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Kid wrestlers complete state level triple crown
Tuesday, May 4, 2004
The Columbian
Two wrestlers from Clark County completed the USA
Wrestling triple crown of
kids wrestling in Washington on Saturday by claiming
championships at the
Washington State Kids Greco-Roman Championships, held
in Sedro-Woolley.
Kelsey Hanson from Washougal and Dean Rogers of
Vancouver completed
their sweep of the three styles with championships at
the Greco-Roman
tournament. Both are in the novice division for
wrestlers born in 1992 and
1993, and both wrestle for the Southwest Washington
Wrestling Club.
Hanson, 12, is the first Washington girl to win
state titles in all
three wrestling styles in the same year. A
sixth-grader at Canyon Creek
Middle School in Washougal, Hanson won the 95-pound
folkstyle title and was
the champion at 100 pounds in the freestyle and the
Greco-Roman tournaments.
"It feels real good being able to accomplish
something like this," said
Hanson, who needed only one minute to pin her only
opponent Saturday at the
Greco-Roman state tournament.
She said improved technique on her throws during
the season was key to
winning the three state titles
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George continues on the hunt for gold
5/11/2004
Amy Ufnowski/USAW
Time is ticking down for Tina George to make her Olympic dream a reality. Tina is preparing to fight a battle she never has before, not even as a solider in the U.S. Army. She will be fighting for a spot on the first ever women’s wrestling Olympic team for the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens, Greece.
Tina George, above all, is a solider in the U.S. Army and a part of the World Class Athlete Program (WCAP). Along with being an accomplished wrestler, Tina has won the World Team Trials at her weight class for six straight years, she serves her country, and is ready to defend it should it become necessary. It is fitting that the motto of the World Class Athlete Program is “soldier first.” Once the Olympics are over, there is a chance Tina could be sent overseas.
Tina has been involved with the WCAP for three years. According to Shon Lewis, head coach of the U.S. Army team, Tina has been one of the most consistent wrestlers in the program.
Tina is a two-time World silver medalist (2002-03), and a two-time U.S. Nationals champion (2002, 2004). Also in 2002, she was named the U.S. Army’s Female Athlete of the Year. Lewis attributes much of Tina’s consistency and success to that of the Army’s individualized attention on their soldier/athletes and their excellent training partners.
“Training at Ft. Carson allows me to have my own coaches and training partners that have a vested interest in me doing well, making sure I have the best possible training situation to put me on the Olympic team and win an Olympic gold medal,” explained Tina.
Lewis, who is also a 2004 U.S. Olympic Greco-Roman Coach, enjoys coaching Tina and encourages her to develop her own style.
“Lots of previous coaches have tried to change her style before she came the Army, but I let Tina wrestle like Tina,” said Lewis.
Tina’s life revolves around her training, leaving her little free time for other things. Her training regime includes up to six hours per day in three different training sessions in two different environments. She has one more training session, at least twice a week, than most of her opponents at her weight class.
A typical day for Tina starts out at 5:00 a.m. and ends around 10:00 p.m. All of her training sessions include time at both Ft. Carson and the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colo. Monday and Friday are her three-session training days. Tuesday thru Thursday and Saturday are usually two-session training days.
When she is working out at Ft. Carson her training partner is often Jason Loukides, another member of the WCAP, who is a Greco-Roman wrestler at 96 kg/211.5 lbs. Primarily they work on technique, due to Loukides out-weighing her by 80 lbs.
“It is better to work with him even though he is bigger because he knows what positions I need to be in and has good control over his body,” explained Tina. "He is a good partner because he understood I don’t wrestle like most females and he was able to put together a technique that fits with my natural abilities.”
Tina is also a resident athlete at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs with many of her other opponents at 55 kg. She gets the best of both worlds, while training both at Ft. Carson and at the U.S. Olympic Training Center working with both freestyle and Greco-Roman wrestlers.
While working out at the U.S. Olympic Training Center, Tina is able to train with women at or near her weight.
With only four of the seven FILA weight classes being used in the Olympic games, it has caused many women to move to an Olympic weight class. Many women are moving to the 55 kg weight class to try to beat her. At first, Tina said she took it as an insult, but now sees it as merely motivation to prove to them they made a wrong decision.
“I plan to completely separate myself from the other women by taking my wrestling to another level with constant improvement and intense training,” said Tina.
“People see opportunities when they watch her wrestle,” explained Lewis. “But when they are on the mat wrestling her, it is a different story.”
There is a lot of talent at the 55 kg weight class. From top to bottom, it is stacked with World medalists. Including George, there is potential to have three world medalists in this weight class that will give Tina some stiff competition.
Those who moved to this weight class this season are 2001 World silver medalist Stephanie Murata and 2003 World bronze medalist Jenny Wong. Wong won her medal at 51 kg. This does not count out Tela O’Donnell, a 2003 U.S. Nationals champion, and Marcie Van Dusen who are ranked No. 2 and No. 3 respectively at 55 kg.
“I think whomever makes it out of the Challenge Tournament will be a legit competitor,” said Tina. “The weight class has so many good girls with such completely different techniques that I have to remain ready for all of them.”
With all the talent in this weight class, Tina, the 2004 U.S. Nationals champion, will have her work cut out for her come the Championship Series, May 23.
“Tina does not fear nor duck any of her opponents,” said Lewis. “She must bring her ‘A-game’ at Olympic Trials and stay focused from start to finish in order to win the Championship Series. When she wrestles like Tina George, she can’t be beat.”
Tina George is a fearless competitor and is up to any challenge she may face. After all she got her start in wrestling at 17 years old when another student in school told her it the toughest sport in school. Naturally, she had to see for herself.
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5/12/2004
Andrew Gould/NYC Sports Commission
Sports Commissioner Podziba and Rich Bender, Executive Director of USA Wrestling Announce the U.S. Olympic Team for Women's Freestyle Wrestling to Train in New York City in Preparation for the Athens Olympic Games
di Silvestri Wrestling Center on the campus of Staten Island's Monsignor Farrell High School will host training camp
New York City Sports Commissioner Kenneth J. Podziba and Rich Bender, Executive Director of USA Wrestling, today announced that the U.S. Olympic Team for women's freestyle wrestling will travel to New York City for a pre-Olympic training camp session, June 21-28.
"It is a pleasure to welcome the U.S. Olympic Women's Freestyle Wrestling team to Staten Island as they train for the Athens Olympic Games," said Commissioner Podziba. "As these athletes strive to achieve their dreams, they will join a long list of Olympians who have come to New York City to help launch their Olympic dreams. They will also help to inspire another generation of future Olympians. On behalf of the City of New York, I would like to thank USA Wrestling for choosing our city and the di Silvestri Wrestling Center for hosting this training camp."
Women's freestyle wrestling is the only new sport on the program at the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens, Greece. This training camp is historic, as it is the first women's wrestling Olympic Training camp ever held for Team USA.
The U.S. Olympic wrestling team in all three styles will be determined at the U.S. Olympic Team Trials - Wrestling in Indianapolis, Ind., May 21-23. The Olympic women wrestlers will train in New York City immediately after competing in the Titan Games in Atlanta, Ga., June 19-20.
The training camp will be conducted by the U.S. Olympic coaches for women's wrestling, USA Wrestling National Coach Terry Steiner of Colorado Springs, Colo., Tricia Saunders of Phoenix, Ariz. and Townsend Saunders of Phoenix, Ariz.
"It is the beginning of our training camps for the Olympics," said Coach Steiner. "People will be watching our training which should help build their excitement. This will help them understand the importance of what they are doing. We will be able to work hard and still enjoy what New York has to offer. We are pleased to take our show on the road and show another part of the nation what women's wrestling is about. It is important to the development of our program."
Some of the athletes expected to qualify for the Olympic Games and train in Staten Island participated in the 2003 World Championships of Freestyle Wrestling, which were held in Madison Square Garden in New York City last September. The United States placed a strong second in the tournament, led by seven individual medalists. The Olympic team training camp is also expected to have a bit of a local flavor as some of the wrestlers expected to participate are members of the New York Athletic Club, which has one of the world's most prestigious wrestling programs.
Held alongside the training sessions will be a series of special wrestling clinics for New York area youth, as a part of the Metropolitan Wrestling Association's (MWA) Beat the Streets program.
"We are honored to have some of the best wrestlers in the country in New York as part of the first women's wrestling Olympic Training camp ever held for Team USA," said Wendy Hilliard, Director of Sports at NYC2012, the committee leading New York's bid for the Olympic Games in 2012. "As a city of dreamers, we welcome the opportunity to host those athletes whose dreams of gold are mere months away in Athens."
Each evening, a top coach or athlete affiliated with the U.S. Olympic wrestling team will teach young athletes wrestling skills and strategies. Included will be the three U.S. Olympic coaches in women's wrestling, plus U.S. Olympic Coach Andy Seras in men's Greco-Roman as well as an instructor in men's freestyle to be determined.
"This is great for New York City and for the Metropolitan Wrestling Association. It allows us to bring the best wrestlers and coaches in the nation to our community," said Bill Crum, Director of the di Silvestri Wrestling Center and Executive Director of the MWA. "It is a great followup to the 2003 World Championships. This allows us to raise the bar for wrestling in New York even higher than we have done in the past."
The di Silvestri Wrestling Center, on the campus of all-boys Monsignor Farrell High School, was donated by Farrell wrestling alumnus Gary di Silvestri. Programming at the Center is expanding to effectively utilize the state of the art facility to benefit not only Farrell athletes, but to help grow the sport of wrestling across Staten Island and the New York City Metropolitan Area. The focus of the center is the climate controlled 40' X 80" wrestling room, which has wall-to-wall mats and padded walls.
Media opportunities with the athletes and coaches are available and should be scheduled immediately. For further information, please contact Gary Abbott of USA Wrestling at 719-598-8181.
The New York City Sports Commission ensures the continuation and growth of a healthy environment for professional, amateur and scholastic sports activities in New York City. In recent years, the Sports Commission has played a role in attracting or creating many new sporting events, including the NFL Kickoff Live from Times Square, the BMC Software NYC Cycling Championships, Senior Men's Tennis Championship, Let Freedom Run and The Wild Onion Urban Adventure Race. The agency is also working with NYC2012 to bring the Olympic Games to The World's Second Home(tm).
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Dear sports friends,
Greetings from Bulgaria and George Cup!
How are you?
George Camps are going well and we will have a busy summer again this year.Two European Championships for juniors and cadets - male and female are held at the Black Sea Coast in July and August.
A lot of teams will come to take part in our George Camps and watch the European Championships and others will come together with friends and relatives for these sports events and get a combination of training camps, Campionships and summer vacations and excursions.This is possible because both The European Championships are held at the Black Sea coast in Albena and Varna - wonderful sea resorts and excellent places for relaxation and entertainment - yachting, fishing, water-skiing, surfing and parties.
Important !
You still have the chance to take part in some of our summer wrestling tours
1. Bulgaria (Black Sea) - Romania
2. Greece - Crete
You can see the attached files for more detailed information or find us at:
GEORGE SPORT TOUR - Agency for sport and cultural exchange
www.georgecamps.com
gst@netel.bg
tel: +359 2 9719535
fax:+359 2 8706808
Note! For all our previous guests: We have a lot of photos which you can’t find at the web site but we will be glad to send you some if you are interested! You can also send us personal photos if you have or register in our guestbook at www.georgecamps.com
GEORGE SPORT TOUR - Agency for sport and cultural exchange