RIO 2016

Ben Provisor receives Olympic send-off

Scott A. Williams
USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin
A banner with well-wishes from fans, friends, and family is on display during Ben Provisor's Olympic Send Off at Rookies Sports Pub in Stevens Point, Thursday, July 28, 2016.

STEVENS POINT - Not everyone can enjoy the experience of getting together with several hundred of your closest friends and family every four years.

However, when you're a two-time Olympian like Stevens Point native son Ben Provisor such are some of the perks that come with hard work, sweat, tears and grit.

People gathered from near and far at Rookies Sports Pub to be part of the "Big Ben Olympic Send-Off" on Thursday night, featuring the music of the Spicy Tie Band. More importantly, it was an opportunity for Stevens Point and surrounding communities to show their support for a local athlete not only representing his country, but his hometown.

A 2006 graduate of Stevens Point Area Senior High, Provisor will compete in Greco-Roman wrestling in the 85K weight class at the Rio Olympic Summer Games. He also qualified for the 2012 Summer Games in London at the 64K weight division.

RELATED: Local Olympian seeks help for parents' travel

RELATED: Ben Provisor wrestles way to Rio Summer Olympics

"It's crazy to be here and see all these people I haven't seen in a long time," said Provisor, who spent part of the night signing autographs on T-shirts and posters for sale. "It's just awesome to come back to a community. It's nice to come home and be around my family. Coming back to Point, it's home to me.

"Hopefully people have a good time tonight and we can raise some money for my family to come over (to Rio)."

No one has been more supportive of his Olympic aspirations than his parents, Dennis and Tammy Provisor, who would pick him up at Ben Franklin Junior High School and embark on a two-hour drive to Madison for wrestling workouts.

Conversely, the Provisors have felt the support and love from a Stevens Point community offering Ben any help it could provide in whatever sport he pursued at the youth levels.

That kind of backing continued when Ben reached SPASH from the likes of Athletics Director Stephanie Hauser and football coach Pete McAdams, according to the Olympian's dad.

"To me, Stevens Point is the greatest community to grow up in," said Dennis Provisor. "I was raised in Los Angeles and you get lost in the shuffle. Here in Stevens Point if you excel, they really take care of you. It's great, the people are really wonderful here."

People attending the send-off had plenty of opportunities to show their generosity.

A $10 donation at the door entitled individuals access to a hall decorated with star-shaped red, white and blue balloons and streamers. A TV screen was continuously streaming Ben's matches at the U.S. Olympic Trials in Iowa City, Iowa.

Wrestler Ben Provisor signs autographs for fans during his Olympic Send Off at Rookies Sports Pub in Stevens Point, Thursday, July 28, 2016.

On a table against the back wall were dozens of baskets as part of a silent auction. Among the items to bid on were a football autographed by the 2015 Green Bay Packers, four tickets to a Wisconsin Timber Rattlers, the Class A minor league affiliate of the Milwaukee Brewers, game. There were also baskets of homemade breads and another featuring homemade jelly.

A 50/50 raffle also was conducted throughout the evening.

All proceeds will help fund a trip to Rio so his parents can watch their son wrestle on the biggest stage in the world.

"There is nothing prouder than being part of a community that is backing your son.  I loved the support the first time, and it's even better the second time," Tammy Provisor said. "It inspires me to go out and help the community whenever it needs it."

Ben has been an inspiration to a lot of people, too.

Witnessing his willingness to put in the hard work and do whatever it took to succeed during every step of his wrestling journey left an impression on individuals who wanted to do show their pride in his latest accomplishment on the mat.

The wrestling community is a tight-knit group. T-shirts representing wrestling programs from Spencer, Auburndale and Waupaca were in attendance at the send-off. University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point wrestling coach Johnny Johnson also was on hand.

"I think it's great to have an event like this," said avid wrestling fan Bill Kriese. "These kids wrestle for the love of the sport and representing our country, so I thought it would be good to come out and support him. I think you can see by the number (of people) here that the community is coming out to support Ben like four years ago.

"I think it's just great the support we've thrown behind him and hopefully he'll bring home the gold."

Scott A. Williams can be reached at 715-345-2282, or on email at ssswilliam@stevenspoint.gannett.com. Find him on Twitter as @SPJScottWill

Wrestler Ben Provisor, right, talks to Mayor Mike Wiza, left, during his Olympic Send Off at Rookies Sports Pub in Stevens Point, Thursday, July 28, 2016.