SUNNY KRAMER, For The Nonpareil
WOODBINE – The sport of wrestling is one that’s close to Ron Meeker’s heart.
In 1964 Meeker, then a seventh-grade 103-pounder at Tri-Center, planted a seed that would sprout into a family tree full of wrestlers.
“Wrestling is a sport that, once it gets in your blood … it’s there for good, “he says.
Meeker was inspired to begin wrestling by members of the Johnsen family from Logan. He also recalls reading newspaper articles about a wrestler from Waterloo, a guy named Dan Gable – who went on to become an Iowa wrestling legend.
Meeker came to admire these wrestlers and developed his philosophies about the sport based largely on their teachings and ideas.
Another of his influences was Ernie Abaristis, his high school coach.
Meeker went to the Iowa state tournament his freshman and sophomore years and still remembers the names of his opponents and the match scores.
He did not wrestle in 1969, his senior year. Instead, he got married, and his wife, Glenda, gave birth to their first child, a daughter.
Since his time on the mat, Meeker has remained very involved in the sport he loves so much.
He shrugs his shoulders and lowers his head when asked what sparks this drive.
“I lost the last match I ever wrestled in high school, “he says. “I guess you could say I’m still hungry.”
Meeker seems only partially serious, and one can be sure that’s not the sole reason.
For more than 30 years since his own high school days, Meeker has fed his wrestling hunger by coaching a little, officiating a lot and watching even more.
When his son Rick was a youngster, Meeker helped coach his little league team.
Meeker happily recalls a 5-year-old, 41-pounder in a homemade singlet who sobbed after losing his first match.
“I told him, ‘You have all the time in the world to win,’ “Meeker says.
“When Rick began wrestling in high school, I told him I didn’t care if he made it to sectionals, district or state-I just wanted him to have as much fun as I did.”
Meeker now enjoys experiencing his grandsons’ and great-nephews’ excitement for the sport.
There are three generations of his family involved in the sport – both Rick’s and wife’s, Leigh’s, two sons, Cole and Cade, wrestle for Woodbine teams.
Meeker’s daughter, Brenda Zahner, and her husband, Paul, have added another wrestler to the family – as well as a basketball player.
“I got to learn how to be a basketball fan, “Meeker says light-heartedly.
Additionally, Meeker, the youngest of his 13 siblings, has plenty of nephews and great-nephews who wrestle, coach and officiate across Iowa.
“Wrestling families are tight knit, “he says.
Meeker began officiating junior high matches in 1969 during his senior year of high school. Years later, he received certification from the Iowa High School Athletic Association and for the past 17 years has officiated little league, junior high and high school wrestling matches.
“I simply love officiating, “he says.
During the wrestling season, Meeker spends a great deal of his free time watching the sport, even when family members aren’t participating.
Meeker says he will travel to the state tournament to watch two boys he’s never met wrestle just because he loves the intense action.
Meeker believes it takes a special kind of person to be a wrestler. The conditioning, dieting and match-play all take “a great deal of dedication.”
“In team sports, you can slack off for a second, “he says. “In wrestling you can’t. There is no one else to blame – it’s you.”
Meeker believes it is very important for a wrestler to have an optimistic mind set.
“Tell yourself, ‘The reason he’s undefeated is because I haven’t wrestled him yet.'”
Meeker loves anything involving youth and thinks sports should be “fun and satisfying.”
He also believes parents shouldn’t push athletics or the importance of always winning on a child
“It’s not if you win or lose – it’s how you play the game, “he says. “There’s a winner and a bigger winner.”
At 55, Meeker shows no signs of ending his tenure in the sport.
Wrestling Gear
