Number 2
Ben Heizer
NIU Men's Wrestling
Leaving the mats for diapers
By Sean Ostruszka
Sports Reporter
Senior NIU wrestler Ben Heizer has reached a major crossroad in his
life.
On one road, he can leave NIU as one of the elite wrestlers the program
has produced and try to wrestle in the Olympics. The other road leads
the two-time All-American and national runner-up in the 184-pound class
to leave wrestling to take care of his new family.
The latter won out.
It’s decisions like this combined with Heizer’s overall abilities
on the mat, where he finished 30-2 overall, that have earned him the
Northern Star’s No. 2 athlete for 2003-’04.
“It’s either build a career or wrestling, and my priorities
are to my family,” Heizer said.
The Arlington, Texas, native got married in the middle of this season
and has a baby girl on the way.
“I am really looking forward to being a father,” Heizer said.
“It is a little scary, but it’s a blessing.”
Despite the daunting task of raising a child, Heizer said he does not
think will be any harder than anything he encountered in wrestling.
Wrestling has prepared him mentally for anything his baby girl has in
store for him, he said.
Coach Dave Grant agrees. He has coached Heizer for the past five seasons
—he redshirted his sophomore year because of injuries — and
has seen him grow, not just as a wrestler but also as a person.
“Since day one, Ben has been a dream come true,” Grant said.
“He has been so dedicated, and his leadership will be missed. I
mean, being a leader is not a privilege, but a responsibility and it’s
not every day you get someone who can handle that responsibility like
him.”
That responsibility is one of the things Heizer will miss most after
he graduates in May. There will be no more freshmen to teach, no teammates
to work with and most of all, no more competition.
“I am an extremely competitive person, and not being able to compete
any more as a Huskie is going to be hard,” Heizer said.
But hard is what Heizer’s road to success has been throughout
his life and is nothing new to him, Grant said.
But for now, Heizer must stroll down that second road to the real world
of going to Palmer Chiropractic School and taking care of his family
when they move to Iowa.
“He was an elite athlete here at NIU, but more importantly he
is an elite person,” Grant said. “I have a lot of respect
for that young man, and I really believe there is nothing he won’t
be able to overcome in his life.”
Real world, get ready for Heizer.
