By Greg Strobel Leadership Academy

Thanks to the commitment of challenge participants and the generosity of supporters, this year’s Greg Strobel Leadership Challenge raised more than $7,600 and was another tremendous success. The event continues to be a meaningful experience for Greg’s family, friends, colleagues, challenge participants, supporters and members of the wrestling community.

Greg Strobel was inducted into the National Wrestling Hall of Fame as a Distinguished Member in 2012. The front lobby of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame has a cabinet that was constructed by Strobel and fellow Distinguished Member Bruce Baumgartner. The cabinet currently houses Baumgartner’s Olympic and World medals.

Below are a few reflections on the Challenge and the impact of the Greg Strobel Leadership Academy:

“This is about supporting our athletes beyond the mat. Our dad’s lessons for being a successful wrestler or coach were always full of life lessons that extended beyond competition — that was the inspiration for starting the GSLA.

Our mission is guided by four pillars, with the goal of supporting athletes and coaches. I’m excited for the seventh annual 30-Day Challenge, focused on the pillar of a ‘Lifetime of Good Habits.’ Dad always believed the greatest joy is giving and the most satisfying work is helping others. We hope you’ll get involved, and we thank everyone for supporting the GSLA!” — Christine Napoli

“Greg was such a wonderful, caring, and impactful person. Anything I can do to support what he loved so much is easy.” — Nancy Miller

“Being a part of GSLA since its founding in 2020 has been a true delight. Honoring Greg’s memory, stewarding his legacy, and carrying forward the life values that impacted so many is a privilege.” — Stephanie Jezwinski, USA Wrestling Fundraising Coordinator

Funds raised support the Greg Strobel Leadership Academy, which continues Greg’s legacy of developing leaders and helping athletes reach their full potential on and off the mat through leadership development and athlete support initiatives within USA Wrestling.

GSLA Impact Highlights

GSLA support continues to impact athletes, coaches, and the wrestling community in a variety of ways, including:

• Hosting presentations from Jim Davis of the Good Athlete Project for USA Wrestling National Team staff and athletes across all three Olympic styles.

• Sharing the CARE Model to help coaches align behaviors with goals and values as part of Gold Coaching Certification mentoring requirements.

• Purchasing motivational books for National Team athletes.

• Recognizing two Athlete Leadership Award recipients, each receiving a $1,500 honorarium.

GSLA will continue presenting the annual Athlete Leadership Award at the U.S. Open Championships in partnership with the Athlete Advisory Committee (AAC). The 2026 recipients were Adeline Gray of Colorado Springs, Colorado, and Robby Smith of Evanston, Illinois.

To read more about this year’s recipients, visit AAC Athletic Leadership award .

Adeline Gray and Robby Smith receive the 2026 GSLA Athlete Leader of the Year Award from USA Wrestling Executive Director Rich Bender and USA Wrestling President Bruce Baumgartner. (Photo by Tony Rotundo, USA Wrestling)

In 2026, GSLA funding will support the following initiatives:

• Sharing USOPC resources that assist athletes with career transition and holistic development.

• Supporting coaches with the women’s college growth fund.

• Recruiting and developing female wrestling officials.

On behalf of Greg’s family and the entire wrestling community, thank you for your support and contributions to this important mission. #StrobelStrong

Stay Connected

• Twitter/X: @StrobelLegacy

• Facebook: Strobel 30 Day Challenge

• Instagram: @strobel_legacy_project

To learn more, visit Greg Strobel Leadership Academy. For questions, contact Stephanie Jezwinski at sjezwinski@usawrestling.org.