Takedown Report

USA Wrestling News – # 2

1 } – USA Wrestling and Athlete Performance Solutions announce fundraiser for Senior Teams and sanctioned wrestling clubs
BY MORGAN RABINE, USA WRESTLING | MAY 13, 2020
Big Game Wrestling Club in Bozeman, Mont., is one of many clubs participating. 
USA Wrestling, the sport’s national governing body and a member of the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee, and Athlete Performance Solutions, a globally authorized distributor for Nike Inc., announce a fundraiser for the U.S. Senior National Teams and Sanctioned USA Wrestling Clubs, during COVID-19 with the “We Will Wrestle Again” fundraising program.  “The We Will Wrestle Again effort will help ensure the USA Wrestling National Teams direct athlete support funding will be reinforced, will raise funds for wrestling programs all over the country, all while helping our own team at APS continue to work during this difficult time. The time is now for us to help the wrestling community.  We hope clubs all over the country will sign up so we can help them raise funds.” said Eddie Brown, President of Athlete Performance Solutions.
The fundraiser for our U.S. Senior National Teams and Sanctioned USA Wrestling Clubs will feature custom “We Will Wrestle Again” shirts utilizing Sanctioned USA Wrestling Club logos that will be sold online via APS’ website with a portion of the proceeds from every shirt sale going back to the club and/or team. … rest of story at … https://www.teamusa.org/USA-Wrestling/Features/2020/May/13/USA-Wrestling-and-Athlete-Performance-Solutions-Announce-Fundraiser?mc_cid=0f2858c4d6&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

2 } – USA Wrestling forms four special committees to deal with specific issues caused by COVID-19 pandemic
BY GARY ABBOTT, USA WRESTLING | MAY 14,
USA Wrestling, the national governing body for wrestling in the United States, has formed four committees to deal with specific issues facing the organization and the sport caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. These committees include numerous experienced professionals in a variety of industries who have chosen to volunteer their time and expertise to assist USA Wrestling and the sport of wrestling as it navigates through these extraordinary times. “USA Wrestling is tremendously grateful and blessed that these talented leaders are willing to step up for wrestling at this time. All have a passion for the sport and a commitment to help guide our organization in its decision-making process. With this assistance, our sport will have the best possible direction to help us get through the current situation and emerge successfully, with a clear vision for the future,” said USA Wrestling Executive Director Rich Bender.
Each committee is currently led by a USA Wrestling Staff Liaison, who is responsible for organizing regular meetings and providing the information and support necessary to allow the committee to do its important work. The first committee created by USA Wrestling was its COVID-19 Advisory Committee, which is … rest of story at … https://www.teamusa.org/USA-Wrestling/Features/2020/May/14/USA-Wrestling-forms-four-committees-to-deal-with-pandemic-issues?mc_cid=04edd3f4d0&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

3 } – USA Wrestling releases Return to the Mat Guidelines to assist wrestling community in making local decisions
BY USA WRESTLING | MAY 15,
USA Wrestling has released the “Return to the Mat Guidelines” document, which are guidelines and recommendations for the wrestling community as it makes decisions on a local level regarding when and how to safely resume wrestling activity.
Click for USA Wrestling Return to the Mat Guidelines
The document was initially drafted by one of USA Wrestling’s special committees created during the pandemic, the Return to Practice and Competition Committee, which includes medical experts and event operations professionals. It has been reviewed by USA Wrestling’s COVID-19 Advisory Committee, a group of experts who advise the organization on medical, scientific and government matters pertaining to the novel coronavirus. This document includes recommendations from the United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee and numerous other sources, including public health agencies and other sports organizations. As USA Wrestling has suggested since the pandemic began, all individuals should keep themselves updated with the most recent information from their state and local public health department, and follow those local regulations. Club leaders, coaches, parents and individuals must make their own assessments as to the safety of their situations in conjunction with this document. There are four phases included in the Return to the Mat Guidelines, …. rest of the story at … https://www.teamusa.org/USA-Wrestling/Features/2020/May/15/USA-Wrestling-Return-to-the-Mat-Guidelines-released?mc_cid=d787fad1c9&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

4 } – THE J’DEN COX DILEMMA: THREE USA WORLD CHAMPIONS COMPETING FOR TWO OLYMPIC BERTHS
In an Olympic Channel exclusive, wrestling world champion J’den Cox reveals why he chose to challenge Kyle Snyder for a place at Tokyo 2020, how he learned to cope with partially losing his hearing, and how his greatest victories are against depression.
By Andrew Binner18 May 2020
J’den Cox recently caused a bit of a stir in the freestyle wrestling world.The reigning two-time world champion at 92kg [a non-Olympic weight category] was expected to drop weight and compete for the 86kg title at the US Olympic Team Trials, as he did before winning bronze at the Rio 2016 Games. Fans were starting to salivate over the prospect of a final between Cox and current 86kg world champion David Taylor,** to decide who would grapple in red, white and blue at Tokyo 2020. However, Cox announced his intentions to bulk up and challenge for the 97kg title instead, putting himself on a potential collision course with reigning 97kg Olympic champion Kyle Snyder at trials. … rest of the story at https://www.olympicchannel.com/en/stories/features/detail/jden-cox-dilemma-wrestling-tokyo-olympics/?mc_cid=09c8756a50&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

5 } – USA Wrestling launches Game Room in its membership system; Word Game is first game available
BY GARY ABBOTT, USA WRESTLING | MAY 21,
USA Wrestling has developed a fun and educational way for the wrestling community to test their knowledge of wrestling facts and trivia. USA Wrestling has launched the Game Room in the USA Wrestling membership system (https://www.usawmembership.com/games), which will feature a number of different games and puzzles for fans to enjoy. Currently, there are over 1,000+ clues in the USA Wrestling Game Room database, with many more being added on a daily basis. Because of the random game play feature, you always get a new game every time you play. There is an ongoing Overall Leader Board for the entire Game Room, as well as Individual Game Leader Boards. The first of the games, entitled “Word Game” has been launched in the Game Room. …. details of story at … https://www.teamusa.org/USA-Wrestling/Features/2020/May/21/USA-Wrestling-launches-Game-Room-starting-with-Word-Game?mc_cid=97df5e5b46&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

6 } – United World Wrestling Launches #ThisIsWrestling in Celebration of “World Wrestling Day”
CORSIER-SUR-VEVEY, Switzerland (May 21) — United World Wrestling has launched #ThisIsWrestling, a multi-platform social media campaign asking athletes, fans, coaches, and members of the wrestling community to  share photos and videos of themselves as it relates to wrestling. The social media driven celebration is in recognition of “World Wrestling Day” on Saturday, May 23 and will continue throughout the month, known widely as ‘World Wrestling Month.”
Images for #ThisIsWrestling are meant to be personal to each person’s journey in the sport. Maybe an athlete reflecting on teamwork, doctors tending to their wrestlers, or mothers nervously watching the action at home — wrestling effects us all in a unique way. United World Wrestling wants it fans to share those special moments with the world and relive the moment on and off the mat that makes the sport special. “This Wrestling Day is about you, the fans, the athletes, the coaches, doctors, mothers and fathers,” said United World Wrestling president Nenad Lalovic. …. rest of story at … https://unitedworldwrestling.org/article/united-world-wrestling-launches-thisiswrestling-celebration-world-wrestling-day?mc_cid=97df5e5b46&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

7 } – USA Wrestling provides free Bonus Digital Edition of USA Wrestler magazine to the wrestling community
BY GARY ABBOTT, USA WRESTLING | MAY 21,
USA Wrestling, the national governing body for wrestling in the United States, has created a free Bonus Digital Edition of its membership magazine USA Wrestler, as gift to the wrestling community during the challenging times of the coronavirus pandemic.
Click here for the May 2020 USA Wrestler Bonus Digital Edition
This issue does not replace USA Wrestler print editions, which will resume publication in the future, but is an expanded additional issue available to all in the wrestling community, including current USA Wrestling members and anyone else who enjoys the sport.
USA Wrestling and its publishing partner WIN Magazine came together to design this 60-page digital magazine, the largest USA Wrestler ever published. The use of the digital magazine format allows USA Wrestling and WIN to create a more interactive publication, which includes the ability to click images to see a variety of videos. …. rest of the story at … https://www.teamusa.org/USA-Wrestling/Features/2020/May/21/Free-Bonus-May-2020-USA-Wrestler-digital-edition-launched?mc_cid=97df5e5b46&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

8 } – USA Wrestling Executive Director Rich Bender featured in Sports Business Journal’s “Power Players: The Olympics”
On April 20, Street & Smith’s Sports Business Journal, a leading sports industry publication, published its list of the top leaders in Olympic sports, in an extensive feature entitled “Power Players” The Olympics,” written by Ben Fischer and Chris Smith. USA Wrestling Executive Director Rich Bender, who has been a USA Wrestling employee for more than three decades and its chief executive since 2001, was among those named to this prestigious list. Bender was one of 77 individuals from across the world included in the feature, and one of just seven National Governing Body chief executive officers on the list.
The article said following about Bender:
RICH BENDER
Executive Director, USA Wrestling
Bender has been in charge at USA Wrestling for nearly two decades, …. rest of story at … https://www.teamusa.org/USA-Wrestling/Features/2020/April/21/Bender-recognized-in-Sports-Business-Journal?mc_cid=945de33a33&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

9 } – Wrestling legend Bruce Baumgartner retires today after over 36 years working at Edinboro University
36 years is a long time for anyone to be doing anything. When asked, Bruce Baumgartner said that he has been with his wife Linda longer than that. The conversation came up, mainly because today is the day that wrestling hero Bruce Baumgartner retires after over 36 years working for Edinboro University. His resume shows four different jobs at the university, each with its own set of challenges and achievements.
1984 – Hired as assistant wrestling coach
1990 – Promoted to head wrestling coach
1997 – Named Director of Athletics
2018 – Appointed Assistant Vice President of University Advancement
Of course, wrestling was also a part of Bruce’s life the entire time that he has been with Edinboro. When he first accepted the job as an assistant wrestling coach to work with in-coming head coach Mike DeAnna, Baumgartner was a 23-year-old young wrestling star, trying to make his first Olympic Team. Today, as he leaves his employment with Edinboro, he is the president of USA Wrestling, helping lead the organization through the COVID-19 crisis. Even when his professional job was not specifically in wrestling, Bruce Baumgartner has always been part of USA Wrestling in some important capacity. …. rest of the story at … https://www.teamusa.org/USA-Wrestling/Features/2020/May/08/Bruce-Baumgartner-retires-after-36-years-at-Edinboro

10 } – USA Wrestling suspends sanctioned events through May 24, as Return to Practice and Competition Guidelines being finalized
Based upon its principle of following current advice and direction from local health and government authorities, and with a focus on developing best practices for the return to wrestling, USA Wrestling has extended its suspension of sanctioned events through May 24. The postponement of national and regional events will remain through July 1 at this time. At this time, based upon the input of USA Wrestling’s COVID-19 Advisory Committee, and through careful review of the national, state and local restrictions concerning the novel coronavirus, USA Wrestling has not identified any situation that would allow competitions to resume yet. As the situation concerning the pandemic remains fluid and ever-evolving, USA Wrestling will continue to monitor this closely and pledges to regularly update the wrestling community on changes to its policies. Based upon the direction of the COVID-19 Advisory Committee, USA Wrestling does not believe there will be one national proclamation that it will be safe to return to practice and competition for wrestling. The organization understands that both the return to practice, as well as the return to competition, will begin at the local level, based upon the situation in that community. The expected progression of wrestling activity will most probably begin locally, … rest of the story at … https://www.teamusa.org/USA-Wrestling/Features/2020/May/08/USA-Wrestling-Statement-on-May-8?mc_cid=4570e96a5e&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

May 26, 2020 - Posted by The TakeDown Report | Uncategorized