USA Olympic wrestler Jordan Burroughs arrived in Becker recently, nearly two hours later than scheduled due to a late flight, traffic congestion and time checking in at the local hotel.
His meet-and-greet with the Becker Bulldog wrestling team was on the calendar for 3 p.m., but they had to wait nearly two hours to see a world-class athlete visit the small-town community of Becker.
By all means and expressions, it was worth the wait.
Burroughs was in town because of an essay freshman wrestler Colten Demant submitted for a national contest. The essay was to include some brief information about the author and then explain what it means to be a wrestler.
“We had hundreds of entries and we eventually whittled them down to the top 25, then the top 10 to the best five and I took and re-read them and eventually scaled it down to five,” said Burroughs. “Then on Christmas day, I had read the five finalists to members of my family to help me pick a winner.”
Jordan’s wife’s brothers all grew up wrestling in the Div. I level and knew all the ins and outs of wrestling in high school and the struggles that it imposes on themselves on a daily basis.
“After they heard me read Colten’s and after I read it over again, I just connected with it,” Jordan said. “It was a great essay it was really authentic and I felt he wasn’t trying to impress me to make me come here to his school, I felt the daily struggles he was going through and telling me about his life and why wrestling was so important to him, it was an amazing, amazing testimony that he gave to me in just 100 words or less.”
Wednesday was the first time Colten and Jordan were to meet face-to-face and actually correspond with each other since the contest was concluded.
“I sent Colten a message on Twitter on Christmas Day, the day I announced his was the winner, but since then I haven’t talked with him on the phone or sent a letter or nothing,” said Burroughs.
“I actually had to have him pointed out to me today and now I hope to establish a relationship. I met his parents on the way in and I’m excited to meet him. I’m happy to meet him and I bet he’s the coolest kid on the team.”
Following practice, Burroughs gave a brief bio of who he is to the wrestling team and fielded questions for nearly a half hour. With Burroughs on the trip were his wife, Lauren and a buddy Jordan brought along for the experience. The entire trip for Burroughs is being video-documented to be used for a future broadcast. Kare 11’s Paul Rovelstad was also on hand to film and interview the Olympic gold medalist for their 10 p.m. newscast.
Burroughs stayed around Becker a second day, assuming the role of Head Coach for the Bulldog home dual against Mora Thursday night. Burroughs also appeased the many wrestling fans who showed up Thursday by signing autographs to the hundreds who attended Thursday’s meet.
“This was my first high school coaching experience and I was excited about it,” said Burroughs. “Wrestling’s my favorite sport in the world and I’ve been doing it since I’ve been five years old, so being back in the wrestling rooms and hanging with these young kids has been pretty special for me.”
Burroughs is currently the world champion in his weight division and he told the Bulldog wrestlers he’ll be vying for one of the spots on the next Olympic team.
“It ain’t easy making the U.S. team and all these youngsters know it ain’t easy to be a wrestler,” Burroughs said. “But I’m an ambassador for the sport and whatever I can do — like come and visit a small town school and wrestling program to get kids excited, then I’m happy.”
Burroughs and his wife are expecting a child in early August of this year.