BUC GRAPPLERS TO PIN DOWN DIABETES

The Blair Academy Wrestling Team is headed to Lehigh University this weekend, February 23-24, where it will defend its National Prep Wrestling Title....its 27th in-a-row. That's correct, the Bucs have won 26 consecutive National Prep Wrestling Titles, but the student-athletes at Blair are wrestling with another opponent this weekend-Juvenile Diabetes. 

The Blair coaches want to "Pin Down Diabetes." They didn't choose this worthwhile cause randomly---this cause hits close to home at Blair as the team's star 215 lb. wrestler Jared Platt has it (and manages it daily). 

"I brought it up to Jared and he liked the idea. Monitoring his diabetes is a daily battle for him as he has to watch what he eats; monitor his sugar levels; get enough sleep; get enough insulin, to name a few quotidian monitoring activities. People who know him know how careful he must be; however juvenile diabetes hasn't stopped Jared from being a one-man wrecking machine," Clavel added. 

Platt is one of the top-10 recruits in the nation is headed to The Pennsylvania State University on a scholarship and should be a multiple-time All-American and possible NCAA Champion. He is a National Prep Wrestling Champion and placed second at the Asics/Vaughn Junior National Wrestling Championships this past summer. 

"I was diagnosed in 1998. I didn't know what it was at first. I lost a lot of weight and was drinking a lot of water. The problem was that my doctors first misdiagnosed me," Platt said. "The key for me to this point has been not denying it or hiding it....taking care of myself enough to be successful. Not to use a cliché but "a sound mind is a sound body. The trainers at Blair know...the training staff at Penn State is aware of my condition. In fact, PSU has a diabetes research foundation and I'll be working closely with them on research; and who knows, we may find the cure. I think we are close," Platt said. "I may have to do a little bit extra everyday (like take my blood levels) but so that's okay."

There's another nationally-renowned wrestler, one who competed for The Univ. of Nebraska, who has juvenile diabetes, and we asked him to chime in on the subject. 

His name: Travis Pascoe. Pascoe was an All-America for the Univ. of Nebraska and a High School All-American where he was a three-time state champion for Gonzaga Prep in Spokane, Wash. Pascoe is now training for the 2008 Olympic Games and is an assistant coach at Oregon State University. 

"You can do anything you want as long as you give yourself a chance. Don't make {having juvenile diabetes} an excuse....don't give yourself an out." Pascoe said. "A lot of kids struggle with their blood sugars because they're not taking in enough fluids. Drink your eight cups of water a day--It will help keep your blood sugar up-more than you know," he added. "Plus, it's not just the kids-it's the parents too. Parents have to be educated on this subject and willing to give their kids a chance to do what they want to do." 

HOW THE MONIES ARE BEING RAISED:

Blair is raising money by collecting per pin pledges. Meaning the amount you pledge is multiplied by the total number team pins. 

"I am looking for 40 pins this year," Clavel added. "With 14 weight classes we have a good shot at getting those 40 pins." 

If you would like to pledge monies for the Blair Academy Wrestler "To Pin Down Diabetes"-please call Paul Clavel this week at 908-362-2009, or email him at clavep@blair.edu. 

For more information about Juvenile Diabetes log onto: http://www.jdrf.org

To read about the Blair Bucs and the National Preps please log onto http://www.blairwrestling.com
or 
http://www.natprepwrestling.com/Preps/index.html