Badgering: Lee Kemp
January 31, 2018 | Wrestling, Andy Baggot, Varsity Magazine
Notable Hall of Famer and former wrestler shares thoughts on his latest motivational project and ‘burning the ships’
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BY ANDY BAGGOT
UWBadgers.com Insider
MADISON, Wis. — Lee Kemp won three NCAA wrestling titles at Wisconsin and followed that up with three world freestyle championships, unprecedented feats at the time that make him one of the greatest wrestlers in history. In 2006, the UW, USA Wrestling and International Wrestling Hall of Famer began compiling a journal of motivational quotes and stories that rang true with his iconic career. Kemp, 61, soon had the framework for a paperback book entitled "Winning Gold: Success Secrets of a World Champion" that was published in 2017 and can be ordered via Kemp's web site at leekemp.com. The coach of the U.S. freestyle team for the 2008 Summer Olympics, Kemp is based out of Chicago and recently shared some thoughts on his latest project.
You have 75 distinct, inspiring messages in the book after starting out with 200-plus. How has the book been received?
"I think well. I got some positive comments on the Amazon book review section. … For what it is, it's a good book. I didn't try to do a literary book. I just did a book of where I thought my skill set is at this moment. It's trying to motivate people. It's thoughts that I had, thoughts that motivated me that other people wrote. It's like the quote at the beginning of the book by Michael Jordan. It's not mine, but it's something I felt could motivate people. 'Practice like you never won. Play like you never lost.' When I read that I thought, 'That's exactly me. That's how I was.'"
One of your favorite passages in the book is entitled "Burn the Ships." It's about the explorer Cortez and his men sailing from Spain to Mexico in search of Aztec treasure in 1519. What's the message there?
"It could be folklore — I tried to research it a little bit — but what you take away from the story is all about achievement. I use it now when I'm talking to groups of people. I tell them, 'You've got to burn your ships.' They say, 'What do you mean by that?' I tell them the ships are the things that are going to take you back to your place of comfort. There is no ship that's taking you back. You're stuck here. You've got to figure this out. That's what I think the takeaway of the book is and that's been well received."
Where does this book fit on your list of things you're most proud of?
"I've never thought of it like that, but now that you mention it I'm very proud of it, partly because I've gotten really good feedback."
Talk about a hard-fought win ???? @BadgerWrestling took down Indiana last night at the Field House. #OnWisconsin
— Wisconsin Badgers (@UWBadgers) January 27, 2018
Your wrestling fame can be traced back to that November day in 1975 when you, a teenager, knocked off the legendary Dan Gable during the Northern Open here in Madison. What does it mean to have his endorsement on the back cover of your book?
"He doesn't do anything lightly. He would not give me an endorsement until he read the whole thing. He read all 200, so it took him quite a while because he's busy. At first I thought he didn't want to do it and I was really nervous. Finally, Dan got back to me. He said, 'It's not a literary book, but for what it is, it's a great book.'"
You're involved in coaching, mentoring and serving as a nutritional consultant to athletes and non-athletes. What's the focus of your life right now?
"I want to be a motivational speaker. I've been around speakers that give motivational talks and I know I can do that."
