Get well Andy
October 11th, 2007, 12:21 pm · 1 Comment · posted by sschramm
Wrestling is a different kind of sport.
It asks so much of its competitors yet gives such humble returns.
To be good, a kid must put in hours upon hours of practice, make themselves strong but lithe, explosive but relentless. And if they don’t make weight, it can be all for naught.
It’s also a sport that exists in a level of obscurity. College scholarships are scarce. It’s biggest stars are far from household names and the most decorated high school standouts rarely ever achieve Big Man on Campus status.
There’s something about slipping into one of those revealing singlets that strips most people of all pretense.
Bottom line, everyone who competes is there for the love of the sport and little else.
Maybe that’s why it can be pretty fun to cover.
The kids, coaches and fans are real. They love their sport and respect everyone who practices it.
This sense of community makes wrestling tournaments feel less like competitions and more like social gatherings with headgear, funny shoes and the occasional blood timeout.
Cummings coach Andy Hawks is a fixture in this world. He is one of several talented area wrestling coaches that I’ve had the privilege to work with and learn about the sport from.
With his bright red hair and a mischievous glint in his eye, Hawks kept you laughing and made you feel like you were always in on the joke.
In my years on the beat, I’ve seen Hawks comfort his kids after crushing losses and rush to their aid after injuries. Heck, one Thanksgiving he had a few kids stay with him while their parents left town. They wanted to wrestle in a tournament, so Hawks made room for them in his home and at his table.
One thing was always clear with Hawks, if you competed for him, he had your back. Always.
Maybe that was why, when he collapsed in class on Wednesday morning, his students rushed to get help, help that proved to be life-saving.
They had his back too.
Right now, Hawks is in a Durham Hospital and the Cummings community is hoping for the best.
I’m sure those in wrestling, a sport who’s heart is in the right place, are doing the same.
October 14th, 2007 at 9:08 am
Stephen,
Super acticle that captured the essense of the sport wonderfully and portrays Andy well! In your limited space you skimmed the surface of the man but only that. He loves kids and often had many in his home and at his table, open his truck (another story in itself!) or team bus to any, take kids to tournaments from other schools who wanted to go and learn and be around the man, opened the CHS gym for ANY and ALL kids to work their craft in the summer, nights, weekends, and so on no matter what school colors they wore. My 2 sons (who wrestled at Graham) combined for 4 All-Confence, 2 Regional, many tournament wins and medals, and NC State Tournament trips were just as much Andy’s kids as if they’d worn the blue and gold of CHS. It was true of them and kids from EVERY school in the area. Andy is old school but fits in this new world like a glove and kids need more like him. He is as you pictured the sport itself … in it for the love and sport as he marches to the beat of a different drummer. Oh the stories I could tell but then nobody tells them better than the man hmself … and he has a million of em’. Just get well Andy so many in so many places need you back SOON!.
Again, great article Stephen!