Beyond the Mat: Ben Kahl

ORLANDO, Fla. - When considering the definition of autism, All-American wrestler probably isn't the first example that you think of, but that's exactly what Ben Kahl is. He turned his condition into triumph. Ben has wrestled with autism his entire life. At an early age, Ben and his family were told by doctors that organized sports would be a longshot for him and were told to look into other hobbies or possibly a dog, but with his dad’s encouragement, Ben decided he wanted to really wrestle, competitively.

Autism makes achieving goals a bit different. With the disability, the journey can feel like an uphill battle. However, Ben doesn't let that define him. He has strived to break the stigma that comes with autism by becoming an All-American wrestler, a feat his mother, Mary Kahl, calls "remarkable!"

What it took for Ben to earn All-American status started long before he entered The Arena at ESPN Wide World of Sports. “He didn't earn the title by just walking through the doors. He earned it by showing up every day, every week, every year," stated Mrs. Kahl.

Large crowds and noise can easily affect someone with autism, but with the help of noise-canceling headphones, Ben is able to focus on the task at hand; defeating his opponent.

"For a person with a diagnosis of autism, just being at a venue packed with people, bright lights, whistles blowing and crowds yelling is difficult," said Mary. "Ben has extreme sensitivity, so just by stepping into the event location he was already at a disadvantage. To step on that mat should have been impossible, but he showed up and stepped inside the circle all week."

Becoming an elite wrestler takes a ton of work and focus, but with having autism, that focus has to go to another level with Ben. Ms. Kahl saw the heightened level of focus throughout the AAU Scholastic Duals. "I watched him adapt by intentionally focusing only on his coach and his goal. I watched as he tuned everything out but the voice of his coach. A voice that Ben trusts, admires, believes and respects because it's coming from a man who has earned the respect of our son. A man who he accepts him for who he is."

Ben is well aware of his difficulties which others may not notice. However, those challenges take a backseat whenever he steps inside the circle on the wrestling mat.

"In wrestling, there is a circle. Inside the circle is where you want to be. You want to earn the spot by working hard. Sometimes, when a match is hard, you want to crawl to the outside of that circle to escape. But regardless of the circle on a wrestling mat, it is part of wrestling itself", stated Ben. "Wrestling allows me to be part of something that brings me inside the circle instead of standing outside it wishing I was there."

Wrestling is more than just a sport, and Ben is living proof of that statement. He earned that title by continually showing up day after day. Ben states, "before I ever stepped inside a wrestling room or on a mat, I had already wrestled with life in so many ways."
 

Ben and his coach, Brad Harper, after earning his medal