Accomplished wrestler and Baker men’s team Assistant Coach Jimmy May added to his extensive resume of championships and victories at the U.S. Open Wrestling Championships from April 22-26. May finished at the top of his division, Masters F (ages 67-75) 70-kilogram division, earning him the highly coveted “stop sign” trophy. 

May recognized the switch from coaching to competing wasn’t for the faint of heart.

“We trained pretty hard for three months and I cut 20 pounds,” he said. “By the time I got to my first match the training had taken a toll on my body.” 

May also spoke on the hidden dangers of training and competing later in your career. Oftentimes the damage isn’t done during a match, but after.

“I haven’t been on the mat since competition. I have to let my knees and shoulders recover,” May said. The most important part of the whole process is “being smart and trying not to injure yourself, especially at my age.” 

The prize for victory? The USA Wrestling stop sign. The trophy is an oak plaque with a large gold medallion depicting the USA Wrestling logo. USA Wrestling describes it as “a tough journey that leaves wrestlers with the feeling of meaningful victory … And, once a wrestler gets to stand atop a field of America’s best wrestlers as a true National Champion, the stop sign adorns a meaningful place in their home.”

Whether this is the end of May’s wrestling career is still up in the air. His victory earned him a spot in the United World Wrestling World Championships in Jordan later this year. May is unsure if he will compete, as his training would have to start relatively soon. 

Regardless of the future, May said winning the U.S. Open “was a proud moment for me and I’m glad I could share it with Baker athletes.”