The Secret to Ben Kjar's Success

One of my dear friends, Sharla Kjar, who I met while attending BYU-Idaho (yes, the one I got into a harp case with), has a brother named Ben. A couple of years ago I got the chance to watch Ben at a wrestling match at UVU. He is an amazing wrestler and athlete. He just became an All American. As a wife, I thought this article was so cute and inspiring.

The secret to Ben Kjar's success

March 22nd, 2011 @ 04:43am
Scott Schulte

Ben Kjar of Centerville just wrapped up a magical week in Philadelphia, PA finishing the NCAA Division I National Wrestling Championship with All-American status. Along his journey to find glory in the spotlight of the wrestling mats he was supported by his lovely wife, LaCol.

Having a chance to get to know LaCol over the last few years has been nothing less than inspirational for me. Ben said it best, “When we got married LaCol knew she was getting involved with my wrestling career. She knew where we were headed but she had no idea the ride it would take to reach the destination.”

In supporting Ben in becoming the first All-American wrestler for Utah Valley,  LaCol went through ups, downs, highest of highs and lowest of lows, injuries, long trips in cramped cars, and sitting at tournaments that lasted several days. And so on.

“LaCol is the reason I’m an All-American,” Ben said. “Without her, no way. Not even close.”

After the couple first married, LaCol worked full-time while Ben remained in school on his wrestling scholarship. In order to keep her own academic scholarship and graduate this spring with Ben, LaCol took on a load of 20 credit hours to keep pace.

“You know, LaCol took that ridiculous amount of class hours, and every day I came home from practice she had dinner waiting for me,” Ben said. “Everyplace I turned was a note or a little card with the words 'All-American' or some other inspiring phrase.”

But it wasn't just what LaCol did, it was how she did it that nearly put Ben into tears as he described his soul mate.

“She always smiled, was always positive and she finished the semester with a 4.0. I don’t know how she did it.”

Ben also noted that LaCol, as sweet and supportive as she is, can be tough when necessary. And when it was time for a kick in the backside, LaCol took that task with the same serious approach as she does everything in the couple’s life.

“If I started eating junk food or started to veer off course it was LaCol who put me back on the straight path toward the goal,” Ben said. “She’d remind me that we were in this together and she was not about to let me ruin the goal over stupid things like not eating right or laziness.”

“LaCol is my best friend and could say things no one else could have said to me.”

On Saturday among thousands of rabid wrestling fans, Ben Kjar took his position along with the other All-Americans as he stood upon the podium with the other members of his weight class. Ben Kjar only desired one last thing after achieving his long-awaited goal of being named as one of the best in the nation.

“It would have been great and very much right for me to have LaCol standing with me.”
But for LaCol, being away from the podium, taking pictures and cheering for her husband, suited her just fine.

It’s what she had done for years and she didn’t need the spotlight.

She never did.