Joining the crowds attending the Henry High wrestling events has been an experience that rejuvenates one’s spirit. Most of these motivated student wrestlers must get up at 5 a.m. to catch a city bus to Henry where they meet up with teammates and coaches at 6 a.m. to traverse to Saturday tournament matches around the metro area. They usually don’t return to Henry until about 6 p.m. Despite this rigorous schedule the team’s average Grade Point Average is 3.092 and some of these 18 young men and women have additional jobs in the community and family responsibilities to attend to.
I spent some time visiting with the co-head wrestling coach Anthony Minus who lined out the goals he and co-coach Peter Yang have set for the program:Win the Minneapolis City Conference championship. The first time since 1950. (They will know on January 30.); Improve individually one percent per day (improve skills, academics, character); reduce the stigma around wrestling – build the reputation of the sport. Be ambassadors of wrestling; bonding, growing, and holding each other accountable to make positive decisions on and off the mat; and continue to develop wrestling in North Minneapolis and make it accessible to all via the Minneapolis Police Activities League (PAL) Youth Wrestling which starts this spring at Henry.
One of the most notable accomplishments is that of Jan Hernandez-Soto who has grown as an exemplary student athlete and the only current team member to have committed all four years to the sport. Jan is now reaping the benefit of this commitment. He was a 2019 participant in the state tournament; it was the first time in eight years that someone from PHHS has competed.
In addition to the collaboration with PAL, this Henry sports team has ties with: (1) the Minnesota Storm National Wrestling Team; three Henry women wrestlers Janie Xiong, Jamesa Robinson and Hannah Brown are trying out for it; Hannah wrestled with them last year; (2) a middle school student is on the team; (3) Northsider Dan Chandler provided grant money for two-piece uniforms. Chandler was a 12-time National Greco Roman Champion, competed in the three Olympics and now heads the Minnesota Training Center; (4) Several Henry wrestling alumni return to play a role in supporting the current team; and (5) Co-head coach and Mpls South alumnusPeter Vang has been with the team for 10 years (His brother Lewis is an emerging wrestler). Positive feedback is coming from the Northside community asking questions of Coach Minus with “a quiet awe.”
The 2019-20 Henry High wrestling team is strikingly culturally diverse. The coaches are African American, Hmong, European American and American Indian. Student wrestlers have Lakota, Ojibwe, Hmong, Hispanic, African American, East African, Tibetan and European American roots. “Wrestling is a universal sport that dates back many centuries, as a way to show toughness and competitiveness,” reflects Coach Minus.
A hope for the future is to have an updated designated wrestling room or space in the school that can meet and exceed the needs of our student athletes; a place to bring in families and youth.
Find an article about Jamesa Robinson in City Pages: citypages.com/arts/jamesa-robinson-the-wrestler/561265561. Find an article about our female wrestlers in NorthNews:
mynorthnews.org/new-blog/2020/1/9/no-big-deal-were-just-wrestlers.