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Matt was a shining light for all of us

Sports

Written by Gene Morris

Wednesday, 28 January 2009 13:56

Like everyone else at the Paola Invitational wrestling tournament Saturday morning, there was a hole in my heart after hearing of the loss of Matt Noblet. I was sitting on the floor, next to the head scorers table, when I heard Steve Gorsuch share the news with athletic director Mark Lentz.

My first reaction was, “I did not just hear that. Not Matt.”

And, of course, I asked the question we all do when someone so young, with so much to give, dies — why?

I know what Matt would say if I asked about his life.

“It was good.”

That was his quote for everything.

In talking about his life, “good,” would have been an understatement.

Matt was an exceptional young man who shared of himself with others in many ways, in the wrestling room as a Panther wrestler and on the mat sharing his knowledge and love for the sport with the Paola Kids’ Wrestling program.

I will always remember his smile. He shared it often. You couldn’t be in a bad mood after visiting with Matt — simply impossible. His grin alone would bring a smile to your face, no matter what was going on in your life.
He loved wrestling, you could see it on his face. Matt loved to compete. You could not find a better example for a young wrestler than Matt.

“Matt’s legacy has stretched down upon many of our young wrestlers in our youth program. He was the one that was setting the bar for them to reach up to, not just in wrestling, but also in life,” Paola coach Russ Hermreck said.

When I think of Matt, the first thing that comes to my mind is who he was not. He was not boastful. A fierce, fiery, focused competitor on the wrestling mat, the young man was a complete contrast when the match was over — quiet and unassuming.

If you wanted to know about his wrestling, you had to watch Matt and make your own assessment. You sure wouldn’t hear anything of it from him.

In a sport of me against you, known for its share of egos and emotional outbursts, Matt was a shining light of what a wrestler should be.

You could never tell if he won or lost by seeing his expression after the match.

He was not one to jump up and down after a victory or point to the ceiling to signal how great he was, nor would you ever see him throw his head gear across the gymnasium after a loss.

Matt always grinned when he saw me coming, notebook in hand. It was always the same, no matter what he had just done. Even when I stopped him for some comments after being named the regional wrestler of the year last season, he was not a talkative young man.

“It was good,” he would say.

Matt let his wrestling speak for him. The silence said more about him than words.

He shared his shining light with everyone.

— You can reach Gene Morris by calling (913) 294-2311 or by e-mail at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

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