Singlet trade is Fargo right-of passage for wrestlers

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Jason Bryant (TheMat.com)
07/21/2003


 Huddled outside the FargoDome, dozens of wrestlers go away from their background in headlocks and gut-wrenches to change over to the miniature world of marketing and bartering. They set up makeshift carnival-like areas flaunting their merchandise.    When wrestlers and coaches leave the Cadet and Junior Nationals every year, it's almost a certainty that they'll come home with something other than their normal national team gear.    It's the trade game. An unscientific system of trading that has been going on at national tournaments for decades. Fargo is the mecca for trading.    The "trading zone" outside the South Entrance of the FargoDome is where wrestlers line-up and start dealing.    "This is my first year trading, it's fun. After you getting knocked out of the tournament, it's better than just sitting around," said Ryan Sutton of Oakville, Missouri.    After Hawaii's Travis Lee won double-titles in 2001, Hawaii jackets and singlets were the hot item. It might not have been his performance, but seeing Hawaii on the center stage gave everyone a look at what the small contingent from the 50th state brings to Fargo.     Like comic books or baseball cards, the cooler the look combined with the rarity of the item makes those wrestlers from sought-after states pretty powerful in the trade game.    "The old Hawaii stuff is always hot," Sutton said.    Hot items this year are gear bags from California, anything from Hawaii, old New Jersey singlets and Texas jackets. Traditional powerhouse state singlets from Minnesota, Pennsylvania, Ohio and California are also valued commodities.    "One guy had some Bad Boys singlets, they were awesome. I'm going to try to get one myself," Sutton said.    Those Bad Boys Wrestling Club singlets are up for trade by Kevin English of Indiana. English, who coaches with the Bad Boys club, has been trading since he was competing at the Junior Nationals in 1994. This year, it's not for him as much as for his brother Wesley, an All-American last year.    "He's in the tournament, so I'm doing it for him since he wouldn't get a chance to get anything this year. I want to get him some good stuff," Kevin English said.    Among English's arsenal of singlets, bags and jackets was a South Africa Wrestling Jacket that Wesley had picked up in France last year.    "It's cool to have stuff from other states. You're a kid from Indiana and back home you're wearing a New Jersey singlet, the kids get a kick out of that," English said.    "What do you want for that Virginia singlet," Jacob Tomlin of Oregon asks.    "You got any mediums?" English replies.    English also agrees that Hawaii gear is a top priority for some wrestlers. Anthony Castro of New Jersey still realizes that he's not in Fargo to come home just to have a different singlet to wear at a local off-season tournament.    "I plan on wrestling, I don't plan on being out here all week," Castro said.    He's also wise enough in his three years of trading to know a good trade when he sees it. And a bad one.    "The California bags are awesome, but they're ridiculous on what they want to trade for them," Castro says.    The nation's elite wrestlers also get into the trade game, but rarely during competition. Virginia's Daniel Frishkorn arrived earlier in the week to train for the freestyle tournament. He's bound for Oklahoma State in the fall. He squats against a pillar outside the South entrance of the FargoDome. It's his last tournament in Fargo but he has done this before.    With singlets fanned out, weaved in the group are two of the rarest singlets in Fargo this week. A red Dapper Dan Classic singlet and a navy blue Dream Team singlet have drawn the gaze of many a wrestler.     One wrestler approaches, "What do you want for that Kansas singlet?"    "I really don't want to trade that one, unless it's for something sweet," he replied.     Edinboro's Shawn Bunch, a Kansas native, won the junior nationals a few years back and is coaching with his state this week.     Bunch walks up, makes small talk, eyeing singlets and jackets from the competitors outside. He too is a veteran of the trade game.    Coaches and referees also trade shirts and hats, but nothing on the volume of the kids.    "I've traded shirts with coaches from other states and I think the refs trade their shirts with the state logos on them too," English said.    I'm just looking for a Hawaii jacket.