Mission San Jose HS takes down wrestling memorabilia, conflict ensues

FREMONT, Calif. - In a small section of the wrestling mini gym at Mission San Jose High School sits, "The Wall." Or at least it did, until it went back into the history it was meant to preserve.

"We saw it happening. First, they took off our NCSC Wall of Championship wrestlers. And then our old team photos," said wrestling team co-captain Sofia Acero.

She and others were stunned when the school's administration removed the decades-old salute to excellence piece by piece. Now "The Wall" really is just a wall.

"If felt like our own room was getting taken from us," said Acero.

"The Wall" dates back to 1984. Then-wresting coach Thompson wanted to honor his greatest teams and wrestlers. So, he put their names and pictures, and the trophies won in a place for other wrestlers to see and draw inspiration from. 

After his retirement, school administrators removed everything, which has sparked outrage in the tight-knit wrestling community.

"Wrestlers from the last 40 years will show up to Mission San Jose wrestling practice and will bring their families to look at this wall," said Randy Katz, who is a former wrestler who graduated in 1999.

The Fremont Unified School District sent an email to KTVU which read in part, "Due to safety concerns...Mission San Jose High School recently removed framed photos, trophies and other memorabilia...[Those items] are now securely stored on campus...We are working with MSJHS administrators to identify a safer location and...a more equitable...way of displaying it."

"I've heard that, and that's just, for me, it's total B.S. Everything is bolted onto the wall. There's strings for all the trophies. Nothing is coming loose," said former wrestling team captain Roland Lee.

Wrestlers, some alumni and those sympathetic to their cause said "The Wall" is a shrine that must endure.

"Athletes always want to feel as though what they're doing matters. They always want to feel like they're leaving a legacy," said Dr. Shaun Fletcher, a professor of psychology and sports communication at San Jose State University.

Added Acero, "We're removing wrestling from the wrestling room...It feels like they're slowing taking us away from our sport."

The school's wrestling community is hopeful school administrators will reconsider, and then restore The Wall and the glory it has highlighted for 40 years.