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Note: The following story by Bill X. Barron was originally posted at RMNevents.com and is being reposted here with permission.
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A double Rocky Mountain Nationals champion in folkstyle and freestyle, Hawaii’s Tyger Taam knows that “learning to lose at a young age” with grace and humility “teaches you how to win, which is pivotal in the preparation for life. Win, lose, or draw – you are only as good as yourself.”
Tyger’s quality of character mirror those of Hawaii waterman, Tiger Espere, for whom he was named. Legendary surfer Gerry Lopez said admiringly of Espere: “He had an innate presence that simply made him part of the wave — and, in turn, the wave seemed to be a part of him.”
“Espere was a very humble man who had many life experiences as a fisherman, cowboy, canoe voyager, writer, and musician. Once in the ocean fighting the swell, his style became very aggressive,” said Tyger’s dad, Andy Taam.
Andy can likewise describe how his low-key son transitions into the attack mode once he is on the mat. After his initial exposure at age 4 to jiu-jitsu and judo as well as wrestling, Tyger determined that his best chance of success lay within the 28-foot circle.
“Competing in kids events, I won a lot of matches. When I started to lose more around age 12, I learned that I had to work harder than my opponents,” said Tyger, who also competes at a high national level in Brazilian jiu-jitsu and judo.
After winning his first state title (132 pounds) during an undefeated season as a Moanalua freshman last spring, Bedrock Sports Hawaii gave Tyger a No. 5 pound-for-pound ramking.
Tyger’s older brother Boltyn was a Hawaii state champ and two-time finalist who now wrestles for coach Jason Welch at San Francisco State.
Challenging himself to grapple at the national level, Tyger was one of 2,500 wrestlers from 40 states who traveled to Denver for the 23rd Rocky Mountain National Championships in June.
To prepare himself for mainland competition, he first spent a day training “in the middle of cow fields” with coach Ben VomBaur at the renowned Bear Cave Club in northern Colorado.
“Ben showed us major aloha,” recalls Andy.
Wrestling in 3-minute situational matches and 8-minute live freestyle bouts, Tyger held his own against the club’s multiple state champs. However, as dad intended and Tyger prefers, only afterward did he learn about their accomplishments. That’s how Tyger believes that he can “bring my best to the best.”
On the first day of RMN’s crown event, in his most familiar style, the throwing Hawaii wrestler flung his 18U 132-pound freestyle opponents to secure his first of two RMN trophies, including one so large that it had to be disassembled for the flight home.
Previously, Tyger had competed at the RMN Freak Show and Rumble in Reno.
“I love RMN’s cool atmosphere,” he said. “It makes me feel welcome. Smoke and lights hype me up, so I am ready to go.”
Added Andy: “RMN has the best energy out of all the tournaments we attend. Their marketing is unparalleled; they offer such different types of events and the best of venues. Kids feel like they want to be part of it all, especially when the finals are featured on an elevated stage. With all who come here, it was unbelievable to see Tyger progress to the finals.”
In the finals, Tyger faced tough Jason Ramirez of Arizona.
“Traveling to a different time zone, across the ocean, you have to work extra hard to come out on top in enemy territory,” Tyger said. “Like life, if you stop working, everything goes south.”
Proudly, Andy watched Tyger pull out many close matches, including an early round takedown win in overtime.
“Tyger likes to shoot single legs and the high crotch to get the clinch on his opponents,” Andy said.
“In the finals, Ramirez caught me with a gut through,” Tyger added. “Using technique to counter his attack, we went back and forth scoring takedowns and escapes. I work on getting the feel of their body and to see how they respond to pressure. Finally, I countered his shot in a way that also earned me back points. Back in Hawaii, I definitely didn’t have exciting matches like this.”
“Wrestling really builds mental health,” the 2-time RMN national champ continued. “Doing something hard prepares you for life and makes it easier to handle. It has helped me achieve a 3.8 GPA.”
“Wrestling is the best sport for transitioning into real life,” echoed Andy. “It teaches you respect, humility, goal setting, and the experience of traveling on your own. In Hawaii culture, we show each other the Aloha spirit. We welcome you warmly into our open hearts. We show the ultimate respect to islanders and visitors alike. We have a unique melting pot from every race, language, culture, and cuisine. Even in difficult times, we are people who really love and care about each other.”
As a ninth grader, Tyger was a respected leader among the Moanalua wrestlers that included six male and female 2022 state high school champions.
“Looking back, I think of all the coaches, family, and teammates who have been really good to me,” Tyger said. “Club Coach Kamuela Woode has been there throughout my career, helping me improve every time I am on the mat. My high school coach, Lucas Misaki, helped me be prepared for the postseason.”
Already a seasoned competitor and off to a great start as a sophomore, Tyger Taam is constantly training, never relinquishing the journey, not content with island dominance and seeking to establish his mainland destiny.
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