Video shows parents furious after the one wrestler looked like he was shaking hands but didn't

Police have launched an investigation into an Illinois youth wrestling match that got ugly after a wrestler suckerpunched his opponent after losing.

During the "Beat The Streets" tournament on April 8 at Oak Park River Forest High School in Oak Park, Ill., Hafid Alicea of Maine West High School was defeated by Cooper Corder of SPAR Wrestling Academy. The final match score was 14-2.

As is custom in wrestling, the referee invited the two wrestlers to the center of the mat to shake hands and announce Corder as the winner.

However, things took a turn when Alicea went to shake Corder’s hand, but instead punched him square in the face, sending him down to the canvas.

I mentioned it back when this happened with Memphis, but I had been noticing more news about handshake line fights. It's crazy to see. Here are some from just the past few years.





This one is tough to see.

Usually when the story comes out, the kid who got sucker punched was running their mouth. Not saying it’s right to punch someone, but that’s typically what eventually happens when you run your mouth too much. These kids see it with their role models on the TV screen every night. Talking trash and showboating. I’ve actually been shocked that Steph Curry and Klay Thompson and Draymond Green have gone a decade without someone decking them to the floor.

A wrestling event called Beat the Streets got violent? Whodathunkit?

(04-19-2023 06:39 AM)BIGDTiger Wrote:  Usually when the story comes out, the kid who got sucker punched was running their mouth. Not saying it’s right to punch someone, but that’s typically what eventually happens when you run your mouth too much. These kids see it with their role models on the TV screen every night. Talking trash and showboating. I’ve actually been shocked that Steph Curry and Klay Thompson and Draymond Green have gone a decade without someone decking them to the floor.

Good use of victim blaming without even knowing what happened.

Never mind more often; I'm shocked it doesn't happen all the time. I've wanted to punch an opponent in the handshake line hundreds of times.

There is also the classic moment when Blount, the RB for Oregon, planted that player from Boise State when teams were on the field shaking hands about a decade ago.

High school wrestling coach here. "Beat the Streets" is an organization that "cultivates youth development in underserved communities by encouraging a desire for excellence, respect, teamwork, leadership, integrity, and perseverance through the instruction of quality wrestling programs." They host a live match in the middle of Times Square every year with Olympic-caliber wrestlers, and the proceeds go back to the organization's chapters. They're great.

The video mentioned in the OP is making the rounds in the wrestling community, so much so that people went and dug up the full match video on TrackWrestling.com for more context. Apparently, the kid who threw the sucker punch just got embarrassed, and made a poor choice at the end of the match. I don't think it needs to go any further than that. Wrestling is a humbling sport. In just about any other sport there is usually someone else to blame, but when it's just you and another person, the only person to blame is yourself. This kid got manhandled, and reacted immaturely. In the 21 years that I've been around the sport, I've seen plenty of matches get chippy with guys getting separated, but I've only seen something like this once or twice.

Unfortunately, if this kid does ever wrestle again, they will have a bad reputation with local officials for the remainder of their career, and those are hard to shake. Kids make dumb, short-sighted decisions all the time, but I don't think we need to cancel every single person who makes a mistake if they're willing to show change.

Last thing: Having played just about every sport other than basketball while growing up, nothing instills: hard work, humility, self-discipline, and perseverance like the sport of wrestling. If you have a son who plays football, sign him up for wrestling tomorrow and thank me later. TN now also offers girls' wrestling, so anyone can participate!

GTG

(04-19-2023 09:41 AM)MTiger14 Wrote:  High school wrestling coach here. "Beat the Streets" is an organization that "cultivates youth development in underserved communities by encouraging a desire for excellence, respect, teamwork, leadership, integrity, and perseverance through the instruction of quality wrestling programs." They host a live match in the middle of Times Square every year with Olympic-caliber wrestlers, and the proceeds go back to the organization's chapters. They're great.

The video mentioned in the OP is making the rounds in the wrestling community, so much so that people went and dug up the full match video on TrackWrestling.com for more context. Apparently, the kid who threw the sucker punch just got embarrassed, and made a poor choice at the end of the match. I don't think it needs to go any further than that. Wrestling is a humbling sport. In just about any other sport there is usually someone else to blame, but when it's just you and another person, the only person to blame is yourself. This kid got manhandled, and reacted immaturely. In the 21 years that I've been around the sport, I've seen plenty of matches get chippy with guys getting separated, but I've only seen something like this once or twice.

Unfortunately, if this kid does ever wrestle again, they will have a bad reputation with local officials for the remainder of their career, and those are hard to shake. Kids make dumb, short-sighted decisions all the time, but I don't think we need to cancel every single person who makes a mistake if they're willing to show change.

Last thing: Having played just about every sport other than basketball while growing up, nothing instills: hard work, humility, self-discipline, and perseverance like the sport of wrestling. If you have a son who plays football, sign him up for wrestling tomorrow and thank me later. TN now also offers girls' wrestling, so anyone can participate!

GTG

Thanks for the clarification. I hope these young men truly do beat the streets, in that sense.

(04-19-2023 08:51 AM)2021 Tiger Football!! Wrote:  

(04-19-2023 06:39 AM)BIGDTiger Wrote:  Usually when the story comes out, the kid who got sucker punched was running their mouth. Not saying it’s right to punch someone, but that’s typically what eventually happens when you run your mouth too much. These kids see it with their role models on the TV screen every night. Talking trash and showboating. I’ve actually been shocked that Steph Curry and Klay Thompson and Draymond Green have gone a decade without someone decking them to the floor.

Good use of victim blaming without even knowing what happened.

Lighten up. IIRC, BIGDTiger is just a coach sharing his thoughts on what has triggered fights in his experiences. Every situation is different. I took over a team that was a perennial loser and I wanted so badly for them to compete, have some fight in 'em. And I've had teams that were so good at winning, that we had to learn how to lose, be humble, channel that energy into practicing harder and improving.

In the end these are kids. What they're being taught, or not taught, matters. They're so easily influenced.

(04-19-2023 09:41 AM)MTiger14 Wrote:  High school wrestling coach here. "Beat the Streets" is an organization that "cultivates youth development in underserved communities by encouraging a desire for excellence, respect, teamwork, leadership, integrity, and perseverance through the instruction of quality wrestling programs." They host a live match in the middle of Times Square every year with Olympic-caliber wrestlers, and the proceeds go back to the organization's chapters. They're great.

The video mentioned in the OP is making the rounds in the wrestling community, so much so that people went and dug up the full match video on TrackWrestling.com for more context. Apparently, the kid who threw the sucker punch just got embarrassed, and made a poor choice at the end of the match. I don't think it needs to go any further than that. Wrestling is a humbling sport. In just about any other sport there is usually someone else to blame, but when it's just you and another person, the only person to blame is yourself. This kid got manhandled, and reacted immaturely. In the 21 years that I've been around the sport, I've seen plenty of matches get chippy with guys getting separated, but I've only seen something like this once or twice.

Unfortunately, if this kid does ever wrestle again, they will have a bad reputation with local officials for the remainder of their career, and those are hard to shake. Kids make dumb, short-sighted decisions all the time, but I don't think we need to cancel every single person who makes a mistake if they're willing to show change.

Last thing: Having played just about every sport other than basketball while growing up, nothing instills: hard work, humility, self-discipline, and perseverance like the sport of wrestling. If you have a son who plays football, sign him up for wrestling tomorrow and thank me later. TN now also offers girls' wrestling, so anyone can participate!

GTG

Great insight. THANKS!

And thanks for being a great influence in the lives of many! I came from a school with toolbag wrestlers. They weren't good, just menaces. I've always had a negative outlook on wrestling because of that group. Not sure I want to do a sport where someone aims to stick a thumb in my anus. Thanks for putting wrestling in a more positive light. Hopefully there are more out there like you.

(04-19-2023 10:20 AM)gusrob Wrote:  

(04-19-2023 09:41 AM)MTiger14 Wrote:  High school wrestling coach here. "Beat the Streets" is an organization that "cultivates youth development in underserved communities by encouraging a desire for excellence, respect, teamwork, leadership, integrity, and perseverance through the instruction of quality wrestling programs." They host a live match in the middle of Times Square every year with Olympic-caliber wrestlers, and the proceeds go back to the organization's chapters. They're great.

The video mentioned in the OP is making the rounds in the wrestling community, so much so that people went and dug up the full match video on TrackWrestling.com for more context. Apparently, the kid who threw the sucker punch just got embarrassed, and made a poor choice at the end of the match. I don't think it needs to go any further than that. Wrestling is a humbling sport. In just about any other sport there is usually someone else to blame, but when it's just you and another person, the only person to blame is yourself. This kid got manhandled, and reacted immaturely. In the 21 years that I've been around the sport, I've seen plenty of matches get chippy with guys getting separated, but I've only seen something like this once or twice.

Unfortunately, if this kid does ever wrestle again, they will have a bad reputation with local officials for the remainder of their career, and those are hard to shake. Kids make dumb, short-sighted decisions all the time, but I don't think we need to cancel every single person who makes a mistake if they're willing to show change.

Last thing: Having played just about every sport other than basketball while growing up, nothing instills: hard work, humility, self-discipline, and perseverance like the sport of wrestling. If you have a son who plays football, sign him up for wrestling tomorrow and thank me later. TN now also offers girls' wrestling, so anyone can participate!

GTG

Great insight. THANKS!

And thanks for being a great influence in the lives of many! I came from a school with toolbag wrestlers. They weren't good, just menaces. I've always had a negative outlook on wrestling because of that group. Not sure I want to do a sport where someone aims to stick a thumb in my anus. Thanks for putting wrestling in a more positive light. Hopefully there are more out there like you.

Ahh yes, the butt drag lol. You don't see that a lot in Memphis. The first time it happened to me at the state tournament I completely froze. I asked my coach why it's legal and his only response was, "Did the kid get the takedown? That's why." Not great, but it doesn't happen as often as you'd think.

(04-19-2023 09:41 AM)MTiger14 Wrote:  High school wrestling coach here. "Beat the Streets" is an organization that "cultivates youth development in underserved communities by encouraging a desire for excellence, respect, teamwork, leadership, integrity, and perseverance through the instruction of quality wrestling programs." They host a live match in the middle of Times Square every year with Olympic-caliber wrestlers, and the proceeds go back to the organization's chapters. They're great.

The video mentioned in the OP is making the rounds in the wrestling community, so much so that people went and dug up the full match video on TrackWrestling.com for more context. Apparently, the kid who threw the sucker punch just got embarrassed, and made a poor choice at the end of the match. I don't think it needs to go any further than that. Wrestling is a humbling sport. In just about any other sport there is usually someone else to blame, but when it's just you and another person, the only person to blame is yourself. This kid got manhandled, and reacted immaturely. In the 21 years that I've been around the sport, I've seen plenty of matches get chippy with guys getting separated, but I've only seen something like this once or twice.

Unfortunately, if this kid does ever wrestle again, they will have a bad reputation with local officials for the remainder of their career, and those are hard to shake. Kids make dumb, short-sighted decisions all the time, but I don't think we need to cancel every single person who makes a mistake if they're willing to show change.

Last thing: Having played just about every sport other than basketball while growing up, nothing instills: hard work, humility, self-discipline, and perseverance like the sport of wrestling. If you have a son who plays football, sign him up for wrestling tomorrow and thank me later. TN now also offers girls' wrestling, so anyone can participate!

GTG

Much appreciated. This all makes sense.

(04-19-2023 06:39 AM)BIGDTiger Wrote:  Usually when the story comes out, the kid who got sucker punched was running their mouth. Not saying it’s right to punch someone, but that’s typically what eventually happens when you run your mouth too much. These kids see it with their role models on the TV screen every night. Talking trash and showboating. I’ve actually been shocked that Steph Curry and Klay Thompson and Draymond Green have gone a decade without someone decking them to the floor.

Sports use to build character. Now it exposes the lack thereof.

(04-19-2023 09:41 AM)MTiger14 Wrote:  High school wrestling coach here. "Beat the Streets" is an organization that "cultivates youth development in underserved communities by encouraging a desire for excellence, respect, teamwork, leadership, integrity, and perseverance through the instruction of quality wrestling programs." They host a live match in the middle of Times Square every year with Olympic-caliber wrestlers, and the proceeds go back to the organization's chapters. They're great.

The video mentioned in the OP is making the rounds in the wrestling community, so much so that people went and dug up the full match video on TrackWrestling.com for more context. Apparently, the kid who threw the sucker punch just got embarrassed, and made a poor choice at the end of the match. I don't think it needs to go any further than that. Wrestling is a humbling sport. In just about any other sport there is usually someone else to blame, but when it's just you and another person, the only person to blame is yourself. This kid got manhandled, and reacted immaturely. In the 21 years that I've been around the sport, I've seen plenty of matches get chippy with guys getting separated, but I've only seen something like this once or twice.

Unfortunately, if this kid does ever wrestle again, they will have a bad reputation with local officials for the remainder of their career, and those are hard to shake. Kids make dumb, short-sighted decisions all the time, but I don't think we need to cancel every single person who makes a mistake if they're willing to show change.

Last thing: Having played just about every sport other than basketball while growing up, nothing instills: hard work, humility, self-discipline, and perseverance like the sport of wrestling. If you have a son who plays football, sign him up for wrestling tomorrow and thank me later. TN now also offers girls' wrestling, so anyone can participate!

GTG

Playing both ways the entire game in football is not close to as grueling as a full match in wrestling.

(04-19-2023 10:42 AM)MTiger14 Wrote:  

(04-19-2023 10:20 AM)gusrob Wrote:  

(04-19-2023 09:41 AM)MTiger14 Wrote:  High school wrestling coach here. "Beat the Streets" is an organization that "cultivates youth development in underserved communities by encouraging a desire for excellence, respect, teamwork, leadership, integrity, and perseverance through the instruction of quality wrestling programs." They host a live match in the middle of Times Square every year with Olympic-caliber wrestlers, and the proceeds go back to the organization's chapters. They're great.

The video mentioned in the OP is making the rounds in the wrestling community, so much so that people went and dug up the full match video on TrackWrestling.com for more context. Apparently, the kid who threw the sucker punch just got embarrassed, and made a poor choice at the end of the match. I don't think it needs to go any further than that. Wrestling is a humbling sport. In just about any other sport there is usually someone else to blame, but when it's just you and another person, the only person to blame is yourself. This kid got manhandled, and reacted immaturely. In the 21 years that I've been around the sport, I've seen plenty of matches get chippy with guys getting separated, but I've only seen something like this once or twice.

Unfortunately, if this kid does ever wrestle again, they will have a bad reputation with local officials for the remainder of their career, and those are hard to shake. Kids make dumb, short-sighted decisions all the time, but I don't think we need to cancel every single person who makes a mistake if they're willing to show change.

Last thing: Having played just about every sport other than basketball while growing up, nothing instills: hard work, humility, self-discipline, and perseverance like the sport of wrestling. If you have a son who plays football, sign him up for wrestling tomorrow and thank me later. TN now also offers girls' wrestling, so anyone can participate!

GTG

Great insight. THANKS!

And thanks for being a great influence in the lives of many! I came from a school with toolbag wrestlers. They weren't good, just menaces. I've always had a negative outlook on wrestling because of that group. Not sure I want to do a sport where someone aims to stick a thumb in my anus. Thanks for putting wrestling in a more positive light. Hopefully there are more out there like you.

Ahh yes, the butt drag lol. You don't see that a lot in Memphis. The first time it happened to me at the state tournament I completely froze. I asked my coach why it's legal and his only response was, "Did the kid get the takedown? That's why." Not great, but it doesn't happen as often as you'd think.

(04-19-2023 09:41 AM)MTiger14 Wrote:  Last thing: Having played just about every sport other than basketball while growing up, nothing instills: hard work, humility, self-discipline, and perseverance like the sport of wrestling. If you have a son who plays football, sign him up for wrestling tomorrow and thank me later. TN now also offers girls' wrestling, so anyone can participate!

GTG

I wrestled in high school and I agree with your comments above. I played football and ran track. I was talked into wrestling and was surprised at how demanding it was. Those 6 minutes on the mat can seem like a lifetime if you are not prepared. You are also correct that it's up to you and your training once you get on the mat. If you lose it's on you. Conversely if you win there is no bigger feeling in all of sports, for me, to know that you were able to compete and win.

As for the incident I too watched more of the match. He lost 14-2. He must not have been putting out enough effort to have the ability to punch a guy like that at the end. I have never seen that before in wrestling.