A dedicated practice arena is central to any sport. To perform their best, they need to cling to this place most of the time. Along the same line, in wrestling, the wrestlers need a space, a gym area where coaches guide and wrestlers put their sweat and energy. A wrestling community recently faced some challenges on this front. They had to shift their entire setup to a new place.

The University of Northern Iowa wrestlers were recently forced to move from their 98-year-old home and settle in the new gym area across the town. They are now left with unpredictable situations and unprecedented instability.

The University of Northern Iowa wrestler’s new gym

The 98-year-old West gym is no longer a ground to practice for the University of Northern Iowa Wrestlers. They will be relocated to their new home in Cedar Falls, according to an article by flowrestling. The coach Doug Schwab, along with his team of panthers, vacated their long-lived place of practice. However, the new facility where they are moving is getting ready slowly.

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The new gym campus in Cedar Falls is under the process of remodeling. The weights were seen scattered on the cemented area outside the gym. This structure was owned by Shawn Kelly. He was a former Iowa wrestler and also served as the President of Black Hawk Roof Company. With an inclusive approach, this building will invite wrestlers from other communities as well. They can also practice along with the Iowa Wrestlers.

The future prospects for the Panthers

The weeks have passed, and the Panthers have now comfortably settled into their new place. This comes along with many questions in mind. The first thing is why the gym built in 1925 was not remodeled to accommodate more wrestlers. The Iowa community is questioned about their short and long-term plans. Will this program offer more stability than the west gym walls?

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“The West Gym has been having issues for a few years and no one thought about a possible short- and a definite long-term solution for a wrestling facility?” questioned Gary Steffensmeier, a three-time All-American for the Panthers. However, coach Schwab is focussing on the patience and perseverance of wrestlers so that they can perform well. He was seen giving instructions and guidance to his team members.

On the other side, the wrestlers of the Iowa community are disappointed and frustrated by the fact that the program was left in a struggling phase to find a new home. According to coach Schwab, the program has attained its solid footing by this move. When asked if the program is on solid footing and are the other stakeholders equally participating, this was his response to the flowrestling official page, “Absolutely.”  

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