'The Man in the Arena’ wears red, white, blue — and wins
In his famous “The Man in the Arena” speech, President Theodore Roosevelt said, “It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena.”
On March 22, Wyatt Hendrickson was that man.
We’ve found our Man in the Arena. Captain America isn’t just a nickname. He’s the embodiment of the American spirit.
He pulled off what many now call the greatest upset in NCAA wrestling history, defeating Olympic gold medalist Gable Steveson for the NCAA heavyweight championship. The arena was packed with 18,000 spectators — including former President Donald Trump.
But more impressive than the title was what led up to it. The championship was the culmination of Hendrickson’s entire journey to this point. Known as “Captain America,” Hendrickson represents the best of the American spirit: hard work, devotion to God, commitment to service, and unapologetic patriotism.
The trendy mantra of “work smarter, not harder” doesn’t apply to him.
“I get my work ethic from my dad,” he told me in a phone call last week. “He always said to work harder, not smarter. There’s no substitute for hard work. If you’re looking for shortcuts, you’ve already messed up.”
Wrestlers can’t outsource the brutal task of cutting weight the night before a match. And Siri can’t stop you from getting cauliflower ear (look it up — you’ll wince).
Hendrickson’s work ethic was forged early. He started wrestling at age 5. But it was a decision he made as a teenager that shaped his life.
“I grew up in a Christian household, but in high school I made the decision to make Jesus my Lord and Savior,” he said.
And he doesn’t just serve God.
Mark 10:45 says, “For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
Hendrickson is ready to do just that. He’s a second lieutenant in the U.S. Air Force — the origin of his nickname, “Captain America.” Before using his final year of eligibility at Oklahoma State, he graduated from the U.S. Air Force Academy. He remains on active duty and has committed to at least 20 years of service.
It was all on display as Hendrickson bolted out of the tunnel for his title match. He carried America on his back and Jesus on his heart — literally. Draped in the American flag and wearing his signature shirt with “JESUS” printed in bold capital letters across the chest, Hendrickson made his values unmistakably clear.
Plenty of athletes either reject patriotic or Christian values — or don’t have the guts to display them. Some even wear the Stars and Stripes while openly expressing disdain for what it represents. Megan Rapinoe, former U.S. Women’s National Soccer Team star, once famously said, “Maybe America is great for a few people right now.” Does she count herself among them?
Hendrickson, by contrast, told me, “Living in America is pretty freakin’ sweet.” He said that growing up, respect for the flag just came naturally. So why did he drape it over his shoulders before the biggest match of his life? “That was the most badass thing I could do,” he said.
Patriots don’t ask permission.
The American spirit stretches back to our founding and remains alive nearly 250 years later. Our Founding Fathers set the standard. It’s hard not to draw a parallel between the iconic painting of George Washington crossing the Delaware and Hendrickson stepping onto the mat — both underdogs, both carrying Old Glory into battle. Even the smoke machine Hendrickson ran through felt like a nod to the fog Washington fought through.
After the match, Hendrickson wrapped President Trump in a bear hug. Speaking about that moment with the man he calls “the big boss,” Hendrickson said, “Don’t be afraid to step up and stand for what you believe in.”
After his Olympic run, Hendrickson will turn his full focus to the Air Force. “Wrestling is harder than the military,” he told me. “It’s prepared me for the military. After wrestling, everything is easy.” He says his life revolves around three priorities: wrestling, God, and America. If you could engineer a patriot in a lab, Hendrickson would be the blueprint.
Samuel Adams once said, “For true patriots to be silent is dangerous.” The only thing dangerous about Wyatt Hendrickson is facing him on the mat. We’ve found our Man in the Arena. Captain America isn’t just a nickname. He’s the embodiment of the American spirit.
Anthony Mackie attends a "Captain America: Brave New World" screening in New York City. Photo by Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images
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