Wrestling off the rust

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Delano Scott
  • 374th Airlift Wing Public Affairs
YOKOTA AIR BASE, Japan --  Yokota Airmen took to the mats to compete against JSDF participants from throughout Japan in the All Japan Masters Wrestling Games at Camp Asaka, Japan, March 5-6, 2016.

The Airmen: Lt. Col. James Cunningham, 374th Airlift Wing Comptroller Squadron commander, 1st Lt. Randy Pence, 374th Mission Support Group executive officer and Capt. Steve Larson, 374th Operations Support Squadron current operations officer, each a coach of The Yokota High School wrestling team, have all been competitive wrestlers since middle school.

"We got excited about getting an opportunity to actually compete instead of watching from the outside," Larson said. "It had been so long since we've competed that we forgot just how challenging it could be."

While Cunningham coached from the sidelines, Larson and Pence, former Division 1 wrestlers at the U.S. Air Force Academy, utilized the event to practice what they preached to their athletes and rekindle their competitive spirit.

"There's a big difference between coaching and competing," Pence laughed. "Going years without stepping on a mat to come back and wrestle tough opponents in the JSDF was definitely an experience.

The two-day event featured double elimination individual and single elimination team tournaments. Throughout all of the wins, losses and close matches, neither Pence nor Larson was able to secure a top finish.

"Although the results didn't come out the way we wanted them to, the effort was definitely there," Cunningham said. "To see our guys get out there and with their competitive fire and be successful was pretty special. I know that the boys and girls that they coach would have been extremely happy and proud to see their coaches out there giving it their all."

Pence revealed that winning wasn't the only goal they had set out for themselves as they competed over the weekend.

"I was definitely hoping for better results," Pence chuckled. "However, it was a great opportunity for us to get out, compete and build some new friendships." 

Each Airman at the tournament acknowledged that although this tournament was their first bout in quite a while, that they never stopped being a wrestler. The lessons and tools that they gained from the sport continue to intrinsic in their daily lives.

"Wrestling continues to set the threshold of what's hard in life," Larson said. "Whether it was basic training, pilot training or survival training, wrestling has always been my fallback. If I ever start to feel like I'm being overwhelmed, no matter what it is, I can always chalk it against my wrestling experience."