Our newest Bronze Level member H. L. Hertel didn’t begin his wrestling career until he was a freshman in high school at Red River High School in Grand Forks, North Dakota.  A three year Varsity member in High School and Intermural champion at the University of North Dakota, Hertel developed his closest relationships through the tight knit community that wrestling provided for him.  He claims that no other sport provides this same sense of community.

After college, Hertel largely detached himself from the wrestling world until he began his new adventure as a novelist.  In 2008, he published his first book in a series called To Be the Best about two brothers at two very different levels in their wrestling careers.  The older of the two is a natural superstar and made it to the state championship his sophomore year of high school, where as the younger brother is not as skilled, but possesses the tenacity, dedication, and drive to succeed.  Hertel’s 2^nd book in the series, Rematch, is due out Autumn 2011, where the older brother is coming off of an injury from last season, and the younger brother is finally becoming the wrestler he always strived to be.

Hertel discovered Wrestlers in Business through Win Wrestling and thus far it has benefited him greatly.  He enjoys the concept of being able to connect to former wrestlers in the professional world and introducing them to To Be the Best for mutual benefit.  Hertel likes the concept of saving college wrestling programs as his own alma mater lost its wrestling program shortly after he graduated.

“I think Wrestlers in Business is a fantastic idea.  Amateur Wrestling has an incredibly loyal following but doesn’t get much attention from the main-stream press.  It has an amazing community that spends an incredible amount of time at tournaments and events, spending 12 hours a day together.  Wrestlers bond during this time, working out together, and cutting weight.  It is a hidden community, you either form friendships or you leave it.”

H. L. Hertel, Novelist

In addition to writing novels, Hertel has had a very successful career in Business Strategy and Finance.  He can be reached at h.l.hertel@hhcastle-​mac.com.  You can learn more about To Be the Best by visiting the website: http://www.hhcastle-mac.com/.