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CANADA CUP RESULTS

7/10/04

CADET
46KG 1ST ALYSA LAMPE
49KG 1ST CAITLYN CHASE
52KG 6TH MEGAN CORDEN
56KG 1ST SARAH PEASLEY
65KG 6TH SHALA SIMMS

TEAM USA THIRD PLACE

SENIOR
48KG 3RD HANA ASKREN
55KG 6TH JESSICA LAMINA
59KG 6TH JENNIFER CHU
63KG 6TH STEPHANIE SHAW
72KG 4TH TONI COPELAND

TEAM USA THIRD PLACE

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1st Midwest Nationals on the mat

Despite lack of numbers, and lack of Gable, director is pleased

By STAN MORRIS
of the Journal Star 7/10/04

BLOOMINGTON - Numbers might have been smaller than expected and one of the sport's greatest icons wasn't able to make a scheduled appearance, but director Mike Manahan still deemed the first Midwest Nationals wrestling tournament a success.

A total of 230 wrestlers competed in 12 possible divisions, from sixth grade through college, Friday at Shirk Center on the campus of Illinois Wesleyan University. The tournament was scheduled to run through Sunday, but with lower numbers only one day of competition was needed.

"The tournament was a success because you got to watch all these people put everything together and you got to watch all these kids get to wrestle a lot of matches," said Manahan, the Olympia High School coach, who expected between 400-500 competitors.

The day was to feature the legendary Dan Gable, one of the most decorated wrestlers the United States has produced. Gable, who coached the University of Iowa to 15 national championships in 21 years after a stellar wrestling career, was unable to attend the event after the plane scheduled to pick him up could not land because of poor weather conditions in Iowa City, Iowa.

"He was upset and the pilot was upset, but we weren't going to take any chances," Manahan said.

Gable, who had a 118-1 record and two NCAA titles at Iowa State before a gold medal in the 1972 Olympics, was scheduled to sign autographs and speak to the competitors about wrestling.

"He probably wouldn't like me to say this, but I compare him to Michael Jordan," said Manahan, whose resume includes 400 dual-meet victories in 36 years as a coach. "Michael Jordan did so much for basketball and Dan Gable did the same thing for wrestling. He's made wrestling what it is today."

Gable wasn't there, but announcer Sandy Stevens was in the house. The Glen Ellyn resident is well known in wrestling circles, having announced the NCAA Division I finals as well as the Olympics and World Championships.

Another disappointment to Manahan was that only seven girls competed after 2,700 invitations were sent. One of those girls, however, came from Maryland. Competitors from six states other than Illinois competed in six-man round robins.

"We had a lot of quality kids here and the wrestling was very good," said Manahan, who posted the event in magazines, on the Internet and sent invitations to every high school in a five-state area.

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Gold-medal wrestling hopeful visits Centennial
Toccara Montgomery promotes sport during girls' clinic

By MEYLA T. HOOKER / The Dallas Morning News 7/10/04

FRISCO – Three boys from Frisco Centennial's wrestling squad
attentively watched every move Olympic hopeful Toccara Montgomery made Friday.

Montgomery and her coach, Kip Flanik, were hosting a wrestling clinic
for about 20 girls in the Centennial gym.

The boys, who were there to prepare for a summer wrestling camp next
week in Oklahoma, weren't part of the clinic. But this was one lesson they
didn't want to miss.

"I've definitely been listening," 15-year-old Jeremy Weber said. "It's
real cool and interesting to see how she wrestles and what moves she used to
get to the Olympics."

The Athens Games will mark the debut of women's wrestling as an Olympic
sport. Montgomery, one of four women on the U.S. team, is a gold medal
favorite in the 158 ½-pound weight class.

The 5-6 wrestler, an education major at Cumberland (Ky.) College,
seemed in her element when teaching. She held the attention of all participants
when she spoke or demonstrated a move.

"I think they realize how lucky they are," Centennial wrestling coach
Mike Eaton said. "In a few weeks, they'll be able to see Toccara in Athens,
hopefully winning a gold medal. They'll be able to say they met and
worked with her."

Montgomery and Flanik have become avid boosters for women's wrestling.
The two have hosted clinics all over the country. Although the clinics are
geared toward teaching proper technique, Montgomery includes personal
advice.

"I always tell them about the hardships I've faced in the sport," she
said. "They don't always have to come out and see a top clinician who is a
guy. They can have one of the top women come out and do the same thing."

Flanik said Texas is a gold mine for women's wrestling. Texas and
Hawaii are the only states that have separate divisions for men's and women's
wrestling.

"Texas girls have the opportunity to be leaders in women's wrestling,"
Flanik said. "They are setting the standard for other states. I am
trying to show these kids that there are opportunities out there, and they have
choices after high school."

Weber joked that there was only one thing keeping him from asking
Montgomery for an autograph.

"She is built," he said. "That's definitely intimidating."

E-mail mhooker@dallasnews.com

WRESTLING CLINIC

What: Two-day clinic featuring Olympic wrestler Toccara Montgomery

When: Concludes Saturday with three two-hour sessions: 9 to 11 a.m.,
noon to
2 p.m., 3 to 5 p.m.

Where: Frisco Centennial's main gym

Cost: $75 for all three sessions