Wrestling in THS and Hong Kong:
Q&A with COACHES Patrick DeFazio and Masoud Niazi

Patrick DeFazio

Why do you teach wrestling?

I teach wrestling because I grew up with sports and in a place where wrestling was one of the most major sports for people to learn. It was a big part of my childhood, from primary to high school. Also, wrestling allows people to overcome adversity in a constructed manner.

What challenges are there for a wrestler?

To start off, you have the physical challenge for a wrestler. The sport itself is very difficult and requires a variety of skills. Furthermore, in other sports, there are other factors that can determine the outcome for the sport, unlike in wrestling. There is nowhere to hide on the wrestling mat.

Do you have any role models in the industry?

Some of my favorite role models in wrestling are the coaches. These athletes are not only good at the sport itself, but are also teaching the next generation of wrestlers.

Do you think wrestling has a bad reputation? Why or why not?

I think that in Hong Kong, wrestling is overlooked. Instead of a bad reputation, you can almost say that wrestling has no reputation in Hong Kong. As opposed to sports like swimming, fencing, and rugby, not many people know about the sport and a majority of those who do, don’t enroll in it due to the risk of getting hurt.

What do you hope to see for wrestling in the future?

In Hong Kong, I hope to see more recognition of wrestling and to see a rise in the number of wrestlers. I also hope to see more people just trying out the sport.

MASOUD NIAZI

What do you hope to see for the next few years in wrestling?

I hope to create a Hong Kong national team for wrestling. I want us to represent Hong Kong in international, national, and local competitions.

What do you think it takes for someone to be on the Hong Kong wrestling team?

First of all, you have to like the sport, you need passion. Then, you need to put hard work and perseverance into training. You can’t give up. If you love something, you have to work hard for it. Or else, there’s no point.

What are you hoping for wrestling THS?

Next year, I hope to inspire more children and for more kids of all ages to sign up for lessons and for us to enroll in local, national, and international competitions.

What goals have you accomplished in wrestling?

A goal I had for the wrestling association was to host and attend wrestling competitions in different places in Hong Kong, and something that we are in the process of doing and has almost achieved is getting onto the Olympic Committee of Hong Kong.

How do you want to achieve your goals for the future?

Support in wrestling is vital. Without it, we cannot achieve our goals. We need it from the government, the people, and most importantly, the parents. If the parents don’t support us, then it will be hard for their children to learn wrestling.