The full interview is here on "Matt"Burn only a few short seconds after it was originally recorded.
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Yesterday Coach and myself had the pleasure of doing a clinic in Newark, NJ at St. Benedict's Prep. It was a very humbling experience for me as it was wrestling at its most raw and pure form. Most of the kids there don't have parents, or homes, or a reason to be at wrestling practice, but thanks to the efforts of Solomon Fleckman, (inhale) the Lehigh All American, Blair Assistant Coach, high school teammate of Mike Rogers, Junior National Finals Coach for yours truly, Maccabi teammate of yours truly, and overall great human being (exhale) these kids now have a place to go and a place to focus their energy and free time. Seeing the look in these kids eyes when we would show them moves they never saw before or the appreciation they showed by making sure to shake our hands after we were done is what makes what I do all worth it. It reminds me of how this sport survives generation after generation...from our community constantly looking out for each other and offering therapy through wrestling and teaching. I urge some of you to take a ride to Martin Luther King Blvd in Newark, NJ one day and pop your head into the wrestling room. Point at any kid in the room and I guarantee you there is an amazing story that goes along with why they are there in that wrestling room. We were there for a few hours and we barely scratched the surface when it comes to understanding all of the who, what, where's, and why's of the Gray Bees Wrestling Team. It certainly puts things in perspective when you think that you are having a bad day and it definitely gets me thinking of how I can use my place in the wrestling world for good and for the benefit of the youth and the future of the sport.
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| Solomon Fleckman-Head Wrestling Coach, St. Benedict's Prep, Newark, NJ |
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