It's funny how they seized on the camp compensation issue. I think the genesis of it is the NLWC form 990 (which is basically a tax return for tax exempt non-profits) where the mission statement specifically mentions camps even though it's a fraction (educated guess) of the NLWC's expenses. The mission statement
could become important if litigated but it's generally not. Below are a few so you can see the variance, even though they essentially share a nearly identical model:
NLWC:
SUPPORT & PROMOTE AMATEUR WRESTLING BY CONDUCTING WRESTLING CAMPS, TOURNAMENTS AND CLINICS
HWC:
SINCE ITS INCEPTION IN 1973 THE FOCUS OF HAWKEYE WRESTLING CLUB HAS ALWAYS BEEN TO PROVIDE THE TRAINING, COACHING AND RESOURCES NECESSARY TO HELP OUR ATHLETES PURSUE THEIR DREAMS OF BECOMING WORLD AND OLYMPIC CHAMPIONS THE MONEY RAISED GOES DIRECTLY TO BENEFIT THE ATHLETES HELPING WITH LIVING EXPENSES, TRAINING, AND TRAVELING NEEDS
Sunkist Kids:
TO INCREASE THE ATHLETIC KNOWLEDGE AND ENHANCE THE COMPETITIVE SPIRIT OF THE WRESTLERS THROUGH TRAINING, WRESTLING MEETS, CAMPS, AND CLINICS.
Clearly the HWC's is the most accurate, but it would apply equally well to the NLWC or any of the RTCs. I've seen posts at HR and here taking the NLWC's mission statement too literally, as if "camps, tournaments, and clinics" are all the NLWC does.
Anyway, if you compare the relevant wrestling clubs' 990s you'll find comparable numbers, higher/lower relative to their success, probably using slightly different accounting methods. The biggest expense categories just don't amount to that much ($313k for NLWC, $294k for HWC), and when you factor in the resident athletes, the coaches, there's really not much money available for alleged slush funds.
Another thought is that the wrestlers talk to each other, and if NLWC were doing something untoward, it would require a conspiracy between it and every wrestler who showed up for a clinic, for what couldn't much money, as I showed. So really high risk, really low reward, given the money we're talking about. Make sense? No.
Happy snipe hunting HR.
