Friday, January 08, 2010
By MARTY JAMES
Executive Sports Editor
History shows that the ASICS
Napa Valley Girls Classic, a girls-only wrestling tournament which
begins today at Vintage High School at noon, has grown in both size and
stature.
When Jim Lanterman and Carl Murphree founded the tournament 12 years
ago, it was the only one of its kind in the area — allowing
the three or four wrestlers on the Vintage girls team to face girls
from other schools in the same weight classes in a one-day event that
spotlighted the sport.
“There
wasn’t really any girls competition, other than going against
the guys,” said Lanterman, a former Vintage head coach who
works as an assistant.
“We realized that the girls going up against the guys all the
time wasn’t always a fair thing for them.”
The first year of the ASICS
Napa Valley Girls Classic drew less than 90 wrestlers, but the one-day
event was deemed a success.
“The girls really liked it, facing their own weight classes
and size,” said Lanterman. “It just blossomed from
there. This gives them an opportunity to wrestle in their own arena.
The next year we had 120. It’s progressively just gotten
bigger. Of course, there are more and more girls involved in the sport
now.
“With all of the
colleges offering scholarships to these girls, it’s gotten to
be a big thing. Our Northern California area was the leader of the
whole bunch.”
The tournament is now two days and involves 14 weight classes and over
250 entrants, featuring several nationally-ranked wrestlers.
Today’s matches finish at 7 p.m.
Saturday’s matches go from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Medals will be awarded to first through seventh-place finishers, most
outstanding heavyweight and lightweight awards will be presented, and
trophies will go to the top three teams.
Team favorites include West Covina, Baldwin Park, Castro Valley,
Bethel-Vallejo and Newark Memorial.
Anyone losing their first two matches will still be able to continue in
the tournament on Saturday, as they will be placed in a consolation
bracket, with matches in the Vintage auxiliary gym. Every wrestler is
guaranteed at least three matches.
“We’ve got a good (reputation),” said Bob
Musante, Vintage’s head coach and the tournament director.
“We’re ‘same date, same time, same
station’ type of thing. It’s probably the biggest
tournament in Northern California.”
Matches are three rounds at two minutes per round. Third-, fifth- and
seventh-place matches will take place at the same time, with the
championship matches to follow. Those making it to the finals will be
introduced and their bios read by the announcer.
“It’s two days, a war of attrition,” said
Rob Lanterman, Jim’s son and the current Crushers girls
coach. “It’s a two-day tournament and takes a lot
out of everybody. We feel like the two girls that are standing at the
end should be featured and spotlighted and recognized for what
they’ve done.”
The Napa Valley Girls Classic is the only tournament in the state this
weekend — and with it taking place just a week before the CIF
State North Regionals, organizers are expecting great competition.
It’s considered one of the best in the state and also one of
the largest in the country.
“It’s really the first time the north and south
schools on a large scale get together,” said Rob Lanterman.
“It’s the first time that a lot of the southern
schools are here and north and south are competing. You wrestle a lot
of the girls you see every week, but the addition of the south girls
coming here to the north for this tournament makes a huge difference.
It changes your competition. They wrestle a little differently than we
do in the north.
“It really affects your rankings going into regionals and
state in terms of seeding and everything for the wrestlers.”
Winning a title here, said Rob Lanterman, is “pretty
monumental, a heck of an accomplishment.”
Vintage will have 12 wrestlers entered, led by Jonna Rose Palma, who
has a 17-4 record with 14 pins and a tournament title at 114 pounds;
Heather O’Connor, who has a 10-2 record with eight pins and
three titles at 165 pounds; and Taidae Guerra-Martinez, who is 6-3 with
six pins at 108 pounds.
Getting to wrestle at home, with family and friends looking on, is a
big deal, said Guerra-Martinez.
“I’m really excited, because as a senior
it’s my last year, so I hope to leave with a big
bang,” said Guerra-Martinez. “I’ll just
try my best and give it my all.”
Jennelyn Lazo (146), Nilla Mercado (138), Mia Folster (heavyweight),
Raeveen Barrola (132), Treena San Juan (132), Isabel Bito (126), Gin
Gascon (98), Angelica Oliveras (132) and Liz Palencia (118) are also
entered for the Crushers.
Lazo (10-8, seven pins) and Mercado (8-7, six pins, one title) also
have winning records for Vintage, which has been in five tournaments.
Vintage was in a building mode last year. It’s a different
story during the 2009-10 season.
“There’s some excitement with the girls and they
want to show really well this week,” said Rob Lanterman.
“Hopefully it’s not added pressure because
we’re the host. But I think they’re taking the
right attitude so far. They’re having a very good season.
“Every week we’ve built on where we were the
previous week, so it’s kind of what you want to see as a
coach. It’s big for them because we’re hosting it.
It’s big for them because it means so much, and especially
this year since we’re making great strides in our competitive
level.
“The last couple of years have been rebuilding years and now
it’s starting to pay off. I think they’re feeling a
little antsy to make a mark this year in their own
tournament.”
Musante said the Crushers, who have shown steady improvement, have a
good chance of placing high.
“We have a really good team this year,” he said.
“They look good, they’re really coming
together.”
Talent-wise, Guerra-Martinez is as good as anybody in the state, said
Rob Lanterman.
As a first-year wrestler, O’Connor has quickly made a name
for herself.
“She’s been pretty dominant,” said Rob
Lanterman.
“I expect her to be ranked in the top three in the state by
the next time the rankings are released.”
O’Connor said her first year of wrestling has been fun.
“I’ve learned that you do have to be aggressive and
you have to put your heart into it, that you have to pay attention
during practice so that you can learn,” said
O’Connor.
“I’ve always wanted to wrestle. This year, I told
myself I was going to do it. I just came out and did it.”
Samantha Gardner, Susha Sukhova, Alyssa Vela and Kortney Denna will
represent Napa High.
No one from Justin-Siena is entered.
“We’re a young team,” said Napa coach
Nacho Franco. “We want them to have a good
experience.”
Tatianna Padilla, a former champion at the ASICS Napa Valley Girls
Classic and a current U.S. World Team member with the No. 3 ranking in
the world, will be in attendance at the tournament. Padilla, formerly
of Northview High-Covina, will be at the tournament to help raise
awareness of women’s wrestling.
Current nationally-ranked wrestlers expected to compete this weekend
are Courtney Madson, Novato; Alex Gomez, Bakersfield; Samantha Ortiz,
West Covina; Alice Hoover, Bethel; Shashana Marcus, Castro Valley;
Amanda Hendey, Beaumont; Kat Perez, Central Union-Merced; Mabel Flores,
Los Banos; Josara Pipitone, Salinas; Brittany David, Liberty-Brentwood;
Alyssa Hess, Newark Memorial; and Jasmine Yanez, Gilroy.
West Covina is the defending team champion. Edison-Stockton was second
and Pittsburg took third.
The cost for spectators is $6 (one-day pass) and $10 (two-day pass).
It’s $1 off for students and seniors.
The Napa Valley Girls Classic is followed by the CIF State Girls North
Regional (Jan. 15-16, Inderkum High-Sacramento) and the California
Women’s Wrestling Association/California Girls Invitational
(Jan. 29-30, Hanford West High School).
====================================================================
Washington
Posted:
Jan 7, 2010 11:10 PM CST
Updated:
Jan 8, 2010 02:10 AM CST
Video
KENNEWICK, Wash. -- Many times something that seems like the worst turns out
to have a silver lining. In the case of Hannah Moon, that theory proved to be
true.
Hannah Moon's love has always been basketball. It is the place she feels the
most at ease. It is a place that she could no longer find comfort in after not
making the Kennewick girl's varsity team this season.
"It's been really hard because that was so much apart of my life," said
Moon. "My Dad always told me to find my passion in something and go with it with
all your heart. I finally found my passion in basketball and I went with it with
all my heart. I practiced everyday for about two hours. It didn't turn out the
way it was supposed to, or at least the way I wished it would."
After learning she was not going to be playing varsity basketball,
Hannah decided to give up the hardwood and hit the wrestling mat.
"When I first started I only wanted to practice with my Dad," said Moon. "I
was just too scared to be in the room with the boys. I was intimidated by
them."
Her father, Tim Moon, won a state wrestling title when he was in high school
and is the coach at Kennewick. After overcoming her fears to make the wrestling
team, the junior at Kennewick is now 10-0, including 9 pins, all coming against
other girl wrestlers.
"My Dad told me to believe you can win the match. And so I believe I can win
it," said Moon.
Finding success on the mat allows Hannah to let go of the pain of leaving
the hardwood.
"I believe that through tragedy God has shown me something better," said
Moon. "I'm finally going to where I should be."
===================================================================
South Carolina
by CHRIS RASMUSSEN 1/7/10
Kelley Strong doesn’t look like just one of the guys. On the mat, however, the
Union County junior shows all the strength and skills as her male
opponents.
Strong, who joined the Yellow Jackets’ wrestling team this
year and is the team’s only female, won her first match over Christmas break
against Clover. She is the first female to win a wrestling match in Union County
history.
“It was very exciting,” said Strong, 16, who wrestles in the
112-pound weight class. “I thought wrestling would be easier, but it is the
hardest sport I have ever done.”
Strong, an already accomplished runner
in cross country and track, became interested in wrestling last year while
watching Yellow Jacket All-Region wrestler Dylan Lawson compete.
“It
looked like a lot of fun and I wanted to do something different this year,” she
said. “So why not?”
Wrestling coach Todd Davis said the team has accepted
Strong with open arms.
“The guys have really taken to her and treat her
like a sister,” Davis said. “She has a strong work ethic and great attitude. She
doesn't mind mixing it up with anyone.”
For Strong, being the team’s only
female has been an easy transition.
“It has been fun. My teammates
support and motivate me to keep going,” she said. “I have gotten tough since
starting.”
So far the biggest challenge for Strong, who runs everyday
after wrestling practice, has been keeping weight.
“Kelley has come a
long way since day one and she continues to get better everyday,” Davis said.
“She is willing to do anything that is asked of her and doesn't complain when it
gets tough. I know she is going to give 100 percent every time she steps on the
mat.”
Strong said she plans to compete on the team her senior year. After
that, she is thinking about doing cross county in college and studying to become
a physical therapist.
===========================================================================
USA (Coach Gillespie)
Shannyn Gillespie USOEC
01/04/2010
Videos of USOEC tour to Europe
Photos of USOEC women in Austria
Photos of USOEC women in Czech Republic
More USOEC photos from Czech Republic
The United States
Olympic Education Center (USOEC) freestyle resident athlete program participated
in two training camps in Europe during Northern Michigan University's winter
break from December 11-22, 2009. The first training camp was held in Gotzis,
Austria at the Ringsport training center and the second camp was held in Prague,
Czech Republic (Czech). This is the second year the USOEC freestyle team, a USA
Wrestling resident athlete program, participated in the Austrian Christmas
Trainingscamp and the first year the team trained in Czech led by Coach Shannyn
J. Gillespie and Coach Tony DeAnda.
In the past, daily journals and
articles have been written in broader terms about the international trips I
attend. This year, I've decided to create more of a picture, literally, so you
can feel like you were there and experience the images we felt. For a more
intimate look at these experiences, including interviews, training drills, and
pictures captured with a digital video camera and a still picture camera, please
view:
http://myspace.com/coachshannyn
Summary of events of
the trips to Europe and the training camps
To begin, 16 athletes and
coaches were supposed to meet in Atlanta, GA to board a flight planned for
Zurich, Switzerland...this did not happen. So instead of everyone meeting up in
Atlanta, one group (6 people) was delayed and never made it to Georgia while the
largest group (10 people) to fly to Switzerland arrived on schedule with no
plane problems nor delays. Coach Tony phoned Coach Shannyn and explained his
group of 6 would fly an alternate route and he emailed Bruno Hartmann, our host
and National Team Coach of Austrian's women wrestlers, his new flight plan.
To end, 7 athletes and one coach left at around 3:00 am for the hour
drive to the airport in Switzerland to board flights back to the States for
earlier flights and to supervise navigation to flights. Just as chance dictates,
3 USOEC resident athletes flights were canceled and had to be re-booked
immediately.
Apparently, there was a snow storm that encompassed most of
Europe and some folks had been stranded at airports in Switzerland, Amsterdam,
England, and many other European nations for 2 days. Luckily, we were able to
get Erin, Anneliese, and Andrea on new flights and on their way back home for
the holiday season. Traveling abroad is always an adventure due to the nature of
uncontrollable events like plane troubles, weather, connecting flights and this
trip proved this point.
This year, 3 high school athletes (Brittany, MI;
Casey, WI; & Kim, PA) from around the USA also trained in Europe with the
USOEC team to gain invaluable experiences and memories for a life time. The
USOEC program is changing the program status to train only high school residents
that live in the area, thus, the reason why high schoolers were given this
opportunity.
At the Austrian Christmas Trainingscamp 2009, there were 38
athletes from 9 countries: USA, Austria, Germany, Norway, Sweden, Italy, Russia,
Czech Republic, & Switzerland. The range of ages was 14-26 which meant there
were cadet, junior, and senior age group wrestlers present. Just like last year,
there were Sr. European and Jr. World medallists in attendance and 4 Sr.
National Team coaches as well.
A world with out Internet is scary unless
you never really use the Internet. Well, most of the athletes that traveled on
this trip were welcomed to very sparse conditions for getting on line and
checking 'Facebook', emails, and anything on the world wide web. Most of the
athletes went through Internet withdrawal and survived till we traveled to Czech
which, amazingly, had a restaurant (we ate there 3 times per day) which was
Wi-Fi ready.
What many of the athletes did (when we were not training)
was take a lot of pictures in Historic Prague, shop at the Christmasmarkets in
Austria, and socialize with the many different nations of wrestlers in
attendance. This is good to take a break from the web and actually learn a
little about other nations, other people and yourself...
In the various
video interviews volunteered by athletes, I learned this camp was much more
intensive than last year's version. Veterans from Austrian Christmas
Trainingscamp 2008 mentioned there definitely was a lot more wrestling this
year. I noticed this too and also that we wrestled live nearly every session
except for the first day and the 'holiday'. Holidays, in this context, are known
as the half days, recovery days, or rest days.
By the time we traveled to
Czech, the athletes were tired and really in need of some other type of training
stimulus. So, the Czech coach, Ludek, and the Austrian resident coach, Vitaliy,
scaled down the live wrestling and focused on very intensive games like tackle
basketball and full contact rugby mixed in with one technique per session. This
seemed to work on the eighth and ninth days of training so I followed their
lead. On the last day we were to train, I asked the team if they would rather
train or eat breakfast and drive back 8 hours to Austria and you can guess what
this tired and deserving group selected.
As mentioned earlier, this was
the second year the USOEC freestylers traveled to Europe for training and many
things were learned by both the coaches and the athletes. For a more in depth
multi-media portrayal of this journey, please view
http://myspace.com/coachshannyn.
In that digital media, you may be able
to grasp the magnitude of the training centers' and the facilities as a whole.
The Austrian training center has approximately 2.5 wrestling mats and is also
equipped with exercise equipment plus several different types of training
stations that include: weights, ropes to climb, and circuit training
apparatuses. The Czech wrestling room was 4 mats long and also had similar
training implements listed above plus a basketball hoop or rim set up for cross
training right in the wrestling gym; Austria also had a hoop set up at the
Ringsport training center.
Having coaches (wrestlers too) from many
different nations at the same camp is one of the main reasons international
training camps are special. You or I can learn a lot if we choose to and I chose
to learn a lot.
Here are some of the things gleaned from the European
coaches corp:
Austrian club coach (Russian native): Arsen said wrestling is
very popular in the Republic of Dagestan (Russia) with roughly 3000 boys (amount
of Jr. National participants) training in freestyle wrestling; discipline among
athletes is less than before the break up the Soviet Union.
Austrian
resident coach (Ukrainian native): Vitaliy explained input from all coaches is
critical to success of international training camps; Azerbaijan has a lot of oil
and may be a big influence on FILA
Swedish national coaches: Fari
(Iranian native) has coached many of Sweden's elite younger athletes for 7 years
and now coaches as National team coach and Klippan club coach
German
national coach (formerly the German men's national coach): Michael demonstrated
several neck exercises all of which are captured on video
Czech national
coach: Ludek showed a variety of warm ups and line drills also captured via
video & photos
Austrian national coach: Bruno expressed his concern
for what he felt was a lack of equality for men's and women's conditions for
wrestling in Austria
From Vitaliy, I also learned that driving in Russia is
dangerous due to the small lane assignments. He went on to explain that the
driving speed limit in Austria and Germany is not really enforced like it is is
Switzerland and also that the lights on the cars must be left on while driving
in Switzerland for safety reasons. Because of the sickness of a driver, I drove
back 8 hours from Czech following Vitaliy at speeds ranging from 120 - 170
kilometers per hour or 75 - 105 mph.
It was really cold in Czech and the
athletes, perhaps, were under dressed during the walking tour through the
medieval streets of Historic Prague. This adventure to many picturesque sights
outside was spectacular and freezing. At one point, I stopped taking pictures
because my hands no longer had feeling. Many of the athletes cameras actually
stopped working due to the cold air. Historic Prague reminded me of viewing
Washington, DC in my youth due to the masses of people outside taking pictures
and viewing buildings that seemed as old as time.
After viewing St.
Nicolas Church, the Charles Bridge and the Prague Castle at Historic Prague, led
by 4 coaches, we were ultimately split up indirectly and probably because of the
cold weather. Nonetheless, 2 coaches were with 11 athletes who eventually took
cabs to the Czech training center and 2 coaches with 5 athletes took the reverse
original route to return and this is where the story gets interesting.
Just like in most major cities in the U.S., the cab drivers tend to
charge more than they should to make an immorally large profit off of patrons.
To make a long story short, the Czech cab drivers over charged the cold athletes
while driving them back to the training center. Ultimately, the money was
retrieved (probably because the athletes took pictures of the license plates -
good job ladies!!!) from the bad cab drivers and some of the cash was dispersed
back to the athletes prior to departing back to the States.
Because I
grew up and lived in Chicagoland, I've learned to negotiate all drives via cabs
prior to leaving the spot or location of pick up and now many of the athletes
have learned this too. I suspect many of the athletes, who drove in the cabs,
rarely if ever drove in cabs.
The last night in Austria, we actually went
on another sight seeing venture. This time, of course, the weather was much
warmer (probably by 15 degrees) and the athletes were able to purchase last
minute gifts for themselves, friends, or family. Also on the last night, Bruno
treated us to Hungarian goulash. Amazingly, the meal was great and many of the
traveling wrestlers also agreed.
Europe has changed a lot and now there
are McDonald's and Burger King's nearly everywhere. We ate at several of these
fast food places while traveling to and from Czech and at the airport in
Amsterdam too. Also, there are many different types of coffee places which sell
espressos and, just like in the States, they also have Starbucks...one of my
favorites.
The beginning of this trip, the middle, and the end all dealt
with travel issues. Well, Brittany and I actually had to stay over night in
Milwaukee due to the late landing of our flight from Amsterdam. On our way to
the States, Brittany, Casey, and Patricia were able to connect to the Internet
in Amsterdam to explain we might miss our flight in the States and probably
about much of their trips.
The trip was a success for many reasons, the
athletes learned more than just wrestling, and you can view the below links for
an eagles eye view of the Austrian Christmas Trainingscamp 2009:
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