T-L Photo/KIM NORTH HARRISON CENTRAL students Brayden McAfee, left, and Aiden Salyers receive instruction from Ohio State University head wrestling coach Tom Ryan during the opening day of the Harrison Central Wrestling Camp in Cadiz. Ryan will appear all three days of the camp as the featured clinician.

CADIZ — Wrestling is much more than just a sport. Sure, individuals compete against one another — male and female — and one is eventually declared the winner. However, when you sit back and think about what all goes into the sport, it’s pretty intriguing.

That’s what Ohio State University head wrestling Tom Ryan stressed Wednesday during the first day of the annual Harrison Central Wrestling Camp, which runs through Friday in the Harrison Central gymnasium.

“To me, wrestling is vital to the long term sustained success of the country … of the world,” Ryan explained. “Wrestling is one of the most participated-in sports in the world. It’s the sixth largest participation sport in this country. It’s just good for people.

“Winning is nice and all, but this sport teaches hard work, discipline, self respect, self assessment …,” he added. “For all the things that it teaches, I think wrestling is crucial for our youth to get involved in.”

When asked what age is appropriate for youth to get started, Ryan said it depends on several factors.

“I think everyone is different You have to be very alert and very astute to making sure an environment is created of love and not fear, so whenever they are ready to embrace the love, that’s when they are ready,” he pointed out. “I love the sport and I love what it teaches. For me, when I get out to teach I love it. I try to talk philosophies and life’s principles.”

With the collegiate season having finished up about a month ago, one would think Ryan has a lot of free time during the summer. But that’s not the case.

“Typically, I’ll do about five (camps) a summer. I don’t do too many because we’re pretty busy with our team and training, and we have some camps we hold at Ohio State,” he noted.

Ohio State captured the 2015 NCAA championship and Ryan was the National Coach of the Year for the second time in his elongated career, the other coming in 2009. The Buckeyes have also finished runnerup in 2008, 2009, 2017, 2018 and 2019. Ryan is 171-56 in dual meets during his 15 seasons at OSU and 280-139-1 overall, with a 109-83-1 record coming in a dozen years at Hofstra.

Ryan didn’t come alone as Buckeye standouts Malik Heinselman and Anthony Echemendia helped out Wednesday. Ethan Smith and Dylan D’Emilio are scheduled to appear today, while Tate Orndorff and either Heinselman or Echemendia will be featured on Friday.

Heinselman is a three-time NCAA qualifier, and Echemendia is a six-time Cuban national champ. Smith is also a three-time NCAA qualifier and one-time All-American, while D’Emilio is a four-time OHSAA champion and NCAA qualifier. Orndorff is a three-time NCAA qualifier and one-time All-American.

“I like everything I’ve seen so far. He’s great with the kids and he’s really hitting home the mental aspect of wrestling,” Harrison Central head wrestling coach and camp director Bill Bryant said. “It’s not just come in and do what you want to do. Everything has a purpose.”

Bryant said Ryan’s appearance in Cadiz is huge, not just for Harrison Central but for the entire Ohio Valley.

“A lot of people say wrestling is a dying sport. I think it’s a growing sport,” Bryant stressed. “I think this is just another way to help grow it. Today is a step in the right direction.”

For more information or any questions, contact Bryant at (330) 340-3018 or email at bbryant@hhcsd.org