Hall of Honor Q&A: John Fisher (Wrestling)
11/13/2019 12:16:00 PM | Wrestling, Features
On Friday (Nov. 15), John Fisher will become the 15th member of the wrestling program to be inducted into the University of Michigan Athletics Hall of Honor.
Quick, always aggressive and possessing an outstanding leg attack, John Fisher (1985, '87-89) was a dominant force in the Wolverine wrestling room -- and on the national scene -- through the latter half of the decade. Fisher remains among Michigan's most decorated wrestlers, listing as one of only six four-time NCAA All-Americans (1985, '87-89) in program history. He was a three-time Big Ten champion at 134 pounds. Boasting a career record of 183-21, he still holds the U-M school record for all-time wins, a mark that will likely remain untouched for a very long time.
After graduation, Fisher embarked on a long, successful international career as one of the country's top freestyle wrestlers. He was crowned a U.S. champion in 1992, won a World Cup title five years later, and twice served as an Olympic alternate. The 15th Michigan wrestler to be inducted into the Hall of Honor, Fisher is also a member of the Michigan Chapter of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame, the Greater Flint Area Sports Hall of Fame, the Greater Flint Afro-American Hall of Fame and, as a four-time Midlands champion, the Midlands Hall of Fame. A longtime teacher within Ann Arbor Public Schools, Fisher was named a Celebration of Excellence award winner by the Ann Arbor Board of Education in 2010.
As part of MGoBlue's Hall of Honor coverage this week, John reflects on his journey to Michigan, his collegiate career and the connection he feels with his Wolverine teammates and closest friends.
Q: What does your induction to the Hall of Honor mean to you? How did you find out?
A: It means everything. Warde called me over the summer and left a voicemail. I have to admit it usually takes me a while to check my messages. So, when I finally got the messages a couple days later and heard from Warde Manuel telling me congratulations and of the honor bestowed upon me, I was shocked and totally overwhelmed. It was a great moment. I found out that there's only been 14 wrestlers inducted. Michigan is such a tremendous university, and we've had so many great wrestlers here over the years. So, it's just an incredible honor to be included among some truly great people.
Q: You grew up not terribly far from here in Flint. What was your process of getting to Michigan?
A: I didn't really start thinking about going to Michigan until my senior year in high school. I had done some training down here and gone to camps down here, and once I found out Dale Bahr and Joe Wells were really interested in me, I knew that this was my school. My mom actually wanted me to go to Michigan State. My uncle, Don Coleman, was one of the deans up there, played football there and was actually the first football player to have his number retired. She felt like I would have someone to watch over me, while with Michigan, I didn't know anyone. So, that was one of the hardest things for me -- to go to her and tell her I was going to Michigan. But she came around, and it all worked out pretty well for me.
Q: What was the best thing about wrestling at Michigan?
A: There was so much. I would have to say the friendships that I made. I was one of the successful guys on the team, so I know that they respected me and appreciated me. But I know that they cared about me not just because I was winning but for who I was. And now, even though we are through wrestling, we're still friends, and we're still tight. In life, most people don't have a lot of true friends. I have some true friends, who are like brothers to me. That's something I'll cherish forever.
Q: There are so many Michigan wrestling alums that still live around the Ann Arbor area, including several of your teammates. How have you enjoyed that Michigan wrestling connection all these years later?
A: It just feels like family. This is such a wonderful community. I raised my son here. Once you're a Michigan Man, you're always a Michigan Man. It's been fun to stay close with the program, and I think we're in really great hands with Sean Bormet and, of course, with Joe McFarland and Dale Bahr before him.
Q: Wrestlers are competing in nearly the same number of matches these days, and your career wins record will likely never be touched. Did you like wrestling 40-some matches a season?
A: I just liked competing. After all the practices you would go through, you just wanted to get out there and show what you know. I enjoyed having a lot of matches. It just prepared me for competition and made me better for it.
Q: Out of all your wins, is there one that particularly stands out?
A: The one that really stands out was the Midlands final from my freshman year. I wrestled Barry Davis from Iowa. He was the defending national champion and had just come back from taking second at the Olympics. Prior to beating him, I had lost to him two weeks earlier. I had been doing pretty well against him in that match until the third period, and I don't think I pushed myself hard enough. I was pretty disappointed after the match, thinking that I could have beaten him if I had wrestled harder throughout the whole match and not gotten caught up with the fact that he was Barry Davis. I vowed to myself that if I ever had the opportunity to wrestle him again, I would do much better. I had that opportunity at the Midlands, and I beat him. I was proud of myself because I went out and wrestled hard for the whole match.
Q: What are some of the greatest lessons that you took from wrestling?
A: There's a lot of things. But I think the biggest thing, one that impacts me still today, is just to persevere. Life is not always easy, but if you persevere and keep working hard, you will get through it. That's something I learned through wrestling. I'm a physical education teacher now, and I try to impart some of that wisdom I've learned from wrestling and how it's helped me. Everyone has their struggles, but persevere and you'll get through it.
Q: What's the most rewarding part of teaching?
A: When you see kids use something that you taught them -- seeing them make that connection and understand that what you said is going to help them in life. That moment is incredibly special and rewarding.
