Takedown Report

Amateur Wrestling Reports

Wrestling History # 11

1 } – Tony Ersland: My Wrestling Hero
The 75th installment of My Wrestling Hero features Tony Ersland. The Purdue coach shares his thoughts on his wrestling heroes: Tom and Terry Brands and Lincoln McIlravy. 
These are Ersland’s words on his wrestling heroes: 
“When I was growing up, I ended up going to Iowa, and who was wrestling before I got there and who I watched all the time, were Tom and Terry Brands. They were catalysts of the Iowa wrestling program at the time. They were the holy terrors of the wrestling world at that time. Those were guys that I grew up watching on Iowa Public Television before I went to Iowa in those high school years. I remember watching those guys on Iowa Public Television and seeing them multiple times a year and going to dual meets. I appreciated the competitors that they were. Those were guys that I really enjoyed watching and I just respected — how they competed, … rest of story at https://www.trackwrestling.com/PortalPost.jsp?TIM=1594316158730&twSessionId=pzslmyslbd&postId=784392135&mc_cid=35441de679&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

2 } – Hunter Catka: My Wrestling Hero
The 76th installment of My Wrestling Hero features Hunter Catka. The 2019 Cadet World Team member who finished the season as the top-ranked high school heavyweight in the country shares his thoughts on his wrestling hero: Brandon Slay. 
These are Catka’s words on his wrestling hero: 
“My wrestling hero is Brandon Slay. As a person and as a coach, and obviously as a wrestler, he’s done a lot. He’s the most motivational. As a coach, he’s put me through some amazing practices with some amazing partners and definitely got me better. As a mentor, … rest of story at https://www.trackwrestling.com/PortalPost.jsp?TIM=1594437856255&twSessionId=wdgdjriosm&postId=784527135&mc_cid=74c2efdb11&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

3 } – Reece Humphrey goes into ‘The Hot Box’
Reece Humphrey, a two-time All-American for Ohio State and three-time World teamer member, entered ‘The Hot Box’ after discussing his wrestling career and his role at the New Jersey Regional Training Center. … rest of story at https://www.trackwrestling.com/PortalPlayer.jsp?TIM=1594437856255&twSessionId=wdgdjriosm&videoId=784673135&mc_cid=74c2efdb11&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

4 } – Terry Steiner: My Wrestling Hero
The 78th installment of My Wrestling Hero features Terry Steiner. The USA Wrestling women’s freestyle National Team coach and 1993 NCAA champion shares his thoughts on his wrestling hero: Randy Lewis. 
These are Steiner’s words on his wrestling hero: 
“I would say Randy Lewis. The reason is because of the relationship we had with him. He’s the guy who really noticed us and I loved his competitive spirit. He was all about competition day. When the lights were on he always shined the brightest. When the stage was the most critical he would shine the brightest. He waited for those moments to prove himself. And then the competitiveness of it, whether you were in a workout or competition mat. … rest of story at https://www.trackwrestling.com/tw/PortalPost.jsp?TIM=1594574336495&twSessionId=xzmveskdpk&postId=785071135&mc_cid=622487b176&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

5 } – Robby Smith: My Wrestling Hero
oday’s installment of My Wrestling Hero features four-time Greco-Roman World Team member Robby Smith, who shares his thoughts on his wrestling hero: USA Wrestling Greco assistant and 1976 Olympic gold medalist Momir Petkovic. 
These are Smith’s words on his wrestling hero: 
“I’d have to go with Momir Petkovic because he taught me so much. He was my coach, but if I had to go with a hero of mine it’s a man I respect, right? That’s the reason he’s my hero. He taught me so much in the world of wrestling and he really taught me how to be a man. I really didn’t get to follow his career when he was wrestling because it was before my time. … rest of story at https://www.trackwrestling.com/PortalPost.jsp?TIM=1594777826145&twSessionId=fvugmitwxj&postId=785210135&mc_cid=2a2de153ce&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

6 } – Angel Escobedo: My Wrestling Hero
Today’s installment of My Wrestling Hero features Indiana coach and 2008 NCAA champion Angel Escobedo, who shares his thoughts on his wrestling heroes: John Smith, Kevin Jackson and Kenny Monday. 
These are Escobedo’s words on his wrestling heroes:
“I think I have quite a few. I can’t just say one person but a lot of them influenced my life. John Smith was at that age when he was winning World titles and Olympic titles and the run that he had. He was one of them. Kevin Jackson and Kenny Monday were other guys. … rest of story at https://www.trackwrestling.com/PortalPost.jsp?TIM=1594956806739&twSessionId=kzzsnzrzpn&postId=785511135&mc_cid=78726f35ba&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

7 } -WIN MAGAZINE CELEBRATES JUNIOR NATIONALS HISTORY WITH ITS JULY 2020 ISSUE, WHICH IS NOW AVAILABLE
USA Wrestling’s magazine partner, WIN, has published their July issue celebrating what would have been the 50th Junior Nationals with some of the most memorable moments. Subscribe to WIN, either in print or digitally, to get a copy of the magazine. Use Discount code “July” to start your subscription with WIN’s July publication.
https://subscribe.win-magazine.com/collections/usa-wrestling
Featured Stories include:
P6 – VAN KLEY COLUMN – IMPORTANCE OF COACHES
There’s potentially never been a time where the impact of good coaches has been more needed. WIN Publisher Bryan Van Kley interview some college coaches at the NWCA Convention in 2018 about why you coach.
P8 – RUMBLING ON THE ROOF
Nearly 20 wrestlers decided to return to mat action June 28 on the top of a building in Chicago, where Jason Nolf, Pat Lugo and Joe Rau won the featured bouts of the evening.
P11 – KELSEY CAMPBELLL COLUMN
Through the eyes of a mixed-race female wrestler, get an inside look to the perspective on both racism and sexism from former Olympian and World Team member. … rest of story at https://www.teamusa.org/USA-Wrestling/Features/2020/July/18/WIN-Magazine-Fargo-celebration-edition?mc_cid=54266e1576&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

8 } – JUNIOR NATIONAL MEMORIES: THE FIRST JUNIOR NATIONALS IN IOWA CITY IN 1971 WITH CARR, CORSO, CURBY AMONG CHAMPIONS
It is generally accepted that the first USA Wrestling Junior National Championships was held in the Fieldhouse at the University of Iowa in Iowa City in 1971. Based upon that fact, this would have been the historic 50th Junior Nationals if USA Wrestling had not cancelled this year’s event in Fargo, N.D. due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In 1971, the USA was still embroiled in the Vietnam War, with Richard Nixon in his first term as the U.S. president. The social, political and cultural upheaval from the 1960’s was still going strong. It was the year Led Zeppelin first performed “Stairway to Heaven” and Rod Stewart gave us “Maggie May.” The voting age in the USA was lowered to 18. Disney World opened in Florida and Apollo 14 landed on the moon. Of the seven Junior National Memories stories I will write this week, this will be the only one that I did not attend in person. I was 10 years old at the time, and did not start wrestling until the latter part of 1972. All I know about this event is what I can research or what I have been told. At the time, Iowa was considered a major hotbed for wrestling in the USA (and still is). However, it was not the University of Iowa that was the big power of that time, but it was Iowa State, coached by Harold Nichols. Dave McCuskey was the head coach at the University of Iowa at the time. Dan Gable was still at Iowa State training for the Olympics, and would win a World title in 1971.  … rest of story at https://www.teamusa.org/USA-Wrestling/Features/2020/July/18/The-first-Junior-Nationals-in-1971?mc_cid=54266e1576&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

9} – ABBOTT BLOG: WITH NO FARGO IN 2020, LET’S CELEBRATE THE FIRST 49 YEARS OF JUNIOR NATIONALS!
A large part of the wrestling community was expected to either be in Fargo, N.D. today, or would be on the way there. COVID-19 has brought our sport and the world to a screeching halt. One of the victims of the pandemic is the annual USMC Junior and 16U Nationals in the Fargodome, which was ultimately cancelled on May 27. Today was supposed to be the final set-up day, plus registration, medical checks and weigh-ins for 16U men’s freestyle and 16U women’s freestyle. The raised platform would have been set up, with mats all over the floor of the Fargodome. Brackets would be finalized and posted. Competition was scheduled to kick off tomorrow promptly at 9:00 a.m. This year was set to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Junior Nationals portion of the event. It has been 50 years, a full half-century of great high school wrestlers battling for national championships and All-American honors in the Olympic styles. … rest of story at https://www.teamusa.org/USA-Wrestling/Features/2020/July/17/Abbott-blog-on-celebrating-the-first-49-Junior-Nationals?mc_cid=9a0490d9db&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

10 } – NWCA Honorary Lifetime Member, Coach Earl Fuller Passes
ROCHESTER, N.Y. – Legendary RIT coach Earl Fuller passed away, Thursday. He was 98 years old. Fuller served the RIT community for nearly six decades, including 46 seasons as wrestling coach and 15 as men’s golf coach. “Earl Fuller’s love for RIT and his student-athletes will be long remembered and forever felt in the hearts and minds of anyone who crossed his path,” said Executive Director of Athletics Lou Spiotti, Jr. “He leaves a legacy that few people in this profession, or any for that matter, can match.” Fuller took the reins of the wrestling program prior to the 1948-49 season as only the fifth coach following the team’s inception in 1927. He went on to mentor eight wrestlers to 10 All-America honors, including three-time All-American and 1983 Division III National Champion (142 lbs) Darrell Leslie, before his retirement in 1994. Fuller’s teams totaled 24 appearances at the NCAA Division Championships during his career, including three Division I appearances (1959-61) and five Division II showings (1963, 1970-73). Following the advent of Division III in 1974, Fuller’s teams qualified for the NCAA Championships 16 out of the 20 years he was on the sidelines. Fuller witnessed 15 RIT Invitational, nine state and 18 ICAC champions while six of his grapplers won the 4-I Tournament and 17 carried off top honors in the Niagara District AAU competition. Fuller remains the winningest coach in program history with 201 victories, including a perfect 10-0 record during the 1953-54 season. Seven of his wrestlers earned RIT Senior Athlete of the Year honors and 26 were inducted into the Sports Hall of Fame. Fuller was a member of the inaugural class inducted into the New York State Wrestling Coaches Association Hall of Fame in 1977. … rest of story at http://www.nwcaonline.com/nwca-honorary-lifetime-member-coach-earl-fuller-passes/?mc_cid=7e573bd55d&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

July 30, 2020 Posted by | Uncategorized | Leave a comment