2021 Camp Grant Recipient: Naethan Tagawa

Columbine High School’s Naethan Tagawa is one of the 2021 RBS&HF Wrestling Camp Grant recipients.

To kick off the 2021 nomination and application season, the RBS&HF elected to offer $250 grants to be used toward fees for wrestling camps. The board chose to focus on the three high schools in Colorado where Coach Barron led teams—Fort Lupton High School in Fort Lupton and Heritage and Columbine High Schools in Littleton. Coaches chose the recipients based on exhibiting strength and honor on and off the mat, as well as need and other circumstances. Along with the grant money, each recipient received a RBS&HF T-shirt for themselves and one to give to another wrestler at camp.

We asked each wrestler to submit a short note about what wrestling means to them and how it’s been an asset to their lives. Here’s a message from Naethan Tagawa from Columbine High School.

“To me, wrestling means hard work and dedication. It also means being able to push yourself to the limits every time you step on the mat, physically and mentally. Wrestling helps me push through the pain and obstacles I have in life. I was able to wrestle for Coach Barron in eighth grade. I was honored to wrestle for such a great coach. He pushed me to my limits every time I stepped on the mat, and that made me a much better wrestler. Along with pushing me to my highest ability, he also tough me some life lessons that will stick with me my entire life, such as I can do anything as long as I put my mind to it. Coach Barron gave everyone an opportunity to shine. He believed that even if you where the smallest kid on the team, you could beat a heavyweight, and that’s why I loved Coach Barron. It was such a honor to be coached by such a legendary coach.”