Face of a Champion

25 years ago today, a little girl was born that would change my life forever.

She was raised by great parents that would raise her to be a force for good in the world.

A little over 3.5 years ago, I would go on my first date with her and fall deeply in love.

My life changed forever when her and I kneeled across the alter from each other to be married for all time and eternity on Jan. 3, 2009.

Happy Birthday LaCol Grant Kjar, thanks for changing my life! I love you.

An angel sent for me

IMG_0424    (Click on the IMG at your left for a 45 second video about Positive Mentality)

I’ve learned that our mind is a stage and the things that we allow to stay on the stage will eventually grow into our actions and later into our habits.

Choose to choose positivity TODAY!

Find the Positivity in the World of Negativity and THRIVE

Setting the foundation of UVU Wrestling

After finishing my career at UVU I thought I was done wrestling.  I had set the Wins record for the school’s program, I had been the school’s first All-American, and I was happy with my experience being a pioneer and building a program at UVU.

My appetite for competition was satisfied for a few months because of the craziness of my schedule with wrestling camps and the general buzz of the media……….but, once that faded the real inner desire of more was realized.  Even though I had gone into the 2011 NCAA tournament in Philadelphia as an unseeded wrestler and had upset the No. 4, 5, and 7th ranked wrestlers and had given the No. 1 seeded wrestler the closest match of the year in the semi-finals I felt that my true potential had not yet been reached.  Because of this feeling, I was internally aching to reach that potential that I could see in my minds’ eye of being the most dominant wrestler and person of impact.  I think the world falls into a hard spot when they start to compare themselves with others, and think that because they are crawling ahead of the competition that they are reaching their potential.  I want to share with you a quote that has impacted me and has helped me through times when I have wanted to settle for being just good, instead of GREAT.

‎Success is not measured by what you do compared to what others do, it is measured by what you do with the ability God gave you.   -Zig Ziglar

Inside I knew that if I was to follow my inner desires that were eating at me then the next step would be to wrestle on the Olympic level.  Unfortunately in the sport of wrestling there is no professional league (ie: NBA, MLB, NFL, or MLS) so the only way to satisfy that hunger for competition and still remain true to your identity (meaning not joining the WWE or WWF) is to try and fight for the SINGLE spot in each weight class and represent the USA at either the World Championships or Olympic Games.

Since I was little I have always known what type of wrestler/person I could be………..even after my All-American run at the NCAA’s I knew deep inside me that I hadn’t fulfilled that vision.  The Dream was imbedded inside of me, and whether I would act upon it or not I knew it wouldn’t simply erase.  I knew that the Belief and Confidence I would need would not come automatic but through hours and hours of hard work, blood, sweat, and tears.  I also knew that with the honest desires of striving to be better, living the correct life of great morals and values, and training intelligent that I could Achieve what I deserved…………….and what I deserve is to Achieve my Potential!

Go confidently in the direction of your dreams, live the life you always imagined.    -Henry David Thoreau

As I go on this Olympic Journey I am living my life structured by my priorities of my inner vision and what I can become. Thanks for being a part of it…….and keep in touch!

Ben shooting on Mark McKnight in the Semi-Finals

I want to make this blog a one-stop-shop for my Olympic Journey.  I hope you enjoy it and if you want to know more please message me and I’ll do my very best to keep it up-to-date.  Thanks so much for the sincere support…it means everything, really!

Las Vegas Olympic Trials Qualifier Tournament

Often when training for the Olympics it’s a lonely road.  There are not many people who have the opportunity to take this path.  I was super blessed as I was able to travel with the UVU Wrestling Team this last weekend to the Las Vegas Olympic Qualifier Tournament, which was conveniently hosted at the same time as the prestigious Las Vegas college tourney.  Even better, my wife, sister (Katie), and parents were able to attend as well.

Upon arriving in Vegas, I knew that the tournament was going to be great…the feeling was just there.  I have always been a believer that the matches are won mentally before even stepping on the mat.  Needless to say, I felt good.  I knew that I had been training hard and had been directed in the right ways under my coaches and I was excited to prove my skills.

It was great being present at the college tournament and see the young UVU Wrestling Team do well.  UVU Wrestling Captain, Josh Wilson, did well as he was able to upset three top 15 nationally ranked guys on his way to capture 5th place.  (You can check out more info on the UVU Team at www.WolverineGreen.com.)

Getting up Saturday I felt good, as I was able to have a great carbo-loaded dinner the night before at Buca di Beppo—a highly recommended Italian restaurant.  I arrived at the tournament and saw that I was ranked 3rd behind two big college multi-time All- Americans:  Mark McKnight (Penn State), and Brandon Precin (Northwestern).  It’s amazing how much confidence can come from knowing that you have done all you can to train your hardest with what you have been blessed with.  I have been eating right, training hard and smart, and was ready to start showing America that I’m not just doing this for “the ride”………..I’m in it to Win It!  

I had to win three matches to get into the finals. Here are the results:

Match 1:  Ben Kjar vs. Earl Hall (Olympic Training Center) (2-0, 3-0)

Match 2:  Ben Kjar vs. Mark McKnight (Penn State) (2-0, 1-0)

Match 3 (Finals):  Ben Kjar vs. Brandon Precin (Northwestern) (3-2, 6-0)

Ben’s interview after finals at Las Vegas Olympic Trials Qualifier

The best part of the entire tournament was that I was able to avenge a loss to Brandon Precin from the NCAA Championships where I wrestled him for 3rd this past March in Philadelphia.  You never know how effective your training is until you put it to the test…and that’s exactly what I was able to do!

Ben finishing a clinch single leg in the Semi-Finals

I am super grateful for my coaches: Greg Williams, KC Rock, and especially for Erkin Tadzhimetov who has been my main mentor/training partner in my freestyle transition.

The path is going good, and it’s so enjoyable…..I haven’t enjoyed competing this much for a long time.  Thanks for all your support.

Wow, this probably should have been my first blog, but better late then never I guess.

I have wanted to share this with you for awhile now…….it’s a brief wrestling-life outline that I included in my Olympic Sponsorship Package (if you are interested in helping sponsor me in my Olympic Journey or know someone who would, please contact me).

I hope you enjoy reading what has made me tick for the last 28 years of my life.  I couldn’t have done it without the support and blessings from my God, Wife, Parents & Family, Coaches, Great Community and Sincere Friends.

My better half, LaCol Kjar

•1983 - Ben Kjar was born on May 24, with a rare craniofacial anomaly called Crouzon Syndrome.  Doctors told Ben at a young age that wrestling and other contact sports wouldn’t be an option due to stress on the skull.

•Ben decided that he was going to write his own story and defy the odds of what was medically expected.

This last weekend I ran two wrestling clinics at Duchesne and Altamont High Schools in Utah to fundraise for my Olympic Journey.

Before starting a clinic I always like to sit down with the kids and talk with them about the importance of mentality.  We also discuss the effectiveness of learning something new every single practice so that they are continually improving.  I also like to applaud them for training during the “off hours” while others (teammates, opponents) are sitting on the couch and being lazy.  We continue to discuss why they are choosing to train, and I asked three wrestlers what their goals are.  This was their reply:

Ben:  What is your goal?

Wrestler 1:  I want to be a 4X State Champion!

Ben:  Wow, that’s impressive!  (Directing my question to another wrestler) Ok, what is your goal?

Wrestler 2:  My goal is to be a 4X State Champion!

Ben:  Holy Cow!  We have some high goals among the group!  Good for you guys.  Let’s take one more……who is the youngest wrestler here?  (A 6 yr. old wrestler raised his hand)  Oh great, alright buddy, what is one of your goals?

Wrestler 3:  (After thinking for about 5 seconds he replied)  Well…..I……I…….I want to KILL A BUCK!!

Everyone busted out laughing hysterically when they heard the boy’s honest answer, but the surprised little boy looked baffled at why everyone was laughing at his goal.  He continued to say, “I’m serious, that’s my goal!”

The reason why I wanted to share this with you is because the 6 yr. old kid knew exactly what his dream was and he wasn’t afraid to tell everybody about it.  There is a saying that I believe, and it goes like this:

A dream not written down is only a wish

I think that a goal shared is even stronger.  By stating something verbally to others, you are holding yourself accountable for your actions and dreams.

My challenge to you is to tell others of your dreams and aspirations so you can be held accountable of them………when others hold you accountable for your goal, you are more likely to achieve them.

Today, I am grateful for the 6 yr. old boy from Altamont, Utah for not being afraid of sharing his goal of Killing a Buck!  He has no fear of what others think about his goal……..an example.

Wrestling to win

I’ve wrestled a lot of years and have had much success while wrestling at home matches.  In fact, from my first JV match in 7th grade at Centerville Jr. High until my last Senior match at Utah Valley University I never suffered a loss while wrestling in front of my home crowd.  I credit it all to the support of those that believed in me.  My parents were at every single home match that I ever wrestled in.  Not many people can say that!

My mom, Stana Kjar, was never a cheerleader in High School, but that didn’t stop her from being my best cheerleader.  While watching me compete I think she would sweat more in the stands than I would down on the mat.

It was people like my mom and my dad that helped me have the confidence and mentality to never lose a home wrestling match.

I couldn’t be more grateful during this Thanksgiving season for the fans and supporters that have stood by me since the beginning, from my first match as a JV wrestler at 78 lbs. for Centerville Jr. High.

www.KingdomKlub.com

Just over a year ago,  I helped open up a training center in Woods Cross, Utah.  Back then, I would have never thought that I have learned more about wrestling while teaching my wrestlers than the wrestlers have learned while I have been teaching.

As I choose to be teachable, understanding, and loving towards all those who are surrounding me I learn a lot more.  I find that as I am open to listening to others thoughts more than just voicing my own than I will find the hidden diamond in most everyone that I come in contact with.

A wise person once told me, “It doesn’t matter how rich or old a person is, more likely than not, they have at least one or  talents that you don’t have.”  I hope that as I continue teaching wrestlers and combat athletes from the ages of 4-34 that I continue to Learn through Teaching.

When I ran across this quote I realized the wisdom behind it.  Goals are so important for us to plan and live by.  I personally believe that goals are compasses in our lives so that we know the direction of where we ought to go.  My goals have been such assets to me as to take out the “surprises and unknowns” of life.

I heard the other day,  ”A goal not written down is only a wish”.  I fully agree with this saying.  I can’t tell you how many times I have written my goals on my notebooks, mirrors, binders, phone, in my car, etc……..the normal person has so many things going on in their life that pulls on their focus.  It’s more than necessary for us to set meaningful goals so all of our focus can allow us to live in a healthy present time and be able to focus on our now.  If we are always planning for the future and worrying about the yesterdays, we will rarely cherish the nows!