Scott Beck (left) and Arno Niemand (right) received USA Wrestling Lifetime Achievement Awards at the Colorado Night of Champions in Denver. Pat Fox photos

The wrestling and judo communities came together to honor its leaders and celebrate their Olympic sports at the Colorado Night of Champions at the Denver Athletic Club in Denver, Colo., Friday, May 20.

USA Wrestling leaders Scott Beck and Arno Niemand received USA Wrestling Lifetime Achievement Awards for their service and efforts on behalf of wrestling. 

They join a list of  previous winners which include Speaker of the House Dennis Hastert, author John Irving, Nobel Prize winner Norman Bourlag, Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, Blair Academy coach Jeff Buxton, Olympic coach and ASICS executive Bill Farrell and other giants of the sport.

USA Judo leaders Leonard “Buck” Wessell and Dr. Dennis McGuire received the first USA Judo Lifetime Achievement Awards given by the organization.

Highlighting the evening was an inspiring speech by 2011 NCAA champion Anthony Robles, who was born without a right leg and a right hip. He provided a message about achieving success and overcoming life’s obstacles.

“What a great night for our sport,” said USA Wrestling Executive Director Rich Bender. “What a wonderful opportunity to combine two of our country’s Olympic sports and to celebrate the great heroes of these sports.”

Wrestling award winners Beck and Niemand competed in wrestling, and went on to major success in the business community. Both have made a huge impact on wrestling by giving back to the sport in a variety of ways.

Beck was the Team Leader for the 2000 U.S. Olympic Freestyle Wrestling Team and several U.S. World Teams. He led the Campaign for Wrestling, which raised substantial funds for the sport. Beck was USA Wrestling Man of the Year in 1998.

“Wrestling certainly defines who we are. One of the things I love about wrestling is the people. I don’t think there is another sport, and judo is the same way, where the amount of effort that gets put in is disproportionate to the amount of recognition and glory received. That attracts a certain type of person. At my high school, we had a t-shirt that said MTXE. Mental toughness, extra effort. That is what these sports are about,” said Beck.

Niemand has served as the official sponsor for USA Wrestling’s Women’s National Team since 2003, helping the U.S. become a world power. He has also been a major benefactor for his alma mater, Cornell University, and other wrestling projects. Author of a book about the 1947 Cornell College NCAA champion team, Niemand has also received the FILA Gold Star and the National Wrestling Hall of Fame’s Order of Merit.

“All along the way, I was mentored by a coach or a teacher. At a critical juncture, there was someone there to help me. The teachers and coaches were so important in my life. The other piece of this is the inclusion and fairness of the sport that allows those of all sizes and shapes to compete. Now inclusion in the sport includes girls and women, which allows new opportunities for many young women,” said Niemand.

Among the judo recipients, Wessell also has a strong background in wrestling. He has been a wrestling coach on the high school level, and his son Max was a Colorado state wrestling champion and currently wrestles for Lehigh University.

“This event combines two sports, two activities, two ways of life, that means so much to me and my family,” said Wessell. “Being a champ is not easy. It is not about winning. Being a champ is facing challenges, and being gracious in victory and defeat. Being a champ is getting up after every knockdown. Judo and wrestling makes champs.”

Wessell was an Olympic Team Leader and the largest financial supporter of USA Judo. He was coached by the other judo recipient, Dr. Dennis McGuire, who has coached champions at the Northglenn Judo Club for over 40 years.

The Colorado Night of Champions benefits the missions of USA Judo, USA Wrestling and Excel Wrestling.

Additional awards were given to successful young wrestlers and judo athletes. Excel wrestling presented awards to top Colorado-based wrestlers, including 2008 Junior World women’s freestyle champion Adeline Gray, who is a Colorado native and was able to attend the banquet.

The event’s Honorary Chairman was the Honorable U.S. Senator Hank Brown of Colorado, a former wrestler and past president of the Univ. of Colorado and the Univ. of Northern Colorado.

“Achievement in judo and wrestling are lessons in life. If you think about what makes these people a success in life, it’s a determination to succeed. It’s a willingness to work hard. It’s a refusal to accept defeat. It is a willingness to continue to try no matter how hard it is. These are the values that these sports teach,” said Brown.

Robles broke his keynote speech into two segments. Central to his message was advice about developing the right mindset, looking beyond obstacles and focusing on what you can control.

“Wrestling is a lot like life. We all wrestle with our issues, maybe it’s our family, our work, our athletics. We have to deal with these for the rest of our lives. I ask a question. Do you believe you are unstoppable in your life and can achieve anything you want? I am only 23 years old, and I believe we can all be unstoppable in our lives. I believe being unstoppable begins with having the right mindset. It means not focusing on what you can’t do. For me, it means focusing on what you can do, all the positive things,” said Robles.

This was the first time that a Night of Champions event has been held in Colorado. Previous events have been hosted in New Jersey, as well as in New York City during the 2003 World Freestyle Wrestling Championships activities.