Post by wm on Jan 30, 2003 12:07:26 GMT -5
Referee's brother resides in governor's mansion
A former Northern State wrestler is keeping a close eye - a very close eye - on the sport he loves.
"I had been wrestling ever since I was knee high to a grasshopper," said Pierre native and resident Steve Rounds, who won the 167-pound State A wrestling title for the Governors in 1983. "Then I wrestled for two years at Northern State before blowing out both of my knees. I wanted to stay involved, so I started refereeing."
Rounds, now a veteran referee at age 37 with 10 state tournaments under his belt, is as well-known on the South Dakota wrestling mat as his brother is in the political arena. His older brother by 10 years is Gov. Mike Rounds.
Steve Rounds is a busy man. He has worked at the state Department of Education and Cultural Affairs since 1999, and he is an official for about 20 to 30 wrestling meets a season. He also works about 10 football games in the fall.
"I live in Pierre, but sometimes it seems like I'm living in the cab of my little truck," Steve said with a laugh about his "part-time" job as a high school referee. "This last three weeks, I've been at meets every Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday."
Last weekend, he was in Aberdeen to officiate a dual on Friday night and then he was in Winner on Saturday for a 14-team tournament. With the end of wrestling season only a month away, Rounds will continue his hectic pace.
"I love doing it, but it is hard to be away that much from my family," Rounds said. "There is some really, really good wrestling out there these days. The kids of today are stronger and quicker. They have taken advantage of their opportunities: There are a lot more schools with weight rooms these days than when I was going to high school back in the 1980s."
Rounds said he gets to see some of the best matches in the state, such as one he did earlier this season which matched up two, two-time state champions. "I have gotten front row seats to some of the best matches ever."
Rounds said there is nothing like the exciting atmosphere of a great wrestling dual or tournament. For example, he said it is fun to be working the State B Tournament semifinals on a Saturday morning in a place like the Barnett Center on the NSU campus in Aberdeen. "The Barnett Center is an awesome place to hold the state tournament."
Another awesome experience in Rounds' life was witnessing his brother's winning campaign for the governor's seat.
"That whole thing is hard to explain; I'm so proud of him," said Rounds. "Mike is who you see, and that is the way he comes across."
Mike Rounds endeared himself to many South Dakotans in the primary election when his opponents were perceived by many voters as candidates who attacked their opponents more than spreading their own campaign messages.
"I'd give anything to have half of the character Mike does," Steve said. "There were times during the campaign that we told Mike he should say something about what others were saying about him. But he kept saying, 'No, I'm not going to do that.' If it had been me, I'm sure I would have said something.
"I thought I knew Mike, but I really got to know him during the campaign because of the way he ran things. He is an awesome person."
A former Northern State wrestler is keeping a close eye - a very close eye - on the sport he loves.
"I had been wrestling ever since I was knee high to a grasshopper," said Pierre native and resident Steve Rounds, who won the 167-pound State A wrestling title for the Governors in 1983. "Then I wrestled for two years at Northern State before blowing out both of my knees. I wanted to stay involved, so I started refereeing."
Rounds, now a veteran referee at age 37 with 10 state tournaments under his belt, is as well-known on the South Dakota wrestling mat as his brother is in the political arena. His older brother by 10 years is Gov. Mike Rounds.
Steve Rounds is a busy man. He has worked at the state Department of Education and Cultural Affairs since 1999, and he is an official for about 20 to 30 wrestling meets a season. He also works about 10 football games in the fall.
"I live in Pierre, but sometimes it seems like I'm living in the cab of my little truck," Steve said with a laugh about his "part-time" job as a high school referee. "This last three weeks, I've been at meets every Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday."
Last weekend, he was in Aberdeen to officiate a dual on Friday night and then he was in Winner on Saturday for a 14-team tournament. With the end of wrestling season only a month away, Rounds will continue his hectic pace.
"I love doing it, but it is hard to be away that much from my family," Rounds said. "There is some really, really good wrestling out there these days. The kids of today are stronger and quicker. They have taken advantage of their opportunities: There are a lot more schools with weight rooms these days than when I was going to high school back in the 1980s."
Rounds said he gets to see some of the best matches in the state, such as one he did earlier this season which matched up two, two-time state champions. "I have gotten front row seats to some of the best matches ever."
Rounds said there is nothing like the exciting atmosphere of a great wrestling dual or tournament. For example, he said it is fun to be working the State B Tournament semifinals on a Saturday morning in a place like the Barnett Center on the NSU campus in Aberdeen. "The Barnett Center is an awesome place to hold the state tournament."
Another awesome experience in Rounds' life was witnessing his brother's winning campaign for the governor's seat.
"That whole thing is hard to explain; I'm so proud of him," said Rounds. "Mike is who you see, and that is the way he comes across."
Mike Rounds endeared himself to many South Dakotans in the primary election when his opponents were perceived by many voters as candidates who attacked their opponents more than spreading their own campaign messages.
"I'd give anything to have half of the character Mike does," Steve said. "There were times during the campaign that we told Mike he should say something about what others were saying about him. But he kept saying, 'No, I'm not going to do that.' If it had been me, I'm sure I would have said something.
"I thought I knew Mike, but I really got to know him during the campaign because of the way he ran things. He is an awesome person."