By Sonya Bernard-Hollins
editor@comvoicesonline.com
PENSACOLA (FL.)- Many little brothers idolize their big brothers, and Steven Mays was no exception. His older brother, Grady, was a stellar wrestler for both Northeastern Junior High, and later, Kalamazoo Central High School. At age 9, and weighing only 49-pounds, little “Stevie” felt he too could become a wrestling stand out. He did.
Mays went on to become a force to be reckoned with on the wrestling mat. He would earn state championships while in junior high, at Kalamazoo Central, and later wrestle at Gull Lake High School where he graduated in 1984. After graduation he joined the Navy and his dreams got bigger when he watched the summer Olympic games.
“After watching those games…that’s when I knew the Olympics was the path for me,” said Mays during a phone interview from his residents in Pensacola, Fl. ” I already had a love, and the desire for wrestling, and becoming an Olympic champion was a natural next step for me.”
During his military career he switched to Greco-Roman wrestling which enabled him to compete in increasingly larger and more significant competitions. After serving as an alternate at the Olympics in 1996, he earned his place on the world stage at the 2000 Olympics in Sydney, Australia where he was the team captain. As a soldier in the Navy he was already representing his country, and earned high status as a Navy wrestler in the branch’s own competitions.
It would be the Navy who sponsored the expensive Olympic trip; something that can cost thousands of dollars for athletes. As one of the top three wrestlers in the country at that time, he also had expenses covered by the USA Wrestling Association. While he didn’t earn a medal, his 17th place among all those in his category, was something he will always cherish. He said his 18-member USA Wrestling team had earned more medals during the 2000 game, than any other Olympic Wrestling team in the past.
He reflected on the experience of competing, and being in Olympic Village with athletes from around the world.
“Seeing is believing,” said Mays. “To be able to walk down the street and see Muhammad Ali getting out of a limo and being able to meet him, let you know, you had arrived as an athlete. I saw (track and field standouts) Maurice Green and Gayle Devers. Seeing someone you grew up and wearing the same Olympic uniforms they wore, was very rewarding.”
Mays said everyone in Olympic Village bonded as a family. While actual family members weren’t around, the Olympians encouraged and inspired one another.
Those games however, would be the last for Mays who was 34 at the time. Age just wouldn’t be on his side in any future Olympic desires. Mays said an earlier start on the Olympic path may have happened with access and inspiration from local professional athletes as role models, or information on Olympic trials. He said the young athletes of today have the internet on their side to learn about opportunities once limited to professionals, or coaches.
He is currently retired from the Navy, however is a federal civil service employee at the Naval Education and Training Professional Development and Technology Center (NETPDTC) where he works as a personnel psychologist. He is a sought-after motivational speaker for youth, and inspires them to follow their dreams.
His dedication to his sport has led to many recognitions. He was a three-time Armed Forces Champion and in 1999 was selected as the Navy Male Athlete of the Year. That same year Mays earned a bronze medal at the Pan Am Games, and was a Greco-Roman World Team member and U.S. National Champion. In May (2012) he was inducted into the National Wrestling Hall of Fame (Michigan Chapter) under the Outstanding American category. He was honored during a special reception in May at Michigan State University. http://www.navy.mil/submit/display.asp?story_id=67509
Mays said local role models like the Rev. Lenzy Bell of First United Baptists Church in Kalamazoo, helped motivate him into helping other students. He has two daughters who run track, and encourage them to achieve their own level of excellence. He said, less than 1% of athletes will be a part of an Olympic team and while that was his ultimate goal, there are other goals to achieve as well. Prior to his Olympic debut, he won various championships in Navy wrestling events.
“I tell them, you can do anything you want to do; you are the only person who can stop you. Some paths will be more difficult than others, but if you desire something, and work hard, the person with the answers you need, or doors you need open, will find you.”
Mays is married to wife, Melanie; and has three daughters: Daniel Jackson-Dixon; Dacia and Aaliyah. His parents James and Edna Stewart still reside in Richland, Mich.
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