VWHS grad’s documentary to premiere

Information submitted

COLUMBUS — The world of amateur wrestling, although foreign to most of the common public, is one of the most intense and grueling settings on the planet. While in junior high, Zach Smart stepped onto a wrestling mat for the first time.  Wrestling gave Smart the opportunity to train both physically and mentally.  After high school, he pursued a career in film production at Ohio University, but soon realized something was missing in his life: the wrestling world.

Soon Smart began following Olympic wrestling hopefuls who were training at the Regional Training Center in Columbus. In observing the sacrifice and dedication that Ohio RTC athletes displayed day in and day out, he was immediately inspired. By working with these athletes on a daily basis, Smart soon realized that he needed to make a change in his own life. It was time to follow through with all of the beliefs that had been instilled in him by this wonderful sport.

“I believe that, not unlike ‘iron sharpening iron,’ passion sharpens passion and I cannot think of a more important journey than the one taken to chase down a dream,” he noted. “The greatest things I have learned about my true self in this world have come from the sport I love so dearly and I want nothing more than to share that gift (the journey of self discovery) with the rest of the world.”

Those are the words Smart uses to describe his purpose for documenting this film. Thus began his journey of chasing his own dream of becoming a filmmaker.

Smart began recording amazing stories both on and off the mat of the RTC’s athletes. These remarkable stories became part of his wrestling documentary, Ithaka: The Marvelous Journey. This inspiring documentary will premiere at 3 p.m. this Sunday at the Arena Grand Theatre in Columbus. This is the first half of the story, as he travels to London in August to continue the journey, with help of generous donations from friends, family members, and other benefactors.

Smart has brought a professional and creative eye to showcase not only the sport, but the personal lives of these competitors in a beautiful and compelling way which has never been seen before.  His passion for wrestling and his interest and knowledge of film production, Smart attributes to his start at Van Wert High School under the tutelage of Jerry Ramsay and his wrestling staff and then-Television Production teacher Kevin McGonagle.

Tickets are still available for the premiere of this amazing documentary and the Olympic send-off for wrestler Trevel Dlagnev at www.ohiortc.com for $25.  For more information on how to donate to this remarkable project, email smartsae@gmail.com.