News Page

Three Pacific Boxers training in Colorado Springs will compete in Pacific Senior Open

11/26/2002
Blake R. Timm/Pacific Univ.

FOREST GROVE, ORE. - Kaci Lyle and Katie Kunimoto called Forest Grove home for only one year, but both are excited to be back.

"It's great to be back and see everyone," said Lyle, one of four Univ. of Pacific Boxers training at the United States Olympic Training Center (USOTC) in Colorado. "It's exciting to return, and I'm happy we get a chance to come in and wrestle for the week."

Lyle and Katie Kunimoto are spending the week training with the Boxer women's wrestling team. Sally Roberts, a third Boxer in Olympic training, will join the group Friday after spending Thanksgiving with her family in Seattle. All three will compete in the Pacific Senior Open, Saturday at the Pacific Athletic Center.

"It's a great excuse to come back and see everyone," Kunimoto said, "and I love seeing our old friends, but it's always good to get another competition in."

The trip to Forest Grove is the first break the two have had from training since leaving Pacific in May. Both were involved in an extended summer camp in Colorado Springs in June and July before being selected for USA Wrestling's Olympic Development Resident Program in August.

Since then, it has been wrestling around the clock. The 18 members of the program train four to six hours per day, both on the mat and the weight room.

Competitions, however, have been few in the early going. Both wrestlers competed at the Sunkist/ASU International Tournament in October. Lyle took third at the 158.5-pound class, and Kunimoto placed fifth in the 112-pound bracket. It was their first competition since the U.S. World Team Trials in May.

Earlier this month, Kunimoto won the 112-pound bracket at the Clansmen International Tournament, which paired her against some of the best women's wrestlers in the world. She edged Mexico's Magdelena Areilano, 8-7, in the championship final, to earn her first medal at an international competition.

Both women credit the intensity of the USOTC program for their success in international events. More intense, in fact, than they ever saw in high school or even in the Pacific mat room. "We're still getting used to it because we're taking our wrestling to the next level," Lyle said. "It's pretty demanding. We have to stay real focused."

"The training is amazing," Kunimoto adds. "It is very intense and can be really tough at times, but it is very beneficial for me."

The intensity, however, rubs off on other athletes and other programs at the USOTC. Lyle and Kunimoto have both taken in other sports practices, hung out with and received some pointers form the men's team as well.

"The freestyle men help us a ton," Lyle said. "They come in all of the time, and give us a chance to work with a lot of the elite Olympic guys. It's a great opportunity."

Kunimoto likes the focused, all-sports atmosphere. "Its neat that we can live on the complex and be around athletes all of the time," she said. "The men wrestlers that are there for freestyle are really nice and have been real helpful."

The unity between men and women help add legitimacy to women's wrestling, which will be a medal sport for the first time at the 2004 Summer Olympic Games in Athens, Greece. The sport is growing in the United States, but still rates as minor by fans compared to their male counterparts, and that of other sports also sharing the USOTC facility.

"We're the newest sport there, so we're under the microscope," Lyle said. "We have to be good on and off the mat. We have to show that we want to be there."

After the tournament, Lyle and Kunimoto will return to Colorado Springs for two weeks, and then fly to New York for the New York Athletic Club's Championships, Dec. 21-22. Training will continue in January, with a number of international competitions in Europe and Asia.

While they're at Pacific, however, both are Boxers once again. Lyle hopes to be both a training partner and an instructor for her former teammates this week. "I've got some new moves I've learned on both offense and defense," she said. ÒI want to be able to share that with the girls."

The Pacific Senior Open's women's bracket will feature the USA Olympic Development Team members, in addition to wrestlers from Pacific, Menlo College (Calif.), Simon Fraser and Douglas University from Canada. Competition begins at 9:00 a.m. Saturday at the Pacific Athletic Center.

------------------------------------------

SDHSAA decision could allow girls to wrestle

Associated Press 11/27/02

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. - The South Dakota High School Activities Association has decided to ignore a bylaw that prohibits a gender mix on teams, opening the door for girls to participate in wrestling.

Erin McKeown, a student at Lincoln High School, wants to wrestle for the school and Monday's decision paves the way for that.

McKeown, a freshman, had moved to Sioux Falls from Colorado during the school year and asked Lolly Forseth, Lincoln's athletic director, about wrestling for girls. That prompted a series of administrative actions that will probably end with the school approving the association's decision.

"It's a situation that has probably come up in the past but not here," Forseth said. "In Colorado, she wrestled at the middle-school level. It's not something new to the country, it's just new to us."

McKeown has been watching Lincoln's wrestling practice while waiting to be allowed to participate.

"It has been real smooth as far as the school is concerned," Forseth said. "The coach has been real willing to let her get involved. I don't see any problems. It's just a matter of going through the school board."

But some have questions about the SDHSAA's decision.

Debbie Hoffman, a Sioux Falls school board member, wondered whether the decision would obligate the district the let boys participate in sports usually played by girls.

"What are the legal implications of this decision?" Hoffman said. "If we allow a girl to participate in wrestling, what do we have for a boy who wants to participate in volleyball or gymnastics?"

There is also a chance that competitors will refuse to wrestle a girl, she said.

"Anybody who does something for the first time is going to be a trailblazer," Hoffman said. "It's not going to be a perfect situation."

Washington High School wrestling coach Marc Murren has not coached girls in wrestling but has coached boys who have wrestled girls in matches in Sioux City, Iowa, where it is more common for girls to wrestle.

"I didn't like the way it went. I won't do it again," Murren said. "It's really an uncomfortable situation for our kids. It's usually your least experienced kids going against the girls. I just don't think it's good for them. If the girls want to wrestle girls, I think that's great. ... But I just don't think boys wrestling girls is the right thing to do at this age."

--------------------------------------------------

Lincoln High girl asks to wrestle

BY BRENDA WADE SCHMIDT and MICK GARRY
Argus Leader 11/27/02

The South Dakota High School Activities Association decided Monday it will ignore a bylaw that prohibits a gender mix on teams, opening the door for girls to participate in wrestling.

Erin McKeown of Lincoln High School wants to wrestle. Monday's action by the SDHSAA will give her that opportunity.

The freshman, who moved to Sioux Falls from Colorado during the school year, asked Lincoln athletic director Lolly Forseth about the availability of wrestling for girls. The request set in motion a series of administrative actions that probably will end with the Sioux Falls school board approving the activities association's decision.

Neither Erin nor her parents could be reached for comment by press time.

"It's a situation that has probably come up in the past but not here," Forseth said. "In Colorado, she wrestled at the middle-school level. It's not something new to the country, it's just new to us."

The girl has been watching Lincoln's wrestling practices while waiting for the administrative green light.

"It has been real smooth as far as the school is concerned," Forseth said. "The coach (Steve Bambas) has been real willing to let her get involved. I don't see any problems. It's just a matter of going through the school board."

Erin McKeown will have to petition to wrestle, according to Jack Keegan, Sioux Falls superintendent, which would instigate a policy change by the school board.

"Our policy rules say boys on boys' teams and girls on girls' teams, so we'll have to change that," Keegan said.

Debbie Hoffman, school board member, said the district has to follow the SDHSAA rules or not compete.

"To compete at the state level, you have to agree to their rules," she said.

She has not read the ruling, so she is not sure whether it is a temporary ruling until the association can write other bylaws that would withstand a court challenge, she said.

She also questions the other obligations that a district would be under legally, she added. For example, would the district also have to let boys play volleyball and be in gymnastics?

"What are the legal implications of this decision?" she said. "If we allow a girl to participate in wrestling, what do we have for a boy who wants to participate in volleyball or gymnastics?"

She said she also knows there may be a chance that a competitor will refuse to wrestle her.

"Anybody who does something for the first time is going to be a trailblazer. It's not going to be a perfect situation," she said.

Washington wrestling coach Marc Murren has not coached girls in the sport, but he has coached boys who have wrestled girls in matches in Sioux City, where girls wrestling is more common.

"I didn't like the way it went. I won't do it again," Murren said. "It's really an uncomfortable situation for our kids. It's usually your least experienced kids going against the girls. I just don't think it's good for them. If girls want to wrestle girls, I think that's great. A lot of states are doing it, and it's getting a lot of support from mens college coaches, who see it as a way to save the sport. But I just don't think boys wrestling girls is the right thing to do at this age."

Typically, Murren said, boys have been hesitant to wrestle girls.

"There are definitely some girls out there who can beat some boys," he said.

"I used to leave it up to the kid but kind of told them it would be a chance to wrestle. I think I made a mistake in doing that. It was a tough situation."

----------------------------------------------------------------

Forget the jokes, women's wrestling is for real

Wednesday November 27, 2002
LIANNE ELLIOTT , RECORD STAFF

Don't even start with the comments.
Yes, this is a column about women's wrestling.

And no. No one is rolling in the mud. There is no Jell-O involved. Hair-pulling is not a legal move. And nobody is in their underwear.

The jokes are getting old. Women's wrestling is a serious sport that has taken off everywhere, even right here in Waterloo Region.

Almost every local high school that has a wrestling program is fielding a girls team this year.

The University of Guelph has a team, as does virtually every university in Ontario -- except for Wilfrid Laurier and Waterloo, which don't have wrestling programs at all.

Women's wrestling will be included in the Pan-Am Games for the first time next summer. And it will make its first appearance at the Olympics in 2004.

As the sport grows, women wrestlers might finally start to get some of the respect they deserve.

"I think we're getting more support now," said Guelph wrestler Tara Hedican,last year's junior world champion.

The 21-year-old is proof women's wrestling is serious stuff.

She practises six days a week, training with the University of Guelph team and coaching at Guelph Centennial, her former high school.

When she's not training or running and lifting weights on her own time, she's racing from meet to meet, winning all sorts of titles, including this year's national senior title in her 63-kg weight class.

She doesn't mind the time commitment and the tiring practices. And she loves being on the mat, trying to overpower every woman that steps in front of her.

"I picked the sport because it's one of the hardest sports out there," said Hedican, who has also played varsity rugby and high school field hockey.

"Wrestling requires flexibility, endurance and strength. To last out there on the mat takes everything you have."

Wrestlers like Hedican are an inspiration to the growing number of young girls starting in the sport.

When Kayla Collison heard that wrestling was being offered at her elementary school, no one in her Grade 8 class expected her to sign up.

"People were saying, 'This is the greatest guy sport,' " said 14-year-old Collison, now in Grade 10 at St. Mary's.

"I said, 'Forget that, girls can do this too.' "

Collison proved her point, sticking with wrestling and eventually joining seven other girls on her high school wrestling team.

She and her female teammates say more and more girls are coming out every year, many with dreams of one day competing at the nationals and Olympics.

Maybe by the time they get there, things will have changed. And maybe the Jell-O jokes will finally be out of style.

------------------------------------------------

Consol's Bottomley to wrestle Kansas

Eagle Staff Report 6/8/02

A&M Consolidated High’s Jamie Bottomley signs a wrestling scholarship at Neosha Community College in Chanute, Kan. Behind Bottomley are (from left) her mother Cody Bottomley and coach Brian Wessel.

-------------------------------------------------

Strength in numbers
Knights setting sights on state title

Paul MacKinnon 11/27/02
Special to the Times

While most teams tend to puff out their collective chests over a slew of consecutive district championships, the Hanks High wrestling program prefers to strive for -- and achieve -- far greater heights.

Two years removed from state 5A runner-up status followed by a sixth-place Texas ranking last year, coach Anthony Carter and his now-veteran Knights are showing the kind of talent that could lead to bigger and better results in 2003.

"The kids are very talented, just like sponges," said Carter, in his 13th year at Hanks. "The coaching staff shows them things and they pick it up right away and start executing. The thing they're lacking right now is the work ethic."

Defending 103-pound state champion Lou Perez leads that talented returning cast, with 180-pound state third-place finisher Reggie Armstrong, 125-pound regional runner-up Steve Gutierrez and junior 112-pound region second-place Chris Summers all grappling on the state mats.

"Last year, we took three juniors and one sophomore (to state). There wasn't one senior," said Gutierrez, unbeaten individually for a Knights squad hoping to improve by just one over last season's 28-1 match record. "This year, we're hoping to take all the seniors. If everything goes right, all eight should go. Maybe more, if everybody gets their heads together."

Hanks qualified wrestlers for regionals in all 15 weight categories for the first time ever at district last February. Champion 119-pounder Danny Hernandez (fifth at region) returns as part of that group with fellow seniors 160-pound Scott Whetstone (regional semifinalist) and 189-pound champ Aaron Aragon.

Senior 171-pounder Aaron Hogue, who saw his season end just before district, tearing knee ligaments at the 2002 Bowie Tournament, also returns to make up for lost time.

Throw what Carter called "three outstanding freshmen," undefeated 103-pounder Angelo Crinzi, 112-pounder Josh Wilson (12-1) and 130-pound Bel Air Tourney runner-up Jacob Valdez, into the mix and Hanks has hummed to an 8-0 start. The Knights held off second-place Cobre, Franklin, Montwood and Silver for their most recent conquest at last weekend's Cobre Tournament in Bayard, N.M.

Even though the district meet is more than two months away, the boys need to maintain their undefeated march just to keep up with the Hanks girls. Carter, just-hired assistant coach Mike Perez -- a former University of New Mexico and Eastwood High wrestler -- and strength coach John Sheets keep busy, attempting to maintain two state-ranked programs, what with the Hanks girls coming off back-to-back state second-place finishes.

Kim Quinonez, who may have gained name-recognition immortality after cutting off her hair in an attempt to make the 119-pound weight limit at the 2001 regional meet, returns for her final shot at a state gold medal after an garnering bronze as a freshman in 2000.

"That makes me want to work even harder," Quinonez said of the hair fiasco, coupled with just a third-place finish -- and no trip to state -- last season at regionals. "It's like a tradition for every Hanks girl to win state before they graduate."

Diana Reveles, 165-pound state second-place finisher in 2002, will also get a chance to put that theory to the test along with fellow returnee Tina Chavarria, bouncing back from a shoulder injury.

The Knights boys and girls have a busy couple of months in store, leading to district. Carter and staff play host to the Hanks Holiday Duals Tournament Dec. 7, one week prior to the 30-team Las Cruces Tournament.

After a 10-day Christmas break, the Knights return to action Jan. 3-4 at the Lone Star Duals in Arlington. They'll get to continue the sharpening process later that month at the renowned Bowie Tournament before diving into the three-week grind known as district, regionals and state.

"We want to win district and regionals again," the low-key Carter said. "That's going to be tough with Eastwood in our district. And, our region is always the toughest in the state. (Region 1) always brings home about one-third of the medals. A lot of times, the championship matches (at state) are wrestled at regionals."

While Carter chooses pragmatism, Armstrong and friends prefer to dream.

"Just winning state, that's it," said Armstrong, an undefeated 48-0, top-ranked in his division before getting disqualified in the 2002 state semis. "To get to first from sixth, it's going to have to be more than just me. I really pushed the team last year and, sometimes, I took it too far. This year, it's more relaxed. I just remind the guys of what happened."

And, hopefully, what could be.