Four Days to Glory

December 11, 2006
Sportswriter Kreidler, a columnist for the
\t\t Sacramento Bee, immerses himself in "the largest event of its kind
\t\t in the United States," the Iowa State High School Wrestling Tournament, and the
\t\t result is a deeply insightful look into how young athletes and their families
\t\t prepare for and participate in a yearly, four-day event where "Fathers and
\t\t sons, coaches and wrestlers locked in screaming matches are as commonplace as
\t\t injury timeouts." But this is no exposé: Kreidler paints a highly
\t\t sympathetic portrait of the struggles of two smalltown seniors to become the
\t\t 15th and 16th four-time state champions in Iowa's history. One is motivated by
\t\t the doubts raised about his abilities by Iowa wrestling fans, while the other
\t\t struggles with a family history of depression. In Kreidler's final stunning
\t\t account of how both teens deal with the "recurring emotional whiplash" of the
\t\t tournament itself, he more than proves his contention: "The really great ones,
\t\t deep down, just don't give a damn" about doubts and struggles external to the
\t\t sport itself.