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A heart for gold

Friday, March 19, 2004
By Stephanie Hinkle/Democrat-News Intern

Former Valley all-American Leigh Jaynes has her sights fixed on Olympic gold [Click to enlarge]

Drive. Determination. Focus. While many can identify with these traits, only a few people can say that they have been to the Olympic Games or even been given the opportunity to audition for a spot on the world's premier amateur athletic stage.
ROTC Cadet Leigh E. Jaynes of Missouri Valley College and her training partner, Sandra Szendry, have set that lofty ambition -- preparing for the women's freestyle wrestling tryouts that will determine the U.S. team heading to the 2004 Summer Games in Athens, Greece.

Jaynes is a recent Valley graduate and is still in Marshall working to complete her ROTC training, undergraduate work in military science and her master's degree in business. She is working in the admissions office at MVC in exchange for tuition, room and board.

But it's Jaynes' time away from classes or her part-time job that defines her right now. A wrestler since high school in Burlington County, N.J., all her free time is currently devoted to training. That means a day that usually begins about 6 a.m. with a three- to five-mile run around campus. Jaynes and Szendry also spend about half of each day practicing techniques, doing sprints and different carries that are specific to the sport and even watching videos to pick up other techniques and ideas for moves. The two also lift weights from 8 to 9 p.m. every night and focus a lot on flexibility and agility.

Both Jaynes and Szendry, a senior criminal justice major from North Pole, Alaska, set to graduate in May, have been wrestling since their prep days, but both are still working in a sport that isn't widely popular or well-known.

Wrestling is still considered by most to be a men's sport and both had to wrestle on boys' teams at their high schools before joining head coach Mike Machholz and the Vikings in one of the first women's intercollegiate wrestling programs in the nation.

Jaynes' high school coach challenged her, telling her that he didn't think she could do it. Jaynes was out to prove him wrong saying, "I can do whatever I want."

Szendry said Title IX, legislation dictating that male and female college athletes be provided equal opportunities to compete, played a large role in the success of creating a women's wrestling program at Valley. "A lot of people think that we are out there to prove that we are better than the guys, but I'm out there to prove something to myself," she said.

"My message for young women is that if they put their mind to it, they can do anything," Szendry said. "Don't ever doubt your abilities."

Jaynes and Szendry spend about half of their day training in preparation for the Olympic trials in May. Jaynes has qualified in several tournaments already this year at 59 kilograms, a weight she likes to train at because it means she has an option of moving down a weight class for a potential advantage. However, at the Olympic trials, she'll be wrestling at 55 Kg. Szendry still has three chances to qualify and is wrestling in the 51-kilogram class.

Throws, often with some lift or altitude, are a major part of freestyle wrestling according to Jaynes. Her favorite is the suplex, where she throws her opponent over her own head and onto their back.

"A lot of girls are scared to try it because they don't think they have the flexibility and strength to do it," said Jaynes. She performed this move once this season at the Sunkist International tournament and said that onlookers were just amazed. "I'm just confident that I can do it even though it's such an advanced move."

Szendry is still part of Valley's women's wrestling program under coach Carl Murphree. Jaynes however, is training without the personal attention that is usually provided by a coach. Jaynes is part of the New York Athletic Club -- which pays for three tournaments a year and some coaching and training -- but as far as the last few months before the trials, Jaynes is on her own for coaching staff and travel money.

The problem in training without a coach is that Jaynes feels she doesn't have that additional set of eyes watching her to spot and help fix problems in technique she may encounter while training or at the trails. To get the assistance she needs, she has to find about $5,000 in monetary support through sponsors.

"I came back to MVC because I wanted to be loyal. I am as good as I am because of the programs and coaches here," Jaynes said. "I would like to give back, stick with the town and community."

Jaynes said that she would be willing to make deals and trades with individuals and businesses within the community who were able to support her with money. "I could make appearances, do endorsements, put a silk screen on T-shirts, warm-ups or even the singlet," she said.

"I'm driven," Jaynes declared. "Knowing that I have the potential of being the best in this sport is what keeps me focused."

"The Olympics are tangible," Jaynes said of her dream.

According to Szendry, "I don't know the meaning of the word 'quit.' I am determined and my dreams are huge. I will bleed, and sweat, and do whatever I have to do to improve and do great things."

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A class of her own
Junior pulls her own weight on Smithfield team

By Al Pearce

Published March 21, 2004

SMITHFIELD -- Warry Woodard doesn't consider herself a pioneer. She doesn't carry a "me against them" chip on her shoulder and is much too polite to gloat over her successes.

She says she's simply a 16-year-old kid who makes honor roll grades, runs cross-country and, oh, by the way ... wrestles for Smithfield High School. She considers it barely noteworthy that she's a girl.

"I'm a wrestler, not a girl wrestler," said the 5-3, 119-pound team captain. "I don't know of a time when I've ever thought that when I went out there. I know guys hate to lose to anybody, but they especially hate to lose to me. It's like when I got to girls' tournaments. I hate to think I just lost to a girl."

Woodard recently finished her junior season. She was 13-9, and two Region I losses kept her from the Group AA state tournament. "I had him beat," she said of her 10-9 loss to Mike Hamlett of Spotsylvania. "It was embarrassing, but I learned from it. I wasn't focused enough, wasn't paying attention to what I had to do. Forever on, I'll remember that and learn from it."

Three weeks after Region I, she won the 122-pound title in the United States Girls Wrestling Association's North Carolina Open.

A week later, in Rustburg, she won the organization's Virginia State Open title. Next weekend, near Detroit, she'll compete in its national championship tournament as the third-ranked wrestler in the country in the 110-pound class.

Her first gold medal remains one of her fondest memories. It was the fall of 2000, at a youth league tournament in Virginia Beach. She was maybe 90 pounds at the time and entering the eighth grade at Smithfield Middle School. After three years, she was still looking for her first major victory.

"When I beat all those boys in Virginia Beach," she said, "I thought, 'Wow, I can do this. I'm just as good as any of those boys.' Winning that gold medal gave me the confidence to know I could wrestle with anybody when I got to high school. Confidence is such an important part of playing sports, but a lot of people lack it."

As for the future: "I'm trying for an ROTC scholarship at Cumberland (Ky.) College because it has the country's best girls' team," said Woodard. "After that, the 2008 Olympics (in China) are a reasonable goal. It's so big, though, that I want to catch all the steps in between.

"The Olympics ... Wow, that would be awesome."

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Katy area wrestlers clean up at state:

TERRY CARTER, Houston Chronicle
Tex.: Mar 11, 2004

AS expected, wrestlers from the Katy school district made dramatic
strides over 2003's impressive showing at the Austin Convention Center by
hauling in six gold medals overall at the recent UIL State Wrestling Meet.

Katy ISD wrestlers set new precedents at the 2004 UIL Wrestling State
Championships Feb. 27-28 as Katy grapplers earned three gold medals and
Cinco Ranch took home two, with Taylor adding one more. Overall West
Houston grapplers claimed eight state championships, total with Westside and
Waller winning one each.

When Katy's Melissa Terry earned a single point in double overtime by
escaping from the grasp of Langham Creek rival Ana Ramey, the Lady
Tiger won a 2-1 war of two wrestlers who deserved to be state champions at 95
pounds Feb. 28. The senior was overjoyed after the match and credited coach
Tim Ripperger and her positive attitude for her first championship in four
tries.

"You can't let nerves get to you. They killed me last time," Terry said
of her four state appearances, including a third-place finish in 2003.

Katy teammate Teri Lopez also improved on her junior-year bronze medal
with a state crown at 138 pounds. Lopez studied previous matches with
Amarillo Caprock's Amanda Howland and knew to avoid Howland's upper-body throws.
It paid off with a 9-6 victory for the senior.

"I wrestled her before and beat her (at state) last year," Lopez said.
"I thought about how bad I wanted to win this. The credit goes to Coach
Ripp and (former Katy state champion) Lindse (Meadows)."

On the boys side, Cinco Ranch freshman phenom Jamie Sheets survived
grueling battles in both the semifinals and finals to escape with a 103-pound
state championship over Brook Cramer of Marcus, who was disqualified in the
final seconds of overtime for a flagrant misconduct after his takedown
attempt was waived off by referees. Sheets was given a 3-2 victory despite
dislocating his right thumb in the final and defeating Plano East rival Sean
Kitchen in the semifinals.

"I was nervous out there," admitted Sheets. "I want to have a whole lot
more opportunities to hit a goal of four-time state champion. This means a
lot to me. It's what I've been training the last seven years for."

Local teams battled through good fortune and misfortune over the
weekend as the Katy girls finished third, Taylor girls fourth, and the Cinco Ranch
boys grabbed fourth. Cinco Ranch won two boys' crowns, Katy two for the
girls and one for boys and Taylor one for girls.

Greater Houston teams thrived at the state tournament this year more
than in the past. Four boys from West Houston and Katy claimed gold medals
Saturday night in the Austin Convention Center and four girls from the area.

Ram Sara Cevallos made the highlight moves this year, finishing third
at 119 pounds after missing a trip to state by one point in 2003.

"I was third at regionals last year, so this is my first year at
state," Cevallos said after claiming her bronze medal. "I didn't want to miss
state again. No way. I worked so hard to get here, and I beat the girl for
third place who had beat the girl who won our region (Klein's Jessica
Allen)."

Among area teams, Cinco Ranch started the boys race well with freshman
Sheets' win, then Katy's James Aston repeated as the 180- pound
champion. Cinco Ranch also had Jimmy Benavides' fourth-place finish at 140 pounds
and Cas Roman's runner-up spot at 152 to add points. "I'm all excited for
Cinco," Mayde Creek coach Mike Demarchi said before Saturday's final
round. "They have three in the finals and one in consolation."

While the Cougars came up just short, Cinco Ranch coach Bill Dushane is
satisfied with the effort of his squad.

"It sets the tone I want," Dushane said after Sheets' win. "The first
guy to wrestle, fair or not, sets the tone. and Jamie upped the ante a notch
for everyone by winning."

The Katy Tigers, whose girls set a new standard by claiming third place
in the girls team competition, earned the most state wrestling titles of
any school competing. Seniors Terry at 95 pounds and Lopez at 138 pounds
each won gold and 128-pound Haver captured silver.

Many of Katy's top wrestlers are four-year veterans of state meets and
have benefitted from the experience.

"We're three-time district champions, regional champions and now third
in state," Ripperger said. "We've had three medal winners before, but not
this high. Two firsts and a second is pretty good."

Close behind the Katy wrestlers was Taylor, which landed two girls in
state finals. Mustang sophomore Lara Hamilton won her first state
championship at 102 pounds and Laurie Ashby finished second at 110 pounds. Hamilton
could not wrestle at 110 this season because Ashby already claimed the spot
after wrestling at state at 102 pounds in 2003. The sophomore Mustang tried
119, but picked up three losses, which eventually became her only defeats
before she dropped down to 102 pounds.

The biggest non-surprises for Houston wrestling fans included the
return of dominance of Tiffin, who will wrestle at Stanford in the fall, and
Katy's Aston.

Aston won his first state title in 2003 at 171 pounds before bulking up
for varsity football to 195. Wrestling at 189, Aston has been equally as
effective.

Both Tiffin and Aston completed undefeated seasons by winning their
crowns without being taken down by any opponent all year.

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THE MISSISSAUGA NEWS
Petite wrestler mixes power with her speed

TOM MICHIBATA
Mar 19, 2004

Big things often come in small packages.
At first glance, you would never guess Mississauga's Alexandra Denvir is a competitive wrestler. She's a petite 5-feet-2 and weighs 105 pounds.

But, on the mat, she is an explosive combination of power and speed.

In only her second competitive season, Denvir, 16, captured the gold medal at the Ontario Winter Games in London over the weekend in the women's 47.5 kilogram division. A member of the Lakeshore Amateur Wrestling Club and the Port Credit Secondary School teams, she won two matches, pinning Laura Fenn of the Matmen just 30 seconds into the gold medal match.

"I was pretty nervous going into the match but once it started, I knew what to do," said Denvir.

It was the second time she faced Fenn this season. She beat her on points at the Ontario Federation of School Athletic Association (OFSAA) championships earlier this year. Denvir eventually finished fifth there.

"OFSAA is tougher because here you only wrestle girls the same age as you. At OFSAA, they're all ages," she said.

In her first match she pinned PCSS teammate Jennifer Wauchope with 1:15 left in the match.

Denvir, a native of Cooksville, was experiencing the whole spectrum of emotions in the tournament. Her father Terry, a 48-year-old who has been with the Toronto police force for 28 years, has cancer. She called him before and after her gold medal match.

"I was very happy about it (winning). I thought it would make him happy so I put in the extra effort," Denvir said. "We're very close."

Mother Anna says her daughter is not one to be underestimated.

"When she started wrestling, her friends laughed at her because she was so tiny," Anna said. "But it's the tiny ones who are the feistiest. It gets out a lot of her frustrations."

Denvir practices with her younger sister Elaine, 14, who also wrestles competitively. Elaine is taller at 5-foot-4 but is in the same weight class.

"I like to spar with my sister because we push each other," Denvir said.

Denvir credits her development to coach Scott Proctor of Mississauga.

Proctor says Denvir had made huge strides in her two years of serious wrestling.

"Alexandra has strong defence -- she has a good ability to counter-attack and take advantage of opponents' mistakes to score," said Proctor, a former Ontario university champion and assistant coach at his alma mater, the University of Western Ontario. "She's very committed. She's always at practice, working hard."

Denvir is hoping to get a U.S. college scholarship down the road. Next up is the Canadian national open championships, April 1-3 in Windsor.

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MICK McCABE: Martin's Berridge not a gimmick, she's a medalist

March 19, 2004
BY MICK McCABE
FREE PRESS COLUMNIST

When this all began more than six years ago , Amy Berridge did not think about state championship meets or medals or standing ovations or making history.

She was just a little seventh grader in Martin who wanted to wrestle like her older sister, Andrea, and her younger brother, T.J.

"My dad used to wrestle and he suggested it," she said. "Finally, I said: 'Hey, maybe I'll try it.' "

Well, she tried it and last weekend became the first girl in state history to medal at the individual state championship meet.

The second day of the tournament, a caller suggested we write a story on the boy Berridge beat in the 103-pound class on the first day of competition and the effect the loss would have on him. Hey, everybody needs something to tell their therapist.

Seriously though, if we wrote a story on every boy Berridge beat in her career we'd be writing until Christmas.

As a freshman at Martin, Berridge wrestled for the JV team. The following year she earned a spot on the varsity and posted a 47-11 record, losing in the districts.

As a junior, she was 45-14 and qualified for the state meet, but was out with a pair of quick losses, including one to eventual state champ Lloyd Miller of Whittemore-Prescott in her opening match.

This season, she posted a 45-17 mark and won two of three matches at the team championships March 5-6 in Battle Creek, helping Martin to a second-place finish in Division 4.

She isn't a gimmick, she is an integral part of Martin's team.

"She's just a good athlete," said Martin coach Pete Boyd. "She was all-conference in softball and played basketball for three years. She never missed a practice until she got the flu this year. She's one of those kids you wished you had a million like her."

Berridge began the state meet with an 8-7 victory over Chris Deneau of Athens. The next day she dropped a 6-4 decision to Devin Hayward of Marlette. Then came the big one. She took Bronson's Drew Ferry into overtime and won, 2-0.

"That was nerve-wracking," Berridge said. It was nerve-wracking because she needed that victory to become a medalist.

The next day she lost her first match to Zach Adcock, 4-1, which dropped her into the seventh/eighth-place match against Deneau, whom she beat again, 6-4.

"He was nice about it," she said. "He wasn't like: 'Stupid girl!' I mean, who wants to be beat, especially by a girl. I don't, as bad as that sounds."

When the match ended, Berridge received a loud ovation, but it was only a preview of what was to come. At the awards ceremony, Berridge stepped onto the podium and the applause grew louder and louder.

"It was normal until they announced I was the first girl, blah, blah, blah," she said. "Then everybody was standing and cheering. It was like, wow! I didn't know what to do so I just stood and smiled."

Monday was a crazy day at school. Berridge couldn't turn around without someone congratulating her.

"I felt kind of bad," she said. "We had six people get medals at the state meet. I wanted everybody else to be recognized, too. But it was all about me."

Well, it should have been about Berridge, the first girl to medal at the wrestling finals.

The state meet may be her final wrestling meet. In two weeks there is an all-girls national tournament, but Berridge is a little burned out.

Besides, softball starts this week and that is her favorite sport.

"Some people have mentioned the Olympics and that would be neat," she said. "I could go to college and be on an all-girl wrestling team, but that would mean moving far away and I don't want to do that."

Instead, Berridge, who has a 3.7 grade-point average, will enroll at nearby Kellogg Community College and take general courses until she determines what she wants to do with the rest of her life.

That may or may not include wrestling, and if it doesn't, well, she has had a darn good career.

"I'll always remember standing on the podium," she said. "That will be a memory I'll have forever."

Yeah, that and the 100-plus boys she sent into therapy.

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Female wrestler learns discipline
Pageant also part of her busy life

HOMETOWN

By SHERRY VAN ARSDALL
Tribune Staff Writer 3/19/04

STEVENSVILLE -- A $200 bet compelled Allison Heritz to become a high school wrestler.

She joined the wrestling team at Lakeshore Senior High School three years ago on a dare.

"My sister, Jennifer, bet me $200 that I wouldn't do it," the 17-year-old senior said. "I never saw the money and actually I wished I would have done it my freshman year."

She is the only female freestyle wrestler to have competed on the school's junior varsity team for three years.

"I'm very proud to have that distinction," Heritz said.

This season ended without Heritz winning any medals in the 160-pound weight class, but she did earn two individual medals in past years.

Heritz concedes that she's not the greatest wrestler.

"I'm not too good at wrestling, but I've done it more for fun," the Berrien Springs teen said. "But it has taught me discipline and sportsmanship. A lot of the guys didn't think I would make it through the whole season, but they helped me after I had won and impressed them."

She credits Lakeshore coach Bruce Bittenbender for her perseverance.

"We have the best coach," she said.

Heritz's participation in the otherwise all-male sport has been an experience for the coach as well.

"The kids on the team treat her as a participant," Bittenbender said.

His fear for Heritz has been the possibility of injury. She suffered a herniated disc and also was hit in the mouth, but she's taken it all in stride.

"I did finish the meet," said the daughter of Alan and Kathy Heritz. "I used Oral Gel and took Ibuprofen and just dealt with it."

She also dealt with the pain from that injury during an event that gave her another distinction -- the Miss Stevensville 2004 pageant, when she was named Miss Congeniality.

"On the day of the pageant it still hurt," Heritz said.

"It's a blast being a queen and it's been a lot of dressing up, but fun," she said. "I like it."

She likes the fact that being part of the wrestling team has taught her to work with others and individually as well.

"You have to work with others and do it as a group. The coaches and the team are unified," Heritz said. "It's a team but it's also individual. We work together but by yourself, too."

That concept will help Heritz while being a part of the Miss Stevensville 2004 court.

"It'll help with unity to get all the girls together," she said. "It'll help working with the float and getting together with fund-raisers."

She's looking forward to the activities and events involved with Blossomtime.

"It'll be so much fun to know the girls from the other towns around here," Heritz said.

Her future plans include attending Kalamazoo Valley Community College to study business, before attending the police academy and pursuing a career in law enforcement.

She's participated in swimming, diving and track and field, and served as secretary of the Lakeshore Electric Car Club.

"I've been around guys with shop and welding classes, plus my dad races cars," Heritz said. "So I'm used to being considered one of the guys. I like to do what a lot of girls don't like to do."