This is the big one for Kenny Mara.
This guy has made a very successful run in the insurance business and has now retired at the age of 75. He’s also had a great run as an amateur wrestling official, having refereed high school events for more than 35 years and more state tournaments than he can count. He also had a great career on the college level and got the honor of calling 19 NCAA tournaments.
Without question, one of the most respected mat officials in America, this good man will finally earn his due this Saturday night when he becomes one of eight individuals to be inducted into the National Wrestling Hall of Fame in Stillwater, Oklahoma.
He’s been inducted into several Hall of Fames, but nothing that even closely resembles this one.
Mara first got started in wrestling at Notre Dame High School where he was coached by the late Nick Bratcher and Schaack Van Deusen. He graduated in 1968 and was a state champion that year as he won all but two matches before winning the title at 132 pounds.
He later wrestled for two years under the late Jim Morgan at UTC before getting into the officiating business.
Kenny found out about this latest honor before Christmas and has gone through some tiring details as he gets ready for his biggest moment, but this is an incredible honor for a much deserving fellow and he’s ready for it to be over with.
He got a call from Lee Roy Smith, the director of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame in December. Mara at first thought that it was an old friend playing a practical joke, but he quickly realized that this call was for real and there was no joke at all.
Kenny has been married to Kathy for the past 56 years and they are the proud parents of three lovely daughters – Mandy, Kari and Kristy. They are also blessed to have five grandchildren.
Kathy and his girls will take that 11-hour drive with him later this week to show their support as they watch one of their heroes be recognized for being one of the best in the business on a national basis.
“I’m just ready for it all to be over with as there has been a lot on my plate getting ready for it,” Mara said Tuesday afternoon while sitting out on the patio at Mike’s Tavern on Highway 153.
“I have loved this sport for most of my life and have stayed involved a long time, but this is a great honor for me. John Farr and Bill Hodges were the two who got me started and it was a great way to earn extra spending money,” he said, remembering that he got paid a handsome sum of $15 per match back in those days.
“Those guys were my mentors, my critics and my enthusiasts. I officiated high school matches for some 35 years and got my start at the college level when Gordon Connell was coaching at MTSU. They were having a big tournament and one of their officials backed out and that’s when Gordon gave me my first shot at that level.
“Working Southern Conference matches is what got me into national tournaments and I spent some 25 years working college matches and got recommended for my first NCAA tournament in 1983. I fully expected to get cut that first weekend, but I didn’t and have worked 19 NCAA finals since then,” he said in a quiet tone.
“I tried to set my criteria about how I would call a match and did my best to stick to it. I really didn’t want to know the background of the guys whose matches I called as I just wanted to stay unbiased. My goal was to just go to the gym, do my job and leave without anyone knowing who I was. I never wanted it to be about me,” he continued.
The Maras will hit the road on Thursday and will celebrate Hall of Fame festivities all weekend, including a big breakfast on Saturday morning. The main event will be that night and it’s a black-tie affair, but Kathy and his three daughters will be his escorts. Among other things, Kenny will get to make a short speech.
And while life will still go on when he returns, Kenny is still involved on the high school level where he currently serves as the Director of Education and Senior Supervisor for the TSSAA. He’s like the rest of us and has gotten a bit older and isn’t quite as mobile as he once was, but he’s still a heavy hitter on the state level.
“I’ve been on the mat since I was 14 and I’m still involved, although I never got involved in freestyle. It has kept me busy from November til March and has done a good job of paying my Christmas bills.
“My knees don’t work like they used to. I don’t have any problem getting down, but it’s a challenge to get back up. The travel was starting to wear on me, but I made the decision to retire from officiating when my two-year-old granddaughter didn’t recognize me.
“I love this sport and it’s been a big part of my life. I’m honored, humbled and proud at the same time for the honor this weekend. It’s been a great ride so far and I’m just thankful and blessed to have been such a small part. I just hope I have been a positive influence on younger guys as they think about getting into officiating,” he concluded.
Kenny Mara has received a lot of wonderful rewards during his life involving amateur wrestling, but this latest one is simply icing on the cake. But what a wonderful honor for such a deserving fellow. It couldn’t be happening to anyone any better.
(Email John Hunt at nomarathonmoose@gmail.com)