On the second day of the Northern Badger Wrestling Classic in River Falls, there was a subtle act of sportsmanship that should not go unnoticed. There were over 400 athletes from 43 schools and a couple thousand spectators on hand. There were some terrific wrestlers and great performances, however, after all was said and done, the most noteworthy storyline of the tournament was Gabby Skidmore from Cumberland.
Gabby is a senior and has had a lot of success on the women's national wrestling scene. She's also had a successful high school wrestling career and is beloved in Northwest Wisconsin because of her work ethic and joyful demeanor. She's easy to cheer for and fun to watch. She earned her way to the championship finals at 120 pounds after four exciting wins.
On the other side of the bracket was Jacek Nickowski from Baldwin-Woodville. Also a senior, Jacek is well respected in Northwest Wisconsin, too. He's a past Northern Badger champion and state place winner and currently ranked number one in the state. On top of his wrestling accolades, he's one of the best soccer players in the state, so we haven't been able to see his wrestling skills on display in Fargo and elsewhere. Regardless, he's a great high school wrestler.
In the quarterfinals, Gabby won a close bout against one of my wrestlers (Owen Larson). I've been in Gabby's corner for several matches and I've trained her in the off-season. She always works for 6 full minutes. That day, my wrestler did, too. The crowd was electric and fully invested in the match. They wanted to see the girl win. I have mixed feelings about a crowd jumping on board simply because a female is competing. Maybe I've become desensitized to young women trying to break through the ceiling, but I get it. It sure makes it tough for the competitor, though. Not only does one need to beat their opponent, they need to beat the entire crowd.
In the semi-finals, Gabby avenged a loss from two weeks ago. It was an exciting wrestling match and, once again, the crowd was behind her the entire way. The other 120 pound semi-final match ended quickly, so Skidmore vs. Olson was the only match going in the center of the gym. After the 7-2 victory, the crowd jumped to their feet and erupted once again. You could sense the thousands knew they were a part of something special.
A few years ago, Gabby was the first female to earn a spot on the podium at the Northern Badger. Now, she became the first female finalist. During the introduction of the finalists, Gabby jogged down the stairs under the spotlight and when the announcement was made that she was the first female to make her way into the finals, the crowd went nuts. My sister has three little girls in their first year of wrestling and the only thing they were interested in that day was cheering for Gabby. Many others felt the same. Gabby wore the Cumberland singlet, but represented so much more.
When the 120 pound finals got underway, it wasn't long before Nickowski got a takedown and some near fall points. Midway through the first period, he ended the match with a fall. He graciously rose to his feet and held out his hand for a competitor's handshake. It was Jacek's second Northern Badger title with 3 technical falls and 2 pins. When the referee raised his hand for his moment under the spotlight, Jacek immediately reached for Gabby's wrist and raised her arm, too.
It only lasted a few seconds, but it was one of the most important moments of the tournament and possibly one of the most impressive things Jacek Nickowski has done in his stellar athletic career. Two humble athletes, both high character individuals, with a moment to shine under the spotlight - literally and figuratively - and they deflected the rays to something bigger than themselves. That's what sport should be about and that's what genuine sportsmanship looks like. Humility is a strong force when it's authentic.
