March 1, 1999

Dear sports editor,

First I would like to congratulate the Washington Post for finally following the lead of other papers in this area in giving local wrestling the coverage it deserves this season.

Secondly, I would like to respond to the comments by Ed Masood, head of athletics for Montgomery County public schools, quoted in the article: Md. Wrestling to Vote on 215-Pound Class by Greg Brice, The Washington Post, February 26, 1999. I find it hard to believe that someone who is supposed to represent athletics in public schools would be so uninformed to make the statement: "Why make a boring thing more boring? Heavyweights get the greatest attention and they are least skilled kids out there..."

Where has Ed been getting his information? It's a widely known fact, not fable, that US Olympic heavyweights like Bruce Baumgardner, Charley Culp and Chris Taylor were among the most exciting wrestlers of all time to watch. It is also a current fact that 2 time Maryland Independent School State Champion and 1999 National Prep Champion Mike Faust of Archbishop Curley is a tremendous wrestler to watch in action. To even hint that these athletes were somehow the least skilled of the competitors in the match is a great disservice to the sport. Montgomery County already has some of the most restrictive local county controls on wrestling in the state. Certainly someone in Ed's position should not be anti-one sport over another, and never in public. I really think it might be time for Ed to step down and let someone with a wider view of the sports community in this region take the reigns.

Bruce Gabrielson
Head Coach
Southern Maryland Wrestling Club