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Posted On: November 2nd 2026, 04:17 pm
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Back in 2023, I took my son Beacon to the Kids Freestyle National Tournament on a whim. We were in Utah for a wrestling camp, and the tournament was being held in Salt Lake City, so I thought, “Heck, why not?”
If you’ve ever been to a USA Wrestling event, you know the stage is reserved for the finalist only. Unless your last name is Burroughs.
Beacon was called for his first-round preliminary match, and, unprompted, he was assigned to the elevated platform to wrestle on the big mat. Although he hadn’t been wrestling long, people recognized the last name and gathered around the mat in the center of the arena to see what he had.
He got tech-falled in the first period.
He actually went 0-2 in the tournament and cried for about 30 minutes in the bleachers afterward.
In that moment, he realized that greatness takes more than just DNA. Sure, we shared the same blood, but I couldn’t transmit my abilities to him through birth. He was going to have to earn them himself.
Beacon was born into pressure. Carrying my last name made him a target and placed an enormous amount of expectation on his shoulders before he could even say the words “double leg.”
However, pressure is a privilege.
He’s learned to be a hard worker, and he loves to compete. So I knew that when we finally brought him back for another USA Wrestling event, he would be ready.
This weekend, he had to earn his way back onto the stage—not because of his name, but because of his work. And this time, in the biggest bracket of his young career, he was prepared.
The goal isn’t to be on the stage. The goal is to be prepared for it. The opponent. The nerves. The performance.
He handled it all well, and I’m very proud of him.
People ask me why I’m so relaxed about his development, and it’s largely because the world has already put enough pressure on him. I don’t want to compound it.
I don’t know who he’ll become, but for now, we’re just enjoying the ride. And if he stinks, I have other sons. 😂
The beauty of setting expectations is that some people actually live up to them.
- JB
If you’ve ever been to a USA Wrestling event, you know the stage is reserved for the finalist only. Unless your last name is Burroughs.
Beacon was called for his first-round preliminary match, and, unprompted, he was assigned to the elevated platform to wrestle on the big mat. Although he hadn’t been wrestling long, people recognized the last name and gathered around the mat in the center of the arena to see what he had.
He got tech-falled in the first period.
He actually went 0-2 in the tournament and cried for about 30 minutes in the bleachers afterward.
In that moment, he realized that greatness takes more than just DNA. Sure, we shared the same blood, but I couldn’t transmit my abilities to him through birth. He was going to have to earn them himself.
Beacon was born into pressure. Carrying my last name made him a target and placed an enormous amount of expectation on his shoulders before he could even say the words “double leg.”
However, pressure is a privilege.
He’s learned to be a hard worker, and he loves to compete. So I knew that when we finally brought him back for another USA Wrestling event, he would be ready.
This weekend, he had to earn his way back onto the stage—not because of his name, but because of his work. And this time, in the biggest bracket of his young career, he was prepared.
The goal isn’t to be on the stage. The goal is to be prepared for it. The opponent. The nerves. The performance.
He handled it all well, and I’m very proud of him.
People ask me why I’m so relaxed about his development, and it’s largely because the world has already put enough pressure on him. I don’t want to compound it.
I don’t know who he’ll become, but for now, we’re just enjoying the ride. And if he stinks, I have other sons. 😂
The beauty of setting expectations is that some people actually live up to them.
- JB
Comments (99)
2 hours agoloumar321
So proud of you Beacon ! We love you 😘 Stay true to who you are and keep working hard buddy . XXOO
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