Ben VomBaur Head Assistant Coach University of Northern Colorado Wrestling
I grew up playing a lot of sports. I played organized soccer, football, baseball and basketball, but it wasn’t until i wrestled that i could channel my energy. Wrestling has made me the person I am today. It helped me transform my life from a struggling youth into a successful person.
I was a bright kid growing up. I scored high on several standardized tests in Kindergarten; even high enough to be placed in a new school for gifted students. But over the years I struggled more and more with discipline and motivation. By the time I finished the 6th grade I was failing several subjects, was visiting the principal on a regular basis and my relationships with my family was struggling at home. I had physical altercations with my parents and at one point pulled a knife on my sister and threatend her life. I specifically remember my 6th grade teacher telling my parents at a parent-teacher conference that I was headed for prison. Near the end of the 6th grade school year, after getting in a fight at school, the principal asked my dad if I would stay home the rest of the school year. So I did.
I started wrestling in the 7th grade. I was a natural and won most of my matches. Wrestling was fun for me because I liked being physical. I have a mean streak, but in wrestling that was a good thing. Junior high school was still a struggle, but wrestling helped me channel my aggression and helped me dedicate myself to something I valued. I made big improvements in my life, but the biggest changes didn’t come until my 9th grade year when i learned about respect. In the 9th grade I started wrestling for Roy Pittman at Peninsula Park. Its an inner city club in Portland, Oregon with a heavy emphasis on respect, not wins and losses. I learned to respect my coaches, my family, my community and myself.
From that point on I dedicated myself to the sport of wrestling. I finished high school with 102-0 record and earned DI All-American honors twice at Boise State University. But what Im most proud of myself is who ive become. Wrestling helped keep me out of jail. Its helped me earn a college degree. Its helped me be a better husband. Its helped me be a better father. Its helped me be a good leader. Wrestling has simply made me a better person.
Derrick Foxworth, Chief of Police
February 28, 2006
To Whom It May Concern:
RE: Roy Pittman
This letter of recommendation is being written on behalf of the Peninsula Wrestling Club and Head Coach Roy Pittman. As the National Coaches Education Program Coordinator for USA Wrestling, I have had the distinct pleasure of working with Roy, his athletes on our Senior National Teams, and his club directly for the past four years. During this same time frame, due to my job responsibilities, I have had the opportunity to study the most successful coaches and wrestling programs in the nation. I mention this due to the fact that Roy Pittman and the Peninsula Wrestling Club are easily among the top 10 wrestling programs in the World.
This letter is in support of Roy Pittman. As Chief of Police for the Portland Police Bureau, the largest law enforcement agency in the State of Oregon, I have met numerous individuals who have dedicated their lives to helping youth and their community. However, there are few that stand out above the rest, and Mr. Roy Pittman is one of those individuals.
Roy founded Peninsula Wrestling Club (PWC) in the early 1970s. Roy’s love of wrestling, athletics and youth became intertwined in a community project that has undoubtedly affected thousands of children in our community. The discipline, integrity and hard work that wrestling requires challenges young people to dig down deep in their souls, while they build their self esteem. As Roy says, “Every kid has the opportunity to find the hero in themselves.”
As a community leader, Roy’s assistance with the Portland Police Bureau and furthering our community policing goals has been invaluable. We have relied on Roy to be a part of the Chief’s Forum (a public advisory group to the Chief of Police), the Blue Ribbon Committee on Racial Profiling, the African American Advisory Council and many other community/police partnerships. He has given countless hours assisting us in building trust and relationships in the community, even going so far as attending our multi-week Police Citizens Academy.
Law enforcement officers rely heavily on strong leaders in the community to assist us in our community policing efforts. I firmly believe that impacting today’s youth plays a significant role in our community policing efforts, and Roy’s integrity, support and enthusiasm is invaluable to our community.
Should you have any additional questions regarding Mr. Roy Pittman, do not hesitate to contact me through my Adjutant, Officer Catherine Kent at (503) 823-0830.
Sincerely,
Derrick Foxworth
Chief of Police
Portland, Oregon
Glenn Garrison
I started wrestling when I was 12. My mom took me to a little club at Beaverton High School where I spent that first collegiate season. The day after collegiate ended Carrol Trumbauer took Adam (her son), myself and like 3 other kids to Peninsula. I dont remember the other 3 kids names because they never came back. I still remember falling in love with wrestling that first day in the room. A high school guy named Jason Jones was in the center of the mat while everyone else was on the wall. Mr. Pittman was making Jason wrestle every person 1 by 1. It didnt matter how small or big the next kid was coming in, they held nothing back. J. Jones didnt give an inch either. That moment hooked me. I felt tougher just being in the room. What Mr. Pittman orchestrated and what J. Jones did, represented something deeper that I didnt recognize until much later in my life.
Being in the room day after day, banging heads with guys I considered my second family, and the wrestling skills I learned from Mr. Pittman and Donny Mac were essential in getting me to the level of wrestling Im at today. But the talks after practice every Monday, Wednesday and Friday became building blocks of my character. During those sessions we wouldnt necessarily hear about good or bad, right or wrong. Instead, we received praise when deserved, correction when needed, and acceptance. We said the word, I believe in myself, I believe in my teammates. I believe I can do better I believe hard work pays off. I believe all things are possible. I believe something good is going to happen to me. A Roy Pittman quote.. I believed it then and still believe it now. I always left those practices feeling good about myself. We all belonged, we were a family. There have been times in my life when I felt alone and my world was coming apart, going in to Peninsula always helped me find my center.
I think the best thing Peninsula Wrestling Club gave me was the lesson shown to me that first day in the room, and reinforced throughout my time there. In the face of adversity, against all odds, when people think you cant succeed, if you believe in yourself, you can. No matter how bad life gets, your girlfriend leaves you, you flunk out of college, your friend gets shot in the face over something stupid, your father dies before he should, your wife gets sick and the doctors cant tell you whats wrong, your grandfather passes and one of your brothers gets put into the intensive care unit because his liver is failing because he has been trying to drink himself to death for the past five years
You can still survive. No matter what life throws at you, face it head on, grit your teeth and say, Come on Sucker.
To all my Peninsula family: the guys I grew up with, the ones we looked up to, the ones who looked up to us, and everyone who has came through since Ive been gone, heres a little something Mr. Pittman told me one time, YOU ARE THE BEST, THE VERY BEST, ALL DAY, ALLNIGHT, ALL WEEK, ALL MONTH, ALL YEAR, ALL WAYS— YOU ARE THE BEST!
Wayne Baughman, wrestling coach USAF Academy CO
September 4, 1997
Whom it May Concern,
1. I wish to express my appreciations for, and congratulate the Peninsula Wrestling Club (PWC), Coach Roy Pittman and the other club coaches for their superior support of and contributions to amateur wrestling. The PWC includes wrestlers from the developmental age their program includes both the interscholastic/intercollegiate styles as well as the international/Olympic styles of wrestling. The PWC has consistently produced winners/champions in every style at every age level including the United States’ most recent (1997) World Champion, Les Gutches.
2. More important than the PWC’s wrestling successes however, is the club’s very positive role in the personal development of the quality individuals the club produces. The United States Air group/kids programs through the elite World Championship/Olympic levels of competition. Force Academy (USAFA) is a very selective, demanding institution with extremely high standards for both admission and to succeed. USAFA students represent the best of the best from every state as well as numerous foreign countries. There are for PWC members (C1C Jake Sherer, C2C Luke Bindreiff, C4C Shawn Finnicum and C4C Vince Sherer) on the intercollegiate wrestling team here, and all four have an excellent change of making one of the ten varsity weight class starting positions. These individuals are most representative of the “Whole Man Concept” and “Commitment to Excellence” the USAFA seeks out and the PWC turns out. PWC student/athletes are winners both on and off the mat and are successful both in wrestling and in life.
3. The PWC is the premiere club of its kind in the entire United States. The service it provides young athletes encompasses far more than wrestling and extends beyond the community to include the entire state of Oregon and parts of Washington. Coach Roy Pittman and the PWC staff are class individuals who run a First Class Program! I wish them continued success in their great program and in generating the support necessary to become even more successful.
Wayne Baughman
Wrestling Coach
USAF Academy CO
Brett Penager, NCEP Coordinator USA Wrestling
September 24, 1997
To whom it may concern:
This letter of recommendation is being written on behalf of the Peninsula Wrestling Club and Head Coach Roy Pittman. As the National Coaches Education Program Coordinator for USA Wrestling, I have had the distinct pleasure of working with Roy, his athletes on our Senior National Teams, and his club directly for the past four years. During this same time frame, due to my job responsibilities, I have had the opportunity to study the most successful coaches and wrestling programs in the nation. I mention this due to the fact that Roy Pittman and the Peninsula Wrestling Club are easily among the top 10 wrestling programs in the World.
In all of my research I have found several factors that separate the best from the rest and I am willing to share these with you for they epitomize Roy Pittman and the Peninsula Wrestling Club:
1. INTEGRITY – The success of any organization will ultimately be determined by the leader of it. In my experiences and study regarding this, there is a clear difference between the illusion of integrity and the reality of it. Roy Pittman has and will continue to “walk the talk” unlike few men I have ever known.
2. PASSION – The greatest coaches of all time exhibited this trait in blatant quantity. It only takes 10 seconds being around Roy and his athletes to understand how important this quality is and how much a part of his program this entails.
3. COMMITMENT – Roy’s commitment to these athletes on and off the mat, during their stay in the club and later in their adult life is truly remarkable. All one has to do is ask the participants of the club and they will tell you all you need to know.
4. LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT – All successful programs can be measured by the number and quality of leaders that come out of it as a result of being a part of it. The Peninsula Wrestling Club under the leadership of Roy Pittman has developed innumerable highly successful athletes, coaches, and most importantly quality adult citizens.
5. SUCCESS – The bottom line in our competitive society is that the strong will survive. Roy has developed not only Olympians on a wrestling mat, but Olympian character young adults. Through we understand the importance of this on a long term basis; he has also developed an incredible group of children who are equipped with the tools to succeed in anything they do.
In closing I would just like to say how highly regarded Roy is in every area of his life. His attitude, enthusiasm, love, compassion, character and many others like terms do little justice in explaining the depth of their truest meaning about this man. There are many other administrators, coaches, athletes, and people that would support this statement. I offer myself as a willing party to not only speak to you regarding these facts, but I will also lead you to several experts in the field to validate my opinion. I highly recommend that you research and call as many references as you deem necessary.
Once again, it is with incredible pleasure that I give my highest recommendation for Roy Pittman and the Peninsula Wrestling Club.
Sincerely,
Brett Penager
NCEP Coordinator
USA Wrestling
Mark Johnson, Head Wrestling Coach, University of Illinois
To Whom it May Concern;
I am writing in endorsement of the Peninsula Wrestling Club in Portland, Oregon. My relationship with Roy Pittman and the Peninsula Wrestling Club began when I became the Head Wrestling Coach at Oregon State University in 1990.
I learned quickly of the great impact that Roy had in the sport of wrestling in the state of Oregon, and across the country. Not only is Roy an outstanding coach, he is a tremendous leader of young people who has taken a genuine interest in their lives. Roy is as positive a person as I have ever met, and his morals and values are of the highest regard. I have had the sincere pleasure of coaching several of Roy’s Club members, and his influence and character is something that is evident in each of them. Every Peninsula athlete I have had has nothing by respect and admiration for Mr. Pittman, because of the positive effect he has had on their lives.
I would recommend Mr. Pittman and the Peninsula Wrestling Club to any young person, at any skill level, who is interested in the sport of wrestling. My recommendation goes well beyond the teaching of wrestling skills as well. I firmly believe Roy is a great leader and has such a positive impact on young people that anyone would do well to interact with him.
It would be my pleasure to speak with anyone who has questions in regard to the benefits of becoming a member of the Peninsula Wrestling Club.
Sincerely,
Mark Johnson
Head Wrestling Coach
University of Illinois
Tod L. Giles, Assistant Wrestling Coach 96-97 G-R Ntnl Team
June 1, 1997
Dear Coach Pittman,
Thank you for your hospitality during my recent visit to Portland. On behalf of the United States Military Academy at West Point, I would like to commend you and thank you for your efforts as coordinator and coach of the Peninsula Park Wrestling program.
Your efforts have produced some fantastic young athletes and truly great people. Some of the young men your program has produced have attended USMA and performed well in every aspect of Cadet life. We are looking forward to recruiting future high school graduates that emerge from your program.
Continued success in your endeavors and if I or USMA can help in any way, please do not hesitate to contact me at your convenience.
Sincerely,
Tod L. Giles
Assistant Wrestling Coach
1996-97 Greco-Roman National Team
Jim Scherr, Executive Director USA Wrestling
March 18, 1998
Dear Roy,
I want to commend you on the outstanding job you have done with the Peninsula Wrestling Club.
We at USA Wrestling are so impressed with your club that I have asked our staff to tailor a nationwide program called “Beat the Streets” after the Peninsula Wrestling Club.
If USA Wrestling follows what you have created, out “Beat the Streets” program will benefit thousands of America’s youth in the coming years.
Again, congratulations on the success you have experienced with the Peninsula Wrestling Club. Also, thank you for providing your expertise in helping us in the creation and implementations of “Beat the Streets.”
Sincerely,
Jim Scherr
Executive Director
USA Wrestling
Biography of Roy Pittman written by a current wrestler
Big Dog
Martin Luther King, Jr. once said in his famous speech, I dream of a time when a person is judged not by the color of his skin, but by the content of his character. My biography is about Roy Pittman (Big Dog) and the content of his character.
Roy Pittman was born in 1943 in Monroe, Louisiana. He has two brothers and three sisters. He grew up in Portland, Oregon. He graduated from Washington High School His favorite sports were football and softball. However, he used the conditioning from wrestling for these sports.
I interviewed Roy Pittman in his office before wrestling practice on a Monday evening. Roy seemed to be very relaxed before we even got started. I started my interview with the easier questions, but they got harder as time went on.
Roy said that his hobbies and interests involve coaching and motivation people. He considers himself a good cook better than Chef Boyardee. He became involved in wrestling twenty seven years ago. He has coached both national freestyle and Greco-Roman teams. He has also been an Olympic wrestling coach.
Roy thinks that the most important thing you can teach wrestlers is to love themselves and to know that they deserve it. He believes that most exciting thing that happened to him is when young people and parents see what they have in common with each other.
Roy stated that strong parents with strong values have made him what he is today. When asked what he wanted to do after he retired, he replied, I would like to consult coaches in other sports that deal with motivating kids. He wants to be remembered as a person who gives to all people at all times.
As you can see the quality of Roy Pittmans character is very clear. I interviewed several coaches who work with Roy Pittman. In each interview I learned more about the character of the man.
My first interview was with Coach Thompson. Coach Thompson has known of Roy Pittman for more than fifteen years. However, he has known him personally for fifteen years. He had met Roy at a wrestling tournament. I asked Coach Thompson what his most memorable experience was. He said that when he needed help Roy had given it to him. Coach Thompson like Roys sense of humor and his consistency. He has learned from Roy Pittman to live everyday to its fullest. He has learned to be more patients. Coach Thompson said that knowing Roy Pittman has changed his life. He has helped him be more focused. He has helped him to work with many different cultures. He thinks that Roy is a good coach because he teaches skills that work with young kids, as well as with older kids. Roy teaches the same skills to kids that are at different levels. He teaches kids to work with each other.
My second interview was with Coach Aaron. Coach Aaron has know Roy Pittman for twenty two years. He met Roy at Peninsula Park. Coach Pittman asked him if he had every wrestled before. He replied, No. Then, Coach Pittman invited Coach Aaron into the wrestling gym. His most memorable experience with Roy Pittman was when Coach Aaron lost the state championship. Coach Pittman got angry with Coach Aaron, which hardly ever happens. Coach Aaron likes Roy Pittmans honesty. He likes Roys open mindedness. He has learned from Roy Pittman patience, the importance of good decision making, and thinking things through first. Coach Aaron says that knowing Roy Pittman has opened many doors that were once closed. Roy has enriched Coach Aaron to be a better person. He provided Coach Aaron avenues to college through wrestling. Coach Aaron believes that Roy Pitman is a great motivator.
I now want to share my personal experience with Roy Pittman. I want to share what Ive learned about his character. I want to share how his character has influenced my character.
I have known Roy Pittman for little over two years. I met Roy when I came to Peninsula Park to practice with the mat club. I have learned many things from Roy. One is to take your time and get it right. Another is that there are no short cuts. The things that I have learned from Roy have made me a better wrestler and a better person.
My most memorable experience with Roy Pittman was when all of the wrestlers went to the classroom for a talk. Roy talked about many of the other wrestlers performance. He came over to me and said that I was awesome, and that I didnt take any prisoners. That made me feel real good.
There are many tings I like about Roy Pittman. I like how Roy thinks before he speaks. I like that he never makes excuses. I like that he is always ready to give people his time.
Roy greets all of the wrestlers with, Hey, Big Dog! That is his way of saying hello. We reply in our own way. Even though he calls us Big Dog, we all know who the real Big Dog is. We all know who the dog in the house is. We all know the character of the dog.
Mike Getlin
What Peninsula Did For Me
Mr. Pittman, you asked me to write a letter about what Peninsula Wrestling did for me, now that I have a little hindsight on where my life has taken me after my days of competing on the mat are over. With a little thought, its a very easy task writing this, since so much of who I am today really grew directly out of my experiences with Pitt Wrestling. I am blessed with about the best life I could ask for, and when I look back there is actually very little about it for which you and Peninsula do not deserve credit.
I had great success wrestling there and it was that success that got me into Harvard. That being said, it wasnt really until after school that I found my stride and really began to draw on the experiences and wisdom I took away from the club. I learned to be patient, to take pride in my work and myself, and to grow personally and professionally no matter what has been thrown in my way. I learned to lead and to follow, to speak and to listen, and I learned a great deal about what motivates me and the people around me.
Though I may have picked some of this up elsewhere, it was Peninsula that gave me a place to put it all together. It was there that I learned to fail, and to succeed, and to grow as much as possible from both. There are more stories than I could think to list, but one really comes to mind when I look back on the time passed since I was last at the club.
Several years ago I was doing pretty well working in phone sales for a company down here in Los Angeles. One night I was robbed and beaten at gunpoint while leaving an ATM. Though that was one fight I couldnt win, I survived, and for that I will always be grateful. With my jaw shattered and wired shut, my life ground to a halt since I couldnt speak well enough to sell over the phone. I broke my lease on my apartment and came home to Oregon to figure out what to do next.
To this day I am not sure what made me come back here, since there really was nothing left in LA for me. I think maybe it was a competition thats in me, and a unwillingness to be beaten while I still have any fight left in me at all. As is was, I drove back to LA and went to work as an administrative assistant for the company at which I had been selling. I took a 90% pay cut and lived off of soup and coffee for 3 months until the wires cam off my jaw. It never occurred to me to throw in the towel. It never even crossed my mind not to see it through and make it work. As such, it was not a decision I made, but rather the way I am that kept me going.
One day at a time, I pieced things back together. I was eventually promoted to General Manager, then Vice President of the company. This spring I bought a minority share in the firm and now run one of the largest precious metals retailers in the country. Every morning I give a sales meeting to over 40 employees, for which I borrow liberally from the inspirational talks I remember so well from Peninsula. It works for them, just as well as it worked for me.
So years later when I really think about my experiences there, its funny how its not the state titles, or the college scholarships or every the incredible people I met along the way, that stick in my mind as the best things I took away from Peninsula. By far the best thing I took away from Peninsula is myself. I learned to compete on and off the mat, to push harder than I think I can and to never quit while I can still keep going. I learned it so well, its become who I am and thats the best thing Peninsula could ever have given me.
With great appreciation and respect,
Mike Getlin
Executive Vice President
Merit Financial
