By: Timothy Kays
THE VILLAGE REPORTER
Think about a professional arm wrestler and what image comes to your mind? You think of someone like a Chad Nofziger of West Unity. You think of men who missed out on their calling to play in the NFL, right? You think of guys with arms like oak tree trunks, and biceps that look like Volkswagen Beetles…sans the tires, doors and lights. The description of Chad, who makes a living tossing tires at Titan Tire in Bryan, pretty much falls into that category. In your mind, the world of professional arm wrestling is truly a man’s world, and it is without a doubt, a manly man’s sport…right?
If you answered yes, one Ms. Deena Haynes of Stryker would like to have a word with you.
In a recently televised interview, Deena set the facts straight on the world of professional arm wrestling, and it’s not what you think. Not all the guys are as big as the entire front four of the Green Bay Packers, in fact, there are weight classes for combatants. There are even divisions for those who are handicapped, and the all-male mystique of the sport? Hah! Please! Deena is an able ambassador of a highly competitive sport that is not just for the guys, and she’s got a mountain of hardware to prove it.
Now that you’ve got a clearer picture of the sport, you may well be surprised to know that Stryker, Ohio, is the home of a professional sports champion in Deena Haynes. To her credit, she has eight National titles, as well as state titles in Ohio, Michigan and Indiana…multiple times. Add to that Deena placed fourth in both the left AND right handed competitions in the Master Class at the XXXI World Arm Wrestling Championships in Rosolina, Italy in 2009.
In 2014, Deena has taken to the tables in California, Michigan and Kentucky, where she placed in the top three in every location, with the exception of California. It was at the Hard Rock Café in Chicago on August 23 that she began booking her 2015 schedule with a bang. Going against tough competition at the World Arm Wrestling League Chicago Tournament, Deena placed third in the right-handed competition, and second as a southpaw. The high finishes in both categories punched her ticket for something bigger and better.
On January 10, Deena Haynes and Chad Nofziger, along with Quinlan Mendez of Sherwood, and late qualifier Joel Hudik of Berkey, will all hit the pit in The Big Easy – New Orleans, Louisiana. They are all qualifiers to take part in the World Arm Wrestling League National Championships.
You may be thinking that professional arm wrestling can’t be all that big or significant. After all, if nobody big is covering it for a major media market, it’s obviously ‘out of sight – out of mind’, and at best, something for the back burner. ESPN used to think the same thing, but not anymore.
When Deena, Chad, Quinlan and Joel step into The Pit at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center on January 10, they won’t be alone. ESPN has reached an agreement with the World Arm Wrestling League to televise the event, as well as the entire 2015 season series of the WAL, the largest professional arm wrestling league in the world.
Check your local listings. Deena Haynes and Chad Nofziger are about to put Williams County, Ohio, onto the big stage, thanks to their big arms and the bigger clout of the ESPN Networks, and the WatchESPN application for tablet and Smartphone. We at the Village Reporter wish them, as well as Quinlan and Joel, all the best in New Orleans!
Timothy Kays can be reached at
tim@thevillagereporter.com
