Wrestler Without Legs Lives Life With ‘No Excuses’

 

NEW PHILADELPHIA, Ohio – It’s Sunday worship at New Greater Peace Church in Canton, Ohio. Music and Faith are the cornerstone of 20-year-old Zion Clark.

“It is a really big part in what I do because God sent me through different trials to build me into the man I am today,” Zion told WJW.

“I baptized him in the name of Jesus in one of our services and he’s a great kid, he’s a phenomenal kid, he’s one of our drummers that we use during our services,” Pastor Bernard Manson of New Greater Peace Church said.

Zion has always been a fan of the drums.

“He has a drum set up in his room at home, so I would hear him upstairs banging, doing his thing he would say, ‘Mom I’m getting ready to practice,’ and he would go upstairs and be on those drums for hours and hours,” said Zion’s mother, Kimberlli Hawkins

When Zion is not perfecting his love of music, he’s attending class at Kent State University’s Tuscarawas Campus building up his knowledge of business management.

“I definitely want to help run a sports team or something like that,” Zion said.

That’s not the only thing Zion is building up these days. Outside of the classroom, he’s busy in the gym building up his muscles. His future relies on it.

“I’ll be a junior by 2020, and that’s the 2020 Olympics, and hopefully I make it out of the Trials and bring home some hardware,” said Zion.

It won’t be easy for Zion … nothing is. That’s why he believes in his motto, a motto now tattooed on his back.

“It says, ‘No excuses,'” Zion said.

It’s fitting.

Zion was born with a condition called caudal regression syndrome.

“It caused me to be born without legs,” said Zion. “My arms and my chest and everything have to be insanely in shape because if it wasn’t, there is no way I could do some of the stuff that I do.”

What he does, is compete. Zion is a wrestler at the Kent State University Tuscarawas Campus.

“My arms are my legs and my arms so I have to figure out how to get in on their legs, still drive forward with one arm, or get the type of angle or leverage to get where they can’t stop what I’m doing,” said Zion.

He wrestles in the 125-pound weight class but he barely tips the scales at 100 pounds.

“It is a challenge, and quite frankly, it scares some of the guys,” said Zion’s wrestling coach Dave Schlarb.

“They don’t care who you are, what you look like, what kind of disability you have, if you step out on the mat, you step out there as equals,” Zion said.

Zion is 11-16 in his freshman season heading into the final tournament of the year. He means a lot to the Golden Eagles wrestling team.

“He’s just an inspiration for all of us,” said Schlarb. “Just a great guy to have on the team. If everyone is feeling down, we look at him… he brings us all up.”

 

Courtesy of  Tribune Media Wire

 

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JUDGE DROPS LAWSUIT AGAINST UIL: TRANSGENDER WRESTLER, MACK BEGG, STILL REQUIRED TO WRESTLE GIRLS

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mack begs

After two challenges, the UIL’s current steroid policy remained intact Tuesday.

The policy came into public light in relation to the case of Mack Beggs, the Euless Trinity transgender wrestler who went on to win a girls wrestling state championship while taking testosterone under a “safe harbor” provision in the education code.

On Tuesday, a Travis County judge dismissed a lawsuit asking the UIL to not allow Beggs to compete. Around the same time, the Senate Education Committee left pending a bill that would have changed the organization’s safe harbor provision.

The lawsuit, originally filed just before the wrestling regional championships in February, was brought by Coppell lawyer Jim Baudhuin and alleged the risk of injury to other wrestlers and an

unfair advantage to Beggs. Baudhuin amended the lawsuit several times leading up to the hearing and argued that the UIL was not following its rules related to steroid use.

The UIL filed for a “Plea of Jurisdiction,” which asked for the case to be dismissed for several reasons before it went on to a trial, leading to the hearing Tuesday.

In her explanation for dismissing the claims, the judge said Baudhuin’s case was more of a question of what the UIL did with its discretionary powers than a question of the UIL not following the law or its constitution.

Both UIL Deputy Director Jamey Harrison and the Beggs camp were pleased with the result.

“It was kind of expected,” said Damon McNew, Beggs’ stepfather. “It’s what the UIL stated a little bit after the competition.”

McNew said there was “absolutely” relief the lawsuit is over.

Baudhuin also said the ruling “wasn’t unexpected.”

“This was a very difficult, frustrating case,” Baudhuin said.

Baudhuin attempted, in part, to argue that the UIL had failed to prove Beggs fell under the “safe harbor” provision outlined in the state’s education code. The UIL cited FERPA privacy law.

Baudhuin subpoenaed Harrison to testify on UIL rules but the judge cut off the testimony, saying this hearing was not the time to fish for information.

Baudhuin said he’d talk with an appellate lawyer and discuss if they’ll choose to appeal.

“As I’m standing here 15 minutes after the hearing is done, I don’t think we’re going to pursue it any further,” Baudhuin said.

Part of the UIL’s argument was the law could change in the coming months. That chance got smaller Tuesday as Senate Bill 2095 was left pending.

Leo Barnes, the UIL’s directory of policy and compliance, told the committee that as of now, the organization can only conduct randomized drug testing, and that program is not currently funded.

It also would require any person seeking protection under the safe harbor provision to release medical records to the UIL and allow communication between the organization and the student’s healthcare professionals.

The UIL could also declare the student ineligible despite the safe harbor provision if it determines the safety of other students or fairness of competition would be affected by the student’s steroid use.

With the bill pending, it could be voted out of committee, but the chances of that are small. Thus, the UIL’s current steroid policy remains.

At least until June, when the UIL legislative council meets.

Courtesy of Sports Day

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