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Apr. 25, 2008
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Patricia Miranda, right, of Colorado Springs tries to break down Camie Yeik of Bremerton, Wash., during their 105.5-pound match in the U.S. National Wrestling Championships on Thursday at the Las Vegas Convention Center. Miranda won her weight class, and women's champions were determined in six other freestyle divisions. Photos by John Locher. Patricia Miranda, left, attempts to pin Sunkist Kids teammate Stephanie Murata in the 105.5-pound final. Miranda didn't complete the pin, but she won 6-0, 1-0 to capture the weight class championship. Nena Garcia, left, of Williamsburg, Ky., lies on the mat after losing to Shamaine Danner of Richmond, Mo., in the seventh-place match at 138.75 pounds in the U.S. National Wrestling Championships.

There are thousands of pictures of women in bikinis. Pictures of women jumping off 20-foot ladders. Pictures of women named Paradise and Danger and Boom Boom. There is a site called Women's Wrestling Exposed, and it doesn't mean discovering the political affiliations of the women featured. The only things missing appear to be mud and Jell-O.

There is even a link for Christian Women's Wrestling, which in explaining its mission quotes Ephesians, the part about wrestling not against flesh and blood but against the rules of darkness of this world. Who knew women wrestlers hated Hank Steinbrenner so much.

It's as predictable as it is profitable, typecasting at the most standard level. Women and wrestling are still defined in a mainstream way as more sex appeal than skill, mostly because it seems to be good for business when Lana Star (whoever she is) stops in the middle of a match to check her hair and makeup, mostly because this is what sells.

Kristie Marano of Colorado Springs, Colo., has spent 12 years trying to portray a different persona, hoping her gender and sport when mixed might generate heavy breathing only from those competing and not those watching. Patricia Miranda, also of Colorado Springs, has chased the same dream, in between attending Stanford and graduating Yale Law School. Tatiana Padilla ranks second in the nation in her weight class. She wants to win her next match as much as Tiger Woods does his next tournament. She doesn't dislike losing. She loathes it. She is 17.

The three are here this week for the U.S. Nationals at the Las Vegas Convention Center, having competed in Senior Women's Freestyle on Thursday. This is the serious side of women's wrestling, the real side, the side where singlets are not considered a really bad one-piece.

There was this feeling that once women's wrestling became an Olympic sport in 2004, it would soar nationally like Kobe Bryant. It hasn't, and yet participation at the prep level is more than five times what it was 10 years ago.

But it's a slow process because most girls still must compete on boys teams in high school and enough colleges still don't see the sport as a viable way to fulfill gender-equity requirements, because at the end of the day, millions of little Susies are still taught to kick a soccer ball or smack a softball more than they are proper takedowns and escapes.

"It takes a special girl to do this," said David Ochoa, who has coached Padilla the last four years at Northview High in Covina, Calif. "But once they decide this is what they want, each one works hard and pays the price."

I would argue more than men, which is amazing when you consider the sacrifice and discipline it takes for them to train and make weight. Men are naturally stronger, which makes the training that much more punishing for women to succeed. But if they can persevere to a level where other women await, Olympic dreams can just as easily be realized and shattered as any medal hopeful.

Marano knows. She entered the 2004 Olympic trials as a No. 1 seed in the 138.75-pound limit but missed weight by less than a pound. She sat in a sauna for four hours, didn't lose an ounce and had to compete at 158.5. She finished second, one win from Athens.

She was upset in the semifinals at 158.5 Thursday and finished fourth, meaning she'll have to win her way out of a mini-tournament at the trials here in June for the right to wrestle for a spot on the U.S. roster in Beijing. The same fate awaits Padilla, who finished fifth at 121.

Miranda is much closer. She won bronze at Athens and on Thursday won the national title at 105.5, leaving her just two wins in June from another Olympic berth. She will sit and wait for the survivor of a tournament in her class to face in a best-of-3 final. It would be like North Carolina being placed in the Final Four without having to play one NCAA Tournament game.

"I still find when I tell someone I wrestle, they're like, 'In mud or oil?' " said Miranda, a seven-time U.S. champion. "It's an unfair perception, but it's out there. I think we all hope that when the coverage (from Beijing) is being shown, people flipping through the channels will see us sweating and crying and battling. For people to see it and understand how much it takes for us to do this, that might change their mind about women wrestling. It might change the stereotype."

Lana Star wouldn't play here. It takes too much skill. Too much desire.

Heck, too much clothing.

Ed Graney can be reached at 383-4618 or egraney@reviewjournal.com.

Mariposa No. 1 in Ontario; Kids/novice girls team overcomes 25 other teams for title

Posted By Matt Flemming

Posted 4/24/08

Katy Waite, left, and Becky Leigh of the Mariposa Wrestling Club practise Wednesday at Orillia District Collegiate and Vocational Institute. Leigh won a gold medal and Waite a bronze as the club’s kids/novice girls team won a provincial title.

The Mariposa Wrestling Club's kids/novice combined girls team grappled its way to first place at the Ontario championships last weekend, as 17 of the club's wrestlers came home with medals.

The Mariposa wrestlers defeated 25 other teams in Essex for the event, which was attended by about 300 of Ontario's top youth wrestlers.

"They wrestled hard," said youth head coach Mike Plue, who was assisted by Peter Montroy, Keith Bell and John Waite.

While the team had success at the younger levels, it didn't fare as well at the bantam level.

"It was a bittersweet tournament," said head coach Robert Parsons. "It was the first time we've never had a bantam gold medallist, but we have been on a rebuilding year the past year, so we were kind of expecting that. But the kids wrestled hard. We weren't expecting the girls to win, so that was a big surprise."

The 27 Mariposa wrestlers went to the tournament with a secret weapon, taught to them by former mixed martial arts fighter and Mariposa assistant coach Mike Kitch- en.

"The big secret move we used was the reverse crossface, or the Kitchen crossface. Mike showed the kids the other night, and the kids were using it and nobody knew what it was, and they were catching kids with it all the time."

Medallists from the girls team included Robin Lee (gold), Becky Leigh (gold), Victoria Theriault (silver), Kally Olson (bronze), Katy Waite (bronze) and Ryley Bell (bronze).

Boys medallists were Mack Bell (gold), Morgan McIsaac (gold), Noah Erskine (silver), Aidan Downie (silver), Mac- kenzie Downie (silver), Lonnie Herrington (silver), Jack Waite (bronze), Bart Duncan (bronze), Devon Blunt (bronze), Nick Vennard (bronze) and Jake Nogy (bronze).

"A lot of them are first-year kids, so they wrestled really well for their first year wrestling," said Parsons. "It's a lot different than wrestling in the cities and county champ- ionships - much harder."

Parsons added it's been a great year overall for the Mariposa Wrestling Club and, despite losing a few top wrestlers to graduation, he's optimistic about next year.

Four years ago, women's wrestling made its Olympic debut in Athens. Today's tournament is the first step in the selection process for the Beijing Olympics, and the field is wide open.

"It's getting tougher and tougher as the years go on. People are starting to excel in the sport," says Marano, 29, a two-time world champion from Albany, N.Y., who has won nine world medals overall.

Marano will wrestle in the 158.5-pound class that includes 2005 world champion Iris Smith, former World University Games champion Stephany Lee and two-time world bronze medalist Katie Downing, who has moved up from 147.5.

Terry Steiner, national women's coach for USA Wrestling, has seen the competitive level rise. "When the national program started in 2002, we had two years to get ready for Athens," Steiner says.

"A lot of the same girls have gotten that much more time within the system, and a lot of them have improved significantly. You want to see that depth in there."

The field of 102 women in Las Vegas will wrestle in seven weight classes. There are four classes in women's Olympic wrestling: 105.5, 121, 138.75 and 158.5. The U.S. champions in the Olympic weights will be the top seeds in the U.S. Olympic team trials June 13-15 in Las Vegas.

Marano did not go to the 2004 Olympics after she failed to make weight at trials.

Olympic bronze medalist Patricia Miranda will compete at 105.5 pounds and silver medalist Sara McMann at 138.75.

1st - Patricia Miranda, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Sunkist Kids) dec. Stephanie Murata, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Sunkist Kids), 6-0, 1-0

3rd - Sara Fulp-Allen, Colorado Springs, Colo. (New York AC) pin Clarissa Chun, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Sunkist Kids), 4-1, 1:58

5th - Mary Kelly, Gaffney, S.C. (New York AC) dec. Sadie Kaneda, Honolulu, Hawaii (USOEC), 5-0, 3-0

7th - Alyssa Lampe, Tomahawk, Wis. (Sunkist Kids) dec. CC Weber, Goodrich Mich. (Shamrocks Wrestling), 3-0, 5-0

LAS VEGAS (AP) 2/23/08
 — Katie Downing knocked off two-time world champion Kristie Marano in Thursday's semifinals at the U.S. national wrestling championships.

Marano, a nine-time world wrestling medalist, still qualified for the U.S. Olympic Trials, but she'll be at a disadvantage come June. National champions advance to the trials final in Las Vegas.

Marano lost her 158.5-pound semifinal match 1-0, 1-0. Later Thursday, Downing will face Ali Bernard in the final. Bernard also won in an upset, decisioning 2005 world champion Iris Smith, 1-2, 2-2, 1-0. Smith also advanced to trials as one of the top eight qualifiers.

Sara McMann, the Olympic silver medalist, and Patricia Miranda, the 2004 Olympic bronze medalist, also both advanced to Thursday night's finals.

At 138.5 pounds, Sara McMann will face Randi Miller, who posted a 3-0, 2-1 win over Alaina Berube in the semis. Berube finished second to McMann at the 2004 Olympic trials. McMann advanced by pinning two foes and then decisioning Elena Pirozkhov, 14-2, 3-1, in the semifinals.

At 105.5 pounds, Miranda will square off against Stephanie Murata, fifth at the 2007 worlds. Miranda advanced with two pins and a 0-1, 4-1, 1-0 victory in the semifinals over Clarissa Chun, whom she defeated in 2004 trials finals.

This is Miranda's first year back at the weight at which she won her Olympic medal.

"She cut weight better this time than I have ever seen her, even at 112," said Levi Weikel-Megden, Miranda's coach and husband. "When she was injured not too long ago; she really worked on that (cutting weight), and she got it figured out."

Also advancing to finals were: Jessica Medina vs. Helen Maroulis at 112.25; Marcie Van Dusen vs. Jenny Wong at 121; Othella Lucas vs. Erin Tomeo at 130; and Sara Hillard vs. Stefanie Shaw at 147.5.

Athletics Headlines: Women's Wrestling Signs University World Champion

Women's Wrestling Signs University World Champion

The Missouri Baptist University women's wrestling team has signed standout women's wrestler Stephany Lee, a native of Honolulu, Hawaii. Lee's credentials are very impressive, highlighted with her 2004 championship at the University World Championships.

She has also placed numerous times at the United States Open, United States World Team Trials, was the Sunkist Open International Champion in 2005, and finished at the top of the podium at the 2006 Women's College Nationals while wrestling for Missouri Valley College. Lee is expected to be one of the favorites to win the Olympic Team Trials this summer and will be looking to represent the United States in the 2008 Olympic Games.

“Stephany will be placed in a leadership role, and she is more than willing to meet the challenge,” said MBU Head Coach Brian Jackson.

By Dennis Grall 4/22/08

dgrall@dailypress.net'>dgrall@dailypress.net

Alaina Berube of Escanaba begins her quest for an Olympic wrestling berth Thursday in Las Vegas at the Senior National. She displays some of the hardware she has won recently, highlighted by a trophy from Minsk, Belarus. The plaque she is holding is from her gold medal at the Women’s University Nationals, the gold medal on the right is from Belarus and the gold medal on the left is from the Dave Schultz Memorial. (Daily Press photo by Dennis Grall)

ESCANABA — Alaina Berube’s quest for an Olympic berth enters high gear Thursday.

Berube, a native of Escanaba, will compete in the Senior Nationals in Las Vegas, with the winner of each weight class getting a bye straight into the Olympic Trials finals June 12-15 in Las Vegas.

“It determines everything for the Olympic Trials, and the rankings,” Berube said Saturday during a quick visit home for a family wedding. She could wrestle four or five matches.

Berube is No. 2 at 63 kilograms, with 2004 Olympic silver medalist Sara McMann ranked first. Berube has never beaten McMann, with one of the losses coming in the final match at the 2004 trials.

However, Berube is brimming with confidence thanks to a new regimen and the fact another top contender, Randi Miller, has twice beaten McMann. Berube beat Miller twice two months ago.

“Now that Randi has beaten her, she is not unbeatable,” Berube said. “The first time I wrestled her it was not a good match. The second time I made a couple of different mistakes. If I improve, there is no reason I can’t beat her.

“It will be interesting to see how it all plays out,” Berube said. “I plan to wrestle both of them and beat them so I can be the top person. If it doesn’t happen, I will know what I have to do at the Olympic Trials.”

Berube could also go to Greece in July for the University World Games. She earned that trip by winning the University Nationl championship April 13 in Akron, Oh. “It depends on what happens at the Olympic Trials,” she said.

The Olympics are in Beijing, China Aug. 8-24.

Berube, sponsored by the New York Athletic Club, graduated from The University of the Cumberlands last year, where she became the only four-time women’s national champion.

She has moved to River Falls, Wis. to train under a new coach, Kevin Black. He was the women’s coach at the Pan Am Games in El Salvador last spring, where Berube won her second gold medal.

Admitting it has been hard to break old habits, Berube said “we’ve been focusing on things I need to do to give me an opportunity to beat Sara and Randi.”

Black, a former All-American wrestler at the University of Wisconsin, operates Victory School of Wrestling.

He has changed her stance and focus on certain areas and Berube said she is improving and the changes “are making a big difference. I’m starting to see the results and it is paying off.

“The last few tournaments I’ve really wrestled well. The things I’ve been working on are a lot more solid. I feel comfortable with everything we’re doiong. Everything is (becoming) second nature.”

The new regimen includes wrestling specific weight lifting, plyometrics and footwork, all designed to improve agility.

“The plans are all laid out to get the best performance at certain times of the year,” she said.

The 2002 Escanaba High School graduate struggled for a few matches with the new program, but turned that around by winning the Dave Schultz Memorial in Colorado Springs in February. She also won the Alexander Medved tourney title in Minsk, Belaruse.

Winning the Schultz title, she said, “was up to that point my greatest achievement this year” because it showed the progess being made under Black’s direction. After losing in Russia and at the NYAC Sunkist tournament, she said “I got to the Schultz and it clicked.”

Black told the River Falls Journal that Berube’s “shown exponential growth” since the Schultz tourney. He said “she stuck with it and it’s paying off.”

While at Cumberland, Berube said she had figured this would be her final year of competition. Now, excited by the changes, she said “I fell in love with wrestling again. I think I’ll keep working until 2012, if I’m healthy.

“I love the competition and I like all the people in the sport and all the great experiences I’ve had. I’ve been very fortunate.”

There is no doubt where her focus is right now.

“The ultimate goal is to be an Olympic champion. I don’t want to settle for anything less,” Berube said. “Kevin has a plan made up and I’m sticking to that.”