Subject: Help Me Build a High School Wrestling Program

Hello. I hope this message finds you well.

I reach out today because I am embarking on a significant new project; one that is very close to my heart. Through the years, I have found many things that are important to me. One of these is the sport of wrestling. I began wrestling in the 7th grade and continued through junior high, high school, and college. When my time as a competitor was over, I tried to give back to the sport through coaching and officiating. I have coached 18 seasons at 3 different high schools, working with scores of fine athletes and coaches, many of whom I hold among my best friends to this very day. Wrestling is a sport unlike any other. It requires hard work, dedication, discipline, character, and courage. I have learned a great deal from this sport and have tried to pass it on to others.

Opportunities to continue my involvement in the sport of wrestling have come from my career in education. As such, the best years of my career have taken place at my current school, Western International High School, in Southwest Detroit. A school unlike any other in Detroit, let alone Michigan, Western is a cultural melting pot, a proud representation of a historic and diverse neighborhood, and an institution I hold dear.

Despite the long and storied academic, athletic, and alumni history of Western, the school has never had a wrestling program. Moreover, wrestling, despite its monumental growth as a sport in recent years (primarily due to the tremendous influx of girls participating), is not a significant entity in Detroit Public Schools or the Public School League. As I write this, only two high schools in DPS have wrestling programs. Based on the interest and the appeals of the Western students, I intend to raise that number to three.

With the support of the staff and administration at WIHS, I have been asked to become the first Head Coach of the Western International High School Wrestling team, and as such, am building the program from the ground up. I am working to establish a program that will give students the chance to build strength, discipline, confidence, and camaraderie. Wrestling is a sport that welcomes all body types, backgrounds, and experience levels. It teaches not only physical resilience, but mental toughness and life-long values—something every student-athlete deserves access to.

As you can imagine, the initial cost of such an endeavor is significant. I am currently seeking financial support to cover the essential costs of launching this program, including:

• Wrestling mats and safety equipment

• Uniforms and gear

• Coaching resources and training

• Travel expenses for meets and tournaments

• Facility preparation

My goal is to raise $8,000 to get this brand-new program up and running. I am asking my friends, family, colleagues, those in the Southwest Detroit community, and especially those in the wrestling community who, like me, consider this great sport such a meaningful part of your life, to donate to this worthwhile cause. Please help me give something to this community that it has never had before. All contributions, no matter the size, bring us a step closer to making this vision a reality for the Western students.

Thank you for taking the time to read this. If you have any questions or would like to discuss ways to contribute, please don’t hesitate to contact me. And thank you for considering a contribution to this important cause.