Matrat Mays running the show in Fargo
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Jason Bryant (TheMat.com)
07/25/2003
Lori May shuffles papers, crosses off bout numbers and hands bout sheets across the head table. As announcer Sandy Stevens calls the bouts to one of the 23 mats in the Fargodome, she's shuffling more and keeping track of what mats need bouts. She's not the only May helping out at the tournament; 18-year old Tori May, Lori's daughter, has called the Fargodome home for 8 days in July for the last 11 years and is at her 16th national tournament. Do the math. Yes, she's 18 and has been to either Cadet Nationals or the combined Cadet and Junior Nationals for the last 16 years. Lori has helped Stevens for years and even filled in for her five years ago when Stevens missed her only Junior National tournament. She's the announcer's assistant and it's not some cushy job to see all the wrestling. Lori May works and works a lot. "The last few years it's been crazy that our vacations are working vacations," Lori said. It started with pairing, coming up with her husband Tony May, an official and bringing Tori along for the ride. As Tori grew up, her responsibilities broadened and her love for wrestling increased. She wasn't dragged by her parents, Tori was calling the shots. "There was one year we weren't going to go, but I kind of got us to go," Tori said. May just graduated from Broken Arrow High School in Oklahoma and will call Stillwater home next year, as she'll matriculate at Oklahoma State. Tori looks forward to Fargo every year, but she does get some questions from her friends. "They always ask me why do I go to wrestling tournaments," Tori said. Both are licensed pairers and they're season ticket holders for Okie State wrestling. "We're just wrestling fans," Lori said. Lori's responsibilities have varied and more than willing to help out. "Just whatever you need done, we'll help," she said. Lori and Tony have run the golf tournament in Fargo since the tournament's move to Fargo, so they stay busy, and it's always about wrestling. "Let's run Tori to the mats and see how many matches are on deck," Lori says to the announcer. It's just the kind of work that they're happy to do and keep the tournament running smoothly. "I can't tell you how many years I've worked with Lori, but we count on her. She's so competent in how it (the tournament) needs to flow. She anticipates what is needed by all the people in the tournament," Stevens said. Being the center of activity at the world's largest wrestling tournament is also quite hectic. "It's stressful up here but we have a lot of fun trying to retain our sanity. Lori's lots of fun to work with," Stevens said. Tori's room isn't decorated in the matter many high school girls would choose to adorn their walls. "I've got wrestling posters all over the walls," Tori said. She'll trade stuffed animals for sweat and cauliflower ear any day of the week. Her decision to go Okie State was pretty much a done deal since the family moved to Oklahoma last summer from Derby, Kansas. "She bleeds orange," Lori said of her daughter's love for Okie State wrestling. "I've got MATRAT on my license plate with an Oklahoma State wrestling frame," Tori said. "Tori always wanted to go to the Olympic Training Center in Colorado, so she got straight-A's her last year and we sent her out there," Lori said. Like mother like daughter? No. It's just about loving the sport of wrestling.