(Ric) dealt with a lot of tragedy and he was just a true example of goodness. – Provo assistant wrestling coach Brian Preece
PROVO — Just a few weeks before friends could honor Ric Thompson for his life-long contributions to the sport he loved, the father of five lost his life to the ravages of cancer.
But if the two-time state champion from Brighton High taught those who loved him most anything, he taught them not to quit.
So a few weeks later, friends and fellow wrestling coaches hosted the Wrestling Against Cancer duals at Provo High, a tournament featuring some of the state’s best wrestlers in a setting meant to honor the man who dedicated his life to the sport.
Like a lot of things in life, that inaugural event did not go as planned.
“The first one was kind of a flop to tell you the truth,” said Provo assistant wrestling coach Brian Preece, who was one of those responsible for the tournament’s creation and survival. “We had some kind of blizzard come through, there were a bunch of school closures, and of the eight teams committed, only three were able to come.”
If there is one thing a wrestler knows how to deal with, it’s a little adversity. In fact, the tournament has become as much a tribute to the sport as it is a tribute to Thompson and the battle his family has waged against cancer.
Preece said the tournament, held on the first day the Utah High School Activities Association allows competition for wrestlers, is a celebration of the season to come. It’s meant to showcase the best athletes in a sport that’s had to fight just for its own survival — especially at the collegiate level.
“I like to think in wrestling, we’re a little more tight-knit than other sports,” Preece said. “We’re kind of a fraternity, always fighting for the sport's survival, for publicity.”
Tuesday’s Wrestling Against Cancer tournament starts at 6 p.m. with Davis taking on Westlake, Murray facing Provo, and Mountain View squaring off against Layton. Once those teams work through all 14 weight divisions, around 8 p.m., Timpanogos will face Timpview, Orem will battle Maple Mountain, and West will battle Lone Peak.
“We’re going to see some great wrestling,” Preece said. “Maple Mountain has become a powerhouse and Layton is a powerhouse. Last year we had 13 state champions and about 17 or 18 who ended up being state finalists.”
Preece said last year the proceeds of the tournament went to benefit Ric’s brother, Bryce Thompson, who eventually passed away at the Huntsman Cancer Institute after a battle with acute myeloid leukemia.
“Basically, Ric and Angie Thompson are the inspiration for the event,” Preece said. But he was also motivated to do something with a charity component because what writer Neil Warner started with the Second Chance Foundation and the annual Pink Games between Lehi and Lone Peak, which raise money for Swing For Life.
“I just looked at (those efforts) and said, ‘What a cool way to promote wrestling, have a kick-off event, and honor my friend,” Preece said. “Ric is kind of an extraordinary guy. He’s in the Utah Wrestling Hall of Fame, was a two-time state champion at Brighton, and was part of the dynasty at Brighton in the 80s. ... He means a lot to us in the wrestling fraternity.”
Thompson, who led Payson to its first wrestling team state title in 1998, knew how to wrestle.
“I think he knew technique like very few coaches knew technique,” Preece said. “For me, he just kind of always cared about me as a coach.”
He knew how to teach, and he’d teach anyone willing to learn. He helped coach his own son, Tyson, who was a three-time state champion at Lehi High. Payson High created its own wrestling hall of fame and at its first banquet last week, Thompson was one of the first three members inducted.
Thompson was a mentor to his own wrestlers, but often helped athletes from other teams, offering them tips or pointers.
“He was just always kind of giving of his wisdom,” Preece said. He was a friend to other coaches and a tireless advocate of the sport of wrestling.
But there was more to Thompson than a man who knew how to win a wrestling match. He lost two daughters to cancer and a brother in a tragic boating accident, and it was how he handled these heartbreaking tragedies that inspired others.
“He dealt with a lot of tragedy,” Preece said, “and he was just a true example of goodness.”
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