Takedown Report

National Wrestling News (2021) – # 6

TDR Editor’s Notes ; A group of stories on wrestling activities of a national interest from this month and last. Also a look ahead to next month with the trials for the USA Olympic team to be held in Texas. Read on and enjoy as wrestling fans look on to watch the final college wrestling competition on ESPN TV tonight. Keep wrestling on. Contact us at the Editor’s office at martinkfleming@gmail.com
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1 } – #TEAMUSATUESDAY: CATCHING UP WITH NATIONAL MEN’S FREESTYLE HEAD COACH BILL ZADICK
On this edition of #TeamUSATuesday, we spoke with Men’s Freestyle National Team Head Coach Bill Zadick. A World and NCAA champion, Zadick took over the men’s freestyle program after the 2016 Olympics. Prior to assuming the role of head coach, Zadick began working at USA Wrestling in 2009 as the Resident Coordinator and Assistant National Freestyle and was promoted to the position of National Freestyle Developmental Coach and Assistant National Freestyle Coach in 2010.

In 2017, Zadick led the program to their first Freestyle World Team Title since 1995 and was subsequently named the U.S. Olympic Committee Olympic Coach of the Year. In the interview Zadick discusses the recent National Team training camp in Ohio, the strong performances Team USA recorded at the Henri Deglane in Nice, France, his thoughts on the David Taylor vs. Jordan Burroughs super-match and some of the coaching philosophies he employs while helping elite athletes pursue their dreams of Olympic gold. … rest of story at https://www.teamusa.org/USA-Wrestling/Features/2021/January/26/TeamUSATuesday-Catching-up-with-National-Mens-Freestyle-Head-Coach-Bill-Zadick?mc_cid=348fe62197&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

2 } – GREG STROBEL “MAKE A WEIGHT” CHALLENGE STARTS FEB 10!
USA Wrestling, in partnership with the Greg Strobel Leadership Academy announces the Greg Strobel ‘Make A Weight’ 30-Day Challenge. Plan now to participate in the challenge by signing up and getting pledges. The challenge begins Wednesday, February 10, 2021. Greg Strobel was an outstanding athlete, coach, mentor and ambassador to the sport of wrestling. The teachings and life lessons he left behind are profound, including the value he placed on creating a “Lifetime of Good Habits”. 

Every year Greg challenged himself to make his college wrestling weight to demonstrate the importance of Discipline, Accountability and Consistency, while also enriching the lives of others by fostering positive relationships, making connections, and creating a Family atmosphere within the wrestling communities he served. … rest of story at https://www.teamusa.org/USA-Wrestling/Features/2021/January/27/Greg-Strobel-Make-a-Weight-Challenge?mc_cid=bf1f14c6db&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

3 } – ‘First To Fight’ With All-Marine Head Coach Jason Loukides 
In one of the most encouraging developments of the season thus far, members of the All-Marine Wrestling Team finally got back on the mat for the first time in nearly a year at the Henri Deglane Grand Prix in France earlier this month. Four athletes placed fifth, just missing out on taking home some hardware. The goal according to All-Marine head coach Jason Loukides was the opportunity for his athletes to get matches in against capable opposition. They certainly did that. Between the formatting of Deglane along with a few impressive victories recorded throughout the tournament, the Marines saw a combined 21 bouts between eight competitors.

’19 Final X runner-up Jamel Johnson (67 kg, 5PM #4) had the busiest day among the group in Nice, going 2-2 with both wins coming in lopsided fashion. ’19 World Team member John Stefanowicz (world #3 at 82 kg) was up at 87 kilos and triumphed in his first bout before punching the clock against … rest of story at http://www.fivepointmove.com/all-marine-wrestling/jason-loukides-post-deglane/?mc_cid=ad9f03475a&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

4 } – Lindland: “Coaching With A Father’s Heart”
Matt Lindland is an Olympic and World silver medalist (2000, ’01), former #1 ranked UFC middleweight, and the founder of famed MMA training center Team Quest in Oregon. You may know him best — or just as well — as the head coach of the United States Greco-Roman National Team since ’14. Lindland resides in Colorado Springs, CO with his wife, Angie.

With 2021 now having fully arrived, I can’t help but look back and reflect on the year 2020. All of the experiences we’ve had, all of the lessons learned. We were told to isolate and socially distance. I preferred to see it as solitude rather than isolation. And, solitude for me was time alone with my thoughts, and time with God in prayer and worship. 2020 was a unique year for a lot of folks. I don’t know about you specifically, but I’m sure you had faced some type of adversity, as well. The global pandemic has been a struggle affecting everyone’s lives.

I was no exception. I dealt with struggle and adversity right along with the rest of the world. I had a dear friend pass away on an adventure that turned into a nightmare. I also battled with prostate cancer. Bottom line, we all struggle … rest of story at http://www.fivepointmove.com/christian-faith/lindand-coaching-fathers-heart/?mc_cid=8755157a86&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

5 } – Five Point Move 2020 Athlete Of The Year: G’Angelo Hancock
He did not receive as many competitive opportunities as he’s used to having. But every time G’Angelo Hancock (97 kg, Sunkist, world #7, 5PM #1) stepped on a mat in 2020, he made it count. In doing so, he also now becomes the first person to be named 5PM’s Athlete of the Year twice.

For the second consecutive year, the voting committee was swayed by two factors when it came to Hancock: performance results and wins over quality competition. The difference this time, aside from total number of matches, is that he stands alone — in ’19 Hancock shared Athlete of the Year honors with Max Nowry (60 kg, Army/WCAP, world #3 at 55 kg, 5PM #3).
… rest of story at http://www.fivepointmove.com/usa-greco/2020-athlete-year-gangelo-hancock/?mc_cid=4295bf0eb8&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

6 } – MAT CHAT PODCAST EPISODE 89 FEATURING NICK SURIANO, ZAHID VALENCIA AND MARK PERRY IS NOW AVAILABLE FOR STREAMING AND DOWNLOAD
The Mat Chat with David Mirikitani podcast officially launches on USA Wrestling’s platforms today. The podcast is available in video form on USA Wrestling’s YouTube channel or can be downloaded as an audio file. In this episode, David interviews Olympic hopefuls Nick Suriano and Zahid Valencia as well as ASU assistant coach Mark Perry about the training situation with the Sunkist Kids in Tempe, Arizona.
… rest of story at https://www.teamusa.org/USA-Wrestling/Features/2021/February/02/Mat-Chat-89?mc_cid=e1d5a94c45&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

7 } – Ryan Warner takes a deep dive into the Smith family legacy with new audio documentary
 Ryan Warner takes a deep dive into the Smith family legacy with new audio documentary
There has never been a wrestling family like the Smiths. Ryan Warner of the award-winning Wrestling Changed My Life podcast examines one of the greatest dynasties in all of sport in his new audio documentary called “The Smiths.” … rest of story at https://www.trackwrestling.com/PortalPlayer.jsp?TIM=1612585638686&twSessionId=mlahnpsynw&videoId=1038066135&mc_cid=7fbcdf9574&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b
And Iowa Wrestling Hall of Fame in Cresco Induction Ceremony Cancelled
By Iowa Wrestling Hall of Fame
Regrettably, the Board of Directors of the Iowa Wrestling Hall of Fame in Cresco announce the
postponement of their Annual Induction Ceremony and Awards Banquet. The 2021 event scheduled for
Monday April 12 is cancelled due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. This outstanding class will be
inducted on Monday April 11th, 2022. … rest of story at https://www.thepredicament.com/2021/02/iowa-wrestling-hall-of-fame-in-cresco-induction-ceremony-cancelled/?mc_cid=b6bf9ab19d&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

8 } – FloWrestling Acquires Trackwrestling Platform From NBC’s SportsEngine
AUSTIN, Texas (February 5,   2021) – FloSports, a leading sports streaming and original content network, today announced the acquisition of Trackwrestling,  an NBC Sports Group/SportsEngine, Inc. company and an established leader in wrestling event management tools,  including all of the company’s assets and existing broadcast rights. The acquisition unites the wrestling community under one umbrella and bridges Trackwrestling’s powerful suite of event management and online registration tools with FloSports’ unsurpassed live and on-demand wrestling programming and industry-leading content, news and analysis featured on its award-winning digital platform. The well-respected team at Trackwrestling will also join FloSports bringing together some of the sport’s most-recognized experts for the first time and creating a single unparalleled offering to wrestling fans worldwide.

Trackwrestling has been a trusted partner to the wrestling community for over a decade. The company has offered a variety of services to the wrestling community, … rest of story at https://www.flowrestling.org/articles/6880875-flowrestling-acquires-trackwrestling-platform-from-nbcs-sportsengine

9} – Lehighvalleylive.com’s Brad Wilson named nation’s top wrestling writer
By Lehighvalleylive.com Staff
Brad Wilson, a veteran sports reporter for lehighvalleylive.com and The Express-Times, has been named the nation’s top wrestling writer, Amateur Wrestling News has announced. Wilson was named the recipient of its Bob Dellinger Award in the publication’s Jan. 15 issue. The award was first bestowed to the nation’s top wrestling writer in 1960 and is considered the country’s oldest wrestling media award. “It’s an amazing honor to come to me,” Wilson said. “You look who has won the Dellinger and it’s a who’s-who’s of wrestling media, men I have read for years, whose work I modeled myself after. To be in that company is humbling.”

Wilson, who was inducted as a journalist into the District 11 Wrestling Hall of Fame and was previously named the National Wrestling Media Association’s journalist of the year, has been part of the lehighvalleylive.com and Express-Times sports team for more than a decade. He’s also been a sports reporter for several other Pennsylvania newspapers in a career that started in 1989. Wilson won the PA Wrestling Round-up Media Award of Excellence in 2020. … rest of story at https://www.lehighvalleylive.com/highschoolsports/2021/02/lehighvalleylivecoms-brad-wilson-named-nations-top-wrestling-writer.html?mc_cid=7fbcdf9574&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

10 } – FORMER WRESTLERS COMPETING IN THE SUPER BOWL: 2021 EDITION
Wrestlers usually make great athletes, and in particular, they make great football players. Every year we see former wrestlers make it to football’s biggest stage, the Super Bowl. Take a look at this year’s crop of wrestlers playing in Super Bowl LV this Sunday.

Tampa Bay
Tristan Wirfs
Offensive Tackle
Rookie Tristan Wirfs, the 13th overall pick in last year’s draft is a starter on the Buc’s O-line. Wirfs was a four-time letter winner for Mount Vernon in Iowa. He capped his career with a 2A state title in 2017.

Shaquil Barrett
Outside Linebacker
The Buccaneers have a state champion on the other side of the ball in Shaquil Barrett as well. … rest of story at https://www.teamusa.org/USA-Wrestling/Features/2021/February/05/wrestlers-in-superbowl?mc_cid=7fbcdf9574&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

11 } – In wake of Title IX bungle, Dartmouth AD to retire
Dartmouth College Athletic Director Harry Sheehy will retire this month in the wake of a Title IX controversy that forced the college to reinstate five teams cut in July. In a statement Tuesday, college President Phil Hanlon praised Sheehy’s accomplishments, like helping to raise almost $30 million to fund 16 positions in the department. Hanlon last month publicly blamed Sheehy for the controversy sparked by the elimination of the women’s and men’s swimming and diving teams, women’s and men’s golf teams, and men’s lightweight rowing teams. The college announced the program cuts in July, saying it was part of an effort to save money as the college faced revenue shortfalls because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

When members of the women’s swim team threatened to bring a lawsuit against Dartmouth for violating Title IX, Hanlon announced a settlement that brought back all five teams. In his Jan. 29 announcement, Hanlon said Sheehy used faulty data when deciding which teams to be cut. “To determine which teams would be eliminated, Director of Athletics Harry Sheehy and his team established a series of factors and considerations to be used in their assessment. We have recently learned that elements of the data that Athletics used to confirm continued Title IX compliance may not have been complete,” Hanlon said in the Jan. 29 statement.

California attorney Arthur Bryant, who represented the swim team members, met with Hanlon to demonstrate that the school was in violation of Title IX before the settlement was reached. “Dartmouth screwed up royally,” Bryant said when the deal was announced. “It publicly announced it was eliminating teams to comply with Title IX when their elimination flagrantly violated Title IX.” Title IX requires that schools provide equal access to all programs, including sports. Without the five teams, there were fewer opportunities for women Dartmouth students to engage in sports based on the student body population, according to Bryant. … rest of story at https://www.unionleader.com/sports/college/in-wake-of-title-ix-bungle-dartmouth-ad-to-retire/article_60260951-ef06-5f9a-9da0-92a4dfd3e570.html?mc_cid=a084ab7fd9&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

12 } – 2020 U.S. OLYMPIC TEAM TRIALS – WRESTLING WILL BE HELD AT DICKIES ARENA IN FORT WORTH, TEXAS, APRIL 2-3
USA Wrestling and the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee have announced that the 2020 U.S. Olympic Team Trials – Wrestling will be held at Dickies Arena in Fort Worth, Texas, April 2-3. The champions from the U.S. Olympic Team Trials – Wrestling will become eligible to represent the United States at the 2020 Summer Olympic Games in Tokyo, Japan, August 1-7, 2021.

“USA Wrestling is extremely grateful to the Fort Worth Sports Authority, the incredible Dickies Arena and Texas USA Wrestling for their tireless efforts to host one of the most important wrestling events in the history of American wrestling,” said Rich Bender, USA Wrestling Executive Director. “We are excited for not only the wrestling fans all over the globe, but, most importantly, our nation’s very best Olympic hopefuls who will compete on this world class stage for the coveted right to represent the United States of America at the Tokyo Olympic Games. No event in our sport provides more drama and emotion than the U.S. Olympic Team Trials and this year’s event will be no exception. A special thanks to our friends at Penn State University who made a valiant effort to host this year’s event. We are excited to be in Happy Valley in three short years for the 2024 U.S. Olympic Team Trials,” said Rich Bender, USA Wrestling Executive Director. This will be the fifth straight U.S. Olympic Team Trials in which all three Olympic wrestling teams were determined at the same time, … rest of story at https://www.teamusa.org/USA-Wrestling/Features/2021/February/11/US-Olympic-Team-Trials-to-Fort-Worth-Texas?mc_cid=b6bf9ab19d&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

March 20, 2021 - Posted by The TakeDown Report | Uncategorized