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Wrestling Moves section adds more information

This is the first part of the lengthy wrestling moves section from TheWrestlingTalk:

The first in a series of basic wrestling principles; principles from the feet.

* Keep shoulders, knees, and toes in line (vertically) in both a square and staggered stance
* Perfect your penetration step
* Elevation change - ducks and high crotch
* Sprawl with feet back and hips in
o Weight should be applied to your opponent with your hips
* Keep position while circling and don’t go to extremes
o Don’t over expose yourself while moving

Drills to improve these principles:

* In/Out Penetration (step in and back out without losing position)
* Circle Sprawl (constant motion sprawling while circling away from your opponent)
* Wall Sit (up against a wall, knees at right angle)
* Wall penetration (penetrate by exploding into a *padded* wall.)
* Shot/Sprawl drill (in video)

The six basic principles of the Step Back:

* Single Dumps
o Squat Back, circle.
* Stand up escapes
o Lead with back.
* Duck-unders generally require a step back to circle behind for takedown
* 2 on 1 control-circling
* Front headlock Sprawl
* Over and Under Sprawl

The five basic principles of Head Position:

* Use a solid, low stance with head pressure for set-up and defense
* Use power penetrations to the center of your opponent for doubles, singles, high-crotches, etc
* Keep tight side pressure for head outside singles
* When your head is trapped you must work to keep the hips free and moving.
o This is essential for low singles/doubles, and countering front headlocks.
* Where the head goes, the body follows.
o This is essential when dealing with sag headlocks and for maintain balance in general.

Posted by Wrestling Fan at 6:29 PM | Permalink

USA WRESTLING PRESEASON FOLKSTYLE NATIONALS

USA WRESTLING PRESEASON FOLKSTYLE NATIONALS
At Des Moines, Iowa, October 25

103 pounds
1st Place Match - Skylar Wood (Missouri) won by decision over Jack Hathaway (Iowa) (Dec 4-2)
3rd Place Match - Cody Hummer (Missouri) won in overtime over Alex Spooner (Iowa) (OT 7-5)
5th Place Match - Jared McKinley (Indiana) won by pin over Isaac Lundgren (Iowa) (Pin 5:50)
7th Place Match - Morgan Engbrecht (South Dakota) won by decision over Chad Bartschenfeld (Wisconsin) (Dec 11-6)

112 pounds
1st Place Match - Brandon Jones (Iowa) won by decision over Tyler Patten (Iowa) (Dec 5-3)
3rd Place Match - Joseph Hefley (Florida) won by decision over Johnny Coleman (Iowa) (Dec 8-7)
5th Place Match - Cory Hodowanic (Wisconsin) won by pin over James Tatman (Iowa) (Pin 3:00)
7th Place Match - Tyler Feller (Iowa) won by decision over Shawn Miracle (Indiana) (Dec 5-4)

119 pounds
1st Place Match - Justin Brooks (Indiana) won by decision over Conor Youtsey (Michigan) (Dec 11-5)
3rd Place Match - Levi Wolfensperger (Iowa) won by pin over Corey Alegria (Michigan) (Pin 3:15)
5th Place Match - Jay Hildreth (Iowa) won by decision over Gilbert Garcia (Colorado) (Dec 10-4)
7th Place Match - Christopher Halblom (Iowa) won by decision over Aaron Redding (Minnesota) (Dec 10-8)

125 pounds
1st Place Match - Jesse Thielke (Wisconsin) won by major decision over Alex Dieringer (Wisconsin) (Maj 9-1)
3rd Place Match - Tyler Keselring (Michigan) won by decision over Bronson Steuber (Minnesota) (Dec 7-4)
5th Place Match - John Paul Meeks (Iowa) won by injury default over Keith Surber (Illinois) (Inj.)
7th Place Match - Jacob Kazimir (Ohio) won by decision over Jarod Donar (Wisconsin) (Dec 5-0)

130 pounds
1st Place Match - Adam Sheley (Illinois) won in overtime over Colton Rasche (Illinois) (OT 4-3)
3rd Place Match - Brian Bokoski (Illinois) won by decision over Ryne Cokeley (Kansas) (Dec 11-4)
5th Place Match - Kevin Fanta (Illinois) won by pin over Alex Abramat (Florida) (Pin 3:59)
7th Place Match - Matt Smith (Michigan) won by forfeit over Tyrell Galloway (Nebraska) (FF)

135 pounds
1st Place Match - Kodie Silvestri (New Jersey) won by decision over Ben Cash (Iowa) (Dec 7-0)
3rd Place Match - Brendan Murphy (Illinois) won by injury default over Jacob Tasseff (Indiana) (Inj.)
5th Place Match - Sampson Cook (Indiana) won by pin over Stephen Blayer (Iowa) (Pin 1:37)
7th Place Match - Brannigan Barlow (Indiana) won by decision over Rulin Pederson (Iowa) (Dec 9-5)

140 pounds
1st Place Match - Brandon Richardson (Idaho) won by decision over Cody Quinn (Washington) (Dec 8-2)
3rd Place Match - Zach Johnson (Michigan) won by pin over Jacob Tonte (Indiana) (Pin 5:48)
5th Place Match - Matt White (Iowa) won by decision over Landon Williams (Iowa) (Dec 5-0)
7th Place Match - Stefan St. Marie (Washington) won by pin over Joe Brewster (Illinois) (Pin 5:37)

145 pounds
1st Place Match - Eric Roach (Indiana) won by decision over Tyler Wilfley (Illinois) (Dec 10-5)
3rd Place Match - Kyle Begin (Minnesota) won by pin over Cole Clarken (Iowa) (Pin 4:35)
5th Place Match - Ryan Seidler (Wisconsin) won by decision over Dillon Gorman (Wisconsin) (Dec 9-2)
7th Place Match - Alex Cizek (Illinois) won by decision over Tyler Dunne (New York) (Dec 6-3)

152 pounds
1st Place Match - Elias Larson (Illinois) won by pin over Blake Sorensen (Iowa) (Pin 3:23)
3rd Place Match - Micah Morrill (Washington) won by decision over Robert Pickrell (Colorado) (Dec 3-2)
5th Place Match - Cody Johnston (Missouri) won by pin over Brent Mowry (Maryland) (Pin 1:50)
7th Place Match - Blake Wood (Indiana) won by decision over Brayden Wienke (Wisconsin) (Dec 2-0)

160 pounds
1st Place Match - Monte Schmalhaus (Utah) won by decision over Geordan Speiller (Florida) (Dec 3-1)
3rd Place Match - Quinten Haynes (Iowa) won in overtime over Nathan Sommers (Kansas) (OT 7-5)
5th Place Match - Ryan Wuthnow (Kansas) won by injury default over Stephone Kling (Colorado) (Inj.)
7th Place Match - Dan Barringer (Colorado) won by decision over Sam Lindgren (Minnesota) (Dec 6-2)

171 pounds
1st Place Match - Jake Dorulla (Michigan) won by decision over Kyven Gadson (Iowa) (Dec 7-3)
3rd Place Match - John Rizqallah (Michigan) won by decision over Jacob Johnson (Michigan) (Dec 1-0)
5th Place Match - Jacob Williamson (Georgia) won by decision over David Phillips (Wisconsin) (Dec 8-2)
7th Place Match - Davin Morris (Florida) won by decision over Dan Strasburg (Wisconsin) (Dec 2-0)

189 pounds
1st Place Match - Angelo Malvestuto (New York) won in overtime over Alex Bach (Minnesota) (OT 4-2)
3rd Place Match - Jay Taylor (Florida) won by decision over Jacob Nowak (Kansas) (Dec 6-5)
5th Place Match - Tyler Sherman (Oregon) won in overtime over Jerry Stringfellow (Florida) (OT 7-2)
7th Place Match - Cody Everett (Kentucky) won by injury default over Andrew Graber (Indiana) (Inj.)

215 pounds
1st Place Match - Alex Polizzi (Wisconsin) won by decision over Kyle Caylor (Kansas) (Dec 9-4)
3rd Place Match - Austin Preisler (Wisconsin) won by decision over Hayden Bock (Missouri) (Dec 7-5)
5th Place Match - Daniel Howell (Illinois) won by pin over Howard Johnson (Kansas) (Pin 3:24)
7th Place Match - Taylor Wuthnow (Kansas) won by decision over Alex Burnes (Iowa) (Dec 6-4)

285 pounds
1st Place Match - Tayler Goodyear (Wisconsin) won by pin over Max Pelfrey (Iowa) (Pin 1:34)
3rd Place Match - Mark Frye (Iowa) won by decision over Kyle Hayden (Wisconsin) (Dec 7-3)
5th Place Match - Parker Betts (Minnesota) won by pin over Joseph Multerer (Wisconsin) (Pin 3:42)
7th Place Match - Isaac Redfern (Ohio) received a bye (Bye)

Girls 119 pounds
1st Place - Sarah Haas of Indiana

Girls 128 pounds
1st Place - Rebecca Cissell of Indiana
2nd Place - April Vanarkel of Iowa
3rd Place - Shelby Spruill of California
4th Place - Gabby Jameson of California
April Vanarkel (Iowa) won by major decision over Shelby Spruill (California) (Maj 15-2)
Rebecca Cissell (Indiana) won by pin over Gabby Jameson (California) (Pin 0:58)
April Vanarkel (Iowa) won by pin over Gabby Jameson (California) (Pin 1:01)
Rebecca Cissell (Indiana) won by pin over Shelby Spruill (California) (Pin 3:00)
Rebecca Cissell (Indiana) won by pin over April Vanarkel (Iowa) (Pin 2:28)
Shelby Spruill (California) won by decision over Gabby Jameson (California) (Dec 3-0)

Girls 138 pounds
1st Place - Krista Revelle of Kansas
2nd Place - Demi Strub of Indiana
3rd Place - Jessica C Bowman of Kansas
Krista Revelle (Kansas) won by tech fall over Demi Strub (Indiana) (TF 21-3)
Demi Strub (Indiana) won by decision over Jessica C Bowman (Kansas) (Dec 8-4)
Krista Revelle (Kansas) won by major decision over Jessica C Bowman (Kansas) (Maj 12-3)

Girls 148 pounds
1st Place - Shelby Allinson of California
2nd Place - Morgan Pittsford of Indiana
Morgan Pittsford (Indiana) won by pin over Shelby Allinson (California) (Pin 4:39)
Shelby Allinson (California) won by decision over Morgan Pittsford (Indiana) (Dec 5-3)
Shelby Allinson (California) won by major decision over Morgan Pittsford (Indiana) (Maj 15-3)

Posted by Wrestling Fan at 6:16 PM | Permalink

High School Wrestling Rankings by State

This state by state rankings should be going out some time next week (depending on the state). Here is a list of the each state's rankings page:

State Rankings

Posted by Wrestling Fan at 7:32 PM | Permalink

2008 U.S. Wrestling Beijing Olympic Games Team Members

The 2008 Olympic Wrestling Team has been announced, check out their profiles and related videos at TheWrestlingTalk.com

Posted by Wrestling Fan at 11:48 PM | Permalink

Illinois completes Junior Duals sweep after downing Iowa in freestyle finals

Illinois completes Junior Duals sweep after downing Iowa in freestyle finals
Roger Moore Special to TheMat.com
07/04/2008

OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. – Max Nowry’s performance this week pretty much sums up Illinois’ second-straight sweep of Greco-Roman and freestyle at the 2008 Junior Wrestling Duals on the campus of Oklahoma City University.

Nowry, a 105-pounder, went a combined 15-0 in Greco and freestyle this week, giving up only two points in six Greco wins and losing only one period in nine freestyle wins.

Nowry, Jon Morrison, Tony Ramos and Conrad Polz all finished unbeaten in freestyle as Illinois beat Iowa, 39-23, in the championship match Friday afternoon. It was Illinois’ third consecutive championship in freestyle.

“I’m not surprised at the way I wrestled or the team. We go through tough workouts to get ready for this tournament,�? said Nowry, a Junior Greco and freestyle champion in 2007. “We had a strong lineup all the way up and down. I really thought we could win both again.

“We’ll take a day or two off and then start getting ready for Fargo.�?

Illinois jumped out to a 20-5 lead against Iowa, a common theme during a 9-0 week.

“I don’t think other states put as much into (the Duals),�? said Morrison, a national champion last summer. “They just show up at the airport and come here to maybe get some extra matches before Fargo. Nothing more than just throwing on a pair of wrestling shoes, their wrestling headgear, and competing. We have a training camp at Overtime to get ready for this and we really look forward to coming here and winning.

“We come here as a team and I think that makes a big difference.�?

In the finale, Jake Shramm started things with a technical fall at 98 pounds. Nowry and Jon Cooper picked up pins to give Illinois a 14-0 lead. Morrison followed with a tough decision of Joe Colon at 119 and it was 17-1.

Tony Ramos battled back from a first-period hole to beat Andrew Long in three periods at 125.

Iowa’s first win didn’t come until 130 where national champion Nate Moore beat Chris Dardanes, 1-0, 1-0.

Matt McDonough and Derek St. John kept Iowa hanging around with victories, cutting the deficit to 24-12 through 145 pounds.

But Brian Reynolds’ tough win over Trent Weatherman at 152, followed by Polz’s pin of Marcus Edgington at 160 sealed Iowa’s fate.

Iowa’s Grant Gambrall beat Chris Spangler, giving Spangler his only loss of the week, and Josh Ihnen and Byron Tate each had wins, but it was too little, too late.

“There are so many matches, you have to have some depth in there,�? said Illinois coach John Kading. “This is a tough tournament, and we knew Iowa and Oklahoma were going to be especially tough. We were able to move some guys around here and there.

“I’m just really proud of the guys. They wrestled tough all week.�?

Iowa moved to the finals with wins against Missouri, New Jersey and Kansas on Friday.

Illinois won six of the final seven bouts in a 39-24 win over Pennsylvania earlier on Friday. Jordan Oliver’s pin of Ellis Coleman at 140 gave Pennsylvania a 19-16 advantage, but Bob Barnhisel’s technical fall at 145 gave Illinois a lead they would never relinquish.

Illinois jumped out to a 20-5 lead against Minnesota in their first match on Friday and rolled to a 42-21 victory.

Oklahoma, after losing to Minnesota Friday morning, gave Illinois a run before falling 29-28.

Tyler Greenhaw’s pin at 152 cut Illinois’ lead to 22-17, but Polz beat Dallas Bailey at 160 and Spangler beat Joey Sheridan at 171 to give the eventual champions a solid lead. Illinois won five of the first six bouts, including Morrison’s decision of Ladd Rupp at 119, in building an early 17-5 advantage.

Iowa opened the final day with a 35-26 win over Missouri that included Colon’s pin of Ryan Mango at 119 pounds. A round later, Iowa had to hold off a New Jersey squad that beat Kansas, the Pool D winners, to start Friday.

Tony Buxton pinned Iowa’s Andrew Long at 125, and a decision by Mario Mason at 160 and a pin by Scott Winston at 171 gave Jersey a 25-24 advantage.

Iowa responded with Gambrall’s pin at 189 and Trayvonius Pendleton’s straight-period decision at 285 for a 33-29 victory.

Jonathan Becker’s decision at 189 clinched New Jersey’s win against Kansas. It came a bout after Bagna Toujov’s 16-second pin at 171.

Oklahoma opened the day with a win over Pennsylvania, 37-25, but fell to Minnesota, 32-26, a round later.

Against Pennsylvania, Stephen Swan bumped up a weight class to beat Dirk Cowburn at 152 and Bailey had a 58-second pin at 160.

Minnesota got pins by Trey Bertram at 140 and Eric Yngsdal at 145. Oklahoma made it close with wins by Chris Perry over Caleb Lines at 189 and Tyson Yoder over Jake Kahnke at 215, but Jake Kettler closed things out for Minnesota, who opened Friday with a loss to Illinois.

New Jersey beat Minnesota, 33-27, in the third-place match.

Oklahoma took care of Missouri for fifth, and Kansas edged Pennsylvania for seventh.

New York won the consolation title, beating Texas, 38-19.

Posted by Wrestling Fan at 3:55 PM | Permalink

Twelve head to Pan American Games

A contingent of 12 athletes and coaches will represent Team USA Wrestling at the
women’s freestyle Cadet Pan American Championships July 11-13, 2008 in
San Salvador, El Salvador.

U.S. States Olympic Education Center (USOEC) assistant coach Tony
DeAnda will assist in leading the FILA Cadet Champions (ages 15-17) of
the 2008 Body Bar/FILA Cadet Nationals who qualified for this event.

The 2008 Cadet Pan American Championships women’s freestyle
qualification, repechage, and final rounds will be competed Saturday
July 12, 2008 in San Salvador, El Salvador.

USA Cadet Pan Am Championships Freestyle Wrestling Team

38 kg / 83.75 lbs – Kaci Fullinwinder
40 kg / 88 lbs. – Emily Webster of Texas
43 kg / 94.75 lbs. – Erin Golston of Illinois
46 kg / 101.25 lbs – Briana Sparks of Michigan
49 kg / 108 lbs. – Samantha Lopez of California
52 kg / 114.5 lbs – Jenna Burkert of New York
56 kg / 123.25 lbs. – Kat Perez of California
60 kg / 132.25 lbs. – Ashley Mathews of California
65 kg / 143.25 lbs. – Jennifer Spitza of Michigan
70 kg / 154.25 lbs. – Anneliese DeAragon of Idaho
Coaches Tony DeAnda, TBA

Posted by Wrestling Fan at 2:08 PM | Permalink

Chas Thompson to coach at Fort Hayes

Fort Hays State University announced on Thursday, June 26, 2008, the hiring of Chas Thompson as Head Wrestling Coach. Thompson becomes the 13th coach in the wrestling program's history.

Thompson comes to Fort Hays State from Pratt Community College, where he served as head coach for two years from 2006-2008. In his time at PCC, Thompson led the Beavers to 10th and 21st place finishes at the NJCAA National Tournament and coached two NJCAA All-Americans. He also coached 11 Academic All-Americans. His 2006-07 team was ranked as high as 6th in the nation and his dash 2007-08 team was ranked as high as 10th in the nation.

Thompson is no stranger to the Fort Hays State program, where he served as an assistant coach for three years prior to becoming the head coach at Pratt Community College. Thompson was a graduate assistant coach for two years at FHSU from 2003-2005. He was a student assistant coach during the 2002-03 season. Thompson had the privilege of helping coach five NCAA Division II All-Americans as an assistant at FHSU.

Outside his collegiate coaching experience, Thompson has also served in several other coaching roles. He was a coach for the Cadet National Team in Fargo, N.D., the past three years and a coach for the Southern Plains Wrestling Team the past four years. Thompson also served as a summer wrestling coach from 1999-2008 in the Freestyle, Folkstyle, and Greco Roman disciplines.

Thompson wrestled for Fort Hays State University from 1999-2002. He was a national qualifier during his junior season (1999-2000) after winning his weight class at the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference
Championships/NCAA Division II West Regional.

Prior to competing at FHSU, Thompson wrestled for two seasons at Labette Community College under his father Jody Thompson. His father is a member of the Kansas Wrestling Coaches Association Hall of Fame, NJCAA Coaches Hall of Fame, Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference Hall of Fame, and National Wrestling Coaches Association Hall of Fame. Thompson earned NJCAA All-American honors as a sophomore and was a two-time national qualifi er for LCC.

A native of Parsons, Kan., Thompson compiled a record of 133-14 in his prep career at Parsons High School. He was named the Kansas Class 4A Wrestler of the Year after winning the state championship as a senior. He was a four-time state placer at PHS.

Thompson earned a bachelor's degree in Physical Education from Fort Hays State in 2003, and is currently working towards completion of his master's degree in Sports Administration at FHSU.

Posted by Wrestling Fan at 2:27 AM | Permalink

Wrestling and Fighters with a Ton of Videos

John Smith

Aleks Emelianenko

James Thompson

Dustin Schlatter

Cael Sanderson

Dan Gable

Tom Brands

Jayson Ness

Charlie Falck

David Taylor

Zack Esposito

Buvaisar Saitiev

Saitiev

murtazaliev

Adam Saitiev

Ketoev

Gatsalov

Muradov

flowrestling

Mike Zadick

Brent Metcalf

Bubba Jenkins

Eric Tannenbaum

Saytiev

Mike Houck

Dennis Hall

Steve Fraser

Joe Warren

Kudukhov

Farniev

Kimbo Slice

Brett Rogers

Frank Shamrock

College Football

Posted by Wrestling Fan at 4:05 AM | Permalink

New Features at TheWrestlingTalk

TheWrestlingTalk released major update to its community about 2 weeks ago. I waited to detail the update until most of the finishing touches were completed. Check out how TWT is revolutionizing how wrestlers communicate:

Personal Profiles: (Here's Mine) This isn't just a wrestler's Facebook/MySpace. Complete your recruiting profile and get noticed by college coaches, add your highlight video from TWT Videos. If you put yourself on YouTube, you can add those videos to your profile as well.

Social Groups / Free Team Sites: Create your own team site with a forum, ability to add photos, videos, and more. Use the social groups feature to promote a cause (Save X's Wrestling Team, Donate to X's recovery fund) or connect with people who have a niche interest you share.

Free Wrestling Blog: Keep track of your daily workout regimen or keep your fan base up to date on your latest wrestling tournament.

Photo Albums: Wrestling is not your only interest, show off what else you enjoy. An excellent way to get to know your forum mates!

Posted by Wrestling Fan at 7:59 PM | Permalink

High School Wrestling Services

A new service for high school wrestling has been released on HSWrestling.Net. Among the initial offerings provided by HSWrestling.Net are National and State by State Rankings, Team/League Hosting, and the high school wrestling blog.

Posted by Wrestling Fan at 4:17 PM | Permalink

Oklahoma State's Nathan Morgan embraces leadership role

Oklahoma State’s Nathan Morgan has enjoyed a good deal of success in his wrestling career. A three-time California high school state champion, Morgan has been a key component on two of the Cowboys’ unprecedented 34 NCAA title teams.

Abstract of Morgan

This year, Morgan looks to etch his name among the list of OSU’s 132 individual NCAA champions. A two-time All-American, Morgan took fourth in the 141-pound weight class at NCAAs last year as the Cowboys finished fifth in the team standings.

“We train all year to win that national title and when you don’t get it at the end, it is disappointing. This is the year. This will be the year,�? Morgan said.

As for training, Coach John Smith has pushed his wrestlers farther than any of his teams in the past. A new concept to most wrestlers is the extensive running drills that Smith implemented in the off-season.

“I think the training that Coach Smith has put us through has just been unbelievable this year,�? Morgan said. “The way he has motivated us and put us through all these running workouts and drills has really stepped up our wrestling. Conditioning has put us where we need to be for this year.�?

Morgan said the training and extra conditioning will drastically help the squad in its performance, especially in the second half of the season and the training puts the Cowboys a step ahead of the competition.

“It gives us more chances for late takedowns. It keeps our legs fresh and we are able to push it the entire time,�? Morgan said. “Everything we have done will improve our scoring, especially in the last minutes of the match.�?

A three-time Big 12 champion and two-time All-American, Morgan is a legitimate contender for an individual College Wrestling title this year and has already made strides as he sports a 9-1 record with three tech falls and four major decisions.

Getting off to a fast start is exactly what Morgan was looking for heading into the year to help him take a leadership role for the Cowboy newcomers. As a senior, Morgan is well-aware of the expectations placed on him.

“This is my fourth year so I need to be a good example for the new guys. I know the younger guys are looking up to me and I need to step it up and work harder to be that leader,�? Morgan said. “I think it is good for me because it makes me step it up to show them what they need to do. The freshmen are doing a great job. I couldn’t ask for anything better.�?

Morgan said Smith has prepared he and his teammates and has stressed the fact that they must maintain intensity for a full seven minutes when taking the mat. The Cowboys have one of the toughest schedules in the NCAA, but Morgan welcomes the challenge.

“It is always going to be tough and there are always going to be guys gunning for you, but that is what makes it fun.�?

Morgan and the Cowboys host Oklahoma at 2 p.m. Sunday in Gallagher-Iba Arena.

Posted by Wrestling Fan at 4:04 AM | Permalink

A Tough Bond to Break

College Wrestling Brothers CP and Dustin Schlatter

When C.P. and Dustin Schlatter were little and growing up in Massillon, Ohio, it was not uncommon to see the two horsing around. Whether they were rolling around and breaking things in the house, taking each other down outside on the family trampoline, or just tag-teaming to beat up on dad Pat, wrestling was always a common bond. That bond remains strong as the two brothers are playing significant roles in Minnesota's quest for another national championship.

Separated by only 20 months from birth, the Schlatter brothers have really been, well, inseparable. Throughout adolescence, the two were often taught the same techniques by the same coaches and are still training partners to this day. C.P., a senior at 157 pounds, who takes to the mat in practice with Dustin, a junior at 149 pounds, says the opportunity to grow up and train with his little brother has been a memorable one.

"It's definitely been a special experience," C.P. said. "We have always had each other. I think it's been more helpful on the wrestling side having him as a workout partner."

Younger Dustin agrees.

"We have wrestled together our whole lives," he said. "The college level has had a big impact on both of us because I think we push each other more in training."

The success the two Schlatters have had already on the Golden Gopher program would make any grappler envious.

They are the only pair of brothers in school history to claim a Big Ten Championship in the same season - a feat the two siblings have now accomplished in each of the past two years.

In his first two years, Dustin has quickly become one of the school's top success stories in recent history. A four-time Ohio State champion who amassed a prep record of 154-4, Dustin found immediate success in Minneapolis, finishing his freshman campaign 42-1. He recorded a 19-1 mark in dual competition by outscoring his opponents by a dominant margin of 65-3. In addition to claiming the conference title, he was also named Big Ten Freshman of the Year.

The highlight of his freshman season came when he upset top-ranked and defending national champion Zack Esposito of Oklahoma State in the title match. He was the first freshman in school history to win a national title. Dustin ended the season with 29 straight victories, a streak he would extend into his sophomore year and eventually increased to 65 consecutive wins, before falling in the NCAA Championship. He rebounded to finish third at nationals with a record of 37-1. Entering his junior season, his 79-2-0 career record equated to a .975 winning percentage - the highest in school history.

"I had a lot of fun last year, but ultimately I fell short of my goals," Dustin said. "The whole season is just preparation for March -- Big Tens and Nationals."

He's quick to point to his older brother as a reason he has been able to have so much success so early.

"A lot of that (came from) working out with C.P.," he said. "It's a big step up from high school and he prepared me for the mindset to wrestle in college early on. I was fortunate; it was crucial to my success."

Minnesota head coach J Robinson notes the support that each brother gives one another is not only beneficial to them, but to the program as well.

"There is a tremendous benefit because they have a built-in support system," Robinson said. "They go to each other for help. They spent their whole life looking after each other and they do that in college as well. When you have someone who you can confide in, it's very beneficial, especially in wrestling."

Robinson persuaded C.P. to Minneapolis as a member of what would become the nation's top recruiting class. The older Schlatter, who lost just once in 166 prep matches, was going to be one of the main cogs to the wheel that was going to drive the Golden Gophers to a number of national championships. This season, C.P. enters his senior season looking to help Minnesota to a successful defense of its NCAA title and its fourth since 2001.

C.P. redshirted in 2003-04, but made waves in the offseason when he won the gold medal in Greco-Roman at 74 kg at the Junior Pan-Am Championships in Maracaibo, Venezuela. But when he went to wrestle in the freestyle competition, something went wrong.

"I scored a takedown in my first match in freestyle and then my knee buckled," he said. "I tried to go again but it buckled a second time."

Sidelined for the start of his sophomore season, C.P. was still ranked 11th in the nation at 149 pounds. After he returned to the lineup in late-December, Robinson opted to move him up to 157 pounds. Since that move, C.P. has improved each year. Following a 17-11 record his freshman season, C.P. went 36-7 the next year and earned his first Big Ten title. Last season he finished 28-8 overall, won his second conference championship and earned his first All-American distinction by finishing sixth at the NCAA Championships.

With one year left, two goals remain: successfully defend the team's national title and win an individual NCAA Championship.

"I have had some fairly good years...tough years," said C.P. "But I haven't gotten a title for myself. J talked to all the seniors about that this year. He reminded us that we were the No. 1 recruiting class in the nation and we have yet to win any individual national titles."

One thing that Robinson does not have to worry about when it comes to both C.P. and Dustin is their academic success. Top students since their time in high school, both brothers have continued to have discipline both on the mat and in the classroom.

A nursing major, C.P. is a two-time Academic All-American and a three-time Academic All-Big Ten selection.

"Sometimes it goes hand in hand," said Dustin, a communications major. "There is a strong work ethic that wrestling calls for, and I think you just take it into the classroom as well."   The discipline and the upbringing of the Schlatter brothers is what has impressed Robinson the most.

"It's really about academics, athletics and a personal life when you come to college. They have done a great job with all three," Robinson said. "It's just a continuation of what they have done their whole life, but now it's just at a new place and a new level."

But not all is entirely the same with the Schlatter brothers. Robinson notes that as with all brothers, you're often going to have different personalities. He thinks C.P. is probably the one that is more focused and reserved of the two, while he calls Dustin the more carefree and "wild stallion" out on the mat. When asked to compare each other, Dustin says C.P. is the stronger, while he is probably the faster.

Together, however, they seem to be a perfect match.   For the Schlatter brothers, Minnesota has become the perfect home away from home. The two siblings now live together at school, which means mother Joyce no longer has to worry about matches taking place in her living room.

"When you leave home, you often leave your support system behind," said Robinson. "When you can bring it with you, your sibling can offer an intimacy that others can't. I think they share each other's victories and share each other's pains."

Which makes that bond a tough one to break.

Posted by Wrestling Fan at 9:40 PM | Permalink

Registration deadline for Folkstyle Tour of America event in North Carolina is TONIGHT Monday at 10 p.m. CT

You've got a couple hours left to register for this one, and if you're subscribed to my blog, you should be just in time!

The registration deadline is fast approaching for the historic first event in the new USA Wrestling Folkstyle Tour of America, the Carolina Classic slated for November 3rd at the Cabarrus Arena in Concord, N.C.

All participants must register online by Monday, October 29 at 10:00 p.m. Central time:
http://www.usafolkstyle.com/registration.html

THE 1st ANNUAL CAROLINA CLASSIC
Age Divisions: Bantam thru High School (A Pee-Wee festival will be held at all Series events)
Tournament Location: Concord, North Carolina (just outside of Charlotte)
Competition Venue: Cabarrus Arena and Events Center
Competition: Saturday, November 3rd
Weigh-in and Registration Site: Holiday Inn University (Headquarters Hotel)
Weigh-in Card Pick-up and Medical Check/Weigh-ins: 6:00-8:00 pm Friday, November 2nd
Event Website: www.usafolkstyle.com

Entry is limited to the first 800 registrants
Pre-registration is mandatory and no exceptions will be made for on site tournament entry.

***IMPORTANT NOTE: Weigh-ins will be held at the Holiday Inn University (Headquarters Hotel). The hotel address is available on the Series website.

A complete schedule of the Carolina Classic can be downloaded at:
http://www.usafolkstyle.com/documents/ncshedule.pdf

Athletes of all ages, from high school and below, are included in the Carolina Classic. This will be a tremendous early season tournament for all talented and motivated wrestlers from around the nation.

The Folkstyle Tour of America is a new youth wrestling series designed to provide wrestlers a chance to compete against the best in the country in America's most popular style of wrestling.

This is a four-event tour series, with the other three events strategically located around the United States. The rest of the Folkstyle Tour of America includes:
- The Salt Lake Slam in Salt Lake City, Utah, December 28-29, 2007
- The Battle on the Mat in Battle Creek, Mich., February 1-2, 2008
- The Texas Takedown in Fort Worth, Texas, March 14-15

All of these events will have spectacular awards. There will be outstanding trophies for the top three placewinners in each weight class, and attractive medals for the athletes who place fourth through sixth in each weight class. In addition, there are awards for the top team in each division as well as the Most Outstanding Wrestler in each division. For more information on the awards, visit:
http://www.usafolkstyle.com/awards.html

All four of the Folkstyle Tour of America events are included in the popular USA Wrestling Ultimate Challenge Series, which leads to the awarding of the Ultimate Dominator awards for the season.

USA Wrestling has combined the successful practices of other folkstyle series and tournaments, the resources of its internal staff, and the efforts of a promoter to develop a series of folkstyle wrestling that will further propel the organization into the forefront of youth wrestling.

What does the Folkstyle Tour of America offer?
- Dedicated website (www.usafolkstyle.com) that includes tournament information, event registration and hotel registration.
- Unique awards for the top six place winners in the Bantam thru High School divisions.
- Special awards and recognition for wrestlers who win multiple Folkstyle Tour of America series tournaments.
- Full-size mats and digital clocks at every tournament.
- Consistent age groups and weight divisions at all series tournaments.
- Certified officials for all age divisions.
- Tournament registration, bracketing, and immediate event results provided by TrackWrestling.

Posted by Wrestling Fan at 1:54 AM | Permalink

Gable Inspires local wrestlers

Dan Gable does not believe in luck. The two-time NCAA wrestling champion and Olympics gold medal winning wrestler likened luck to having your name drawn out of a barrel with 1,000 other names in it.

Gable, who was in Cleveland on Friday to speak to and inspire wrestlers from across the area, said preparation and a bit of fanaticism is the key to success not only in wrestling but also in life.

“There is no method in being successful and winning by chance. I don’t believe in ‘by chance.’ I don’t believe in luck,�? Gable told the crowd. “When I analyze my 35 years of wrestling before and after I use the term luck to mean I was blessed to have a positive environment around me that gave me a lot of opportunities that were very healthy that a lot of people wouldn’t have at every level. That usually means good people around you.�?
During Gable’s 35-year career he won the Iowa state wrestling title three times and two NCAA championships. He holds a combined 182-1 prep and college record. Gable did not surrender a single point in the 1972 Olympics and won the gold medal. He is in the top 100 Olympians of all time and named Wrestler of the Century by Gannett Co.
As a coach, Gable led the Iowa Hawkeyes to 15 NCAA titles, 21 Big Ten team titles and won nine consecutive NCAA titles. He has coached 45 national champions, 152 All-Americans and 106 Big Ten champions. The former Olympian was named NCAA Coach of the Year three times and coached 12 Hawkeye Olympians. Gable was named Sports Figure of the Century in Iowa by Sports Illustrated.
The former Olympian credits good coaching and a willingness to buy into what he was being told as a key to his success
“I listened, I believed and I applied what was being told to me. Where I believe luck played a part is, I was being told great things,�? he said.
Gable also told the crowd problems are no excuse not to succeed. “You can either use them for good or you can use them for an excuse and go back,�? he said. “As you grow up, you need to become your own person. You must be able to stand, conquer and take on whatever is there.�?
He also explained self motivation is a major resource that is under utilized by athletes, students and people in all professions.
“A lot of people are searching for motivation. You should not have to go any farther than your family or your profession to be doing what you really want to do,�? he said. “If you’re not doing what you really want to do, then you’ve got to figure out how to develop that passion.�?
The best team, according to Gable, is the team of independent young men who have minds of their own and are willing to do whatever it takes to get the job done, coach or no coach. Young men who are willing to go on their own to be the best.
Bradley Central athletic director Turner Jackson knows exactly what Gable was talking about.
As a young wrestler at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, Jackson faced Gable in his first match at the Southern Open wrestling tournament in 1971.
“I was just lucky enough, out of 40-something wrestlers, to draw him the first match. I was an 18-year old freshman. I was scared to death and just glad I didn’t get hurt,�? Jackson laughed. “He was a two-time NCAA champion and already a world champion at that time. He was a legend and I was scared to death. He pinned everybody in the tournament.�?
Now, when Jackson looks back on his first match with the former world champion, it brings a smile to his face knowing he survived a match with the best in the world and his own wrestling career made it past one of the toughest hurdles.
“If you start your college career out that way, it’s pretty much all down hill. If you start with Gable, it doesn’t get much tougher than that,�? Jackson said. “I wrestled some pretty tough guys, but I can’t say any of them were any tougher than Dan Gable.�?
Jackson said he is glad for the experience and glad for the memory. Not every wrestler can say they faced a world champion. But, on the other hand, those who did will never forget.
“Now, when I look back on it, it was pretty neat. At the time I don’t know how neat it was,�? Jackson chuckled. “I’ve talked to him once or twice since then. He is a legend. You go to Iowa or anywhere and mention Dan Gable and they know who he is.�?

Posted by Wrestling Fan at 7:33 PM | Permalink

Additional High School Wrestling Forums Added

TheWrestlingTalk released three more high school wrestling forums. Iowa, Illinois, and Michigan are now also in Beta testing for the beginning of the season. Pennsylvania will be released soon.

The forums are designed to talk about regional topics, not topics from the national level. These forums are meant to cover News, Rankings, Results, and other regional topics.

Posted by Wrestling Fan at 3:06 AM | Permalink

College, Freestyle, Greco-Roman Amateur Wrestling Video Clips (Films)

TheWrestlingTalk.com has released a College, Freestyle, Greco-Roman Amateur Wrestling Video Clips (Films) section. The database currently includes all videos about amateur wrestling on YouTube. There are default members, and a search function.

Posted by Wrestling Fan at 2:04 AM | Permalink

Arizona State University Wrestling coaches clinic

The Arizona State University wrestling team will conduct a coaches and wrestlers clinic inside the Riches Wrestling Complex on the ASU campus Saturday, November 3, Head Coach Thom Ortiz announced Monday. The two-hour session inside the Sun Devils' training center will be followed by wrestle-offs to determine the starting 10 for the 2007-08 ASU season.

The clinic, which will cost $20, will start at 9 a.m. and will feature instruction from Ortiz, a three-time All-American and three-time Pac-10 Coach of the Year and his assistant coaches, Eric Larkin, a four-time All-American and 2004 NCAA Champion, and Brian Stith, a two-time All-American and 2006 NCAA runner-up. All three instructors are former Sun Devil student-athletes.

Following the clinic, participants as well as fans are invited to attend the team's annual wrestle-offs. Free of charge, the wrestle-offs will begin at 11 a.m. More information on the bouts and the designated teams will be available later this week.

Posted by Wrestling Fan at 1:38 AM | Permalink

High School Wrestling Forums Added

TheWrestlingTalk.com started releasing sub forums within their High School Wrestling section. Currently, there are three test sections that have yet to begin adding content. The current sub categories are: Minnesota High School Wrestling, Ohio High School Wrestling, and Oregon High School Wrestling. The main focus of these sections will be to drive users to each specific location to discuss their particular state, and to the National forum to discuss national news.

Posted by Wrestling Fan at 5:43 AM | Permalink

Joe Heskett is a Class Act

One of the most rewarding parts of the 2007 season was having the opportunity to get to know Joe Heskett on a personal level.

I was fortunate enough to have the opportunity to tell his inspirational story when I wrote a feature about Joe for our magazine, USA Wrestler, earlier this year.

Joe was raised in Ohio by his grandmother, Evelyn Nye, and they have developed a very close relationship. She had an excellent influence on a kid who could have easily followed the wrong path with his parents not around to raise him.

But Joe Heskett became a model young man. He excelled in school, he never missed curfew, he didn’t smoke and he didn’t drink. He poured himself into athletics and academics, and became one of the top young wrestlers in the country. He was a three-time Ohio state champion, a four-time NCAA All-American at Iowa State and placed fifth at his first World Championships a couple weeks ago in Baku, Azerbaijan.

That’s why the phone call I received Tuesday afternoon seemed so unfair. It was Joe Heskett on the other end of the line. At first, it seemed like a typical conversation where he was upbeat and friendly as we made small talk. But then he gave me the stunning and jolting news that his wrestling career was over because of a heart condition that almost took his life. How could this happen to someone just 29 years old who was in peak physical condition?

Joe called to talk with me about helping with the release that Danielle Warner of the Ohio State sports information office was putting together. Joe is an assistant coach for the Buckeyes. He was preparing to have surgery later that day, and amazingly, he was trying to make sure the story of what was happening with him would clearly explain what had transpired. It did as Danielle did a great job detailing what happened in her story.

As Joe was talking to me Tuesday about nearly losing his life, he asked me how I was doing and how my trip home from Baku went. He told me he had great respect for my ability as a writer. That’s the kind of person he is. Very selfless. It was unbelievable how well he was handling a very difficult and very scary situation.

I told Joe just to focus on getting better and not worry about anything else. But Joe’s a person who does everything the right way and he laughed as he said he wanted his “wrestling eulogy�? done the right way.

As an Iowa native and a wrestling journalist, I followed Joe’s career closely at Iowa State. He became one of the best Cyclones in history by finishing third, second, second and first at the NCAA Championships from 1999-2002. Joe’s great accomplishments often were overshadowed by the best wrestler in NCAA history. Joe competed at ISU during the same four years Cael Sanderson made history by winning four NCAA titles and compiling a 159-0 record. The dynamic duo of Sanderson and Heskett was a joy for fans to watch. Both wrestlers conducted themselves with class.

I also saw Joe continually wrestle well when he started to compete internationally, but he was stuck behind a very good wrestler at 74 kg/163 lbs. in two-time World bronze medalist Joe Williams.

Joe Heskett kept working, and finally this year, he broke through. He won the U.S. Nationals for the first time and followed by winning the U.S. World Team Trials to earn his first trip to the World Championships. It was a memorable and emotional scene this past June in Las Vegas when Joe walked over to hug his family after he filled a big void in his career by making a World Team.

I started to get to know Joe as we worked together on stories after he won U.S. Nationals this year. I marveled at how well he conducted himself, and how smooth, polished and articulate he was with the media. And I remember having to Google some of the big words he used from his vast vocabulary to make sure I had quoted him correctly. The words always fit perfectly in the context he was using them.

Whenever I would run into Joe at practice at the U.S. Olympic Training Center or anywhere else, he was quick to come over, flash a smile, say hello and shake my hand. Being around people like that makes my job enjoyable. Joe is a very bright, intelligent, charismatic, driven young man with an outgoing, infectious personality.

One of my funnier stories from this year’s Pan American Games came after the event when we were sitting around in the airport in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and waiting to catch our flight. Joe and Tommy Rowlands came up to me and asked me if I had any Brazilian currency – called Real – left on me because they were hungry and they ran out of Brazilian money. I was out of Real as well, and we shared a good laugh about that. They eventually figured out a way to get something to eat. Hungry wrestlers are not much fun to be around.

Joe also was quick to shake his head and give me a hard time about wearing an Iowa Hawkeyes polo shirt on the way home from Rio. I guess you have to expect that from a Cyclone.

Joe introduced me to his wife, Tara, following the Pan American Games when I ran into them at a restaurant near Copacabana Beach. I met Joe’s grandmother when I ran into her and Joe’s wife in the lobby of our hotel at the World Championships. It’s easy to see that family means everything to them and they are a very close-knit group. And they’re very proud of Joe.

I have no doubt that Joe will continue to succeed in life as his competitive wrestling career ends. He has his master’s degree in educational leadership with an emphasis in athletic administration. He was a four-time Academic All-American at Iowa State. That’s something his grandmother is quick to point out - she is more proud of his work in the classroom than what he did on the mat during his Cyclone career.

One of the most impressive moments I’ve ever seen in nearly 20 years as a journalist came at the end of an interview I did with Joe after he placed fifth at the World Championships last month in Azerbaijan.

Joe had the lead late in the third period of his semifinal match against eventual World champion Makhach Murtazaliev of Russia. Joe was 20 seconds away from a spot in the finals before he was unable to hold off Murtazaliev and lost the match.

Joe followed by dropping his bronze-medal match to place fifth, and simply did not look like himself. He looked uncharacteristically sluggish and now it is easy to see why with his medical issues. Joe gave it everything he had, like he always did. Nobody could fault his effort.

What impressed me most about Joe was when we were wrapping up an interview a few minutes after he lost his final match. He was very upfront and candid about his performance, and made no excuses. I told him he was a class act for the way he handled a tough finish to the biggest tournament of his life.

Joe then called to me as I was walking away and said, “I didn’t win a gold medal here, but I have two gold medals waiting for me at home.�?

Joe was referring to his two young daughters, Olivia and Ava, who were back in Columbus, Ohio, waiting for their daddy to come home.

With the surgical procedure Joe had done Tuesday, it appears that he will be able to go on and live a normal life and watch his daughters grow up. He’s done wrestling, but he has so much more to live for and so much to offer. And knowing Joe, he will continue to make a big impact in numerous other areas and facets of his life. He wouldn’t have it any other way. He’s a man of great character - a model for how our athletes should carry themselves and represent our country.

It is unfortunate that Joe won’t have a chance to compete at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, China. He had the inside track on making the U.S. team after the strong season he just put together. But he did fill a big void in his career by making a U.S. World Team. He also qualified the U.S. for the Olympics in freestyle at 74 kilos with his top-five performance at the Worlds. By qualifying the weight class, Joe paved the way for a guy like Casey Cunningham, Ramico Blackmon or Donny Pritzlaff to win an Olympic medal for the U.S. next year at 74 kilos.

Joe didn’t win the gold medal he had worked so hard for. But Joe Heskett definitely is a champion in my book.

Posted by Wrestling Fan at 3:44 AM | Permalink