LFCHS wrestler is first-ever girls Junior National Champ

By Adam Czech, Staff Intern 8/2/02

The trophies and medals are starting to pile up for Rachel Holthaus.

Holthaus, who will be a sophomore at Little Falls Community High School this fall, won the girls U.S. Wrestling Junior Nationals in Fargo, ND last weekend.

This was the first year there was a girls bracket at the tournament. Since Holthaus was in the first weight class (95 lbs.) she was the first-ever girls Junior National gold medal winner.

“It was really cool,” Holthaus said of her accomplishment.

The event took place in the Fargo Dome and was attended by many people. This didn’t phase Holthaus. “I’m used to it,” she said. “A lot of tourneys we go to have a lot of people.”

Earlier in the year, Holthaus entered a national tournament in Detroit, MI and took third as an unranked freshman, beating many nationally ranked upper classmen.

Holthaus takes part in tournaments across the country and has trained with the women’s olympic wrestling coach, several olympic men’s coaches as well as past olympic wrestlers and current college grapplers. She has also attended several camps, including one in Colorado Springs where the olympic team trains.

Holthaus lives just outside of Bowlus with her father John, mother Deb, sister Victoria and brother Michael.

If she continues on the roll that she is currently on, Holthaus hopes to find herself at a certain wrestling tournament in Athens, Greece in 2004: The 2004 Olympic games. Girls wrestling will make its debut at the 2004 games.

In the meantime, she will once again be part of the Little Falls High School boys wrestling team where she hopes to wrestle at 103 lbs.

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Tuff Girl Wrestling

News 8/03/02

Kathrine Williams was named Female Wrestler of the Year at Iowa Wrestling Federation awards banquet. This award is presented to the top female wrestler in the IWF based upon USA Wrestling-sanctioned events. In girls competition, Kathrine won the USA-Minnesota Women's Open, the Illinois girls freestyle and Greco-Roman state championships, the Northen Plains Girls Folkstyle Festival, and two sections of the Northern Plains Girls Freestyle Festival. Against boys, she won the IWF state championpship in both freestyle and Greco-Roman, and finished third in Greco-Roman/fourth in freestyle at the Northern Plains Regionals. In both of those events, Kathrine went unbeaten to win her pool and then came up short in the semi-finals of the medal rounds.

Tim Williams was voted into the new position for the Iowa Wrestling Federation - Girls Director. Tim will be focusing on creating opportunities for Iowa girls and women to wrestle freestyle. His goal is to establish tournaments and clinics that will help Iowa establish a team to take to next year's girls Junior Nationals in Fargo.

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Vikings travel to China for competition and training

07/09/02
By Katie Quatman/USA Wrestling

A group of Missouri Valley College wrestlers recently made history as they became the first women’s college team to participate in a training tour in China.

After four months of fierce fund-raising efforts, the wrestlers finally arrived in Beijing on June 6 to begin a week of intense workouts with China’s National, Army and university teams.

Missouri Valley College was the No. 1 U.S. women’s college program this year and many of the athletes on the China tour competed June 21-23 at the World Team Trials in St. Paul, Minn.

“China’s Women’s Team, the 2001 world champions, is very disciplined and talented,” said MVC head coach Mike Machholz. “They are great wrestlers in par terre position, which is why this trip was an excellent opportunity for our women to gain experience, pick up technique and trade secrets.” During their first practice session, Team China, currently preparing for the Asian Games – similar to our Pan-Am Games – put Valley’s endurance to the test. While a few of the Lady Vikings had been training for the World Team Trials, others had not seriously trained since their college season ended a few months back.

China’s coach had designed the practice in such a way that the Valley women were constantly sparring, while China team members switched their members in and out, a form of “shark-bait” training.

"It was funny to watch from my end,” Machholz admitted. “However, I know the girls did not find it quite as enjoyable.

"They just had so many more team members than we did, all of whom were in great training shape,” he explained. “The next day I designed a practice that would not be as exhausting for us.”

“Yeah, they shark-baited us that first day,” said senior Satrinina Vernon, who placed third at both the U.S. Nationals and World Team Trials at 72 kg. “Other than that, though, it was a very enjoyable and beneficial experience. All of their wrestlers were very friendly and training with them gave us exposure to a wide variety of styles.” In the mornings, the practice sessions consisted mainly of technique and drilling, but in the afternoons the women faced off in live competition.

“China takes their women’s wrestling very seriously,” said Machholz. “They have a lot more participants in their programs and - unlike our girls, who are limited to their training time during the school year - China’s university team members are actually wrestling students who devote all of their study to the sport.”

Despite China’s advantages, several of the MVC wrestlers competed very well. In fact, junior Tori Adams - third in the U.S. Nationals and World Team Trials at 63 kg - compiled a 3-1 record, including a victory over world champion Hai Tan Xu, 3-2.

“This trip was excellent mental preparation for the World Team Trials,” Adams said. “It’s not often you get the opportunity to train and learn techniques from top competitors in other countries.”

Although wrestling was the focus of the trip, Machholz arranged for plenty of sightseeing and cultural adventures. With their own private tour guide and interpreter, the team experienced such activities as a boat ride on Lake Kunming, a visit to the ornate Temple of Heaven, a tour of the famed Ming Tombs, and even a workout of climbing the Great Wall.

“The entire trip was a lot of fun,” said MVC senior Clarissa Chun. “I had a great time training and making friends with the various China teams. The sightseeing was unbelievable, and bargaining with vendors while we were shopping was an interesting experience.”

With the trip being scheduled so close to the trials, some of the Lady Vikings were a little worried about the time difference and jet lag. However, upon their return, Vernon, Adams, and Chun expressed nothing but confident anticipation and feelings of being more focused than ever.

“I think this trip really helped bring the team together,” Machholz declared. “It gave us all exposure to a completely new culture, and - despite a few bouts of sickness from the food - we ate enough rice to power a couple of Hondas.

“The China teams were also very happy with the experience and invited us back in the future,” said Machholz. “Traveling internationally is definitely a worthwhile experience, and we will certainly look into returning to China at some point. As for next year, we are strongly leading toward Paris, France.”

In addition to the women wrestlers, three members of Missouri Valley’s men’s team also attended the trip and participated in matches against top Chinese freestyle wrestlers.

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