As Gay Games approaches, wrestling teams from around the world continue to gather for practices, informal social events, and sanctioned tournaments. Golden Gate Wrestling Club of San Francisco continued its Memorial Day tradition with a full weekend of practices, instruction for beginners, social events and a full-scale tournament with over 20 wrestlers arriving from Los Angeles, Seattle and elsewhere.
Coach Gene Dermody, one of the founders of the gay wrestling community, said that up to 140 participants have registered for Sydney's competition in November, which now includes a novice division. Over a dozen Golden Gate members will compete at Gay Games VI, once again sending a powerhouse of varying weight-level men and women with years of experience.
Several GGWC members competed in exhibition matches at the 70th Annual Far Western tournament at San Francisco State University in May. Some 300 wrestlers competed in freestyle, and 100 also sparred in the Greco division. Members of Golden Gate competed and helped organize the competition.
Calvin Malone is one of a few former college wrestlers who was not openly gay in school, but has returned to the sport after coming out.
He wrestled Open Greco and Freestyle in the 180 weight class, but gave up four one-point losses in each case.
"I like competing, but I wasn't in competition shape," said Malone, who won the same Far Western Greco division twelve years ago.
He's more relaxed about training, and modest about his impressive athletic past. Being out now is quite different than his years as a three-time high school state finalist.
Even as a star athlete in college at Vallejo, he couldn't be out. "I had to be a good boy."
Along with high school style, he found that he did better in Freestyle and Greco. In freestyle, he competed at state finals five times in the 149 weight class. Now he wrestles at 163.
"I used to train like like crazy," said Malone. "Now it's for fun."
Because of his impressive record, he said, "People are going to expect things that I'm not going to produce." His past victories can work against him, particularly with new opponents expecting champion-level skills.
He spars two to three times a week with Golden Gate members where, despite his modesty, he remains an affable and tenacious training partner.
"It sucks to be good, because a lot of people don't want to wrestle me," said Malone. "I like to wrestle people who'll beat me, so I can have a challenge. But mostly I'm there to get a good workout."
Sydney will mark his the first time at Gay Games and competing outside of the US. Malone admits that there still are tensions between openly gay athletes and the high school and college wrestlers for whom being out remains an impossibility.
Coach Dermody said that this makes Golden Gate's presence at events like the Far Western more important. Other GGWC participants at the Far Western included one of the club's straight members, Ci Durney. His was the final match of the day, paired against perennial Open/Veteran champ Ron Hughes of San Jose.
It was billed as the battle of the oldest wrestlers in the tournament. Durney hung in through the match and took the silver in a 2-6 loss.
Newcomer Masahito Suzuki wrestled Open Freestyle in the most competitive division. He had to, as the youngest GGWC member (23), he was faced with the daunting task of facing the eventual second and third place winners of his division in his first two rounds. Masa did score takedowns immediately, but eventually was defeated.
"Participation in the Far Western has now become a tradition, and I hope GGWC sticks with it," said Dermody.
Other wrestling clubs thrive in many cities, including Seattle, Philadelphia, and New York, where three clubs offer a variety of workout schedules. The Knights, Metro, and Twin Towers use facilities in different parts of Manhattan.
The Hillside Wrestling Weekend is an open-air camping and wrestling gathering for wrestlers in freestyle, professional and submission styles. The gay campground in rural Pennsylvania sees more participants each year.
Wrestlers Without Borders is a collective non-profit group composed of leaders in the gay wrestling clubs worldwide. They work to establish regulations for events, and to develop and nurture the sport. Links to many clubs are available there.
For more info, and to see pictures and score from the Memorial Day Tournament, visit http://www.ggwc.org
Other Links:
Jim Provenzano is the author of PINS, the acclaimed novel about gay high school wrestlers. His stage adaptation of PINS will premiere at San Francisco's New Conservatory Theatre Center Aug. 14 - Oct. 13.
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