Calgary's Christine Nordhagen-Vierling has high hopes for this weekend's team trials.
News Page
December 19th is the last day to register for the Cotton Bowl Classic, the third leg of the Ultimate Challenge Series of folkstyle wrestling
12/11/2003
Ted Witulski/USA Wrestling
The Cotton Bowl Classic, now in its 19th year, is ripe with tradition, known as one of the best youth wrestling tournaments in the nation. The tournament, set for Dec. 27-28 this year, will open a new chapter in its long legacy with a change of venue to the center of Dallas, Texas.
The Cotton Bowl Classic serves as the third tournament in USA Wrestling's Ultimate Challenge Series, where individual wrestlers accumulate points in the quest to become the point leader in their age division in folkstyle wrestling.
The tournament had far outgrown its previous accommodations in the Mesquite Rodeo Arena. Instead of worrying about how to cover the dirt floor of the arena, now organizers will have to wonder how they will fill the largest convention space in the United States.
Of course, that problem won't be too hard to solve. This year, the Cotton Bowl Classic may run an astounding 20 mats, depending on registrations. The Dallas Convention Center will have no problem handling it. The tournament is slated to run in a column-free space of over 200,000 square feet.
“We have enjoyed our time with the Cotton Bowl in Mesquite, but it was time to move to a larger environment,” said Al Rodger, State Chairperson of Texas USA Wrestling. “The Dallas Convention Center is going to be an attractive facility for this tournament.”
The deadline for registering for the Cotton Bowl Classis is fast approaching, on December 19. Participants can register on-line at the Cotton Bowl Classic website at www.cottonbowlclassic.org
Participants from nearly 20 states are already registered to compete in the Cotton Bowl Classic, considered the Lone Star State's most widely acclaimed event.
For the second year in a row, a high school division will be contested for both boys and girls wrestlers. The high school division is entertaining because many of the Texas wrestlers do not face off against each other during their regular high school season. Texas is one of a few states that still has separate classes for private and public schools. But, the Cotton Bowl places all of the wrestlers in the state together, a true test for the best athletes.
December 27 - 28, 2003
19th Annual Cotton Bowl Classic at the Dallas Convention Center in Dallas, TX
Contact: Kenny Monday at 972/564-2601 or e-mail kmonday@ssilver.com
Website: www.cottonbowlclassic.org
REMAINING ULTIMATE CHALLENGE SERIES EVENTS IN 2004
January 9 - 10, 2004
28th annual U.S. Junior Open Championships at Oklahoma State Fairgrounds Arena in Oklahoma City, OK
Contact: Terry Davis at 405/210-4209 or e-mail at usjoc@aol.com
Website: www.okwrestle.com
February 14, 2004
Liberty Nationals at Municipal Auditorium in Kansas City, MO
Contact: Bill Gossett at 816/781-2111 or e-mail at bill@libertynationalswrestling.com
Website: www.libertynationalswrestling.com
March 12 -14, 2004
Wrestle-FEST 2004 at Norfolk, VA
(4th annual Virginia Challenge/1st annual National Youth Open)
Contact: Frank Lipoli at 757-652-7861
Website: www.virginiachallenge.org
April 2 –4, 2004
USA Wrestling National Folkstyle Championships at UNI Dome in Cedar Falls, IA
Contact: Steve Wachal at 319/822-7748
Website: http://aflink.af.uni.edu/unidome/USAWrestling.htm
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Thougts of Moment: Right or wrong, wrestle or not
By:Scott Shannon December 11, 2003
For the record, I believe female athletes should not be allowed to compete with the boys at the varsity high school level and above-no exceptions, none. You can't say girls can compete in one sport but not another. No, all sports.
With that said, right or wrong, Algona coach Brian Morgan was faced with a tough decision this past Thursday, Dec. 4, when Clarion-Goldfield came to town. For the second time in as many years, Clarion had a female wrestler in the varsity lineup.
Roxanne Soesbe, the only female varsity wrestler in the North Central Conference, played a key role in Clarion's 39-36 victory over Algona last season, and as it turned out had a hand in this seasons victory as well.
Last year, Soesbe pinned her opponent and started heating up the topic of female athletes competing in male sports on a local level.
This year, facing similar circumstances, Morgan elected to forfeit the 112-pound match against Soesbe. For his part, Morgan said the decision not to wrestle Soesbe was not based on her gender.
Rather, Morgan said he didn't have an experienced 119-pound wrestler because state qualifier Tyler Bjustrom is still injured, and the backup isn't ready. Instead, Morgan moved up his 112-pound wrestler, saying it was a good chance for him to face a quality opponent.
Regardless, the decision had Algona fans buzzing clear into the weekend. What was the right thing to do? Wrestle Soesbe, or forfeit. Right or wrong. Moral or not. Some fans said forfeiting was absolutely the right thing to do, and even if the dual had come down to her match, you still should forfeit.
Speaking for myself, hogwash. I'm already on the record for my feelings about girl athletes competing against boys; it shouldn't happen. But, since at our present time, girls are allowed to compete in wrestling, you shouldn't just walk away.
Competition is competition. Life isn't always fair, sometimes it down right stinks. That's the great thing about sports, teaching young men and women how to handle life.
The ones still in high school won't realize what they've learned for at least a few more years, but sports helps shape us into who we are was adults.
What better way to learn about the ups and downs of life than from sports. Competition is the great equalizer. Sports can have you feeling like a king one moment, or down in the dumps the next. Only in sports can someone go from hero to goat in a matter of breath-taking moments.
For those of you who'll say it, you're right, I wasn't at Clarion last year when Soesbe pinned an Algona wrestler. I've heard people were hard on him because of that, and sometimes cruel.
That's too bad, from what I've been told, he's a very nice young man. But, that's life, it's not always a bowl of cherries. And, if the teasing got out of hand, veteran team members should've taken charge of the situation.
The road through life is paved with many obstacles and this was one for him.
Competition is competition, remember that. I don't care if you get beat by a girl. You got beat by an opponent, bottom line. When you get beat, pick yourself back up and work harder to make sure it doesn't happen again.
Soesbe's path was a tough one just to get to this spot. She quit wrestling at one point because of verbal and sexual harassment. I told people that, and the response I got was tough, that's life. Yeah, exactly, the same goes on the other side.
"She's just like anyone else, she wants to go out and scrap," said Clarion coach Vic Vanderpool. Soesbe has sweated her way into a top five national girls ranking at her weight, and finished third in the national tournament last March.
"A lot of guys want to wrestle a girl just to put them to shame," Soesbe said. "More guys are being more accepting. I think in the future, more schools will have girls wrestling."
The Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union states no male shall compete in a female sport like volleyball. However, girls can compete in sports that are not offered such as wrestling and football.
Vanderpool expects Soesbe will have her fair share of matches this season in tournaments. Currently Soesbe is Clarion's No. 1 wrestler at 112. That means anyone who meets her in tournament action will have to wrestle her, or face forfeiting the rest of the day.
Chances are, Soesbe won't last long during the weekend tournaments. She'll likely receive a low seed and have to wrestle one of the top seeds early in the tournament, and likely will be beaten.
It's not right, what's good for the goose is good for the gander. This is not separation of races were talking about. However, with all that said, girls should not be ignored as well. Win or lose, at least it was about the competition and not about the issue.
Someone asked if I would want to be beaten by a girl. Well of course not, at least not if we're not on our first date, then its mandatory to let her win.
Post your opinion and share your thoughts with other readers!
Name: Jim Bryan
Date: Dec, 11 2003
I am agraduate of The University of Oregon School of Health and Physical Education, a professional coach. It is not safe for boys to wrestle girls past puberty. No professional coach would deem it safe. Sooner or later a serious injury will result from gender mixing and the parties involved will have an indefensible neligence case in court. I coach a wrestling club and prohibit mixed gender wrestling over the age of 13.
Name: Glenn Kuhn
Date: Dec, 11 2003
I agree with those who say that boys and girls should not wrestle against each other. And as Mr. Leon said it has nothing to do with hurting the psyche of the boy. There are two more important reasons. The first has to do with muscle mass and potential injury. As they become older boys develop more muscle mass than girls and can injure a girl.
The more important reason (to me) has to do with the way we should raise our sons. I raise my sons (I have three sons and one daughter) and teach them how to treat a young lady--where to touch them and where not to touch them and how to show them proper respect--and then if they wrestle a girl they have to break all of those rules. It can be a real conflict for a young man.
My older son tried to go out for the girls' volleyball team because the high school didn't offer boys volleyball. He was not allowed to even go to one practice. A definite double standard. We didn't cause a stink about it. I told him to go out for a different sport.
If somebody wants to have a girls' wrestling team that's fine with me. I'm not aware of any other sports where boys and girls compete against each other. Why should wrestling be the exception? Especially with the potential dangers involved
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Wrestler pins hopes on Athens
Nordhagen-Vierling aims to return to old form
Karen Clark 12/11/03
For The Calgary Herald
|
Calgary's Christine Nordhagen-Vierling has high hopes for this weekend's team trials. |
She is not just the 10-time national wrestling champion. Up until a few months ago, Calgary's Christine Nordhagen-Vierling had never been defeated in Canada.
Plagued by injury the past two years, the six-time world champion won a bronze medal at the 2003 national championships and is optimistic as the 2004 Olympic team trials start today in Edmonton.
"I am stronger than ever, my cardio is better than ever, I've done personal bests in the weight room and I am in the best wrestling shape I have ever been in," said Nordhagen-Vierling. "I am finally healthy and feeling good. I am ready for the (Olympic) trials."
To earn a spot at the Summer Games in Athens next August, where women's wrestling will be an Olympic sport for the first time, Nordhagen-Vierling, 32, must win gold this weekend and place in the top 12 at the international qualifying tournament in March. She considers the latter task a formality since she's beaten every top wrestler in the world at some point in the past 10 years.
"Honestly, that won't be a problem," said Nordhagen-Vierling. "I will bet the house on it."
Originally from Valhalla Centre, about 80 kilometres northwest of Grande Prairie, Nordhagen-Vierling has suffered from an arthritic knee, severe rib pain and a nerve strain in her neck that left her arm numb. She missed the 2002 season, then went into the nationals in May after a year of inconsistent training.
Her third-place finish in the 72-kilogram weight class left her off Canada's national team for the world championship. The victor, Ohenewa Akuffo of Brampton, Ont., came 13th at the worlds.
"Losing that match was one of the worst experiences ever," said Nordhagen-Vierling. "I just got caught on my back and, usually you can fight off your back, but I was like a deer in the headlights -- everything came crashing towards me. It was like everything is over. I have messed up and it's over."
Nordhagen-Vierling has twice defeated Akuffo since May, and earned a silver medal at a World Cup in October. But she's not yet back to her glory days.
"I really had 10 years of straight success," said Nordhagen-Vierling, who teaches math and physical education at Ernest Manning High School. "In the last year, I have lost more matches than during the 10 years before."
Calgarians Weighing In
Other Calgary athletes competing at the Canadian Olympic team trials are:
- Julie Harris, Vanessa Brown (48 kg);
- Erica Sharp, Laura McDougall, Andrea Ross, Brittanee Laverdure (55 kg);
- Breanne Graham, Helen Hennick (63 kg);
- Mike Stitt, Andy Hutchinson, Cory Horsburgh (55 kg);
- Jeremy Podlog (66 kg),
- Wade Elliott (74 kg);
- Dean Schmeichel, Jeremy Rudack, Peter Guterson (96 kg);
- Eric Kirschner and Ari Taub (120 kg).
This story features a factbox "Calgarians weighing in".
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12/11/2003
Gary Abbott/USA Wrestling
Kristie Marano of the New York AC always likes to wrestle in her home state. There is something a little different this time when she returns to New York City to compete in the New York Athletic Club Christmas International on Dec. 20-21.
The last time she competed in New York City was a memory of a lifetime. On September 14, just three months ago, Marano was standing on a podium in the middle of world famous Madison Square Garden as the new World Champion at 67 kg/147.5 pounds. In front of family, friends and thousands of wrestling fans, Kristie Marano reached the pinnacle of her sport.
Training full-time as a resident athlete at the U.S. Olympic Training Center (USOTC) in Colorado Springs, Colo., this Albany, N.Y. native does not get home that often anymore. She made the move to the USOTC last spring to concentrate on her quest to make the 2004 U.S. Olympic team, the first year that women wrestlers will be included in the Olympics. She will be spending three weeks back at home over the holidays, and is very happy to return to New York soil.
“I’m excited to go home,” said Marano just days before her flight to New York. “It will be fun and exciting. It is always fun when a tournament is around my area. It is easy for my friends and family to come see me wrestle. Plus, I will be wrestling for my club, the New York Athletic Club, at their tournament.”
The last time Marano wrestled, she was a dominant star. She was the only American to win a gold medal when the World Championships of Freestyle Wrestling was held in Madison Square Garden. She had five matches, with three pins, a technical fall and a dominant 7-1 win over Ewelina Pruszko of Poland in the finals.
Marano won her second career World gold medal, and the seventh World Championships medal of her career. No U.S. woman has won more World medals. Only one U.S. man has won more World Championships medals, another New York AC star, New Jersey native Bruce Baumgartner.
Instead of spending time thinking about that glorious weekend in the Garden, Marano is already looking ahead. One of the reasons she continues to win is that she refuses to look back.
“I don’t think about myself after a tournament,” said Marano. “I go on from there. I put it behind me. It is great I have (the World title), but there is so much I have to work on. I don’t think I’ll ever settle with how I do.”
Marano expects to compete at 67 kg/147.5 pounds at the New York Athletic Club Christmas International, which will be her last time at that division this season. She plans to drop down to 63 kg/138.75 pounds for her next competition, the FILA Manitoba Open in Canada in February.
Since there are only four weight divisions at the Olympic Games, the weight that she won her World title will not be contested in the Athens Olympics. She will be competing at the lower weight division in an attempt to be on the first U.S. Olympic Team with women wrestlers. The New York Athletic Club Christmas International is the first step in her Olympic year journey.
“Training is going good, but I am excited to compete again,” Marano said. “The Olympic year will hit me in January, when it is 2004. It is coming fast. Reality will set in the next couple of weeks.”
Marano has set some specific performance goals for the tournament in New York City.
“I need to see how much I have improved on my technique,” said Marano. “I also need to open up a lot more in this tournament.”
Last year, Marano went to the New York Athletic Club Christmas International intending on wrestling at 67 kg. However, with no other entries at the weight, she moved up a division to 72 kg, and faced many of the best wrestlers in the world there.
Also in that weight class were America’s No. 1 at 72 kg, Toccara Montgomery, Poland’s top wrestler Monika Kowalska and Canada’s World Team member Ahenewa Okuffo. In spite of giving up weight to the opponents, Marano placed second in the tournament, losing only to Montgomery by a close 7-5 margin.
This year’s New York Athletic Club Christmas International is expected to have many competitive weight classes. With the Olympic Trials and Olympic Games only a few months away, America’s top wrestlers are seeking opportunities to get some high quality matches in, as part of their Olympic year preparation.
Traditionally, many of Canada’s best wrestlers enter this tournament, as well as a number of athletes from other nations. A Greco-Roman team from Belarus has confirmed that it will enter the event. It is a good bet that Kristie Marano will be among other international stars at the competition this year.
NEW YORK AC CHRISTMAS INTERNATIONAL SCHEDULE
Friday, Dec. 19
5:00 p.m. - Weigh-ins at NYAC wrestling room in basement
Saturday Dec. 20
9:00 a.m. - Preliminaries for all styles in the NYAC sixth floor gymnasium
(session expected to complete by 6:00 p.m.)
Sunday, Dec. 21
10:00 a.m. - Preliminaries and semifinals for all styles in the NYAC sixth floor gymnasium
4:00 p.m. - Championship finals
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It’s Olympic Trials week… in Canada! Top stars seek Olympic berths in Alberta, Dec. 12-14
12/10/2003
Gary Abbott/USA Wrestling
It is Olympic Trials week. For many athletes, years of hard training and competition will culminate with an opportunity to achieve a lifelong dream – to make the Olympic wrestling team.
No, we are not talking about the U.S. Olympic Team.
This week’s Olympic Trials is going on north of the border, in Canada. A number of the best wrestlers in North America will battle for the chance to become Canadian Olympians.
Tryouts for the Canadian Olympic wrestling team in men’s freestyle, women’s freestyle and men’s Greco-Roman wrestling will be held at Millennium Place in Sherwood Park, Strathcona County, Alberta, Dec. 12-14.
There is a whole lot different between the U.S. Olympic Team Trials – Wrestling, set for Indianapolis, Ind., May 21-23, and this week’s Canadian Olympic Trials, besides the five months separating these two events.
This competition is being held prior to the completion of the qualification process for the Olympic Games. Most of the winners of this week’s Canadian Trials are not guaranteed a position in the Athens Olympic Games. After winning the Trials event, many athletes will still need to go overseas to qualify their weight class for the Olympics.
In fact, of the 18 weight classes for wrestling at the Athens Games, Canada has qualified just two athletes to compete so far. Based upon their placement at the 2003 World Championships, Canada is guaranteed an athlete in Athens in men’s freestyle at 66 kg and in women’s freestyle at 63 kg.
Talk about pressure. Talk about motivation.
In contrast, the Olympic Trials in the United States will be held after the completion of the qualification events for the Athens Games. Currently, the USA has qualified in 12 of the 18 weight divisions for Athens. When the U.S. wrestlers get together in Indianapolis, everybody will already know if the U.S. will field a full team at the Olympics, or if there were any weights left unqualified.
The format of the Olympic Trials in Canada is also different than used by the Yanks to the south. The U.S. will automatically place its 2004 U.S. Nationals champion in the finals series for the Olympic Trials. A Challenge Tournament with all of the rest of the qualifiers will be held over two days to determine one challenger for the national champion in the championship best-of-three series.
In Canada, up to three athletes are seeded in the Olympic Trials based upon last year’s nationals, with the rest of the field competing in a pool tournament. The winner of the pool becomes the No. 4 athlete, and wrestles off No. 3. The winner of that match wrestles the No. 2 seed. Then the winner of that bout qualifies for the best-of-three finals series with the No. 1 athlete. In freestyle, this is done over two days. In Greco-Roman, the entire Trials are held on just one day.
The U.S. used to have three athletes on the “ladder” through the 1992 Olympic Trials, but switched the system to having only the national champion earn an advantage. Prior to 1993, a U.S. athlete in the Challenge Tournament would have to win four straight days of wrestling to make a U.S. team, including three days of best-of-three series.
Confused yet? Actually, the Canadian Trials should be very exciting, with some outstanding wrestling expected. Some of the weight classes feature a heavy favorite, while others are truly up for grabs. Any wrestling fan able to get to Alberta this weekend should have a very good time enjoying the action.
Canada’s three most famous wrestlers are in weight divisions that are not yet qualified for the Athens Games. That includes 2000 Olympic champion Daniel Igali at men’s 74 kg, 2001 World champion Giuvi Sissaouri at men’s 60 kg and six-time World Champion Christine Nordhagen at women’s 72 kg.
Igali has the No. 1 seed at his weight class. He won his Olympic gold medal at 69 kg, and moved up in weight when FILA dropped to seven divisions. Igali missed out qualifying this weight class in New York, placing 11th when only the top 10 were qualifiers. He won his pool but fell in the preliminary round to eventual bronze medalist Gennady Laliev of Kazakhstan. Igali will need to go to Europe to earn the right to defend his Olympic title if he wins the Trials. He has had some injury problems in recent seasons. His top challenger is No. 2 Zoltan Hunyady.
Sissaouri is also No. 1 in his division, after placing 12th at the World Championships and not qualifying the nation. He won his pool, but was defeated in the preliminary bracket by David Pogosian of Georgia in New York. It will not be an easy day for Sissaouri; No. 2 Saeed Azarbayjani has been successful on the international circuit and could be a good test if he has confidence.
Nordhagen actually enters the Canadian Trials as the No. 3 athlete on the ladder in her weight class. After taking some time off from wrestling, Nordhagen returned to the mat last year and was beaten out for the team by Ohenewa Akuffo, who represented Canada at the World Championships in New York. Akuffo was beaten in her pool in New York by eventual bronze medalist Wang Xu of China. Nordhagen has looked tough in some fall competitions, and this could be a very interesting battle for the Olympic team. No 2 is college star Pam Wilson.
There will be fierce battles in the two weight divisions already qualified for Canada for the Olympic Games.
In women’s wrestling at 63 kg, Viola Yanik is the No. 1 athlete. Yanik placed third at the 2003 World Championships in New York, her best international performance to date. Her division is jammed with talent. Sitting at No. 2 is Tamara Medwidsky and No. 3 is past World Team member Tara Hedican.
The women’s pool at 63 kg is loaded with new challengers, as a number of wrestlers have dropped down from the non-Olympic weight at 67 kg or moved up from the non-Olympic weight of 59 kg for a try for the team. A total of 11 wrestlers are in the pool, fighting to get onto the 63 kg ladder. The battles should be fierce. The group is led by 2003 World Team member at 67 kg, Shannon Samler, who was fourth in the World meet in New York.
In men’s 66 kg, young Evan MacDonald qualified Canada for the Olympics by placing eighth at the World meet in New York City. MacDonald, at No. 1 on the ladder, has two other talented contenders seeded in the division: No. 2 Rob Lang and No. 3 Mike Francis. The pool tournament is also large at this division, with 13 athletes on the entry list. Neal Ewers, a World placewinner in 2002, will be among the group of challengers battling to earn that No. 4 spot.
All of the women’s weight classes should be very competitive. At 48 kg, veteran Lindsay Belisle is No. 1, with improving Belinda Chow at No. 2 and past World medalist Carol Huyhn at No. 3. At 55 kg, the top three athletes all have world-class credentials: No. 1 Jennifer Ryz, No. 2. Tonya Verbeek and No. 3 Erica Sharp.
In men ‘s freestyle, sports fans will watch with interest as Wayne Weathers, a professional football player in the CFL, attempts to make the team at 120 kg. Weathers just missed out qualifying for the 2000 Olympics, and is returning for another shot at the Athens Games. His main challenger is veteran Colbie Bell, who has the No. 2 spot on the ladder and wrestled for Canada in the 2003 World meet in New York City. Other top big men in the pool division are veterans Eric Kirschner and Ari Taub.
The men’s battles at 84 kg and 96 kg should be interesting, while 55 kg will have a strong favorite.
Carl Rainville, who competed in New York this year, is No. 1 at 84 kg. Lurking at No. 3 is Nick Ugoalah, who has competed in four World Championships for Canada. The No. 2 athlete here is Roozbeh Banihashemi, a two-time Junior National champion.
Veteran Dean Schmeichel is the No. 1 at 96 kg, and clearly has the experience edge. He competed in the 2000 Olympics, and has been to three Senior World Championships. Schmeichel was 11th in New York, missing out on qualifying by just one spot. At No. 2 is Randeep Sodhi, who was Canada’s national champion in 2003. Young David Zilberman, who is a college star at Concordia, comes in at No. 3 and is expected to have a bright future in Canadian wrestling.
The 55 kg favorite is No. 1 Mikheil Japaridze, who has represented Canada in all of the major events in recent years and has shown promise internationally. He has won medals at the Pan American Games and the World Cup, but has yet to capture a top 10 finish at the World Championships. Pushing Japaridze will be No. 2 James Crowe and No. 3 Mike Stitt.
Greco-Roman is set for the final day of the tournament, Sunday, Dec. 14. Greco-Roman is not a style that receives much attention or support in Canada, and Canada has not qualified any weight classes for Athens in this style yet.
A few talented freestylers also hold No. 1 seeds in the Greco-Roman division: Saeed Azarbayjani at 60 kg and Colbie Bell at 120 kg. Many of the athletes in this tournament are also entered in the freestyle division.
Other No. 1 seeds are Andy Hutchinson at 55 kg, Ainsley Robinson at 66 kg, Andy Mitton at 74 kg and Scott Seeley at 84 kg. There is no top seed at 96 kg, which has six athletes in a pool competition.
The biggest challenge for Canadian Greco-Roman athletes will not be making Team Canada. Rather, qualifying the weight class for Athens will be a long shot at every weight division.
The Canadian Olympic Trials will be aired live nationally on the Canadian Broadcasting Company (CBC). The CBC live coverage of the finals will be held from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m., local time, on Saturday December 13th, This will include the deciding matches in the best two of three finals for both the Men's Freestyle and Women's Freestyle weight classes. U.S. fans with satellite dishes, or near the Canadian border, should be able to find this television show.
Updated results from the Canadian Olympic Trials will be posted each day on the CAWA web page, located at http://www.wrestling.ca/index.php
The event is open to the public. Tickets will be available for purchase at Millennium Place and at the Recreation Administration office beginning November 21. Call 467-2211 for more details or check on-line at www.strathcona.ab.ca/millenniumplace
2004 Canadian Olympic Trials - Preliminary Entry List
from the CAWA web page
Women’s Freestyle
48 KG
1. Lindsay Belisle - BMWC
2. Belinda Chou - Cattown
3. Carol Huynh - BMWC
Pool
Vanessa Brown - Calgary Rebels
Melissa Hillaby - Bears W.C.
Krista Wells - Kingston W.C.
Julie Harris - UCWC
Ashley Goertz - Salisbury W.C.
Angela Mott - BMWC
55 KG
1. Jennifer Ryz - BMWC
2. Tonya Verbeek - Brock W.C.
3. Erica Sharp - UCWC
Pool
Terri McNutt - London-Western
Justine Bouchard - Salisbury W.C.
Tina Pihl - Independent
Audrey Pang - Team Impact
Brittanee Laverdure - UCWC
Laura McDougall - UCWC
Andrea Ross - UCWC
Terresa Piotrowski - Guelph W.C.
Korle Mengebo - Cattown
63 KG
1. Viola Yanik - Saskatoon W.C.
2. Tamara Medwidsky - Montreal W.C.
3. Tara Hedican - Guelph W.C.
Pool
Martine Dugrenier - Montreal W.C.
Megan Dolan - Brock W.C.
Theresa Vladicka - Bears W.C.
Shannon Mathie - Bears W.C.
Heidi Kulak - Bears W.C.
Shannon Samler - BMWC
Emily Richardson - BMWC
Amy Dyck - Saskatoon W.C.
Helen Hennick - UCWC
Breanne Graham - UCWC
Nicole Garceau - SSM
72 KG
1. Ohenewa Akuffo - Guelph W.C.
2. Pam Wilson - Hamilton W.C.
3. Christine Nordhagen - UCWC
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12/10/2003
Gary Abbott/USA Wrestling
Tom Tomeo of Grove City, Pa. has joined the national women’s coaching staff through the U.S. Olympic Committee Resident Coaches Scholarship Program.
Tomeo will be working with USA Wrestling National Women’s Coach Terry Steiner, and will coach elite women wrestlers at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colo., as well as assist in all aspects of the national women’s wrestling program.
Tomeo has a strong background as a men’s college wrestling coach, as well as a club coach within women’s wrestling.
“Tom brings a lot of knowledge, plus a great rapport with the women wrestlers,” said National Women’s Coach Terry Steiner. “He has been around women’s wrestling for awhile. He brings more eyes and ears into our practice room. Tom provides a different perspective, which is also very good.”
Tomeo most recently served two years as an assistant wrestling coach for the men’s team at the Univ. of Buffalo, a successful Div. I wrestling program.
He also spent a half-season as a coach of the men’s team at Cumberland College, an NAIA program in Kentucky. While Tomeo was at Cumberland, the team had a national champion and six All-Americans.
The previous year, Tomeo was an assistant coach for the men’s team at Div. I Slippery Rock Univ. in Pennsylvania. While part of the program, Slippery Rock had its first All-American in a decade and a winning dual meet record.
He has been coaching women’s wrestling on the Senior level since 2000. Tomeo is a member of the women’s coaching staff for the Sunkist Kids, one of the most successful wrestling clubs in the world. Among the athletes he has coached is his younger sister Erin Tomeo, a three-time U.S. Nationals runner-up and member of the 2001 U.S. World Team.
He also has extensive background as a coach and clinician at various summer wrestling academies, working with developing young athletes.
Tomeo was a NCAA All-American for Clarion Univ., where he also won an EWL title. He received a bachelor’s degree in biology. He was a two-time state champion for Grove City High School in Pennsylvania, winning the Class AA title as a junior and the Class AAA title as a senior.
“I am very excited about this opportunity, not only for myself by for the women wrestlers,” said Tomeo. “Anytime you are involved with an organization that is on the fast track, it is an exciting time. It will be challenging; I will be able to work with different personalities and styles. I couldn’t hope to work with a more professional, focused and dedicated person than Terry Steiner, which makes any transition easier.”
The purpose of the USOC Resident Coaches’ Scholarship Program is to provide a development or mentor situation for scholarship coaches to improve their skills. The basic objective is to facilitate the development of new coaches and enhance the ranks of future national and Olympic coaches. There is an educational component of the scholarship program, and the coaches are expected to attend all practices and integrate themselves totally into their sports program. The funding for the program comes from the U.S. Olympic Committee’s Coaching and Sports Science Division.