Local wrestlers receive advice from an Olympic gold medalist.
By Bob McPhee
Staff Writer

SCARBOROUGH – The sheer presence of some celebrities and athletes is enough to capture the attention of everyone in a room.

Kendal Cross knows that feeling. The Olympic wrestling champion shared his insights during a private clinic Friday night at Scarborough High School.

Cross, a 1996 gold medal winner at the Atlanta Olympics, also conducted a clinic on Saturday at Noble High School prior to the annual MAWA Takedown Tournament.

“I don’t care what your (path) is in life,” Cross said. “Wrestling is a microcosm of life, because in order to be successful, there will be (adversity) along the way. When you are out on the mat, it’s just you against your opponent, but there’s so much more that goes into it. In the beginning, it’s important to start with the fundamentals and have laid a foundation. In that respect, it’s like building a house. You’re starting from the ground up.”

Cross won a state championship as a junior in high school but then placed third as a senior. The same scenario played out at Oklahoma State University, where he won an NCAA national championship as a junior but placed third the following year.

Cross’ always maintained his desire to compete in the world’s oldest sport and proceeded to win three national freestyle championships. That introduced him to international competition.

He finished sixth in the 1992 Olympics. Along the way, he continued to compete and receive coaching throughout the year.

Cross was surprised to hear that Maine Principals’ Association regulations don’t allow wrestling coaches to interact with student-athletes during the off-season. That standard doesn’t apply to coaches in other Maine sports.

“It’s a requirement in order to improve,” Cross said. “You have to be willing to put in the time and effort. The first thing is to embrace the sport and hang on to it. Pains are going to come. It takes a special person to wrestle.”

Cross stepped away from competition in order to recharge his batteries, and when he returned three years later he was virtually an unknown commodity. Fortunately, that didn’t deter him from reviving a previous goal.

He pulled off a stunner during the 1996 Olympic Trials in Spokane, Wash., changing his style and rallying to win two-straight matches over two-time world champion Terry Brands.

“That was a special moment,” Cross said. “Terry Brands had been physically beating me by wearing me out, so I knew that I needed to retool how my approach had been entering each match against him. The wins provided me with plenty of confidence, and I mowed through the competition, outscoring opponents 32 to 7 at the Olympics.”

Cross, 35, is a ember of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame. He recently stepped back from his job at Merrill Lynch in Boston to pursue another endeavor. Cross is giving back to the sport by helping to raise funds for scholarships and other programs.

Additionally, he is Executive Director of the Dave Schultz Wrestling Club.

Cross’ presented his four ingredients in striving to be successful in wrestling, and they easily relate to Maine kids.

The first is to set high goals. Second is committing yourself to a task and showing dedication. He also advises wrestlers to “be OK with failure” and surround themselves with knowledgeable people who will be there when they require help.

“You really need to believe in yourself,” Cross said. “Believe that you can do it, and don’t let your dreams be taken away.”