News Page
NCWA announces formation of Women's Collegiate Division
DATE: 7/20/2007 12:32:00 AM
Dallas, TX
By Tabitha Wilson
Promotions Director, NCWA
The National Collegiate Wrestling Association has officially announced the addition of a Women’s Collegiate Division for the upcoming 2007-2008 season. This monumental addition will provide the only post high school collegiate style venue for women, thus catering to a deeply underserved wrestling population.
“We are excited to lead the way and act as pioneers for women’s wrestling” said NCWA Executive Director, Jim Giunta. “Women’s wrestling is rapidly growing across the nation on the youth and high school level, but there are very few options for them on the college level.”
Currently there are just under 5,000 girls wrestling in high school nationwide. Only a total of six colleges offer women’s freestyle teams and until this announcement, absolutely zero post high school opportunities to wrestle women’s collegiate style wrestling.
Going into its 11th year, the NCWA currently has nearly 150 colleges and universities across the nation with successful men’s wrestling programs. With a strong core structure already in place, adding a women’s division to run along side the men’s should allow for a seamless and well received inaugural first year.
The NCWA is committed to providing and expanding athletic leadership opportunities through involvement in collegiate style wrestling.
With a strong commitment to providing and expanding collegiate style wrestling opportunities, the NCWA’s Goal is to have over 300 Universities actively competing intercollegiately by 2012. That’s more teams than the NCAA DI, DII and DIII currently have combined. With a bold Goal, so comes a bold Vision. The Vision of having a team at every college…every private, every public, every junior, every community college, every trade school, every secondary institution that wants to grow leaders.
Although the men’s and women’s wrestling divisions will be conducted separately, they will operate under almost identical rules and regulations as set forth by the National Collegiate Wrestling Association and the team’s respected institutions.
Since 1997, NCWA events have provided over 100,000 additional college matches to over 9,000 student athletes. These graduates would not have been afforded college competition without the expanded opportunities provided by NCWA member institutions’ coaches and volunteers.
About the National Collegiate Wrestling Association:
The National Collegiate Wrestling Association is committed to providing and expanding Athletic Leadership Opportunities through involvement in Collegiate Style Wrestling.
The NCWA is designed to be a spawning ground for America’s Leaders. NCWA Students not only excel athletically and compete well with their NCAA counterparts, but NCWA Wrestlers take athletics to another level. NCWA Student Athletes learn more than just how to wrestle, they Learn Leadership skills. Through a wrestling team model students not only learn, but get practical applied leadership skills. Some of which include: group organizational management, business budgeting, proposal and presentation planning, fund raising, motivational speaking, winning attitude, transportation coordination, and many other leadership skills necessary to make their team a success both on and off the mat.
NCWA Administration is 100% Volunteer. From the Executive Director and Board to the Conference Chairmen and Committees, the NCWA is the only National Wrestling Association that is 100 % Volunteer. That means 100% of any money earned goes to work providing serious opportunities for today’s young people.
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All Africa Games: Cameroon and Guinea to face off in football final
By Lyes Aflou for Magharebia in Algiers – 20/07/2007
Getty Images] Issa Hayatou, President of the Confederation of African Football (CAF), attended the Games' football semi-finals.
The final of the All Africa Games men's football tournament will be played between Cameroon and Guinea in Blida on Monday (July 23rd), the final day of the Games. Cameroon dominated in its semi-final match against Zambia, with two goals in the 53rd and 65th minutes.
Cameroon is heading for a record -- if it manages to win gold in the African Games for the third time in a row, it will be a first for the Games.
Guinea had one of their star players, Mohammed Sylla, sent off in the fourth minute for a bad tackle on Thursday (July 19th), but still pulled off a surprise victory over Tunisia, confirming their strong form after wins against Algeria and Egypt.
In the track and field competition which opened Wednesday, Nigeria's Dorine Amata won gold in the women's high jump with a leap of 1.89m. The silver medal went to South Africa's Annieka Smith who also jumped 1.89m but required more attempts. Another South African, Marcolline Tretorios took the bronze after clearing 1.83m.
In the 100m another Nigerian woman, Damola Osayemi, captured gold with a time of 11.20. Silver and bronze went to South Africa’s Constance Mkenku Constance (11.27) and Ghana's Anim Vida (11.33). On Thursday at the July 5 Stadium, Tunisia's Trabelssi Shayma took gold in the 20km walk (1:49.13). Kenya's Mercy Njoki won the silver with a time of 1:49.10, and Ethiopia’s Asnakech Ararsa took bronze with 1:49.29.
In basketball, Senegal knocked out Algeria in the quarter-finals, with a final score of 75-49. The teams reaching the semi-finals, which began Thursday at 4pm, were Angola (who beat Tunisia 72-47), Nigeria (who beat DR Congo 52-35), Mozambique (who overpowered Kenya 82-52) and Senegal.
Algeria's handball team edged out Tunisia 30-27 to make it through to the final, after being down 14-12 at the halfway point, in a match played in a packed July 5th Stadium. In the final, Algeria will face Egypt, who eliminated Angola 29-23 after leading 15-11 at half-time.
The Egyptian team dominated Thursday's men's weightlifting finals in the 105kg and +105kg categories and were in equally strong form in the women’s 75kg category, where Nahla Mohamed set a new Games record for the clean-and-jerk, with a lift of 151kg.
Both Egypt and Nigeria won in women's freestyle wrestling, ousting Algeria from the medal podium.
In women's handball Congo and Angola made it through to the final, to be played Saturday in the July 5th Stadium. In the semis Angola beat Cameroon 37-21, while Congo gained the upper hand over Cote d'Ivoire with a final score of 32-26.
In horse-racing Algeria took gold in the team competition, with the silver and bronze going to South Africa (43.18 penalty points) and Libya (23.38) respectively.
African Association of National Olympic Committees (ACNOA) President, General Lassana Palenfo, gave his assessment of the Algiers Games and said that they had been organised in an impeccable manner. He also cited the record number of countries taking part (52) and praised the attendance of all of Africa's Olympic committees.
Issa Hayatou, President of the Confederation of African Football (CAF), and Hamid Haddadj, President of the Algerian Football Federation showed their support by attending the football semi-finals. Hayatou announced that the CAF is planning to create an African Nations' Cup in 2009 solely for local players who are rising through the ranks in their national championships.
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Fists & Family
Fighting a way of life for Han sisters
By Bill Knight / El Paso Times
Article Launched: 07/21/2007 12:00:00 AM MDT
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They all seem so sweet, really -- until they punch you in the mouth.
The Han sisters, the fighting Han sisters, have a special dynamic. Jennifer, who just turned 24 and is about to graduate from UTEP, is the big sister and coach and best friend and cheerleader and mother hen to the twins. Stephanie and Heather, who will be juniors at Irvin High School this fall, are 16 and will turn 17 in late October and are full of laughter and energy.
Stephanie is the biggest, having grown to 5-foot-7 and fighting at 132 pounds. Jennifer, at 5-5, fights at 125. And Heather, fraternal twin with Stephanie, is 5-3 and fights at 110 pounds.
The trio just missed a sweep at the National Golden Gloves. Heather won a unanimous decision in the Junior 110-pound division. Stephanie scored a first-round TKO to win the Junior 132-pound division. Jennifer, who already has six national titles, lost a narrow split decision in the Senior 125-pound finals.
"The tournament was going so well," Jennifer said, shaking her head. "Heather fights and wins. Stephanie
fights and knocks her girl out. Stephanie and Heather were awesome. They not only won, they dominated. I thought I won. I know I threw more punches than her (Jody Ann Weller of New York) and I know I landed more than her ..."
"You won," Heather interrupted.
"Yep," Stephanie agreed, nodding her head.
These three stick together in everything, operating more like three best friends than sisters.
"But the true story of the tournament was the twins," big sister said proudly. "Everybody noticed them. All the fans and the other fighters remembered their names. Everyone was so impressed by them.
"First of all, they were the only twins there. And they are both beautiful; everybody remembers pretty fighters. And, most of all, they can fight."
The trio will be fighting again soon, competing in the Ringside World Tournament July 31 through Aug. 4 in Kansas City, Mo.
Fighting, though, is a way of life for the Hans. Jennifer is equally talented in kick boxing and is being courted by Chuck Norris' World Combat League. Stephanie and Heather are also talented kick boxers. Plus, both the twins advanced to state in wrestling, Stephanie making first-team all-city and Heather making second-team.
The twins laughingly compete for talking time, with Heather literally bubbling and Stephanie smiling and calmly telling her sister to quit interrupting her.
"I fought Amanda Crespin in the finals of the Golden Gloves," Stephanie said. "She won a decision over me at the National Junior Olympics Championship in Marquette, Mich. But this time I stopped her in the first round. The difference was, I had my coach in my corner this time (nodding to Jennifer)."
The proud older sister smiled and said, "Amanda is strong and she is a slick boxer, but she couldn't get past Stephanie's jab. They stopped it after one minute because Amanda was bleeding. They let it continue, but one minute later they stopped it for good."
Heather said, "I beat Jessica Barron of Kansas City, Mo., and she didn't touch me. I dropped her twice and gave her three standing eight counts. This was my second year to win it."
The trio practice long and hard, and their path to greatness is not without pain.
Jennifer has had shoulder surgery. The right shoulder kept popping out of place. And it still does.
"It did come out a couple of times in the finals," she said as if talking about a broken finger nail. "But fortunately it didn't stick; it popped right back in. It was painful. But after a few seconds, I could use my right again."
Stephanie has to deal with making weight -- in the boxing ring and on the wrestling mat.
"My happy weight is 138," she said, laughing. "My boxing weight is 132 and my wrestling weight is 128. It is so hard sometimes making weight. I swear, my children are going to be obese."
Heather, who talks as fast as she throws lefts and rights, laughed and said, "In the beginning, I had to go up in weight. I had to eat and eat and drink all this water. It was terrible. I was sick of eating and I was bloated. Now, though, I have to drop weight, too. It's terrible in wrestling. We go on an out-of-town trip on the bus, and we can't eat all the way there."
Pausing, giggling, she said, "But we eat all the way back."
The threesome, three minds seemingly funneled into one -- yet still somehow individuals, talked on, taking turns, each getting their point across, each expressing their love of competition, of fighting ... and other things.
"It's fun to travel," Heather said.
"And look at all the cute boxers," Stephanie added.
The two laughed, and Heather looked at her sister and said, "You know it's true."
Big sister, mother hen, best friend Jennifer laughed and said, "My brother Abie and I have to protect our sisters."
The three continue their hard training, continue to make weight, to get ready for the next battles.
Jennifer said she will be dropping her amateur status soon, but again glowed when proudly talking about her sisters.
"The twins are awesome," she said. "We are so hoping they will add women's boxing for the 2012 Olympics in London. The twins will be 21 and they will be there.
"You know, boxing is the only sport in the Olympics that has a men's competition and not women's. I really, really hope they will add it for 2012. The twins will be there."
And if they are there, they will probably be the same -- smiling sweetly, giggling, talking a mile a minute and then punching someone in the mouth.
Bill Knight may be reached at bknight@elpasotimes.com; 546-6171.
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Jeff Kolpack, The Forum
Published Saturday, July 21, 2007
The USA Wrestling Junior and Cadet national extravaganza opens today with a revised schedule that will shorten the tournament by two days.
But that doesn’t mean there will be less wrestling.
It does mean there will be some long days for everybody involved. The Fargodome will be bustling from early in the morning until late at night with Cadet (ages 15-16) Greco-Roman and freestyle, Junior (ages 17-18) Greco-Roman and freestyle and women’s freestyle and national duals over the next six days.
The change was approved in a vote of state associations.
“This year is a test situation to see how it goes,” said Pete Isais, director of national events for USA Wrestling.
Momentum for change started at last year’s tournament, when a new international scoring system shortened the length of matches. The event ended one session early.
“A lot of the state chairs thought we could shorten the event without compromising a lot,” Isais said.
But concerns are already filtering in, and the tournament hasn’t even started yet. Isais said the longer days could be taxing on wrestlers, coaches, officials and volunteers.
John Nelson, a volunteer organizer from Fargo, is wary of finding enough volunteers for the evening sessions. He cited one example of families who would work entire sessions.
“But now that we’re going until 9 or 10 at night, they’re shying away from those,” Nelson said.
Bucky Maughan, the North Dakota State head wrestling coach and tourney organizer, thinks there will be fewer youths wrestling both styles. He said the possibility of some wrestling 25 matches in six days could lead to a greater risk of injury.
“There’s no time for your body to recuperate,” Maughan said. “If I had a kid in it, I would want him to pick a style because I wouldn’t want him to wrestle that many matches in that amount of days.”
Isais said that alternatives are already being discussed, including adding one day or making the event 10 days long, which would allow for one age division at a time.
He said the advantages of a six-day tournament are time and money. Many states have a training camp before traveling to Fargo, meaning some kids are spending around 15 days on the road.
“States felt they were alienating their better athletes because they didn’t want to commit that much time,” Isais said.
But the savings to wrestlers will probably cut into the economic impact of the tournament, said Cole Carley, executive director of the Fargo Convention and Visitors Bureau. A 2003 consultant’s study pegged the tourney at a $142 million impact.
“I don’t know how measurable it’s going to be,” Carley said of the impact cut. “It’s somewhat of a difficult call to make. We’ve still got a lot of people in town and everybody isn’t (at the dome) 20 hours a day. It’s still an extremely valuable event for the community.”
If you go
- When: Today through Thursday
- Where: Fargodome
USA Wrestling tournament schedule
Today
9:30 a.m.-2 p.m.: Cadet Greco-Roman preliminaries
4-9 p.m.: Cadet Greco-Roman preliminaries
Sunday
9:30-11 a.m.: Cadet Greco-Roman preliminaries
9:30 a.m.-2 p.m.: Junior Greco-Roman preliminaries
2-6 p.m.: Cadet Greco-Roman medal matches
6-9 p.m.: Junior Greco-Roman preliminaries
Monday
9 a.m.-1 p.m.: Junior Greco-Roman preliminaries
9 a.m.-1 p.m.: Women’s freestyle preliminaries
3-5 p.m.: Women’s freestyle medal matches
5-9:30 p.m.: Junior Greco-Roman medal matches
Tuesday
9 a.m.-1 p.m.: Women’s freestyle national duals
9 a.m.-2 p.m.: Cadet freestyle preliminaries
2-3:30 p.m.: Women’s freestyle national duals medal matches
5-9 p.m.: Cadet freestyle preliminaries
Wednesday
9 a.m.-1 p.m.: Cadet freestyle preliminaries
9 a.m.-2 p.m.: Junior freestyle preliminaries
2:30-6 p.m.: Cadet freestyle medal matches
6-10 p.m.: Junior freestyle preliminaries
Thursday
9 a.m.-noon: Junior freestyle preliminaries
2-4 p.m.: Junior freestyle preliminaries
6-10 p.m.: Junior freestyle medal matches
Readers can reach Forum reporter Jeff Kolpack at (701) 241-5546.
Kolpack’s NDSU media blog can be found at www.areavoices.com