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For loved ones on a mat
Tulsa World
Apr 22, 2000; GLENN HIBDON
If anyone needs proof that wrestling is truly a family affair, look no
further than John Johnson of West
Burlington, Iowa, and Jim Waltman of Sand Springs.
Johnson and Waltman are both 46, two of the oldest competitors in the AAU
Folkstyle World
Championships at Convention Center Arena. Johnson has four children
participating in the tournament,
while Waltman has his twin brother and son taking part.
Ironically, Johnson was wrestling for the first time Friday, while Waltman
was continuing a long career that
began as a child when Oklahoma State University coach Myron Roderick let his
brother, Jay, and him
stage an exhibition match at a Cowboys dual. Johnson was pinned by Gary
Cannon of Tulsa in his
149-pound Masters2 match Friday and Waltman beat Steven Griffith of Allen
Park, Mich., 9-0 at 133.
Jay Waltman was the only competitor at 141 and won his division without
stepping on the mat.
"Actually, I just started a wrestling program two years ago at our school
and I brought 25 kids down here
from our West Burlington Youth Club," said Johnson, a city councilman who
also runs a used car lot and
toils as a production worker at General Electric.
"My four kids challenged me to wrestle. Cindy (12) won the Iowa girls state
title and the girls national
AAU title. Christopher (15) was the AAU Athlete of the Year in Iowa in
wrestling and won the district,
state and nationals. Cathy (a high school junior) was second in Iowa and
second at the Michigan nationals.
Chad (in college) wrestled in high school."
Johnson, who serves as the promoter for the West Burlington High School team
and the youth club,
wanted to see what his kids went through in the sport. He sought the
experience of losing weight and
going through endurance training.
"I wasn't apprehensive about competing," Johnson said. "I was looking
forward to it. I've got a little
tummy on me, but that's it. I feel like if I would have done more
practicing, I could have been more
competitive. My kids are really, really competitive and they're supportive
of me. I spoiled the kids by
building our own wrestling room at home with a sauna and hot tub. Wrestling
is a big thing for us."
And so it is for Waltman and his family. Waltman's father put his twin
brother and him on the mat at an
early age and the pair developed a love for the sport. Jim compiled a 34-10
record at Stillwater High
School and his brother competed in the U.S. Army.
"Wrestling gave me conditioning and dedication," said Waltman, who finished
second at the 1996 AAU
Folkstyle Worlds in Tulsa. "It gave me the conditioning to control my weight
anyway I wanted to. It
strengthened me and gave me the desire in life to know if I really wanted
to, I could meet anything
head-on and win.
"I don't think I could have done this without the Lord's help. I've got
asthma and I always tried not to let
that take me down. I've never used it as a crutch to lean on. I wanted to
show anybody with severe
allergies that, yes, you can control it and, yes, you can come here and
compete."
Waltman, a first class stationary engineer at Metropolitan Life in Tulsa,
said he does up to 500 situps a
day with 15 pounds resting on his chest. He lifts weights every other day
and swims 24 laps almost every
day. In addition, he coaches his 20-year-old son, Michael, who also competed
Friday.
The tournament continues Saturday with competition beginning at 9 a.m. The
final ceremonies start at 6
p.m.
