For those that don’t know Kansas is taking nominations for the Kansas Wrestling Hall of Fame. This is a tremendous honor for those who have contributed to Kansas Wrestling. I want to present again, that Skip Harrington is one deserving of this award. For those who know this Kansas Wrestling Legend, you know it is time our state honors this man. It is a shame that his wife, Judy won’t be around to see this honor bestowed upon Skip, if it ever occurs, but it would be an even greater shame to have to give this award to someone so deserving in a posthumous way.
I will make the challenges, ask some of the old timers in Kansas of Skips contributions. Ask some of the current coaches like Charlie Knox, Steve Herman, or others. How about asking some of the recent greats like Tristen DeShazer, Charlie Knox, Kenny Taylor or others like Joe Cornejo or even Elijah Madison. Then consider that he was one of the founders who brought kids wrestling to our state, had an illustrious wrestling career, is still coaching after all of these years, and still giving back. Then maybe you may want to consider that ever single kid, parent, and coach in this state who wrestles folkstyle owes him some debt of gratitude as he worked with Tom Faust with the first ever kids club in Kansas. Then you need one more, certainly every wrestlers who wrestles Freestyle and Greco owes him a debt of thanks as he did start the first ever Freestyle Greco teams in Kansas. He was the first to take teams from Iowa to California, and got Kansas on the national map, mostly all at his own expense, out of his own pocket, doing sometimes two or three jobs to earn the money to pay for the kids who didn’t have the money to go.
I know it unusual to make a post like this, it is just that I have seen and experienced the coaching, knowledge, friendship, and love from Skip over the years. I think I can say I am in proud company of many who have experienced the same from this incredible man.
I don’t know the totality of the process of this particular nominating group, I do know that at some point in time, that when Skip is in the Kansas Wrestling Hall of Fame, it will be an honor and tribute long deserved, and finally obtained.