HWC Future Vision

[Cobra Kiowa]

The point of this thread is to ask for help getting a pulse on where the HWC is and where it's headed.

As a non-insider, here are the things I think are true:

Post-COVID, HWC hit the reset button and the nearly all of the championship team joined. 50 year mark led to a re-brand and an evolution of communication and online presence including fundraising. Obviously Spencer's Olympic run last year. DeSanto's freestyle tournaments and recent Greco foray has been fun. Most of the championship team members have moved on, no new additions from last years seniors.

Didn't Dennis say he was stepping down as coach like a while ago? Do we/have we ever brought in "transfers" - non-Hawkeye alum? How does Sunkist shutting down and OSU club on the rise affect us?

Given the potential of a club of this stature, both in international competition and on recruiting for the Hawks, I ask the many of you who are far more knowledgeable for your thoughts and insights.

 

[SPOONER]

I haven’t heard the Dennis thing.

And Brands has no interest in bringing in wrestlers from outside Iowa.

 

[TarpHawk]

Great questions, Cobra.

The two key differences between now and the club's glory days in the '80s are money & top-level talent.

The '80s had a Carver endowment that enabled funding for ~10+ guys, including a few fringe top-8 guys like me. I don't think we have that luxury any more.

We also had multiple multi-time NCAA champs and some Olympic/World medalists...Lewbo, Davis, Kistler, Alger. We no longer have that strong "Gable" pipeline coming into the club, other than Lee.

Focusing on fewer, but better, guys is probably the way forward, short of another endowment. That appears to be the general direction.

Developing more NCAA champs for a HWC pipeline is the elephant in the room. You can't have a strong club without Olympians, and it's hard to have Olympians without a pipeline of NCAA champs, and it's harder to recruit blue-chip recruits with Olympic aspirations without a roster of Olympians in the club.

I wish I had a few million dollars to put my money where my mouth is. Children's publishing is not as lucrative as hedge fund management. But never say never. I'd love to see some 2028 and 2032 Olympic medalists from the HWC.

 

[4409]

Yes, there have been several non-Univ of Iowa wrestlers on the HWC over the years.

 

[ChiefRhoads]

Great questions, Cobra.

The two key differences between now and the club's glory days in the '80s are money & top-level talent.

The '80s had a Carver endowment that enabled funding for ~10+ guys, including a few fringe top-8 guys like me. I don't think we have that luxury any more.

We also had multiple multi-time NCAA champs and some Olympic/World medalists...Lewbo, Davis, Kistler, Alger. We no longer have that strong "Gable" pipeline coming into the club, other than Lee.

Focusing on fewer, but better, guys is probably the way forward, short of another endowment. That appears to be the general direction.

Developing more NCAA champs for a HWC pipeline is the elephant in the room. You can't have a strong club without Olympians, and it's hard to have Olympians without a pipeline of NCAA champs, and it's harder to recruit blue-chip recruits with Olympic aspirations without a roster of Olympians in the club.

I wish I had a few million dollars to put my money where my mouth is. Children's publishing is not as lucrative as hedge fund management. But never say never. I'd love to see some 2028 and 2032 Olympic medalists from the HWC.

I am obviously out of the loop, but who are you TarpHawk. Interested to know what childrens books as well as timeframe you wrestled at Iowa.

 

[IAChief32]

I am obviously out of the loop, but who are you TarpHawk. Interested to know what childrens books as well as timeframe you wrestled at Iowa.

Here is a blog Tarp wrote about his experience at Iowa. Funny shit.

Wrestling for Gable

Adventures in Iowa Wrestling, 1987-91

wrestlingforgable.blogspot.com

 

[MVPFAN]

The portal is a way for Brands to quickly upgrade his club room if he can get some of these guys to continue on in HWC.

 

[Cobra Kiowa]

Great questions, Cobra.

The two key differences between now and the club's glory days in the '80s are money & top-level talent.

The '80s had a Carver endowment that enabled funding for ~10+ guys, including a few fringe top-8 guys like me. I don't think we have that luxury any more.

We also had multiple multi-time NCAA champs and some Olympic/World medalists...Lewbo, Davis, Kistler, Alger. We no longer have that strong "Gable" pipeline coming into the club, other than Lee.

Focusing on fewer, but better, guys is probably the way forward, short of another endowment. That appears to be the general direction.

Developing more NCAA champs for a HWC pipeline is the elephant in the room. You can't have a strong club without Olympians, and it's hard to have Olympians without a pipeline of NCAA champs, and it's harder to recruit blue-chip recruits with Olympic aspirations without a roster of Olympians in the club.

I wish I had a few million dollars to put my money where my mouth is. Children's publishing is not as lucrative as hedge fund management. But never say never. I'd love to see some 2028 and 2032 Olympic medalists from the HWC.

Really good insights @TarpHawk, thank you. The Gable Pipeline makes sense but hadn't heard about the endowment. I'm with you on the few extra million dollars, HWC would be a great place to put some of it.

 

[Gobblin]

I haven’t heard the Dennis thing.

And Brands has no interest in bringing in wrestlers from outside Iowa.

This isn’t true.

 

[Cobra Kiowa]

The portal is a way for Brands to quickly upgrade his club room if he can get some of these guys to continue on in HWC.

With the chicken or the egg scenario (create champions to stock the club to help recruit blue chips to make more champions) @TarpHawk laid out and the success we've had in the portal, this seems like a great strategy.

I wondered if Sunkist shutting down had anything to do with the ASU/OU haul we got this year (3 transfers and a recruit), assuming SK would have been their intended RTC.

 

[blcoach80]

Here is a blog Tarp wrote about his experience at Iowa. Funny shit.

Wrestling for Gable

Adventures in Iowa Wrestling, 1987-91

wrestlingforgable.blogspot.com

I had never seen this. Thanks for posting Chief! Just got started, but this is great stuff Tarp.

 

[The Vak]

Here is a blog Tarp wrote about his experience at Iowa. Funny shit.

Wrestling for Gable

Adventures in Iowa Wrestling, 1987-91

wrestlingforgable.blogspot.com

My understanding is that this was actually a work of fiction adapted from the very real stories of @vhsalum 's second week in the program.

 

[HawkAlum2002]

With the chicken or the egg scenario (create champions to stock the club to help recruit blue chips to make more champions) @TarpHawk laid out and the success we've had in the portal, this seems like a great strategy.

I wondered if Sunkist shutting down had anything to do with the ASU/OU haul we got this year (3 transfers and a recruit), assuming SK would have been their intended RTC.

I presumed Sunkist shutting down is literally the number one reason ASU is falling by the wayside again. Those guys all could have left for NIL money a year earlier if it was only about that. Even Kennedy Blades ended up here for the women's team after that happened, although she did apparently consider Iowa before making that choice originally.

 

[MilleGinja]

So my understanding is Tarp is making a career change to hedge fund manager?

 

[TarpHawk]

So my understanding is Tarp is making a career change to hedge fund manager?

How hard could it be?

 

[12tdsaw]

i think you have to be a crook

 

[Inthecircle]

I had never seen this. Thanks for posting Chief! Just got started, but this is great stuff Tarp.

It’s an outstanding read, it will take awhile.

 

[TarpHawk]

Thanks for the nice comments. ChiefRhoads, I neglected to reply to you. I've written 21 children's books, including several for Dr. Seuss. But not during my wrestling career I've only been back to Iowa twice since '91--once for Gable's retirement party, and once for an Okie State dual. Will have to make another trip out one of these days.

 

[BELDEEN]

The easiest way to find out what's going on at the HWC is to read our Newsletters, you can find those here. Better yet, sign up for the newsletter at the bottom of the page.

Chad Beatty does a great job as our Executive Director! Our branding/apparel/events have really improved. @Novakht laid the groundwork for us hiring an executive director! Thanks Randy!

I can speak to the vision on the Board's side,

Our next fundraiser is the Arctic Plunge, which is a massive fundraiser for us. It's also a great way to meet our athletes, coaches, and IMO a very enjoyable event to watch.

We are also focused on our Endowment. The endowment was created in 2022 with a $1.1 million dollar donation from Herb Tyler. We are currently sitting around $2.3 since the start of the fund. Point blank, WE NEED MORE IN OUR ENDOWMENT.

Our latest effort in regard to fundraising is the formation of Board of Trustees, which brings passionate Hawkeye Wrestling donors who contribute in excess of $10,000 annually. Info on how to join is in the link. I feel that this group will help increase our fundraising and that in turn will positively impact our endowment.

We need to continue focusing on fundraising and bringing awareness to the importance of the HWC to Iowa Wrestling. With a strong club, we will attract wrestlers that want to compete collegiately and internationally. There is a reason why many Sunkist athletes found a home here.

#GoHawks

 

[TarpHawk]

The easiest way to find out what's going on at the HWC is to read our Newsletters, you can find those here. Better yet, sign up for the newsletter at the bottom of the page.

Chad Beatty does a great job as our Executive Director! Our branding/apparel/events have really improved. @Novakht laid the groundwork for us hiring an executive director! Thanks Randy!

I can speak to the vision on the Board's side,

Our next fundraiser is the Arctic Plunge, which is a massive fundraiser for us. It's also a great way to meet our athletes, coaches, and IMO a very enjoyable event to watch.

We are also focused on our Endowment. The endowment was created in 2022 with a $1.1 million dollar donation from Herb Tyler. We are currently sitting around $2.3 since the start of the fund. Point blank, WE NEED MORE IN OUR ENDOWMENT.

Our latest effort in regard to fundraising is the formation of Board of Trustees, which brings passionate Hawkeye Wrestling donors who contribute in excess of $10,000 annually. Info on how to join is in the link. I feel that this group will help increase our fundraising and that in turn will positively impact our endowment.

We need to continue focusing on fundraising and bringing awareness to the importance of the HWC to Iowa Wrestling. With a strong club, we will attract wrestlers that want to compete collegiately and internationally. There is a reason why many Sunkist athletes found a home here.

#GoHawks

That is great news, thanks for update on funding.