling youth to a successful person.

I was a bright kid growing up. I scored high on several standardized tests in Kindergarten; even high enough to be placed in a new school for gifted students. But over the years I struggled more and more with discipline and motivation. By the time I finished the 6th grade I was failing several subjects, was visiting the principle on a regular basis and my relationships with my family was struggling at home. I had physical altercations with my parents and at one point pulled a knife on my sister and threatened her life. I specifically remember my 6th grade teacher telling my parents at a parent-teacher conference that I was “headed for prison.” Near the end of the 6th grade school year, after getting in a fight at school, the principle asked my dad if I would stay home the rest of the school year. So I did.

I started wrestling in the 7th grade. I was a natural and won most of my matches. Wrestling was fun for me because I liked being physical. I have a mean streak, but in wrestling that was a good thing. Junior high school was still a struggle, but wrestling helped me channel my aggression and helped me dedicate myself to something I valued. I made big improvements in my life, but the biggest changes didn’t come until my 9th grade year when learned about respect. In the 9th Grade I started wrestling for Roy Pitman at Peninsula Park. It’s an inner city club in Portland, Oregon with a heavy emphasis on respect, not wins and losses. I learned to respect my coaches, my family, my community and myself.

From that point on I dedicated myself to the sport of wrestling. I finished high school with 102-0 record and earned DI All-American honors twice at Boise State University. But what I’m most proud of myself is who I’ve become. Wrestling helped keep me out of jail. It’s helped me earn a college degree. It’s helped me be a better husband. It’s helped my be a better father. It’s helped me be a good leader. Wrestling has simply made me a better person.