JustinRuiz.com

My first trip to the national wrestling hall of fame was in 1998. I was a senior in high school and was a finalist for the Dave Schultz excellence award. I ended up being co-winner of the award with Garrett Lowney, a future competitor
whom I would later wrestle for a spot on the 2004 Olympic team. I met a lot of great people that weekend and had a lot of fun.

Fast forward 14 years and I am back in Stillwater, OKlahoma for the hall of fame weekend. I came here with my family to celebrate a friend’s induction into the national wrestling hall of fame as an outstanding American. My friend is Andy Barth, and if it weren’t for him, I doubt that I would have been able to make a run at the Olympics this year.

I met Andy about three years ago when I flew out to California to do a camp for his son’s high school wrestling team. From day one he was one of the nicest people that I’ve ever met, and he was also one of the most thoughtful people
that I had ever met. My wife, daughter, and I really enjoyed the time that we were able to spend with him and his family. We had so much fun.

I think that the selection committee made an excellent choice in picking Andy as the outstanding American for this year. Since his wrestling career at Columbia University, he has done so many great things for the sport of wrestling, not to mention the special
help that he has provided to my family and me. He deserves the award. He is outstanding.

The world could use a lot more Andy Barth’s especially these days. He is certainly a class act and deserves all of the success that he has in his life.