News

Female wrestler ready to take on World Championships

Olympic and Amateur Sports: David Woods 9,13, 2006

Kate Downing is coming home before traveling abroad.

It is fitting. If she becomes a world-beater, her hometown Hoosiers will share in the triumph.
Downing, 26, is representing the United States at 147 pounds in freestyle wrestling's World Championships, set for Sept. 23-Oct. 2 at Guangzhou, China.
First, she will be grand marshal for Pendleton Heights High School's homecoming parade at 6 p.m. Friday.
"It'll be great for me to go back home before worlds," Downing said. "Every time I go home, everyone that was in my childhood is still there . . . judo club, softball, Little League. They still know what's going on with me.
"It's a great thing to stand on when I go far away."
Downing competed on the boys team while in high school and once finished third in a sectional. She acknowledged that coaches were skeptical. Assistant coach Eric Kriebel said he didn't want "a circus" with a girl wrestling against boys. Kriebel became a believer because of what he said is Downing's unbelievable determination.
"I wanted to help her as much as possible at that point," he said.
Kriebel, 48, said he stays in shape. Good thing. He might have to wrestle Downing while she's in town.
"I can show up in the morning and get on the mat in the afternoon," Downing said. "He's been there since I started it all."
Downing is in a non-Olympic weight class. There are only four Olympic divisions, so she plans to cut to 1381/2 in 2008.

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Katie Downing returns home to serve as Grand Marshal at homecoming parade

Craig Sesker USA Wrestling
09/12/2006

Katie Downing knows all about the Pendleton Heights (Ind.) High School homecoming parade.

The annual event usually starts at the local park or middle school and winds through town before finishing at the high school.

Downing took part in the parade as a trombone player in her high school’s marching band.

Now eight years after she graduated from high school, Downing will take part in the parade again. This time, she won’t be walking. And she won’t be carrying a musical instrument.

She will be the featured attraction as the parade’s Grand Marshal.

A 2005 World bronze medalist in women’s freestyle wrestling, the 26-year-old Downing will serve as Grand Marshal of the 2006 Pendleton Heights High School homecoming parade on Friday, Sept. 15. Downing leaves Sept. 22 to compete at the 2006 World Championships in Guangzhou, China. She is scheduled to compete at 67 kg/147.5 pounds on Oct. 1.

Downing’s high school wrestling coach, Dave Cloud, recommended that she be Grand Marshal of this year’s parade. Downing grew up in Pendleton, Ind., a town of around 5,000 people located about 30 miles north of Indianapolis.

“Obviously, I’m honored that my high school wrestling coaches recommended me for Grand Marshal and that the organizer of the parade, Mr. Noggle, thought it was a good idea,” Downing said. “Out of everything I’ve been asked to do as a World Team member, this is one of my favorites. I’m going to see people who are excited for me and will wave back at me because they want me to do well at Worlds. But these also are the same people who wave back at little kids throwing candy on the first day of Little League, and will be proud of you in your high school band uniform as well.”

Downing (Colorado Springs, Colo./Sunkist Kids) said going back home will give her an added boost heading into China.

“I’ll be pretty pumped up to sit on the back of a convertible and wave to the people there,” she said. “That’s when you know you’ve really made it – when you get to sit in an actual car for the parade instead of being on a float or on foot.

“It will be great to see all of the faces that were there influencing me and encouraging me as I grew up. Plus, I’ll get to see my coaches again, and a few of my high school friends. It will be exciting.”

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Home is Where the Heart is, but Marquette Leads to Gold

September, 12, 2006

For 10 young athletes training at the United States Olympic Education Center, the first bell of the school year at Marquette Senior High School signaled more than their return to classes and homework. It sounded the alarm on another season of early-morning workouts, afternoon practices and competitions designed to help them chase their Olympic dreams.
Sixteen-year-old Erin Clodgo (Richmond, Vt.) moved to Marquette three weeks ago to begin training at the USOEC in women’s freestyle wrestling. Clodgo, who attended a USOEC training camp in July, used to design her own conditioning workouts and practice wrestling with her high school’s boy’s team.
After attending the USOEC camp, Clodgo was invited to train at the center and attend school at MSHS.
“The USOEC offers me the ability to develop skills and learn new things about wrestling, rather than just ‘practice’ like I did back home,” Clodgo explains.
Clodgo starts her day at 4:30 a.m. to mentally prepare for the team’s 6 a.m. practice—and the learning doesn’t stop there. She heads to school for lessons in geography, economics, world literature and chemistry before returning to the Superior Dome for an afternoon practice at 2:15. Afterward, she squeezes in dinner and homework before going back to bed to repeat the process all over again.
One might question why any high school student would want to give up the freedom that some adolescents can’t seem to get fast enough, but Simon Cho (Laurel, Md.) sheds some light on why he put himself into the regimented lifestyle of a USOEC speedskater.
“My commitment to the sport keeps me going every day. The chance to live my dream and someday compete in the Olympic Games motivates me,” says Cho.
Fourteen-year-old Cho, who is beginning his first year at the USOEC, explains that there’s more than just a busy schedule that comes with being a resident athlete.
“I really enjoy the resources here. I did a lot of running and working out back home, but here, you have the facilities, coaches and extra things like sports medicine,” Cho notes.
New USOEC student athletes experience the same anxious and excited feelings as any student heading off to a new school. The exception is that while most high school students are still living at home, the resident athletes are on their own.
“The biggest difference between being home and being here are the chores. I have to take care of myself,” says Cho