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2003 World Championships of Freestyle Wrestling women’s preview at 48 kg/105.5 pounds

8/19/2003
Gary Abbott/USA Wrestling

A new champion was crowned in 2002, when Brigitte Wagner of Germany defeated veteran Inga Karamtshakova of Russia in the gold-medal finals, 4-3. Wagner has also won a Junior World title during her career and was third in the 2001 World Championships. She showed that last year was no fluke by capturing the gold medal at the competitive 2003 European Championships as well.

Karamtshakova has won three World medals, including two silver medals and a bronze medal. Karamtshakova beat Wagner in the 2002 European finals. She may not even be Russia’s first choice, as 2003 European silver medalist Lilia Kaskarakova is also listed on the preliminary Russian lists. In either case, the Russian entry should be among the top medal contenders.

Ida Hellstrom of Sweden won the World bronze last year, beating some very good athletes including Canada’s Carol Huyhn, America’s Patricia Miranda and Romania’s Nicoleta Badea. She has won two other World medals, including a silver in 2001 and a bronze in 1998 competing in higher weight divisions.

One of the top championship hopefuls will be Irina Melnik of Ukraine, who won the World titles in 2000 and 2001. Melnik was wrestling for Greece for awhile, but has returned to the Ukraine team and is getting ready for another run at the gold. She has victories over most of the top challengers in this division, and if she is well prepared, will be difficult for anybody to beat.

U.S. fans should have high hopes for Patricia Miranda, who has been as hot as any woman wrestler in the world this year. Last season, her first at this lower division, she was defeated in her pool competition by Hellstrom, and did not place. Since then, she has been on a tear. She has beaten Wagner twice, and three-time World Champion Miyuu Yamamoto Inoue in the Dave Schultz Tournament finals. At the first Pan American Games, she pinned Canada’s top star Lindsay Belisle in the gold-medal match.

This Stanford grad has thrived since joining the USOTC resident program. Miranda won a World silver medal in 2000 competing at 51 kg/112.25 pounds. All of these things, plus competing on the home mats in New York, will make her a true force.

Canada will be entering Lyndsay Belisle, who dropped in weight this year and defeated two-time World medalist Carol Huyhn for the spot on the Canadian team. She placed fourth the last two years at 51 kg/112.25 pounds, meaning she should be very tough at the lower division. Her loss to Miranda, or her silver at the 2003 Pan American Championships a few months earlier, do not diminish her ability to beat top international stars and challenge for the title.

Nicoleta Badea of Romania, who was fourth at the 2002 World Championships and fifth at the 2003 European Championships, has become a top contender. France should be very competitive, with either Laurienne Mary, sixth at the 2002 World Championships, or Angelique Berthenet, the 2003 European bronze medalists, in the lineup.

Japan has been the dominant team in the world, but has had some difficulties in this division recently. The Japanese entry did not place in the top 10 last year, and Japan has not won a medal at the lightest division for four straight years. However, three-time World Champion Miyuu Yamamoto Inoue has returned and would be an immediate challenger. Makiko Sakamoto is the other possible Japanese entry, and will be looking to put Japan back on top again. As an Olympic weight division, Japan will be putting extra effort into their athlete at this division.

The Pan American nations have shown some tremendous ability at this weight class beyond the U.S. and Canada athletes. Mayelis Caripa of Venezuela won a gold medal at the 2003 Pan American Championships in the spring, and was eighth in the World Championships last year. Angeles Barazza Sanchez of Mexico was seventh in the 2002 World Championships. Flor Quispe of Peru beat Caripa to take the bronze medal at the Pan American Games in August, and was ninth in the World Championships last year. With the competition in New York, the Pan American athletes should be very competitive again this year.

Greece gets an automatic entry in the Olympic Games in every weight class, so it will not be under pressure to place in the top five and qualify for the Athens Games. In any case, Myrsini Koloni of Greece was 10th in the World last year, but will be replaced for the World meet this year by Fani Psatha.

Tough athletes from Europe to watch include Nora Lauvstad of Norway, who was fourth at the European meet, and Kamelia Tzekova of Bulgaria, who placed sixth in the European Championships. Tzekova was fifth in the 2000 World Championships, and has an experience edge over many opponents.

The 2003 Asian champion was Mika Noguchi of Japan, who is not even listed as one of their possible entries. Chinese Taipei, which has shown talent in women’s wrestling, won the Asian silver medal with Kao Wei Chien, but their listed entry for New York will be Wang Ying Chi. India will be well represented, either with Asian bronze medalist Kamini Yadav or Commonwealth Championships bronze medalist Shamel.

China did not enter the 2003 Asian Championships in India, but were the World Team champions just two years ago. Li Hui is the Chinese entry in New York, and expect her to be well prepared. A veteran to watch in Norway’s Gudrun Hoie who has been competitive for many years.

With the development of women’s wrestling, there are always new teams and athletes entered each year. In addition, especially in the lighter weight classes, there can be some tremendous teenage competitors entering from the age-group ranks. At the end of August, the Junior World Championships in Turkey could expose some young stars that could be a factor a few weeks later in New York if they enter both meets.

This weight class will be jammed with talent, with defending champion Wagner of Germany, two-time champion Melnik of Ukraine, and perhaps three-time champion Yamamoto Inoue of Japan all in the mix. Throw in strong entries from Russia, Sweden, Canada and the United States and there is a tremendous opportunity for some great matches. U.S. fans will be rooting for Miranda to finish off a great season with a gold medal on the home mats. To be the World Champion at this division, a wrestler will have to knock off a number of tough talents.

RECENT WORLD RESULTS

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 - Irina Melnik (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)

2000 World Championships results
46 kg/101.25 lbs. - Gold - Irina Melnik (Ukraine); Silver - Inga Karamtshakova (Russia); Bronze - Carol Huynh (Canada); 4th - Farah Touchi (France); 5th - Kamilia Tzekova (Bulgaria); 6th - Maria de las Angeles Barraza (Mexico); 7th - Wei Chien Kao (Taipei); 8th - Misato Shimizu (Japan); 9th - Sarah Ehinger (Germany); 10th -Agoro Papavassiliou (Greece)

1999 World Championships results
46 kg/101.25 lbs. - 1st - Tricia Saunders (USA) dec. Xiue Zhong (China), 4-2, ot, 6:46; 3rd - Inga Karamtjakov (Russia) dec. Shoko Yoshimura (Japan), 3-1; 5th - Mette Barlie (Norway); 6th - Julia Vojtova (Ukraine); 7th - Angela Castellanos (Venezuela); 8th -Helena Honkamaa (Sweden); 9th - Farah Touchi (France); 10th - Lila Ritevska (Austria)

TENTATIVE ENTRIES, as of 8/21
48 kg/105.5 lbs.
AUSTRALIA - Lili Ristevska
BELARUS - Viktorya Hubskaya
BULGARIA – Kamelia Tzekova
CANADA - Lyndsay Belisle or Carol Huyhn
CHINA - Li Hui
CHINESE TAIPEI - Wang Ying Chi
CZECH REPUBLIC - Olina Orlovska
FINLAND - Hajar Ashtiani
FRANCE- Angelique Berthenet, Laurienne Mary or Mynam Prost
GERMANY - Brigitte Wagner
GREECE – Fani Psatha
GUINEA-BISSAU - Leopoldina Ross Davyes
HUNGARY – Viktoria Sarkozi
INDIA – Shamel or Kamini Yadav
ITALY – Francine De Paola
JAPAN – Makiko Sakamoto or Miu Yamamoto
KOREA - Park Ji-Young
KYRGYZSTAN - Jyldyz Eshimova
MONGOLIA – Tsogtbazar Enkhjargal
MOROCCO - Rajaa Rajib
NORWAY - Gudrun Hoie
POLAND – Iwona Sadowska or Katarzyna Zalewska
ROMANIA - Nicoleta Badea
RUSSIA – Lorisa Oorjak, Liliya Kaskarova, Inga Karamchakova or Natalia Ilina
SPAIN - Maria Del Mar Peralta
SWEDEN - Ida Hellstrom
SWITZERLAND – Karin Wild
TAJIKISTAN – Lidya Karamchakova
TUNISIA – Fadhila Bent Abdelka Louati
TURKEY– N. Ugurun Percin or Filiz Cikrikci
UKRAINE – Irina Melnik
UNITED STATES - Patricia Miranda
VENEZUELA – Mayerli Caripa

Starting August 18, TheMat.com will preview one weight class each day for the 2003 World Championships of Freestyle Wrestling at Madison Square Garden in New York City, Sept. 12-14. Please visit TheMat.com each day for a new preview of the championships. To discuss the World Championships with other fans, please visit the International Board and the Women’s Wrestling Board on TheMat.com Message Boards.

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2003 World Championships of Freestyle Wrestling women’s preview at 51 kg/112.25 pounds

8/21/2003
Gary Abbott/USA Wrestling

Host Greece celebrated a World Champion last year, when Sofia Poumbouridou of Greece upset Chiharu Icho of Japan in the World finals in Halkida. It was the best performance of her career, and an indication that she will be a serious threat this year. She claimed a European title in 2001, but was only ninth in the World Championships that year.

Japan is always tough here, with two-time World Champion Hitomi Sakamoto also available, in addition to World silver medalist Icho. Based upon recent dominance at this division, whichever Japanese athlete is in the lineup in New York will be expected to challenge for the title.

Natalia Golts of Russia won the bronze medal last year in Halkida. She is not expected to be the Russian entry this year, just like Poumbouridou may not compete for Greece here. Golts won the 2003 European Championships at 55 kg/121 lbs., defeating Poumbouridou in the championship finals. Both athletes have moved up to compete at an Olympic weight, and based upon their European finish, both are top hopefuls at their new division.

Russia is expected to enter Natalia Karamchakova here, especially after she won the European gold medal at 51 kg. She defeated Ida Hellstrom of Sweden in the finals, but Hellstrom is expected to drop back to 48 kg again for the World meet. Karamtchakova has placed as high as fifth at the World Championships in 1999 and 2000, but will be expected to be in the medal rounds this time around.

The quality of this division could be depleted, as athletes who have wrestled here move up or down to an Olympic division. For example, Canada’s Lyndsay Belisle was fourth last year, but has dropped to 48 kg. Canada’s entry will be Teresa Piotrowski, a veteran who should handle the challenge here well.

The U.S. entry is Jenny Wong, competing at her first Women’s World meet. She won the World Team Trials last year, but was beaten in a Special Wrestle-off by Stephanie Murata. After winning the Trials again this season, Wong defeated Clarissa Chun in a Special Wrestle-off for the team spot. Wong has been increasing her international competition, and had a medal performance in Russia this year. Wong has improved since moving full-time to Colorado Springs to train, and should be ready to put on a great show for the U.S. fans in New York.

Viktorya Brandush of Ukraine, M. Ugrun Percin of Turkey, Magdelena Arellano of Mexico and Alena Kareisha of Belarus were all World placewinners last year. The only one from this bunch to appear in the preliminary entry lists is Kareisha, who was sixth at the 2002 European Championships. Kariesha did win a bronze medal at the 2001 European event, making her a competitor worth watching.

European bronze medalist Alexandra Demmel of Germany, fourth-place placer Anne Catherine Delunche of France and fifth-place finisher Inessa Rebar of Ukraine do appear on the entry lists for their nation at this weight class. All come from competitive women’s wrestling programs, and should be expected to be in the hunt for medals. Rebar was fourth in the 2000 World Championships, making her a legitimate medal contender.

China will be represented by Wen Juling, who was seventh at the World Championships last year.

There were four competitors at the Asian Championships at this division in 2003, and none of them are on the entry lists for New York. On thie list is India’s Neha, who was third in the Commonwealth Championships this year, behind two Canadians. According to preliminary entries, Korea will be represented by Lee Na-Lae, Mongolia by Yura Gaudolgot, Chinese Taipei by Wu Li Chuan and Uzbekistan by Dinara Mirzaeva. There are more Asian competitors signed up for the World meet than showed up at the Asian Championships in India this year. How these individuals will fare in the World Championships is very difficult to handicap.

Norway’s Nora Lavstad was fourth in the 2003 European Championships at 48 kg, but will face larger opponents up at this weight division. Greece will enter Mersini Koloni, rather than the defending World Champion Poumbouridou.

The weight class was contested in the Pan American Championships this spring, but was not one of the four divisions at the Pan American Games in August. The USA and Canada did not enter athletes in the Pan Am Championships at this weight. None of the three medalists from that event show up on a roster for the World meet (although some could still show up).

With many unknown and untested athletes in this division, the talented veterans will be heavily favored, especially Japan’s Sakamoto or Icho. Russia’s Karamtchakova will have a chance to claim her first World title. America’s Wong will have a tremendous opportunity to make her name on the international level with a strong performance. The battle in the pools should be outstanding, as making it into championship bracket will guarantee a high placement.

RECENT WORLD RESULTS

2002 World Championships results
51 kg/112.25 lbs. - 1st - Sofia Poumbouridou (Greece) dec. Chiharu Icho (Japan), 3-0, ot; 3rd - Natalia Golts (Russia) dec. Lyndsay Belisle (Canada), 3-0; 5th - Viktorya Brandush (Ukraine); 6th - M.Ugrun Percin (Turkey); 7th - Wen Juling (China); 8th - M. Magdelena Arellano (Mexico); 9th - Alena Kareisha (Belarus); 10th - Stephanie Murata (USA)

2001 World Championships results
51 kg/112.25 lbs. - Gold - Hitomi Sakamoto (Japan) won by tech. fall over Stephanie Murata (USA), 12-1, 4:59; Bronze - Gao Yanzhi (China) pin Lindsay Belisle (Canada); 5th - Natalia Karamthakova (Russia); 6th - Vanena Boobryem (France); 7th - Djulia Okot (Bulgaria); 8th - Alena Kareisha (Belarus); 9th - Sofia Poubouridou (Greece); 10th - Inesa Rebar (Ukraine)

2000 World Championships results
51 kg/112.25 lbs - Gold - Hitomi Sakamoto (Japan); Silver - Patricia Miranda (USA); Bronze - Ida Hellstrom (Sweden); 4th - Inna Rebar (Ukraine); 5th - Elena Egochina (Russia); 6th - Magdalena Arellano Morelos (Mexico); 7th - Yvonne Hees (Germany); 8th - Faira Bjaoui (Tunisia); 9th - Li-Chuan Wu (Taipei); 10th - Marta Wojtanowska (Poland)

1999 World Championships results
51 kg/112.25 lbs - 1st - Seiko Yamamoto (Japan) dec. Erica Sharpe (Canada), 6-4; 3rd - Yanchi Gao (China) won by ref. dec. over Stephanie Murata (United States), 2-1, ot, 9:00; 5th - Natalia Karamtjakova (Russia); 6th - Ida Hellstrom (Sweden); 7th - Anne Catherine Deluntsch (France); 8th - Annett Kamke (Germany); 9th - Yulianni Orellana (Venezuela); 10th - Margarita Starikova (Latvia)

TENTATIVE ENTRIES, as of 8/21
AUSTRIA– Alexandra Hinterbauer
BELARUS - Alena Kareisha
CAMAROON - Michiel Tom G Mam
CANADA - Teresa Piotrowski or Sarah White
CHINA - Wen Juling
CHINESE TAIPEI - Wu Li Chuan
CZECH REPUBLIC - Andrea Friedrichova
FRANCE - Anne Catherine Delunche or Juliette Willocq
GERMANY - Alexandra Demmel or Nicole Hauptmann
GREECE – Mersini Koloni
INDIA – Neha
JAPAN – Hitomi Sakamoto or Chiharu Icho
KOREA - Lee Na-Lae
KYRGYZSTAN - Alfia Zaynulina
MONGOLIA – Yura Gaudolgot
NORWAY - Nora Lainstad
POLAND – Elzbieta Stryczek
RUSSIA – Natalia Karamchakova
SENEGAL– Evelyne Diatta
TAJIKISTAN – Natasha Nikitenko
UKRAINE – Rebar Inessa
UNITED STATES- Jenny Wong
UZBEKISTAN - Dinara Mirzaeva

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Training Notebook from the Women’s Junior World Championships Team - updated August 21

8/21/2003
Rusty Davidson/Women's Junior World Team head coach

Editor’s note: Women’s Junior World Head Coach Rusty Davidson is keeping a notebook concerning the preparation and competition activities of the 2003 Women’s Junior World Team, which will compete in Turkey this summer.

We will update the entries with the most recent postings at the top of the article.

Thursday, August 21st Notebook entry

We've reached a point where we need help! I hope many parents and significant others are keeping up with us on the website.

We hit a flat spot this morning. We are all close to weight (worst is only one kilo!). Each athlete is dealing with the reality that this is the Championship of everyone their age, their species, that chooses to take this challenge. That can be an awesome burden.

As Coaches, we are focusing on the preparation that was done months ago by caring Coaches back home. What we've added is a view of what it's like to finish preparing in World Class style, while in circumstances far less comfortable than we are used to.

If you are one of those that talk to our women on the phone, please echo what we believe... "Each of these girls DESERVES something good from this event. This is a huge opportunity to make a mark for each individual in their future.

More important, we have a chance to further the credibility of our Women's program, as we approach their first Olympic experience. All of us... Athlete, Coach, Parent, Friend... have to leave it all on the mat.

With that, today's quote... from Bon Jovi... "I don't wanna' be just a face in the crowd. You're gonna' hear my voice when I shout it out loud... It's my life and it's now or never. I ain't gonna' live forever. I just wanna' live while I'm alive."

We travel to Istanbul tomorrow. As soon as we find a computer, you'll hear from us.

Wednesday, August 20th Notebook entry

I realize it's been a few days since I shared our Daily Quotes. It's quite a walk to the internet cafe. Tonight, I brought our training log with me. Here are the quotes you've missed:

Sunday 8/17... DH Lawrence wrote it, but you know it from the movie GI Jane... "I never saw a wild thing sorry for itself. A small bird will drop, frozen dead from a bough, without ever having felt sorry for itself."

Monday 8/18... from another movie... Vision Quest... Lowden Swain said, "...but all I ever settled for is that we're born to live and then to die, and we've gotta' do it alone, each in his own way. And, I guess, that's why we oughta' love those people who deserve it like there's not tomorrow. 'Cuz, when you get right down to it... there isn't."

Tuesday 8/19... from Stephen Grellet... I expect to pass through this world but once. If, therefore, there be any kindness I can show or any good I can do, let me do it now. Let me not defer nor neglect it... for I shall not pass this way again."

Wednesday 8/20... yet another movie quote... from Yoda to Luke, in Star Wars... "Either do or do not... there is no try."

We made an effort to place these quotes, according to what the coaches anticipated on each day. They have fallen very close for us, making them usable.

This afternoon's practice was another one of those you just hope for, as a Coach. Everyone looked sharp. We're going to be tough to beat in par terre.

This will make life better for us on our feet, because it affords us the luxury of patience. We have plenty of offense, but we really hope to capitalize on our opponent's panic.

We will have two workouts tomorrow. We have learned that we cannot travel to Istanbul until Friday morning. This is really frustrating for all of us, but it's also one of those things we have no control over.

So... we'll make the most of it! We'll have our last technique workout tomorrow morning, then some structured freedom to manage our weight in the afternoon.

These are great kids! I'm not limiting that to our girls. The Greco and Freestyle men are quality. American should be proud of what our clubs and high schools are producing.

Tuesday, August 19th Notebook entry

We are so close to ready! Now, we just have to bring it all to a boil the right moment.

We had a great workout this morning. We're spending a lot of effort winning the par terre battles, and believe this will pay big for us.

We also grabbed Coach (Troy) Steiner for a little guest technique. He's got so much cool stuff, we simply had to take advantage. Some of our girls have been spending time in the men's workouts, both to get extra mat time and to sponge up some free technical advice.

This afternoon we had our (now infamous) "Sauna Practice". I had scheduled the sauna for us to take a break and relax. But, when I posted our daily schedule, I used 'Workout' and 'Sauna' in the same sentence.

It never occurred to me these girls in particular, and young people in general have not been taught to use the sauna for healthful purposes. Their thinking is that the sauna's only use is for the torture of "cutting" weight. What a tragedy.

We had a wonderful time, shared the sauna with the Greco guys, shot the bull, rubbed some backs, and developed another element of team rapport. We got some poison out and replaced it with good, clean water.

We're are all within striking distance with our weight management. It's never pleasant trimming those last couple of kilos, but we've got it under control. Our goal coming in was to make weight Saturday with as little emotional trauma as possible. The girls have done this right.

We'll spend tomorrow customizing each athlete's best techniques. We want to make sure we use all opportunities for each girl to score with her favorite stuff.

Tonight we're going to town and do a little dancing. Varna is a resort town, with plenty of clubs designed for younger audiences.

We'd like to take time to thank the people who read this. These girls are worth your time each day. It really makes 'em feel good that you care about their performance. We'll do our best for you. We want to hear them "play our song"!

Monday, August 18th Notebook entry

The thing that makes us wrestlers is that idea that... if there's a mat and some work to get done, life's in order. We had a great day!

Our morning started off a little slow. We had to step back and re-evaluate our goals. Besides being on the podium in a week, we want to take these women to the next level. And that is a level that demands a tremendous amount of focus and dedication to those skills that produce.

This afternoon's workout showed what this group is capable of. We wrestled our Iron-Woman grind matches again. Every single girl had extended moments of glory, but Liz (Short) and Ali (Bernard) had an exceptional performance from start to end.

We're working with our Bulgarian hosts on transportation back to Istanbul. We know we need to wake up there Friday (22nd), but we may have to travel all night again to accomplish that.

Guess we'll have to keep counting on that wrestler thing. Resilience are us!

Sunday, August 17th Notebook entry

Together again! We are all well, in Varna, working out, and in our own clothes.

Our original plans had me seperated from the girls, because I originated a day earlier going into Lake Placid. So... I'm waiting to board in Atlanta at 5:45pm, last Thursday, and catch a CNN report about the blackout in New York, Cleveland, and Detroit. My girls left Albany at 4:05 for... you guessed it... Detroit.

Of course, when they got there, they found relative bedlam. Fortunately, they also found Coach John Kerley (Cathy and Debbi's home Coach), who would join us. A helpful agent managed to rush them onto a Lufthansa flight to Frankfurt. Rushed them... not their luggage.

With me connecting in Paris and the girls in Amsterdam, we were scheduled to arrive within minutes of each other in Istanbul. The Frankfurt connection now has them four hours late. No problem.

The Bulgarian Federation sent a bus to pick us up in Istanbul. They waited patiently. KLM's office helped me track the girls and their changes. When they didn't exit customs after an hour, I sneaked in the back way and found most of them at "Lost Baggage".

Alaina had lost her ticket between Detroit and Frankfurt. A solvable problem, but not without another delay. Coach Kip stayed with her.

We got the lost baggage paperwork completed, sent the girls with Coach John and the Bulgarians, and I stayed in Istanbul.

Kip and Alaina connected again, in Zurich, and got to Istanbul at 2:00am Saturday. We found a cheap place to sleep a little, and were back at the airport by noon to find the men's freestylers and, hopefully, our baggage.

We did find three of the guys. No baggage. The next KLM flight was at midnight. We sweet-talked the Bulgarians and their wonderful manager, Desi, into taking us into town. We visited the Blue Mosque, Saint Sofia Mosque, and did some people watching.

Back to the airport at midnight. We found Coach McPherson, Coach Steiner, the remaining men's freestyle guys... AND 16 of our 17 lost bags. It was a moment of celebration.

We got all the bags and all the people on our small bus and headed for Varna. Leaving the airport around 1:30am Sunday, we arrived at the Varna training center just before 11:00.

We made some girls real happy with the found bags. We still have one of Cathy's and all of Coach McPherson's bags "out there", but we're much better.

Special thanks are due Coach John Kerley, for stepping in, supervising our girls, and running practice. Thanks to the girls, themselves, for remaining focused and disciplined during a rough time. Thanks to Ike (in Varna) and Haley (in the Colorado Springs office) for coordinating our communication. Thanks to the Bulgarian transportation staff for going out of their way to help us.

We had a great workout this evening. We are right where we want to be. We talked about wrestling, and how our lifestyle makes us superior at overcoming adversity.

We will all tell these stories for years and they'll all be slightly different. Our goal, now, is to give them all a common ending... "And then we won it!"

Saturday, August 16th Notebook entry

Quote for today… “Some men (or women) succeed because they are destined to, but most succeed because they are determined to”… Anonymous

We are destined to get up earlier than any of us want to. We are determined to get two quality training sessions in today.

Of course, we must realize there are other teams here, and be considerate of their schedules. We talked about this before we left Lake Placid. We will control all the things we can, but we won’t fuss much over the things we have no control over.

Several of our team members are on their first overseas adventure. Working with developing athletes, we believe this ‘go with the flow’ mechanism is a critical skill for both current and future success.

Today we will learn where to eat and where to sweat. We’ll find the beach and we’ll find bottled water. We’ll meet our Bulgarian training partners and our American male teammates.

We will do our utmost to jump right back into the routine we established in Lake Placid. It’s this routine or, better stated, the elimination of pre-tournament anxiety that will give us a huge emotional edge on the world when we get to Istanbul.

Friday, August 15th Notebook entry

Today’s quote… from Jon Gruden, Coach of the Superbowl Champion Tampa Bay Buccaneers… “At the end of the day I just want to feel like I’ve done everything I can to get the most out of whatever day I’ve been to work. Max out as a man and max out as a coach. Take some sleep and get up and do it again.”

Preparations have been made for our Istanbul arrival. Our Greco men have been in Varna since Monday. Our Freestyle men are a day behind us.

We want to sleep as much as we can Friday, with hopes of getting decent workouts on Saturday. This will give us big head start on beating the jet lag.

Thursday, August 14th Notebook entry

This is the first of two long, consecutive travel days. We drive to Albany, fly Detroit, Amsterdam, Istanbul. The Bulgarian Federation will meet us for our seven (plus) hour bus ride to the training center in Varna.

I expect we’ll arrive around midnight Friday. Hence, it may be awhile before we can get to an internet café. I’ll do my best to give you a picture of our plan… then clear things up at the first opportunity in Varna.

Our quote for today is best known from the movie Dead Poets Society. In it, teacher (Robin Williams) hammers the statement, “Carpe Diem… Seize The Day… Make Your Lives Extraordinary”.

Knowing what a grind the travel days can be, nevertheless we hope all of us will remember how extraordinary it is for wrestling to give us these opportunities. While many 17-20 year olds are cruising the local drive in one more time before school starts, ours are cruising from Istanbul to Varna. Not a bad way to live!

Wednesday, August 13th Notebook entry

Today had the old ATWA (Adirondack Threestyle Wrestling Association) logo tattooed all over it.

Let’s start with our quote of the day… “Rocks are hard. Water is wet. You can if you can. You can’t if you can’t.” That’s directly from Coach Joe DeMeo, the upstate New York legend.

Now, add a surprise visit from Jeff Blatnick, himself an ATWA boy, 1984 Olympic Greco-Roman Champion. Jeff came up with Juanita and Nicole’s club Coach, Jack Prest. The two stayed for our entire morning workout. Blatnick had some words of wisdom and inspiration for all of us.

How cool it is, when Women’s Wrestling has reached the point where a Juniors Team gets enough attention that an Olympic Champion gives up his day just to be around it! Makes you look forward to the day when FEMALE Olympic Champions come to visit… doesn’t it?

This afternoon, the girls were featured guests at Ski-Jumping’s Wet Wednesday. They took part in a Karaoke competition and helped with some of the games. We got to see winter athletes do some fantastic aerials into a deep pool. The crowd received us well. In fact we had several visitors in to view our afternoon workout.

The workout, itself, was our last tough one… kind of an IronWoman sort of grind match. We have accomplished our goals for the Lake Placid portion of our training.

Our girls are way more than healthy… they’re tough as nails! We’ve just started on the next phase, developing alternative strategies to expose our strengths during the match.

We want to be a little more patient than the old American Reputation. When we score, though, we want to score in bunches. With our conditioning, our technical expertise, and our mental toughness, we plan to jump all over an opponent, before she has a chance to find herself.

All of our plans are aimed at beating the second best woman on the planet. We realize fully that it will probably be close, and that it will take our entire focus and energy. We are ready!

Tuesday, August 12th Notebook entry

What a great day! We gambled a little on doing some “alternative” training yesterday, and it’s paid off… big time.

Our conditioning is better than anyone’s on the planet. Our weight management scheme is right on target. We’ve got a couple of bumps and bruises from the intensity of our workouts, but everyone’s healthy.

Our women are extremely well coached, on their home mats. Anything technical that we’re doing is very minor, just some touch up. This allows us the luxury of time to work on strategy and tactic on the mat.

We’re convinced we can be successful on our feet, but we’re not going to hurry. We want to force a little “European” style back in their faces. If it’s going to be “Cat and Mouse”, we intend to be the Cat!

We are also convinced that all of this year’s World Champions will win their medals in Par Terre. With ongoing questions about what position we might come back from out of bounds in… we intend to be successful, no matter what! We know she’s gonna’ get some shots at turning us… she won’t. We know we can earn some shots at turning her… we will.

Tomorrow, between workouts, we’re being featured as guests at USA Ski-Jumping’s “Wet Wednesday.” Our women will lead some of the audience participation games, as well as doing our share of the Karaoke performances and Water Balloon fun. It feels great to be thought of as “Featured Guests.” We’re really being treated well here.

After “Wet Wednesday”, we’ll do our last minute shopping. Toilet paper, so far, is at the top of most shopping lists!

If you missed it earlier, we use a “Quote of the Day” to anchor our thoughts. Here are selections from the last couple of days.

Tuesday, August 11t quote from an anonymous contributor… “Class never runs scared. It is surefooted and confident in the knowledge that you can meet life head on and handle whatever comes along. Class never makes excuses. It takes its lumps and learns from past mistakes. Class is considerate of others. It knows that good manners are nothing more than a series of petty sacrifices. If you have class, you don’t need much of anything else. If you don’t, it really doesn’t matter what else you do have.”

Wednesday, August 12th quote from the TV show Xena, Warrior Princess… “We all eventually become what we pretend to be.”

Finally, we want to say thanks: To Jared, Maureen, Bill, and all the staff at the Lake Placid OTC for the care we are receiving… To Jamie, Karen, Haley, Kevin, and the others at USA Wrestling for looking after our needs… To Gary and Meredith, also at USA Wrestling, for giving us this connection with the people who care about us.

Monday, August 11th notebook entry

Today we hit a low spot… had to dig ourselves back out. We were successful.

One of the goals of our split camp was to get exhausted in Lake Placid. We’re on track for that. The girls are tired, but not exhausted.

We’ll keep going quite a few match pace minutes until we fly, Thursday. Once we get to the acclimation portion of our camp, in Bulgaria, we’ll taper off.

What we’re looking to do is heal up and get hungry for the violence! That’s why the demanding pace in Lake Placid. We want the girls to get used to this pace so that they’ll miss it after the five days we have in Bulgaria. Then we can return to Istanbul and beat some people up.

We accomplished one of our big team goals today, in the process of cheering up. Jared, who works at our OTC, is native to the area. He showed us one of his secret places along the Au Sable River. We went cliff diving!

One of our team goals is to create stories people will ask to hear again. We created one in the river. The lowest jumping point is probably 20 feet above the water. Two more are about 35 or 40 feet, but the higher one forces you to clear another ledge. Then, there’s the granddaddy… 60 feet above the water, over a tree, and right next to the falls.

Everyone, except Coach Rusty and Mary jumped the granddaddy! Both of the “sissies” at least jumped the 40 though. Juanita Russell was the MVP of insanity. This girl will jump off of anything!

We gave the evening practice to creative cross training. Our Hawaiian connection (Cathy and Debbi) drilled hard. Several of the others snagged the opportunity to go ice skating in the Olympic Arena (Miracle on Ice 1980).

So, we enter day six with a reborn enthusiasm. We’re still hoping to ride passenger with our USA Bobsleds team. We also plan to participate in the Ski-Jumping Team’s “Wet Wednesday” activities.

We’re also planning on polishing up our technique and wrestling harder than most people would ever want to. Oh, and winning the World Championship… yeah, we’re planning on doing that, too.

Sunday, August 10th notebook entry

Things are going well. Everyone’s pretty close to fighting shape. Weight management is on target. We are two weeks out. Our plan is, if we’re going to beat each other up, it’ll be while we’re in the states.

Once we get to our final camp, in Bulgaria, all we want to do is fine tune and create a hunger for the violence. All of our workouts mirror the times of the scheduled sessions in the World Championships. We believe the psychological routine will pay off for us in Istanbul.

A big part of our psychological preparation is a ‘Quote of the Day’. We use a hand-picked a series of quotes, appropriate for what’s on our plate each day during our camps. Here are samples from the early days of our Lake Placid Camp.

Thursday, August 7th… from Coach Gable… “You can’t ever work too much because there’s no such thing as being in too good condition. You can’t ever lift too much because you can’t ever get too strong. You can’t ever wrestle too much because you can always get better.”

Friday, August 8th quote from actor, Jimmy Stewart… “You have to develop a style that suits you and pursue it, not just develop a bag of tricks. Always be yourself.”

Saturday, August 9th quote from Muhammad Ali… “I sought advice and cooperation from all those around me… but not permission.”

Sunday, August 10th quote from NFL Coach Dick Vermeil… “If you don’t invest very much, then defeat doesn’t hurt very much and winning is not very exciting.”

It should be easy for all wrestling people to identify with these quotes. We’ll share our others, as camp progresses, so that you can tell what we’re working on.

Saturday, August 9th Notebook entry

Settling into a productive routine. Coach Kip (Flanik) is fired up. Wait… Coach Kip is always fired up!

One of the tools we’re using is a training log. Modified for use by the Women’s Junior World Team, specifically, this log is pattered after one created by Coach Mike Hagerty (Blue Springs, MO).

We’ve made a commitment to Coach (Terry) Steiner that we will do more than win this tournament. We will add a block or two to the development of our future elite women.

The goals we have set for this group are listed here. Notice we put several goals above the priority of winning medals and trophies. Don’t take this wrong. We intend to put all eight on the podium. It is simply our philosophy that, if developing athletes pour out the discipline it takes to achieve our prioritized goals… winning just kind of takes care of itself.

GOALS FOR THE 2003
WOMEN’S JUNIOR WORLD TEAM

* Represent the United States of America with Dignity
* Put the Well Being of the Group Before Any Individual
* Develop Positive Routines for Preparation
* Stay Healthy
* Make New American Friends for Life
* Make New Foreign Friends for Life
* Create Stories People Will Ask to Hear Again
* Laugh A Lot
* Win the World Championship

Friday, August 8th Notebook entry

Off to a great start! Seven of the eight are in camp. Mary Kelly arrives tonight (she had a summer school final, last night).

The girls look great. We asked ‘em to come in ready to rock… and they responded. Coach Kip (Flanik, Cumberland College) thinks I’m over the edge. He may be right.

Last night we had an easy, roll-around practice. This gave both coaches a chance to see what we’ve got. This morning… the test. We wrestled three live, nine minute bouts with 15 minutes drilling rest between.

These kids are tough, mentally and physically. I know they get the credit, but I believe there are people named “Coach” back home who deserve to know how much we appreciate them.

Tonight, we focus on par terre defense. With that work, automatically comes par terre offense. We believe we will win, or lose, in par terre. That doesn’t mean we won’t be savage on our feet. We intend to put ourselves on top.

Before signing off, another note of thanks. The staff at Lake Placid OTC are treating us like royalty! Everyone seems thrilled we are here. What a feeling! We are all pretty thrilled ourselves.

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Find a way’ to save wrestling at UMM

08/19/2003

Esteemed UM-Morris

chancellors and

athletic leaders,

I am quite sure that you are receiving numerous e-mails from many of my friends and compatriots in the wrestling community regarding the recently announced decision to end the Men's and Women's Wrestling programs at your university.

I hope that you are taking those that might be less than positive with a grain of salt. We in the wrestling community are no more or less passionate about our endeavors than anyone else in the academic and/or athletic communities, but we have been under some pretty considerable fire over the last three decades. . .which has no doubt raised a few hackles.

As you might have guessed, I am writing to offer my support to Coach Reese and the wrestlers and wrestling alumni at UM-Morris.

I ask you, as the leaders of your proud university, to find a way to sustain your truly admirable wrestling programs.

So many who have been right where you now find yourselves over the last three decades, have failed their students and alumni by folding too early in the game.

FIND A WAY! Set yourselves apart and truly define your legacy by winning this scramble you find yourselves in (in wrestling vernacular).

Doug Reese has proven to be an innovative leader in the wrestling community at large. . .I have no doubt that he and his supporters can and will find a way to make it work if you will only allow it.

FIND A WAY!

I can only offer my word when I tell you it will be more than worth it if you do.

I thank you for your time and consideration.

Sincerely,

R.J. Scott,

USA-Idaho Junior Director,

Assistant Coach, All Air Force Wrestling Team

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Letter on behalf of UMM wrestling

08/14/2003

(Note: The following is a letter to UMM Chancellor Sam Schuman in support of UMM wrestling. UMM has announced it will be discontinuing wrestling. The following letter from Emily Gulbrandson has been made public through e-mails.)

Dear Sam Schuman,

My name is Emily Gulbrandson and I graduated from UMM in 1998 with a degree in psychology.

This is another letter in response to the University's decision to abolish the Cougar wrestling program.

There's a reason why UMM has recently been under attack by a bombardment of letters supporting Doug Reese and the incredible wrestling program he's created.

I've read letters from perfect strangers who don't even know Doug personally, but only of the tradition he's created in small town Morris, Minnesota. That town of some 5,000 (including the University), which houses an incredible academic institution, would continue to be oblivious to thousands and thousands of people across the world if it weren’t for Doug Reese and his legacy.

It amazes me how the University can toot its Liberal Arts horn and claim to encourage the growth of well-rounded individuals when it's so quick to take a program that defines a Liberal Arts education.

On top of breeding incredible athletes, The Cougar Wrestling Program is historical, intelligent, passionate, persistent, challenging and admirable.

I began wrestling at the University of MN-Morris. I walked in with no experience, and Doug Reese took me in. Immediately I was in a group of people that I had never been inside of before.

That program is what kept me from transferring out of state. That program gave your University a life I couldn't find in any other program.

Within that program there was a passion, a heart, an excitement and a determination to push harder and achieve more than what you thought you could. That program allows people to dream, believe, work, cry, sweat, drive, and achieve goals that many people are too scared to even think of.

Never did I expect my college experience to include competitions at national and international levels, against world class athletes.

Never did I expect to meet incredible individuals from all over the world during my college years. Never did I think I would mentally conquer a knee injury and physically push myself to train and come back to place at University Nationals and become an All-American.

My college experience isn't measured by my test scores, the classes I took, the math equations we crammed to remember, or the countless hours in front of the computer, writing paper after paper.

I walk away from The University of Minnesota-Morris with a standard of life that isn't measured in money or a job title. I walk away from Morris with a standard of pride that's based on working with a passion, drive and a love of surrounding myself with the same kind of people.

I walk away a wrestler.

Before you take such an incredible program from your school, I encourage you to invest time in surrounding yourself with these people.

Go to a competition. Mingle with the people in this elite, loving and humble group of people to taste the flavor only the The Cougar Wrestling program brings to your school.

Spend a day in the life of Doug Reese. Research his athletes, check out his web site, travel with him, talk to him, read his words and listen to where he's been.

When I heard of the University's decision to cancel the program I wasn't sad, I was excited. I always felt Morris put a cap on his potential and the people he could touch. But now, after reading letters of support, I see for myself how many people he's already touched, and all the good work he does from that basement office in little Morris.

He brings nothing but good to a place that needs him.

You have a gem. You have an opportunity to reevaluate your decision and keep this diamond in your presence, or ignore every word backed by years of relationships, commitment, champions, titles and lives touched.

Either way, this program will exist somewhere, and this man will go on to touch lives. Keep the blessing in your hands, because there are few men like him with his scholarly intelligence, his years of hands-on experience, his undying diligence, his shield of faith and his spiritful sword.

**One Love **

Emily E. Gulbrandson

To the editor:

As an alum and wrestler, I was angered to hear that UMM has decided to cut the wrestling programs that have brought so much to that campus.

In fact, the decision seems completely illogical.

I know as a UMM wrestler my view is biased, but I have heard the same, unsolicited, opinion from a number of other “non-wrestling” sources.

It seems rather asinine to fire the only coach, besides the athletic director, who has more than five years at UMM; Coach Doug Reese has 13.

It appears moronic to cut a women's team that has brought national and international acclaim only to add another, most likely, mediocre team.

As a small college, it seems ridiculous to cut a sport that gives UMM a niche, a unique offering to women across the nation, let alone one that sends women to national teams to compete around the globe.

The wrestling team has produced 28 Academic All-Americans in the past six years; how many has the rest of the department produced?

They say the number of incoming freshmen who wrestle is down. That excuse is weak when you consider that football, as of late July, has 44 guys ready to go for fall camp. Mediocre numbers at best.

The football budget is 88k and has one win in 5 years, setting a NCAA record for consecutive losses and getting statewide press in the process. The wrestling teams, men and women, work on a budget of 39k.

Please explain why UMM would cut the most successful program just to add one that doesn't have a conference, coach, acceptable pool or any history of success at UMM? The rationale just doesn't add up.

I went to UMM for a number of reasons; one was to play football, but soon found my true calling on the mat. As a walk-on, I wasn't the most talented guy out there, but with lots of hard work I made a respectable athletic career as a collegiate wrestler, serving for two years as a team captain and becoming an Academic All American.

The lessons I learned in those long hours at the gym have served me well in life as well.

Now UMM is teaching me a new lesson: be successful, be innovative, be a leader in your field, show dedication, show perseverance, show innovation, stand up for what you believe in, and those in charge will cut you at the knees.

Instead, what is wanted is sheepishness, mediocrity (or worse if possible), and in all cases, toe the line (so much for diversity).

Chancellor Schuman, you once solicited my opinion of how to improve UMM athletics. I told you of the stink of politics that was ever present in each coaching hire. How the good were shut out and the politically correct advanced.

Well, there is a new stink in Morris and this time it isn't the ethanol plant or the experiment station, its Behmler Hall. Chancellor Schuman, if this decision stands, the last donation I will be sending to UMM is to return my diploma.

Sincerely,

Bill Roberts

Dartmouth College

Grantham, NH

UMM class of 1996