BY JERRY REIGLE
For The Patriot-News
Cary Kolat faced a tough decision a few years ago. Wrestling was his passion, but the corporate world was more appealing.
One was filled with 20 years of sweat, strain and success. The other he learned through study.
Kolat, an Alabama-born wrestler who posted a 137-0 record and four PIAA championships at Jefferson-Morgan High School before winning two NCAA individual titles for Lock Haven, found the happy medium — one that tied his love of sport to his newer passion for the business community.
Kolat, 32, is less interested in pins, recruiting and shedding weight these days.
Today, he is spearheading a grassroots marketing plan with Sharpie and Paper Mate to support amateur wrestling.
It all started when Kolat was hired by the Sanford Company. Through its divisions, which include Irwin Tools, Rubber Maid, Sharpie and Paper Mate, Kolat joined its marketing department and mainly worked at NASCAR venues.
Kolat juggles many chores in the Under-sponsored Sports Program. He’s in charge of setting up demonstrations and displays at wrestling tournaments, including one at the PIAA finals.
He’s a spokesperson. He manages a club in Catonsville, Md. And, most important, he organizes and instructs youth at his Cary Kolat Camps.
Nearly 50 wrestlers who were younger than 5 when Kolat won his NCAA titles in 1996 and 1997 took part in his first “in-season “camp yesterday and Friday evening at Mechanicsburg High School.
“I’ve always been partial to youth wrestling, “Kolat said. “That’s where you learn the basics and the foundation that is built on for the future.
“Hey, I had a great high school coach. He was a great motivator and teacher, but I’ll always remember the coaches who taught me in youth camps.”
Those were the ones who cemented the foundation for Kolat’s storied high school and college careers along with his post-collegiate wrestling days, which included Pan-American Games, World Cup and Goodwill Games gold, a U.S. Open championship and a trip to the 2000 Olympics.
Kolat’s seen it all. From State College (he transferred from Penn State to Lock Haven after his sophomore season) to Australia. From Iowa to Iran. From the Dapper Dan Classic in Pittsburgh to the World Championships in Turkey.
One thing is certain. Wrestling is not dead.
“The sport is not taking a dive, “he said. “Title IX has had an impact, but the sport is still going strong.
“Kids are a lot more specialized today. We’re seeing more and more camps and wrestling clubs. In Europe, it’s all about wrestling clubs and the sport is huge over there.”
It has led to equality on the college level.
“We’re seeing blue-chip wrestlers getting recruited in different regions of the country, “he said. “It seems a lot of kids want to go down south to wrestle not only for the climate but also due to the ACC stepping up its wrestling as a conference.
“Other conferences are taking wrestling more seriously. I think recruits have more choices nowadays. When I graduated, I wanted to wrestle in the Big Ten so I decided on Penn State. That was the major conference at the time.”
Kolat admitted his alma mater’s conference, the Eastern Wrestling League, needs to improve.
“I don’t know what happened, “he said. “But the EWL has to do something to step it up and be competitive.”
Although Kolat has been an assistant at several colleges since graduation, his focus is elsewhere.
“I haven’t been presented with the opportunity of taking over a college program, “Kolat said. “I think you’re seeing people using these camps and clinics as a way to teach and get those basic skills.”
Kolat uses local coaches (Mechanicsburg’s Burt Cashman helped this weekend) and his staff that includes C.D. Mock and A.J. Grant at the clinics. Early registration for the Mechanicsburg camp was $90. Late registration was $115.
His camps focus on many topics, including cardiovascular workouts, technique and proper diet.
“After wrestling for 28 years, I can sit back and reflect how to help others through training, “he said.
“Kids are more specialized in sports today, and it’s always been my philosophy that you can’t start learning too early.”
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