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Giang misses Beijing berth

Nghiem Thi Giang could not secure a ticket to the Olympics after failing to win a gold medal at the Asian Wrestling Championship that wrapped up on Sunday in South Korea.

Giang, who won a gold medal at Thailand's Southeast Asian Games last year, faced and lost to world silver medallist Saori Yoshida of Japan. Yoshida won her ticket to Beijing when she took the final match of the women's 55kg category.

There are still two tournaments to select the 16 athletes who will make it to the Olympics in Canada on May 16-17 and in Sweden two weeks later.

Sport wrestling a hit with girls' program

By Nadine Armstrong

Sport wrestling was a big hit during the school boards's March Break Girls Camp in Hants County. nadine Armstrong

The Hants Journal/NovaNewsNow.com

Grade 6 girls from three Hants County schools spent March break doing a little female bonding in preparation for middle school. And wrestling was a hit.

Part of an Annapolis Valley Regional School Board program -- with funding from Active Kids, Healthy Kids and Health Promoting Schools initiatives -- the girls participated in activities such as boxing, yoga, wresting and hiking. School board sports animator Jen Kelday said the March Break Girls Camp was a great way to introduce new activities. “It's mostly about promoting healthy living. There are a lot of sports these girls have not been introduced to that they may want to participate in later on.”

The day spent participating in the sport of wrestling at the Three Mile Plains school was a great success. More than 60 per cent of participants said it was their top pick of activities that week. “They raved about it,” Kelday said. “I think some of them are interested enough in wrestling now to take it up in junior high school.

Sgt. Mike Lidstone of the RCMP coaches both the girls and boys wresting teams at Avon View High School. He was on had that week with an introduction to the sport and said it was a great success.

Becoming recognized

“Female wrestling is finally becoming recognized in a big way,” Lidstone said. There was a lot of talent shown that afternoon, and he hopes some of the students involved will take up the sport in the new school year.

“Canada is one of the top countries in the World in female wrestling,” he said. It was started in the early 1990s in Canada -- which was several years ahead of the USA. It is a sport in which girls have the same opportunity as males. There are provincial, national, Pan-American championships, Commonwealth Championships and World Championships as well as other large international championships in which females can compete. As well, he added that more universities are handing out scholarships for female wresting competitors

One of his bright lights is Robin Dunbar, who recently won the gold at the provincials. She was invited to lend a hand that day as a positive role model.

Dunbar became involved with wrestling in Grade 8 and said it was a privilege to come and help inspire other girls to become involved. “What people thing about when think of wresting is the guys but girls are just as strong,” she said.

Gave her strength

Wrestling gave Dunbar the strength to know she would compete. “It’s just one of those sports where its all up to you, there is no one else you can depend on or blame if you loose.”

Seeing the enthusiasm of the participants was a big rush for Dunbar. “There were a lot of girls with potential,” she said. “I wish there was this kind of program when I was young because I would have started wrestling at an earlier age.” On top of that, there was a whole lot of fun to be had for everyone involved.

Kelday said the other purpose of the program was to develop a way for girls in the area prepare for the transition to the middle school, “It’s pretty scary to just show up at the there without knowing anyone outside your class. This is a great way for them to meet each other ahead of time.”

The WHMS is a feeder school for eight other elementary schools in West Hants and she said and that’s a lot of pressure. “It a chance for them to get to know each other and bond before the new year. It’s a positive way to move them forward to their Junior High years.”

ALL AMERICAN CAMP DETAILS

DATES : July 13-18, 2008

ELIGIBILITY: All Female Junior Division National Championship Participants (Women' DIVISION)

CHECK IN DATE: Sunday – July 13, 2008

CHECK IN TIME: 1:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. (Dinner begins at 4:30 p.m.)

CAMP ENDS : Friday, July 18, 8:00 a.m. (Campers become the responsibility of their respective State Associations after 8:00 a.m. on Friday, July 18, 2008)

CAMP REGISTRATION DEADLINE: An email stating intent to attend the camp, with preliminary numbers of all attendees for this camp, must be received no later than June 13, 2008. (Must be sent to Billy Wood at gtrhawaii@aol.com ) for more info please call Billy at: (808)-780-1590

FINAL CAMP COUNT: An Excel spreadsheet or Word document with the following information must be sent no later than July 3, 2008 to Billy Wood (USAW Women's Program – National Women's Director) at gtrhawaii@aol.com The information that must be included for each camp participant is: Full Name, Address, Phone number, Age, Parent or Guardian's Name and phone number (minors only), Roommate during camp. YOUR STATE ASSOCIATION WILL BE BILLED FOR THE NUMBER OF CAMPERS PROVIDED ON THIS SPREADSHEET. ANY ADDITIONS AFTER THIS DEADLINE WILL ALSO BE BILLED TO YOUR STATE, PLUS A $10 LATE FEE.

WRESTLING PRACTICES: All training sessions will be held at the NDSU Bison Sports Arena – Wrestling Room. A detailed schedule will be provided at the time of registration.

ROOM AND BOARD: All campers will be housed on the NDSU Campus in Seim Hall. Meals will be served at the Residence Dining Center (RDC). The meal plan for this camp is on a Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner format. NDSU Dormitory (Seim Hall) and Cafeteria (Residence Dining Center (RDC).

MEAL PLAN SCHEDULE: Breakfast, 7:00 a.m. – 8:15 a.m.; Lunch, 11:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.; Dinner, 4:30 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.

COST OF CAMP - including room and board:
Athlete Cost: $275.00
Coach or Team Leader Cost: $220.00
Each state must send one check for your entire camp delegation
Payable to USAW. Make a note on the check “Fargo Women's Jr National Camp”.
Please send the check to: Billy Wood, 28 Cedar Hills Drive , Pocatello , Idaho 83204
The full payment for camp is due July 3, 2008

ASICS/VAUGHAN WOMEN”S NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS: July 21-22, 2008. State Associations must still enter their female athletes, coaches, officials, etc. into the National Championships Online Registration site. [By 12:00 PM, CST, Monday, July 14, 2008] This does not affect the camp, but must be done in order for your athletes to be entered into the National Championships. Contact your State Association Chairperson for more details on this procedure.

GUIDELINES:

• All campers must be 2008 ASICS/Vaughn Junior Women's National Championships participants and remain on campus housing for the camp and the Championships.
• For accounting purposes, registration for the camp and the Championships will be done separately
• The State Association must pay for all their campers, and no individual payments will be accepted
• State Associations will pay for the competitors in the Jr National Duals and Jr Nationals separately from this camp.
• State must send a chaperon or coach to supervise the athlete(s) and these individuals must attend all practices, meals, and be housed near their athlete(s) in Churchill Hall
• Coaches/State Administrators are encouraged to send prior to the camp
• All campers must have approval of their state association State Chairperson
• Training camp will include both technique and conditioning sessions

CONTACT INFORMATION:

Pre-camp Questions and Inquires: Billy Wood at 808-780-1590 gtrhawaii@aol.com

Rootes named Brock male athlete of the year

Posted 2 hours ago 3/25/08

Brad Rootes is leaving Brock University in style.

The Niagara Falls point guard helped his team win the university’s second national basketball crown and Tuesday, he was named the school’s male athlete of the year.

Wrestler Michelle Fazzari of Caledonia was named the female athlete of the year.

Rootes, a fifth-year an applied health science masters student, became the first Brock hoopster to be named an Ontario University Athletics first team all-star for the fifth consecutive time. He was selected as the OUA West Player of the Year and a second team All-Canadian for the second straight season.

Rootes led Brock in scoring, assists, free throws made, minutes played and steals. He finished fifth in OUA scoring (18.8 points per game) and was second in the OUA and Canadian Interuniversity Sports in assists per game (7.4).

He leaves Brock as the school’s career leader in steals and made free throws and ends up second on the career list for points, assists and three-pointers made.

Fazzari, a third-year physical education major, helped lead Brock’s women to their eighth OUA wrestling championship in school history and a bronze medal team finish at the CIS championships.

The OUA first team all-star and CIS first team All-Canadian finished with a record of 22-2 and won gold medals at the CIS and OUA championships, the University of Toronto Open, Guelph Open, Brock Open and the Ontario senior championships. She also placed fourth at the prestigious Sunkist International.

Earning The Chancellor’s Cup for male team of the year was the basketball team. The national champions had an overall record of 29-14.

Winning The President’s Cup for female team of the year was the wrestling team. The OUA champions captured team gold at eight tournaments.

Other major award winners were: Richard DesChatelets, Director’s Award; Murray Nystrom, Josten’s Coach of the Year; Paige Gregson, R.M. Davis Surgite Award; Ryan Del Monte, Dallas Beaton Award; Roy Gentles, Sports Information and Marketing Award; Jen Kalanda, Professional Development Award; and Rob Palbom and Lindsay Bourk, Tom Kearney Athletic Therapy Award.