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Pioneer spirit on the mat
After wrestling boys most of their lives, St. Paul sisters set their sights on the 2008 Olympic Games.

BY RICK SHEFCHIK
Pioneer Press 1/15/05

Alicia Mena is used to being told she can't, or shouldn't, do
something.

She usually does it anyway.

There was the time, for instance, when she was 6 years old and wrestled
against a boy her age in a state meet. Alicia's mother, Martha, was
sitting near the boy's mother and heard her say to her son, "You go out there
and you hurt her. Show her she shouldn't be wrestling against the boys."

" 'I want to know what mother would let her girl wrestle. Women should
be home cooking and cleaning,' " Alicia Mena recalled the woman saying.

Martha was going to confront the boy's mother, but Alicia handled the
situation.

On the wrestling mat.

The boy charged at Alicia as soon as the referee blew the whistle.
Alicia used the boy's momentum against him, using a head throw to take him
down and pin him in five seconds.

"It looks like I'm getting his respect now," Alicia said to her mother
after walking away from the mat.

The boy's mother later apologized to Martha for prejudging Alicia.
Martha has grown used to that. The naysayers generally learn not to
underestimate what her daughters can do.

Alicia was a varsity wrestler and football player at St. Paul Humboldt
High School, lettering in both sports. Now she is the Humboldt Junior High
wrestling coach, leading her team to an undefeated season.

Elena Mena, Alicia's older sister, did not wrestle in high school. She
attended Cretin-Derham Hall and did her wrestling in Minnesota-USA
tournaments. Even there she had to stand up to those who opposed girls
wrestling boys.

Both hope to qualify for the 2008 Olympics at Beijing. Alicia, 21, and
Elena, 23, are aiming for the U.S. women's wrestling team — Alicia at
72 kilos (158 pounds) and Elena at 63 kilos (136). Alicia's picture, along
with her Olympic aspirations, has been displayed on the side of a St. Paul
Public Schools delivery truck for the past year.

As pioneers in Minnesota girls wrestling, the Mena sisters know the
road to the Olympics will not be easy.

"It's been a long, painful growing process," said their father, John,
who trained both despite initial misgivings. "You sit in the bleachers and
hear someone say, 'What the hell is that b- - - - doing out there? What's
with those people, are they sick?' "

No, they're not sick. They love to wrestle.

WRESTLING ROOTS

It began with Elena.

When she was 7, John began bringing her and Alicia to his coaching
sessions for his nephew and a few other boys at the Salvation Army gym on West
7th Street in St. Paul. Martha worked nights, so the arrangement worked
well — Mom got some sleep and they avoided the cost of a babysitter.

John showed Elena some moves she could practice with the boys, but he
had no intention of putting her in competition until a regional meet came up.
Elena pleaded for a chance to compete, and her father finally gave in,
putting her in a wild-card match.

"I said, 'What the heck. I'll pay the money to get her the USA card,
she'll get her butt beat and that will end it,' " John recalled. "She ended up
taking sixth in the state."

Then it was Alicia's turn. She, too, started early, at 6, and took to
wrestling immediately, but not without an adjustment period.

"She came home crying when she was 7 and said, 'The boys told me I'm a
boy because I wrestle and play football,' " Martha remembered. "I said,
'Alicia, you believe in what you believe; I'll back you up 100 percent. You
don't want to be a ballerina, that's fine.' "

Since then, Alicia has caused more tears than she has shed.

A KARE-11 TV reporter did a story on her when she was in fourth grade,
during which she was asked why she liked to wrestle. She looked into
the camera, made a face and said, "I like making the boys cry."

Alicia and Elena both laugh about that image now. It's almost part of
their mystique — the girls who are tough enough to stand up to the boys
because they've had to be.

"We grew up wrestling boys the whole time," Elena said.

It was by necessity. When they began, there were no other girls to
wrestle.

"When they were little, people thought it was cute. But when they were
bigger and still beating boys, a lot of people started getting
concerned," John said.

GIRLS ON THE MAT

Though no one could show the family a written rule prohibiting Elena
from wrestling boys past her 12th birthday, officials used that pretext to
prevent her from wrestling at the state USA meet at St. Olaf College
the year she turned 12.

Elena understands. Many parents didn't want their boys rolling around
the mat with an adolescent girl. In fact, the first time she wrestled a
girl, she, too, found it to be a "weird" experience.

"What do I do, Dad?" she said she wanted to know. "I didn't want to
grab anything. A guy I was with said, 'Now you know how I feel.' "

Yet to Elena, that's not a good enough reason to keep boys and girls
from wrestling each other.

"The last thing they're thinking of is doing something to me as they're
getting slammed to the mat," she said.

Eventually — thanks in part to John's threat of a lawsuit — Minnesota
USA wrestling granted girls the right to wrestle against boys until the age
of 18.

"It's still hard for them to accept," Alicia said of boys. "Wrestling
is the oldest sport known to man, and it's the newest sport known to women."

Alicia wrestled in Minnesota USA events with Elena and a growing team
of wrestlers coached by their father.

"We had from 15 to 30 kids in our little house all weekend," Alicia
said. "We'd take two big vans from the Salvation Army all around the state
and the seven-state area."

NEW ROLES

Alicia's success as a wrestler has carried over to her coaching.

"This hasn't happened at Humboldt for a long, long time," said varsity
wrestling coach Darryl Johnson, referring to the junior high team's
success as he watched Alicia lead a recent practice. "I recommended her."

Her kids respond eagerly to her coaching. Alicia works up a sweat,
demonstrating how to execute holds and throws on team members as the
opponent. No one seems to care that she's a woman — least of all Holly
Rodriguez, 15, the only girl on the team.

"She's great," Rodriguez said. "She understands it's hard to be a girl
wrestler because boys don't think we can do it."

Alicia demonstrates every day in practice that girls can do it. The
boys are convinced.

"She makes us understand how to start and execute the moves," said
Moses Kulee, 13. "We have respect for her."

Said Johnathan Nieves, 14: "She's a really good coach. I learned a lot
of stuff I didn't learn last year. She's fun to be with, but she
disciplines a lot. Sometimes we need it."

Although she has not wrestled competitively for a while, Alicia still
is ranked No. 10 in the world in her weight class. She played fullback and
defensive end the past two seasons for the Minnesota Vixens women's
football team, works in the cafeteria at Cherokee Elementary School and is
training for the St. Paul Fire Department's test to become a firefighter.

Alicia is grateful for all that wrestling has given her, not the least
of which is deep belief in her physical abilities.

"I feel sorry for the person who tries to kidnap me," she said,
laughing.

Elena, meanwhile, is attending Northern Michigan University's Olympic
Education Center in Marquette, Mich., taking college classes and
training in wrestling six days a week.

Both of them recognize that the next step up the ladder they've been
climbing will be the hardest. It literally will change their lives.

The playing field is equal now. No more wrestling the boys because that
was the only way to get better.

"I liked wrestling women better than men because they were way easier,"
said Alicia, who has lost only 40 times in 600 matches against women.

SERIOUS ABOUT THE GAMES

Now they wrestle women only. When serious training begins, about 2½
years before the Olympics, it will be the most rigorous of their lives.

"We've done it our whole lives, so we're immune to it," Elena said. "We
will always be doing wrestling for fun and enjoyment. But when we take it
seriously, it's a totally different mind-set. It's not even fun."

"You kill yourself to kill them," Alicia said. "And I don't miss that.
I'm not even a good person when I'm training."

"Right now it's so carefree — though not careless," Elena said of her
life. "But when you train, you want to grow your own garden so you know where
your food comes from."

It wasn't supposed to be this way. The Menas were just looking for a
place to take the girls while Mom got some sleep after work. But 20 years
later, it could end up with both in the Olympic Games.

When asked which of the two sisters is the more likely Olympian, even
Elena concedes that Alicia's strength makes her the favorite.

"When I see Alicia there, I'm going to be so proud," Martha said. "She
says, 'I'm going to the Olympics in 2008, and I'm going to take the medal.' I
believe she will."

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

Female wrestler competes with boys

By Dennis Knight

Mercury News 1/13/04

Silver Creek sophomore wrestler Tina Linhsamout showed that she can
compete with the boys by winning a pair of matches and finishing in sixth place
at the 20th annual Cupertino Memorial tournament Saturday at Cupertino
High School.

Sporting a shiner on her right eye after the competition, Linhsamout
won her first match in the 103-pound weight class with a 9-6 decision against
Billy Christopher of Union Mine. She then was pinned by Fremont's Boris
Novachkov before winning a 9-7 decision against Leigh's Joey Citelli. Linhsamout
lost 9-0 to Independence's J.R. Soriano in the fifth-place match.

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

Grappling with a dream
Amanda Caloia wants to be an Olympic wrestler

Wednesday, January 12, 2005
NEIL KERR STAFF WRITER

As she awaits a showdown on Thursday with Oswego’s 103-pound wrestler, senior Missie Dawson, Baldwinsville freshman Amanda Caloia has set her goals high.

Though she’s only 15 years old, Caloia is aiming to someday compete for the United States on the Olympic wrestling team.

Women wrestled in the Olympics for the first time in (Athens) Greece," said Caloia. "Even though I hope to play lacrosse in college someday, I also want to continue with my wrestling career. I really think there’s a chance I can get to the Olympics someday."

First things first.

Coming up Thursday, Caloia for the second time this week, is scheduled to take on a female opponent when coach Ken Brown’s Bees host Oswego in an Onondaga League Colonial Division match. Dawson and Caloia are two of four girls now competing on varsity boys wrestling teams in Section 3.

Although she has a 5-9 record in varsity matches so far this winter, Caloia has been improving steadily thanks partly to her workout partner — defending 103-pound state champion Shaun Farnham.

"I get to practice with Shaun most of the time," said Caloia. "He’s like my personal trainer. It’s awesome to work out with a state champion every day. He’s helped me get a lot better."

Caloia, who placed fourth at 110 pounds in the scholastic national finals at Lake Orion, Michigan last spring, has also benefited from the fact that her father, Joe, coaches the Solvay/Westhill wrestling team. Amanda has sometimes worked out with the Solvay team when she’s not training with her B’ville teammates.

"Amanda is serious about the sport," said Joe Caloia. "After she saw that two women from the United States — Patricia Miranda at 105.5 (pounds) and Sara McMann at 138.5 (pounds) — won medals in wrestling at the Athens Olympics, she decided then and there she wants to do that someday. She just might."

Last Saturday, at the Liverpool dual meet tournament, Caloia met one of the other females competing on Section 3 mats when she took on Camden High School’s first-year wrestler, senior, Britney Whitney. Caloia caught Whitney with a cradle hold late in the first period and ended the bout with a pin at 1:45.

Camden coach Dr. Wayne Edkin was impressed.

"That’s the first time I’ve seen two girls compete during a varsity wrestling match," said Edkin, who recently earned his 300th coaching win. "The fans at Liverpool got pretty boisterous when they realized there was a girl vs. girl match going on."

Fans at Baldwinsville might get a bit boisterous Thursday when Caloia seeks her second victory this week over female varsity wrestlers.

The fourth female varsity wrestler locally is Onondaga’s Anna Cummings, younger sister of former Section 3 champion Don Cummings. He is now wrestling for Mercyhurst College.

Like Caloia, Cummings is fully capable of defeating unsuspecting male opponents who take her lightly. Last Saturday, Cummings improved to 5-7 by beating male foes from Canton and West Genesee in the Watertown dual meet tournament. She went 2-3 in five matches.

"Anna is very serious about her wrestling career," said Onondaga coach Victor Zampetti. "She knows what she’s doing. She didn’t get into the sport tomeet male wrestlers — her primary goal is topin male wrestlers."

More female wrestlers are on the way. Both Central Square coach Bob Coppola and Fowler coach Rick Spicer report there are now two girls wrestling for their junior varsity teams. At Onondaga, fresh man Weslie Joyce is on the Tigers’ JV team.

Perhaps the day is coming when separate varsity wrestling teams for girls will be formed.

"Right now, the states of Hawaii and Texas have varsity girls’ wrestling teams with a separate state tournament taking place for their teams," said Joe Caloia. "That could happen in New York in the next 10 years or so if the girls’ interest in wrestling keeps growing."

Edkin said that with the growing number of girls competing in wrestling, males are now taking female foes more seriously.

"I think the stigma of a guy losing to a girl is wearing off," Edkin said. "The girls’ workouts are just as hard as the guys. Plus, some of the girls have been practicing for years, starting with peewee wrestling. By the time they get to high school, they’re getting better every year

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

Chase gets it done on the mat for Glenbard N.

January 13, 2005, 10:41 PM CST

Glenbard North's Caitlyn Chase http://www.caitlynscorner.com/ entered
the history books when she won the 103-pound division at Leyden last
weekend. Local wrestling experts believe she's the first girl to win a
Chicagoland tournament title.

"I'm just like any other wrestler," the junior said. "I'm just as
excited as any boy when he wins. I had my coaches in my corner. I had the whole
team on the mat. They were really supportive."

Chase is 9-6 this season for a Glenbard North squad that is 14-3.

"She wrestles really well," coach Mark Hahn said.

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

ASICS girls tourney hitting big time
Vintage's nationally-recognized wrestling event going to two-day weekend format

Friday, January 14, 2005

By MARTY JAMES
Executive Sports Editor

The ASICS Napa Valley Girls Classic, a popular wintertime wrestling tournament, has hit the big time.

Now in its seventh year, the tournament has become so big and popular -- attracting wrestlers from California and other western states -- that officials have made it into a two-day event for the first time.

"I'm really stoked about it," said Vintage High School's Michele Querin, a junior, who wrestles at 144 pounds and was 12th in last year's U.S. Girls Wrestling Association Championships in Lake Orion, Mich.

"I really want to go out there and give it all I can for Vintage and try to do the best I can. I feel really proud that our tournament has gotten so prestigious. There's a lot of pride," she said.

Vintage High will host the CIF-sanctioned ASICS Napa Valley Girls Classic, which starts today at 12:30 p.m. in Crusher Gym. It continues Saturday at 9 a.m., leading up to the finals at 5 p.m.

Weigh-ins are today from 10 to 11 a.m. and Saturday from 7:30 to 8:30 a.m.

"It's a new thing for us, since it's two days now," said Vintage coach Jim Lanterman, who founded the tournament with Carl Murphree, a former Vintage coach who is now the head women's wrestling coach at Missouri Valley College.

"We have never done that before. We'll see how it works and see how well it runs. Seven years ago we never dreamed that something like this would develop. It was a small tournament at the time, and it's just blossomed from then. It's increased (in numbers) every year."

There are 14 weight classes, with an expected field of over 250 wrestlers from California, Nevada, Oregon and Arizona competing in the 98-, 103-, 108-, 114-, 120-, 126-, 132-, 138-, 144-, 152-, 160-, 171-, 195-, and 235-pound categories.

Organizers have also gotten inquiries from Hawaii and Alaska. Some of the entrants are nationally ranked.

"We put on a tournament that's first class," Lanterman said Thursday. "It's been billed as one of the best on the west coast. When (athletes) hear that, they want to go."

It's also the oldest girls tournament in the country and the second-largest overall.

Hattie Borg, Cindy Correa, Elodia Cortez, Chaundra Cox, Jean Rabaino and Christina Morenco will join Querin from the Vintage wrestling team. Jessie Ackman and Chesa Cox are injured and won't wrestle, said Lanterman.

Lauren Phillipps, a state-ranked wrestler, will represent Napa High.

"We're excited about the girls competing," said Bob Musante, a Vintage assistant coach. "This is kind of a step into the state tournament. We're well known for not only being organized, but we're bringing the top girls from all over to this tournament."

It's a double-elimination format, ensuring each of the athletes at least two matches. Medals will be awarded to the first- through eighth-place finishers. Team scores will be kept.

ASICS travel bags will be presented to individual champions.

"A lot of girls that don't get to wrestle against girls all the time come out to our tournament and get to see what girls wrestling is really all about," said Querin, the Crushers' team captain. "It's going to be intense. I just hope that my girls and my team will do good."

Teams from San Leandro, San Lorenzo, San Mateo, Stockton, Castro Valley, Hogan and Vallejo are among the top schools in the tournament.

Three mats will be set up in Crusher Gym and another mat will be in the Vintage High cafeteria, where Vintage holds its practices.

"It really sets a precedent for girls wrestling to have so many girls come together," said Vintage assistant coach Nicole Mazzaferro, a 2003 VHS graduate who was a USGWA All-American.

"It's an honor to have this tournament at Vintage High School. It really gives the school a good name. It's motivation for the girls to want to represent this school. I'm excited about the fact that we're one of the biggest tournaments. There's going to be a lot more competition here."

Today's wrestling is expected to run until 8:30 or 9 p.m.

Lanterman's son, Rob Lanterman, and his wife, Yvonne, are the tournament directors.

The California Girls Invitational, another major event, starts on Jan. 28 at Vallejo High's Bottari Gym at 9 a.m.