There has been a huge surge of fan support for the Iowa Wrestling program and the Hawkeye Wrestling Club over the past two plus years. There have been so many people step up and contribute in any way they can. The fundraisers for HWC events are continuing to break attendance and fundraising records. Iowa has also led the country in attendance for home Iowa Wrestling meets in each of Tom Brand’s 12 years as head coach. Iowa Wrestling fans are excited and contribute in any way they can.
There are two main fronts to the fundraising effort involving Iowa Wrestling. One is the money needed to fund the Hawkeye Wrestling Club. Financing is needed to support the HWC members to train and pursue International success while aiding in the training of current Iowa Wrestlers. No other college wrestling program has had an impact made on their program like the HWC has had on the success of Iowa Wrestling for decades. It is absolutely crucial to keep the HWC prospering and contributing to the success of Iowa Wrestling.
The second aspect of the fundraising is the new wrestling facility. What I coined as:
“The Greatest Wrestling Training Facility…in the World.”
Iowa Wrestling is falling behind in what I refer to as the Arms Race in college wrestling and is in definite need of a facility upgrade. The vision is looking much more like a reality to the point that this project is not if it will happen, but when.
What I came up with to describe the elite boosters that not only make substantial contributions, but them go out and recruit additional donors as well is the status of “Super Booster.”
There have been two people that I feel are at the Super Booster level that have contributed to the fundraising effort for Iowa Wrestling and the HWC. Bob Nicolls of Colorado really started things off when he pledged to donate $1 million to the new facility in April of 2017. Having that first big donor step up and make a statement that this needs to happen and now is what really got this project off the ground.
Last month at the Des Moines Golf Outing I met Jim Sinclair. The Des Moines area has provided great support for Iowa Wrestling for decades but over the last two plus years the support has increased dramatically. Having Jim Sinclair right there in Des Moines to promote fundraising in the central Iowa region is very beneficial to the Iowa Wrestling program.
I asked Iowa Head Wrestling Coach Tom Brands about the impact on the Iowa Wrestling program of Bob Nicolls and Jim Sinclair with their efforts to raise money for the new facility and the Hawkeye Wrestling Club.
“The key words there are facility and Hawkeye Wrestling Club. They have stepped up for both of those. The other thing is that they are not just contributors in a financial sense, they are spreading the word in the grass roots. They have worked closely with Randy Novak to spread the word to the grassroots. It’s important.
These guys are volunteering their time to spread the word just like our Hawkeye Wrestling Club Board has done. So really they are like Board members. You cannot overstate their importance. You can talk all day long and you still cannot overstate the importance that these two guys have had on the Hawkeye Wrestling Club.”
No one person has been more involved in the fundraising efforts for the HWC and The Greatest Wrestling Training Facility…in the World than HWC President Randy Novak. When asked about the impact of Iowa Wrestling Super Boosters Bob Nicolls and Jim Sinclair, Randy responded:
“I’m not certain I can do justice to try and put into words what Jim Sinclair and Bob Nicolls mean to the Hawkeye Wrestling Club and Iowa Wrestling. Simply put, they care enough about the success of both that they committed a substantial amount of personal money to the new facility AND the HWC. There is NO doubt in my mind without both of these guys a new facility would not be talked about seriously right now. There is NO doubt in my mind our club would not be as successful without their support.
These guys have a passion for Iowa Wrestling and we are lucky enough to have them on our side. I don’t want to disappoint guys like Jim and Bob, and their help, advice and leadership motivate me to work harder and smarter to keep us headed in the right direction.”
I interviewed both Bob and Jim for my Iowa Wrestling Fan Blog and Podcast. I felt the same fire and passion from two very intense Iowa Wrestling fans. Bob and Jim both graduated from the University of Iowa and they bleed Black and Gold. That passion is a foundation to all that they do to help Iowa Wrestling.
When you combine like-minded Iowa Wrestling fans that have the passion, intensity, energy, and attitude to make projects like The Greatest Wrestling Training Facility…in the World a reality, it makes me that much more proud to be an Iowa Wrestling fan.
All donation to Iowa Wrestling, to the Hawkeye Wrestling Club, or to The Greatest Wrestling Training Facility …in the World are tax deductible.
If you would like to donate to the Hawkeye Wrestling Club or to The Greatest Wrestling Training Facility…in the World, contact Hawkeye Wrestling Club President Randy Novak at:
Thank you to the entire Iowa Wrestling Nation that are apart of the greatest and most dominating fanbase in the world.
It is great to be an Iowa Wrestling fan.
Go Hawks!
