The Importance of Physical Facilities
Wrestling is more than a demanding physical sport. It is a vehicle to help young men and women develop the character traits and discipline necessary to achieve success in life. One aspect of moral and character development that wrestling programs often overlook is the importance of the physical environment in which the wrestlers practice, prepare, and develop. It is reasonable to ask a wrestling program if its facilities demonstrate the discipline, responsibility, accountability, and self-control the program asks of, and develops in, the young wrestlers committing to participate in the most demanding sport. Any lack of attention to detail, or a lack of responsibility in the maintenance of physical facilities, subtly communicates a negative message to wrestlers and negatively impacts the character and moral development which is a mission of any excellent wrestling program.
Wrestling programs would do well to consider and apply the Japanese concept of Soji, which is practiced in many Judo dojos. In Japan, Soji (掃除), which refers to cleaning, particularly in schools and martial arts dojos, is seen as a crucial aspect of character development. In the practice of Soji, the students and teachers in a dojo are responsible for the care, cleaning, and maintenance of the facility. This tradition goes beyond simply keeping things clean and is viewed as a way to instill valuable life lessons and qualities in students. In Japan, the tradition of Soji contributes to character development by instilling a culture of responsibility, respect, teamwork, and proper humility. Google. (2024). Gemini (2.0 Flash version) [Large multimodal model]. https://gemini.google.com/app., Effects of Japanese Soji (Cleaning) on Character Development.
The concept of “sojido,” or the “way of cleaning,” emphasizes that this practice is not merely a chore but a path to self-improvement and developing a strong character. By engaging in “soji,” coaches and students learn valuable life skills and develop qualities that extend beyond the classroom. When a wrestling program develops a culture where the coaches and wrestlers take pride and personal responsibility for their program and its physical facilities it does something beyond simply providing a clean, safe, and orderly environment. It teaches and instills values in coaches and wrestlers that will last long beyond any wrestling career and will positively impact them for the rest of their lives.
All programs within the Greenbrier East Wrestling Family of programs utilize the wrestling facility on the Greenbrier East High School campus. This facility was built in 2010. Funding for the facility was obtained through a combination of grants and the generous donations of individuals and businesses supporting the wrestling program. The construction was completed almost entirely by volunteers who donated their skills and countless hours to building one of the premier wrestling practice facilities in West Virginia.
In preparation for the upcoming season, the coaches, wrestlers, parents, volunteers, donors, and sponsors of the Greenbrier East Wrestling Family are undertaking a “refresh” of the facility. Phase one of the refresh will include cleaning and organizing the facility, removing outdated and unused equipment, updating recognition of outstanding achievement, performing deferred maintenance, repairing mats, and repainting the interior of the facility. The painting project will require all mats to be removed from the facility and the walls to be scraped and prepped prior to painting. The paint and supplies are being donated by program sponsors, and the labor is being performed by volunteers supporting the program. Similar to the tradition of Soji, volunteers providing materials and labor include team members and their families, middle and high school students and student groups, Church small group ministries, and numerous business and individual sponsors and donors. While donor and volunteer response has been outstanding, additional donors and sponsors will be needed to complete this phase of the project and move on to following phases. If you would like more information, please reach out to Rob Frank, or any of the coaches.
Phase two of the refresh will consist of completing deferred maintenance to and repainting the exterior of the facility. Phase three of the refresh will replace the current mats in the building. Wrestling mats are one of the primary pieces of safety equipment for every wrestling program. Periodic replacement of mats is necessary to ensure they are safe, sanitary, and ready for the rigors of wrestling. Replacing mats in a facility the size of Greenbrier East’s facility is expensive and may cost as much as $60,000.00 to complete. As with the original purchase of the mats, funds for the mat replacement will come from grants and the generosity of donors.
The refresh of the wrestling facilities is intended to reflect the standard of excellence the Greenbrier East Wrestling Family programs expect of their coaches and wrestlers. If you would like to be part of this very important mission and impact the lives of young people, we would love to have you join us. Please reach out to Rob Frank at rob@rjflaw.com and we will let you know more about how it is you can help.
