Takedown Report

InterMat Reads: Adam Wheeler’s Believe and Achieve

By Mark Palmer
The wrestling community loves an “overcoming adversity” story. Adam Wheeler’s life is the very definition of that term, growing up in a single-parent home with serious economic struggles — not to mention a couple major medical challenges — to become an Olympic bronze medalist in Greco-Roman wrestling at 96 kilograms/211 pounds at the 2008 Beijing Games who has since served as a police officer, then as a firefighter. Now Wheeler shares his inspirational real-life story in his new book, Believe and Achieve: Overcoming Obstacles to Excel, written along with respected wrestling writer Craig Sesker.
The early years: A life of struggle on and off the mat
Adam Wheeler was born and raised in Lancaster, California about an hour north of Los Angeles. “To say my childhood was tumultuous would be an understatement,” the future Olympian wrote in the opening chapter of Believe and Achieve. “I overcame more than my share of challenges and obstacles while growing up in Southern California.” Wheeler’s father left the family when his son was three. Adam, his mom, brother and sister struggled with life, having to move frequently. In seventh grade, Wheeler recalls not having any Christmas presents.
In addition to being raised by a single mom, Wheeler faced a life-threatening situation: he nearly died at eleven months from a rare blood disease, Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome. Wheeler made a full recovery, going out for baseball as a youngster. He first took up wrestling as a high school freshman. “My only exposure to the sport was Saved By The Bell,” according to Wheeler.
At first, Wheeler struggled in the sport; the future Olympian was 1-15 in first year of high school. Wheeler had other struggles off the mat, skipping classes and eventually getting booted from school. However, thanks to the support of his high school coach, Wheeler attended another school and was able to make up for lost time and classes … and earn his way back onto the wrestling team at his original school. By his junior year, Wheeler was 37-7 … and received a grant to participate in J Robinson’s Intensive Camp. After graduation, he was signed up for the U.S. Coast Guard, and was able to advance his mat career to higher levels, eventually earning a place on the U.S. Greco-Roman Olympic team for the 2008 Beijing Olympics, and, ultimately, a bronze medal. Rest of the story at
http://intermatwrestle.com/articles/22319?mc_cid=5f6b837449&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

September 18, 2019 - Posted by The TakeDown Report | Uncategorized