Mixed Martial Arts fighter Logan Storley will be one of the celebrity athletes leading clinics June 7-9 at the free Hy-Vee/Sanford Legends For Kids program in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, for children ages 5-18. He talked to Sanford Health News about his background, how his wrestling background helped him in MMA:
When and how did you get started in sports?
I started wrestling when I was 5 years old. It was something I always wanted to do and could see myself doing. Thankfully, my hometown of Webster, South Dakota, had a really good wrestling program and once I got started I loved it.
Being a local South Dakota guy, have you seen a regional rise in the popularity of Mixed Martial Arts?
Definitely seen the rise. South Dakota has always had a strong wrestling presence and great background. Many Olympians, Division I national champions, and all-Americans have come out of this region. We are beginning to see more and more growth in the popularity of MMA due in large part to most fans and participants being wrestlers.
How has your background in wrestling correlated to your success in MMA?
It has made a huge difference, it has helped me become who I am now in the sport of MMA. Wrestling is a very special sport. It teaches you a lot about life. It teaches you about being disciplined, mentally tough, and doing the right thing.
Do you have any key disciplines you have learned that you would share with a young wrestler in order to put them in a place to succeed?
The biggest thing right now is having fun, but you have to constantly be working to get better. The biggest thing I harp on is the way I act. Good life lessons, like listening to the people who are willing to help you. If people are giving their time and wisdom, I listen. That has helped me in all aspects of life not just sports.
What would you tell a parent who is on the fence about letting their kid participate in MMA? What are some best practices for staying safe in a naturally violent sport?
It is a violent sport, but so is football, so is hockey. It’s just different because there is blood. You are not fighting during training, it’s more about learning the discipline, and it’s about being comfortable pushing the physical and mental capabilities of your body. I played football, basketball, ran track, but nothing comes close to the mental and physical aspects of wrestling and MMA.
The biggest difference in MMA and wrestling is that there is no break. There is no time off, there are no timeouts. You can’t take a second and breath and totally step away like in a timeout or in between plays because you are always on, you are always in a fight. The biggest thing is keeping your focus, it is so demanding of your mental focus and physical cardio, that takes a lot on your body. Mentally, I take everything 10 seconds at a time and win each position. Winning each position and each battle 10 seconds at a time will correlate to you winning the fight. Don’t focus on the outcome but winning each position.
What is the greatest message you can share with a young athlete?
My biggest message to any athlete in any sport is focus. Concentrate on getting better, it’s not about the outcome. Wins and losses come and go. It’s nice to win championships and all those things, but you don’t remember the wins and losses. One loss isn’t going to ruin your life. It’s about learning to compete at an all-time high effort and not being worried about the outcome or what other people will think, and once you can get over that mental blockade, you can accomplish great things. If every time you can go out and compete and the effort is high, good things will happen.
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Posted In Health Information, Orthopedics, Webster
