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High School Sports Participation Increases Again; Girls Exceeds Three Million for First Time

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Bruce Howard or John Gillis
INDIANAPOLIS, IN (September 5, 2007) --

For the 18th consecutive year, the number of student participants in high school athletics increased in 2006-07, according to the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS).

Based on figures from the 50 state high school athletic/activity associations, plus the District of Columbia, that are members of the NFHS, participation for the 2006-07 school year rose by 183,006 students to 7,342,910, according to the 2006-07 High School Athletics Participation Survey conducted by the NFHS. In addition, girls participation exceeded three million for the first time, with 3,021,807 females participating in 2006-07. Through the survey, it was also determined that 54.2 percent of students enrolled in high schools participate in athletics.

"This is certainly another great report on the interest of high school sports in our nation's schools," said NFHS Executive Director Robert F. Kanaby. "The girls participation figure is particularly exciting since this year is the 35th anniversary of Title IX. We are pleased that more and more girls are taking advantage of the opportunity to participate in high school sports. The results support the NFHS 2005-2008 Strategic Plan, in which the organization committed to providing stronger leadership and support for high school athletics and fine arts activities."

Last year, the NFHS began a new brand identity emphasis using a communications tag line of "Take Part. Get Set for Life.â„¢" In addition to its chief task of writing playing rules for high school sports, the NFHS is striving to gain awareness and support from state and local governments, media, corporate partners, and especially students and their parents.

Not only is participation at an all-time high, this year's increase of 183,006 participants from last year is the largest one-year jump since a rise of 225,168 between the 1994-95 and 1995-96 school years.

"Although we've had increases in participation for 18 consecutive years, a jump of 183,000 makes a strong statement that students want these programs," Kanaby said. "We must do all we can to keep these programs alive in our nation's high schools. We can demonstrate that participation in athletics and activities helps students succeed in life."

In addition to the overall numbers, the boys participation total of 4,321,103 is the highest participation in the past 29 years. This year's boys participation figure is second only to the record 4,367,442 in 1977-78.

Soccer gained the most female participants in 2006-07 with 16,077, followed by volleyball with 15,798 and cross country with 7,422.

Eleven-player football gained the most participants among boys sports in 2006-07 with 32,773, followed by soccer with 19,064, outdoor track and field with 10,195 and basketball with 9,934.

Basketball remained the most popular sport for girls with 456,967 participants, followed by outdoor track and field (444,181), volleyball (405,832), fast pitch softball (373,448), soccer (337,632), cross country (183,376), tennis (176,696), swimming and diving (143,639), competitive spirit squads (95,177) and golf (66,283).

In boys sports, 11-player football once again topped the list with 1,104,548 participants, followed by basketball (556,269), outdoor track and field (544,180), baseball (477,430), soccer (377,999), wrestling (257,246), cross country (216,085), golf (159,747), tennis (156,944) and swimming and diving (106,738).

Texas held its title as having the most sports participants with 763,967, followed by California (735,497), New York (350,349), Illinois (334,358), Michigan (321,400), Ohio (315,473), Pennsylvania (276,911), New Jersey (247,332), Florida (230,312) and Minnesota (220,241).

The participation survey has been compiled since 1971 by the NFHS through numbers it receives from its member associations. The complete 2006-07 Participation Survey is available here.

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Upcoming Programs and Events at the Colorado Springs U.S. Olympic Training Complex

By Nick Esares // U.S. Olympic Committee // September 6, 2007

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – The United States Olympic Training Complex in Colorado Springs, Colo., will host a number of events during the month of September. Boxers advancing from the U.S. Olympic Team Trials will train on complex as they prepare for the World Championships held in Chicago, Oct. 32-Nov 3. The World Championships will be the first opportunity for the 11 boxers advancing from the Team Trials to make it to the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, China. In addition, men’s and women’s freestyle and Greco Roman wrestling will be training as they prepare for the World Championships Sept. 17-23 in Baku, Azerbaijan. Alpine Skiing will hold dry land training during the month, and the U.S. senior sled hockey team is also scheduled to begin training.

WRESTLING: (719-598-8181)
# Men’s Freestyle World Team Training Camp, Aug. 23-Sept. 6
# Men’s Greco Roman World Team Training Camp, Aug. 23-Sept. 6
# Women’s World Team Training, Aug. 23-Sept. 6
# For more information, log on to www.themat.com.

U.S. OLYMPIC COMPLEX VISITOR CENTER (719-866-4618): For more information, visit www.usolympicteam.com.

RESIDENT PROGRAM:
Resident Program athletes represent the best in their respective sport and live at the Olympic Complex year-round for education and elite training.

TOUR INFORMATION:
Free public tours are conducted on a year-round basis by USOC Ambassadors. The U.S. Olympic Complex is conveniently located in the heart of Colorado Springs at 1750 East Boulder Street. For tour information, please call the toll-free information number at 1-888-659-8687. To make reservations for groups of 10 or more, please call 719-866-4656.

For more information, please contact Nick Esares at nick.esares@usoc.org (719) 866-2221. This press release is also available on the USOC’s media specific website at www.usocpressbox.org.

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Mustang athletes among country’s best

By Andy Watson
Friday, September 7, 2007

Part of ‘the best student experience’ lies in what gets experienced outside of the classroom and in a social setting.

Western's athletic teams consistently garner high marks with top athletes and championship-calibre squads.
Mustang Athletics provides students with the opportunity to watch affordable, quality sports around the campus this year.

Starting with Western's men's football team - with new head coach Greg Marshall at the helm - the Mustang sports season runs from September until December and resumes from January until mid-March, with 38 men's and women's sports competing in provincial and national leagues.

Last year, Western had four Ontario University Athletics (OUA) coaches of the year with women's golf coach Alan Edmunds, Brenyn Hodge with women's field hockey, women's volleyball bench-boss Dean Lowrie and women's wrestling coach Ray Takahashi.

Western also boasted a number of impressive Canadian Interuniversity Sport national championship appearances, led by the women's wrestling team and men's track and field team who finished with a bronze medal at their respective national championships.

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2007 World Championships preview at 48 kg/105.5 lbs. in women’s freestyle wrestling

Gary Abbott USA Wrestling
09/10/2007

One of the Olympic weight classes, the field at the 2007 World Championships at 48 kg is expected to be loaded with athletes who will challenge for medals next year.

The reigning World Champion is Japan’s veteran Chiharu Icho of Japan, who was also a 2004 Olympic silver medalist. She has a sister who is also a top star, Olympic champion Kaori Icho at 63 kg. In the finals of last year’s World Championships, Icho defeated 2005 World champion Xueceng Ren of China. Icho did not medal at the 2007 Asian Championships, but she is still expected to make a run for the World title again. Another option for Japan is 2005 World bronze medalist Makiko Sakamoto.

Ren is expected to be right in the battle for another title, if she is China’s representative on the World Team. China also features Li Xiomei at 48 kg, who was third at the Asian Championships this year. O Yan was third at the Junior World Championships for China this summer as well.

This year marks the return of 2004 Olympic champion Irini Merleni of Ukraine, who took the 2006 season off. Merlini was second at the 2005 World Championships, losing to China’s Ren in the finals. She is also a three-time World champion, perhaps the most talented wrestlers in the field at this division. Merlini won a gold medal at the Warsaw Cup, one of the preparation events prior to the World Championships this summer. Ukraine has a number of other athletes at this division, including Alexandra Kohut and Mariya Stadnyk, the 2005 Junior World champion. You can expect Merlini to wrestle if she is prepared.

The 2006 World bronze medalists at this weight class are Iwona Sadowska of Poland and Francine DePaola of Italy. DePaola was second at the 2007 European Championships, and Sadkowka placed fifth. Sadowska has won two World University medals, as well. Both will be expected to be in the mix again this year.

Canada’s Carol Huhyn, the 2007 Pan American Games champion, is always a threat to win a medal at this division. Huyhn has won a number of World medals in the past, most recently a World bronze in 2005. She has yet to capture a World title, and is capable of winning the division with a good performance.

The U.S. entry, past World silver medalist Stephanie Murata, is also a major medal hopeful. Murata was defeated in the Pan American Games by Huyhn, ending up with a bronze. She was also beaten by Merlini in the finals at the Warsaw Cup. Murata has as much international experience as anybody in this tournament, and has beaten most of the top competitors at least once during her career. This could be Murata’s final chance to win a World title, so she is expected to be in top form in Baku.

The two-time Junior World champion Sofia Mattsson of Sweden will be a top contender. Mattson won a bronze at the European Championships this year, and looked very impressive in Beijing, China at this summer’s Junior World meet.

Another 2007 European bronze medalist is Brigitte Wagner of Germany, a 2002 World champion who has been competing up at 51 kg in recent seasons. Wagner has proven that she can win at this level, and will make another run at a medal in the year prior to the Olympic Games.

Russia is loaded at this weight class. Perhaps the top performer is Lorissa Oorzak, the 2007 European champion and a past World medalist. Oorzak was a 2004 Olympian and a past Junior World champion. Other Russians to watch include Lilya Kaskarova of Russia, who was fifth in the 2005 World Championships, and Inga Karamtchakova, who has won three World medals.

Other World placewinners last year include Marina Markevich of Belarus, Nataliya Pulkovska of Ukraine, Hajar Ashtiani of Finland and Sunisa Klahan of Thailand. Klahan is a relative newcomer from a nation not known for women’s wrestling. Her second place at the 2007 Asian Championships makes her an intriguing new addition to this division.

Enkjargal Tsogbazar of Mongolia was the 2007 Asian Champion and a top challenger. She was the 2006 University World Champion and also eighth at the 2004 Olympic Games.

Some veterans from the European circuit are Fani Psatha of Greece, Cristina Croituru of Romania, Sigrun Dobner of Germany and Anne Catherine Deluntsch of France.

There are some competitive wrestlers among the Pan American nations, led by Mayelis Caripa of Venezuela, who was fifth in the 2005 World Championships and third at the 2007 Pan American Games.

This weight class has a number of veteran stars, including past World champions in Icho, Ren, Merlini and Wagner. Over time, Merlini has been the top athlete, but has not been on the top of the podium since the 2004 Olympics. With numerous past medalists seeking their first World title, and a constant influx of young talent, this division is always among the most interesting on the women’s scene.

RECENT WORLD AND OLYMPIC RESULTS

2006 World Championships results
48 kg/105.5 lbs. - Gold - Chiharu Icho (Japan); Silver - Ren Zue Cen (China); Bronze - Iwona Sadowska (Poland); Bronze - Francine DePaola (Italy); 5th - Marina Markevich (Belarus); 5th - Carol Huyhn (Canada); 7th - Nataliya Pulkovska (Ukraine); 8th - Hajar Ashtiani (Finland); 9th - Mary Kelly (USA); 10th - Sunisa Klahan (Thailand)

2005 World Championships results
48 kg/105.5 lbs. - Gold - Xueceng Ren (China); Silver - Irini Merleni (Ukraine); Bronze - Carol Huynh (Canada); Bronze - Makiko Sakamoto (Japan); 5th - Mayelis Caripa (Venezuela); 5th - Liliya Kaskarakova (Russia); 7th - Jenny Wong (USA); 8th - Francine DePaola (France); 9th - Sigrun Dobner (Germany); 10th - Zhyldyz Eshimova (Kyrgyzstan)

2004 Olympic Games results
48 kg/105.5 lbs. - Gold – Irini Merlini (Ukraine); Silver – Chiharu Icho (Japan); Bronze – Patricia Miranda (USA); 4th- Angelique Berthenet (France); 5th – Lorisa Oorzhak (Russia); 6th- Brigitte Wagner (Germany); 7th – Lidiya Karamchakova (Tajikistan); 8th – Enkhjargal Tsogbazar (Mongolia); 9th – Li Hui (China); 10th – Fani Psatha (Greece)

2003 World Championships results
105.5 – Gold – Irini Merleni (Ukraine) dec. Patricia Miranda (United States), 5-4; Bronze – Li Hui (China) pin Fani Psatha (Greece), 5:56; 5th – Makiko Sakamoto (Japan); 6th - Angelique Berthenet (France); 7th – Alfia Zaynulina (Kyrgyzstan); 8th – Inga Karamchakova (Russia); 9th – Kamelia Tzekova (Bulgaria); 10th – Mayerli Karipa (Venezuela)

2002 World Championships results
48 kg/105.5 lbs. - 1st - Brigitte Wagner (Germany) dec. Inga Karamtshakova (Russia), 4-3; 3rd - Ida Hellstrom (Sweden) pin Nicoleta Badea (Romania), 2:50; 5th - Carol Huyhn (Canada); 6th - Laurianne Mary (France); 7th - Angeles Barazza Sanchez (Mexico); 8th - Mayelis Caripa (Venezuela); 9th - Flor Quispe (Peru); 10th - Myrsini Koloni (Greece)

2001 World Championships results
46 kg/101.25 lbs. - Gold - Irini Merlini (Ukraine) dec. Carol Huyhn (Canada), 3-0; Bronze - Brigitte Wagner (Germany) dec. Farah Touchi (France), 4-2; 5th - Misato Shimizu (Japan); 6th - Agoro Papavassiliou (Greece); 7th - Volha Prydanikava (Belarus); 8th - Kamelia Tzekova (Bulgaria); 9th - Ayse Guneri (Turkey); 10th - Inga Karamthakova (Russia)