Mission San Jose Wrestling

https://abc7news.com/post/fremonts-mission-san-jose-high-school-takes-down-longtime-wrestling-wall-fame-sparking-outrage/15675150/?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTAAAR0twfMpQDF3qEqzNWqVAT6ibAi9rOHvyCJqBwLUCXE0G7dmO0L9yl7DQkk_aem_GbkfU9nMyw61EyJCtJTkzQ Made the news on KTVU & ABC last night! Important info that might be worth mentioning- we consolidated a lot of the amazing feedback we got and put below what many feel would be a fair resolution:

1. Apologize and recognize that the way Principal Perez and Athletic Director Randazzo unilaterally went about the removal of our history without community, student, coach, or alumni input (or a chance to see it one last time) was wrong. We all make mistakes, but own it, and let’s move on together.

2. Come up with a plan together for putting back the wrestling wall of fame and team photos this school year. We need a clear deadline to have it done by, with no more delay tactics. They created the problem and they need to work together with the community for a collaborative solution. The mini gym can easily be made more safe (still no glass in there) and equitable (majority of wall of fame is proudly diverse) and we’d welcome other sports hall fames on the other mini gym walls and/or on campus). Let’s build together, not tear down. Waiting years for measure M funds (that may not even be legally allowed to be earmarked for such a project) is untenable, as is holding the memorabilia hostage until alumni fundraise. The plan needs to be worked on together now with transparency and with urgency. Otherwise put it back and fix the problem they created.

If you could help us by focusing on these items and to be the voice of our strong MSJ, athletic, & wrestling family it’d mean the world to us. Tomorrow is the last day to call before winter break, so please call the three below and send another round of emails.

Erik Burmeister Superintendent 510-659-2542
[email protected]

Amy Perez Principal, Mission San Jose HS 510-657-3600 x37217
[email protected]

MSJ Athletic Director- Stephanie Randazzo 510-657-3600x37065

FUSD School Board Members:
President - Yajing Zhang- [email protected]
Larry Sweeney, Vice President- [email protected]
Dianne Jones - [email protected]
Sharon Coco - [email protected]
Vivek Prasad - [email protected]

East Bay high school's takedown of longtime 'Wrestling Wall of Fame' sparks outrage Mission San Jose High School's "Wrestling Wall of Fame" was started around 40 years ago by longtime coach Thomas Thomsen. As of a few weeks ago, the wall is gone, sparking outrage by many.

Wouldn’t this count as cheating if you were a student at MSJ? The leader of the high school is supposed to be a pillar of trust and lead by example for her students. It is completely unacceptable that the Principal of a school who is preaching transparency and collaboration, cannot be bothered to respond to emails or return phone calls, let alone not even write her own form letter that was exactly the same for nearly everyone who emailed her. It is becoming quite clear that at this moment Mrs. Perez has little interest in resolving this or restoring MSJ history with her most recent response an intentionally vague "Thanks to the passage Measure M, the campus is projected to begin upgrades and renovations." Waiting years to fix a problem that she created is disgraceful to MSJ's history and harmful for its future. It must be cared for now and restored with integrity and honesty.
Superintendent Erik Burmeister 510 659-2542
MSJ Principal Amy Perez, 510-657-3600 x37217

First off, I’d strongly like to thank everybody who took time out of your day to call an email on Monday. I wanted to also share and bring to everyones attention that nearly all of us received the same copy & paste letter from principal Amy Perez that starts with “the decision was not made lightly” & end that she “wants to collaborate with you and others”. But that simply is not true. Principal Amy Perez and current Athletic Director of MSJ, Stephanie Randazzo (who I’ve heard from 4 people now was the one who suggested this) did so without talking to a SINGLE wrestler, coach, student, or parent- past or current. Just decided to remove every team photo, boys and girls walls of fame, and all academic banners. My understanding is that current wrestlers are rightfully quite upset. Principal Perez also stated in her letter that the main reason was for safety and in order to use the mini gym for other P.E. sports without having “hazards”. In her and the superintendent response both stated glass was a concern for safety with the wall of fame… but here’s the thing- none of the hall of fame photos had glass, just paper, but when an allumni pointed this out to her while on the phone, her reaction was silence. She had no idea. So if that’s not the reason, why did they remove it? It’s because they thought no one would care, and they never bothered to ask a single person.

After further discussion, Principal Perez’s solution in the form emails was tone def and hollow- “let’s just digitally the photos and put them on a TV slideshow somewhere on campus”. I think a lot of us would disagree with this- if you know one thing about athletes it’s that we can't motivate kids with just another slideshow on a screen. This is not the same as young female and male wrestlers seeing individuals just like themselves. Athletes need to see reflections of themselves in something permanent in order to aspire to it. It needs to be in the area where they train, surround them and help them work to improve who they are. Kids, especially now, need to see role models who are just like them.
I’d plead with anyone reading this to please calling all three below tomorrow morning (a second time too please if you already did on Monday) to correct them on the false reasons their giving, and to ask for a more appropriate solution that fixes and fully rectifies a decision that harms past, current and future MSJ wrestlers. Thank you for your time and for helping to be the voice of MSJ Wrestling.

Superintendent Erik Burmeister 510 659-2542
MSJ Principal Amy Perez, 510-657-3600x37217
AD Stephanie Randazzo 510-657-3600x37065

Coach Thomsen wanted me to share some upsetting news about MSJ Wrestling. In short, the current Athletic Director of MSJ, Stephanie Randazzo and current administration without consulting any former or current wrestlers or coaches, decided to remove the entire wall of fame as well as all team photos in the Mini Gym. It’s gone.

For those who do not know, the requirement to get on the wall was to place top five at NCS. No small task. From 1985 to 2024 only 59 wrestlers in the entire program, with thousands passing through, ever accomplished that. It was a diverse and exceptional cross section of community and teammates. Over half of all those on the wall were BIPOC. Girls CIF state was established in California in 2011 and in that short time span, MSJ was proud to induct 7 females onto the wall as well. MSJ wrestling also won multiple NCS championships for academic wrestling teams for both boys and girls wrestling which had been proudly displayed alongside traditional championship banners.

It’s a devastating loss of history and has profoundly impacted current, as well as will future athletes of the program who have lost both tangible goals to shoot for and history to be part of. I’d sincerely ask all who value this and to take a few minutes tomorrow Monday December 2nd as a day of action for both emailing and calling FUSD Superintendent Erik Burmeister (510) 659-2542 [email protected] as well as MSJ principal Amy Perez, 510-657-3600x37217, [email protected]. If you have time, if you could send your email messages to each member of the FUSD board as well below it would be appreciated. Take a moment to think of not just Coach Thomsen and his countless hours of dedication, but all that this program has and continues to give to so many. Think about what is lost when young athletes no longer have a tradition they can visualize to be part of, let alone goals they can see daily and aim for. 10 minutes or so out of your day is all we’re asking. Please keep trying until you actually connect with Mr. Burmesiter and Ms. Perez. It would mean so very much. Please be respectful in your calls and emails and try to approach it from not a place not of anger, but one of getting the individual you’re speaking with to try to understand what is being lost. The history and the future of a 60+ year program is being disregarded by one person. Let that sink in. The sense of loss for future wrestlers and MSJ athletes cannot be overstated. Your time in advocating for the restoring of decades of team photos and Wall of Fame is appreciated. What is also appreciated, is pushing for the recognition that removing it was wrong, and that the Athletic Director and current administration need to be held accountable for what happened. They then need to fix a decision that harms past, current and future of MSJ athletics. Please share and please call tomorrow. Thank you.

FUSD School Board Members:
President - Yajing Zhang- [email protected]
Larry Sweeney, Vice President- [email protected]
Dianne Jones - [email protected]
Sharon Coco - [email protected]
Vivek Prasad - [email protected]

A huge thank you to EVERYONE who came out this weekend to celebrate Coach Thomsen! Please be sure to check out all the great pics we have from the day and upload any photos you might have from the event at https://app1.livesharenow.com/event/59NP75/event-detail/62bf4757959a0b001fc197d9

He truly was blown away by everyones generosity towards his trip to Italy! Thank you SO much for the contributions! https://gofund.me/76b90027 if you hadn’t had a chance yet.

Thanks again to all for a great time and recognizing such an incredible person! Cheers Coach T!

Final reminder for Coach Thomsen’s retirement party this Saturday from 12:00-4:00 at Almanac Taproom in Alameda! AND, if you want to see Coach & the wrestling room it will be open to visit this Friday the 8th from 12-3 (day before party on 9th) swing by to take some pics, see the wall, & catch up!

Contributions for Coach T’s surprise gift are at https://gofund.me/76b90027 Thanks so much for any amount, and see you soon!

Final reminder for Coach Thomsen’s retirement party this Saturday from 12:00-4:00 at Almanac Taproom in Alameda! AND, if you want to see Coach & the wrestling room it will be open to visit this Friday the 8th from 12-3 (day before party on 9th) swing by to take some pics, see the wall, & catch up!

Contributions for Coach T’s surprise gift are at https://gofund.me/76b90027 Thanks so much for any amount, and see you soon!

Just under a month until Coach Thomsen’s retirement party! If you could please help by spreaing the word for those not on Facebook it’d be apprecated! As a reminder it will be:

- Saturday, July 9th, 12:00-4:00 at Almanac Taproom in Alameda. Tables reserved in the beer garden with food trucks to purchase from.

- For those who haven’t already/ are attending, please consider contributing to Coach T’s surprise vacation gift at https://gofund.me/76b90027 Thanks so much for any amount!

-An important reminder- if you want to see & smell the wrestling one last time- Coach will be there and have it open to visit from 12-3 on Friday, July 8th (the day before the party on the 9th) for anyone who wanted to take some pics, see the wall, and catch up! Thanks so much and see you in a month!

Mark your calendars- location and date has been set for Coach Thomsen’s retirement party! Saturday July 9th from 12:00-4:00 at Almanac Taproom in Alameda. We’ll have a number of tables reserved in the beer garden. Food trucks will be available to purchase from as well. For those who haven’t already, and for those who will be attending, please consider contributing to Coach T’s surprise vacation gift at https://gofund.me/76b90027 Thank you so much for contributions in any amount.

As mentioned before, please feel free to drop Coach a line, send along an email, or swing by in the next month at MSJ as well- it’s those kinds of visits, connections, and catchups that mean the most to him.

Finally, for those wrestlers who wanted to see and smell that room one last time- Coach will have it open to visit from 12-3 on Friday July 8th (day before his party which is on the 9th) for those who wanted to take some pics, see the wall, and catch up. Thanks so much and see you in summer!

Coach wanted for us to reach out and share that after 40 years of coaching, he's going to be retiring from teaching and wrestling at the end of this school year. "I just want to thank everyone for giving me so many years of dedication to the wrestling program at Mission, as well as everyone's hard work and support over the years. It's been one of my life’s greatest privileges getting to know, coach, and mentor you as students and athletes over the years."

For many of us, it was him being by our side not just for those early morning tournaments and classes, but in our lives as well- for that talk we needed. Both during our struggles and our accomplishments, Coach was always in our corner. We’ll be posting updates here at a later date with info for his retirement get together, so please be sure to follow if you’re interested. With regards to that, some of the coaches started a gift fund to surprise Coach T at that gathering- link here: https://gofund.me/76b90027 (Please feel free to share the link with those who might be interested/ are not on FB). Thanks in advance for any contribution.

Please feel free to drop Coach a line or swing by in the next few months at MSJ as well- it’s those kinds of visits and catchups that mean the most to him.

MSJ Invitational will be this next weekend- Friday January 31st and Saturday February 1st! Can't wait to see you by the mat!!! http://www.msjwrestling.com/

Mission San Jose Invitational Wrestling Tournament

Warrior in the NCS finals! Let's go Elias! See you at state!