Takedown Report

National Wrestling News (2021) – # 8

TDR Editor’s Notes ; Clearing out and catching up on a back log of wrestling news from this spring. The news is of interest to wrestling fans from across the nation even if it is late as it shows how wide and extensive wrestling is in our country and the world even in the months that have been ravaged by the CoVid restrictions. We shall look forward to a marge growth in numbers and activities in the fall. Keep a Wrestling onward! Contact us at the Editor’s office at martinkfleming@gmail.com Blog # 2925 (6/4/21)
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1 } – USA Wrestling is setting a new trend in folkstyle wrestling

•  USA Wrestling is setting a new trend in folkstyle wrestling

USA Wrestling is hosting the National High School Recruiting Showcase this weekend — and Rob Cate couldn’t be prouder of the brand new event landing in Coralville, Iowa.

•  USAW HS National Recruiting Showcase … rest of story at https://www.trackwrestling.com/PortalPlayer.jsp?TIM=1616729463548&twSessionId=bmmfhzvycj&videoId=1141982135&mc_cid=e6e4e842ef&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

2 } – OLYMPIC MEDALIST TERVEL DLAGNEV NAMED HEAD COACH FOR NEBRASKA WRESTLING TRAINING CENTER
The Nebraska Wrestling Training Center announced that Olympic and World bronze medalist and respected coach Tervel Dlagnev has been named its head freestyle coach. The NWTC made this announcement via Twitter today.

“We are extremely excited to announce the addition of Tervel Dlagnev at the head freestyle coach for the Nebraska Wrestling Training Center (NWTC). Tervel brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to Nebrask, having been a World and Olympic medalist competing at the highest level. Tervel will add anohter piece to our coaching staff and add value to our student-athletes’ experience on and off the mat. He’ll contribute significantly to their overall development and help them reach their competitive goals. We welcome Tervel, his wife Kristen and their family back to Nebraska to help our Regional Training Center bet the most competitive club in the country.”

Dlagnev was one of the nation’s best heavyweight freestyle wrestlers in history. He won his Olympic bronze medal at the 2012 London Olympic Games. Originally fifth at the event, gold medalist Artur Taymazov of Uzbekistan was stripped of his gold medal for doping violations, not announced until July 2019 during re-analysis of Taymazov’s test. Dlagnev’s only loss at the London Games was to Taymazov. Dlagnev also won World bronze medals for the USA in 2009 and 2014. He was also am member of the 2016 U.S. Olympic Team, placing fifth in the Rio Olympic Games. Dlagnev was fifth in the 2011 and 2013 World Championships. He was a 2011 Pan American Games champion and won a 2008 University World title. Dlagnev won four U.S. Open title. He was a two-time Div. II national champion for Nebraska-Kearney before moving on to the Senior level. A native of Arlington, Texas, he was a three-time Div. II finalist and four-time All-American. … rest of story at https://www.teamusa.org/USA-Wrestling/Features/2021/March/25/Tervel-Dlagnev-to-coach-Nebraska-WTC?mc_cid=e6e4e842ef&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

3 } – 2021 NWCA to Host Virtual Convention
Manheim, PA – The National Wrestling Coaches Association announced today the 2021 Convention scheduled initially for Baltimore, MD, will once again be a virtual event due to the uncertainty of travel and budgetary concerns for many programs. Presenting sponsors for this year’s event are Cliff Keen, Defense Soap, and Resilite. Sessions will run July 28-30.

“We are excited to bring the wrestling world together once again for our NWCA Virtual Convention. Last year was our first run at a virtual program and we had record-breaking attendance with 675 attendees. We plan to be back to an in-person event in 2022 and believe that this year’s event will once again offer our coaches under travel restrictions and budget reductions the opportunity to connect and continue to grow our sport,” said NWCA Executive Director Mike Moyer. “I have to thank our exceptional partners in Cliff Keen, Defense Soap, and Resililte for their continued support to make this annual event take place.”

ARTICLE | 2020 Virtual Event Shatters Attendance Records

2021 NWCA VIRTUAL CONVENTION DETAILS … rest of story at https://www.nwcaonline.com/2021-nwca-to-host-virtual-convention/?mc_cid=44df579129&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

4 } – USA WRESTLING HAS SURPASSED 100,000-ATHLETE MEMBERS THIS WEEK, A BIG ACHIEVEMENT DURING PANDEMIC
USA Wrestling passed the 100,000 athlete member mark for the 2020-21 membership year, a milestone of note considering the challenges faced in conducting wrestling activity during the worst worldwide health pandemic in over a century. The membership season began on September 1, 2020, a time when much of the world, including the sports community, had been shut down or severely restricted due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It took the effort of the entire wrestling community, including leaders at every level of the sport, to find creative and safe ways for wrestling training and competition to return.

“Probably more this year than ever, our state associations have been challenged to provide opportunities for wrestlers nationwide, and our volunteer leaders and coaches nationwide have done just that this year. In the month of March alone, there were over 20 youth state folkstyle tournaments held across the country, which provided countless highlights and great memories for our members,” said Tony Black, USA Wrestling State Services Director. When the pandemic hit, USA Wrestling quickly established a COVID-19 Advisory Committee of health, medical and government experts to educate USA Wrestling and assist in its decision-making process. USA Wrestling then added three more special COVID-19 committees: Public Relations and Messaging Committee, Collegiate Wrestling COVID-19 Sustainability Planning Committee and the Return to Practice and Competition Committee.

Early in the pandemic, with assistance from its COVID-19 committees, USA Wrestling developed two important documents to guide the wrestling and sports community in conducting wrestling activity in a safe and responsible manner, … rest of story at https://www.teamusa.org/USA-Wrestling/Features/2021/April/09/USA-Wrestling-goes-over-100-000-members-during-pandemic?mc_cid=e835860738&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

5 } – 2021 USA WRESTLING REGIONALS SERIES HAS SIX GREAT EVENTS HELD ACROSS THE NATION IN MAY AND JUNE
The schedule has been completed for the 2021 USA Wrestling Regionals Series, which includes six Regional events held in strategic locations across the country, starting May 13 and running through June 6. For more than four decades, USA Wrestling has offered Regional Championships for young wrestlers in a variety of age divisions. These events have allowed wrestlers to challenge themselves against other top opponents from other states in the two international disciplines, freestyle and Greco-Roman. These events offer a great opportunity for wrestlers to test their skills and improve themselves in a competitive environment.

All six of the 2021 USA Wrestling Regionals will include competition for both boys and girls. Wrestlers from any state can attend any of the Regionals, and many wrestlers compete in more than one Regional in a season. This year’s Regional schedule (with links to websites) includes:
May 20-23: Frank E. Rader Southeast Regionals, Jacksonville, FL

May 21-23 Central Regional Championships, Fort Wayne, IN

June 4-6: Southern Plains Regional Championships, Mulvane, KS … rest of story at https://www.teamusa.org/USA-Wrestling/Features/2021/April/13/2021-Regional-Series-set?mc_cid=d0f3fda251&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

6 } -NFL Draft Defensive Line Rankings: No. 3 – Osa Odighizuwa, UCLA
Before he starred at UCLA, Osa Odighizuwa was a practically unbeatable high school wrestler
The Green Bay Packers’ defensive line simply was not good enough in 2020. Not even close. In 2019, Kenny Clark made the Pro Bowl following a season highlighted by six sacks, nine tackles for losses and seven quarterback hits. In 2020, Clark, Dean Lowry and Tyler Lancaster combined for five sacks, five tackles for losses and 10 quarterback hits. According to Pro Football Focus, Clark had 62 quarterback pressures in 2019. All nine defensive linemen to get playing time in 2020 recorded 77 pressures, led by Clark plunging to 28. Kingsley Keke showed some promise but all four sacks, all three tackles for losses and half of his eight quarterback hits came in two games. Montravius Adams, a third-round flop, signed with New England in free agency. With that, the Packers could use another impact defensive lineman. Unfortunately, it is a paper-thin draft class.

UCLA’s Osa Odighizuwa is our No. 3-ranked defensive lineman. Osa Odighizuwa is one of the best defensive linemen in this draft class. One reason why is, once upon a time, he was the top-ranked high school heavyweight wrestler in the nation. A native of Portland, he was a three-time state champion who finished his career with 131 consecutive victories. … rest of story at https://www.si.com/nfl/packers/news/nfl-draft-defensive-line-osa-odighizuwa-ucla?mc_cid=3018ac16e0&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

7 } – MatScouts LLC, led by Willie Saylor, to acquire InterMat
MINNEAPOLIS — Rev Wrestling Corp. has signed a definitive agreement to sell InterMat (InterMatWrestle.com), one of the nation’s leading wrestling content websites, to MatScouts LLC. The sale will be officially completed on April 1. MatScouts LLC, based in Easton, Pennsylvania, is led by Willie Saylor. InterMat, under its new ownership, will remain a separate entity from the MatScouts channel on Rokfin.

“We are pleased to be selling InterMat to MatScouts LLC,” said Rev Wrestling Corp. vice president Andrew Hipps. “Willie Saylor has been an important voice in wrestling media for several years. It will be exciting to see where Willie takes InterMat. Willie is the ideal person to lead the company because of his passion for wrestling and expertise, as well as his vision, drive and thorough understanding of the ever-evolving wrestling media landscape.” Saylor has been a prominent member of wrestling media for more than a decade. He started his career in wrestling media at The Open Mat in 2008 before joining FloWrestling in 2012, where he served as the website’s senior editor.

In 2019, Saylor launched MatScouts on Rokfin, where he provides a channel focusing on wrestling scouting and recruiting. Saylor has been recognized as the nation’s top wrestling journalist by multiple wrestling media outlets throughout his career, receiving the honor in 2012 from the National Wrestling Media Association and in 2016 from WIN Magazine. “InterMat has been a keystone of national and international wrestling journalism for decades,” Saylor said. “The opportunity to sustain its excellence and increase the brand and products is something I once could have only dreamed of. The plan is to keep MatScouts a separate entity for the hardcore recruiting audience … rest of story at https://intermatwrestle.com/articles/24429?mc_cid=e6d1159834&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

8 } – #223 Buddy Lee – Olympian, Inventor and World-Class Jump Roper
ABOUT THIS EPISODE
Buddy Lee, has earned a worldwide reputation with his incredible jump rope skills and highly motivational speeches, putting on 6,000+ events in 60 countries before Presidents and national leaders, and has appeared in international TV commercials and talk shows. Buddy Lee is the president and CEO of Jump Rope Technology, Inc. (JRT), the premier organization in the field of jump rope training education for fitness and improved sports performance. He is the co-inventor of the revolutionary Swivel-Bearing Jump Rope technology and maker of the world-renowned Buddy Lee Jump Ropes®. He has been appointed as the Jump Rope Subject Matter Expert to iconic mainstream health & fitness brands such as US Olympic Teams, US Government, CrossFit, TRX, 9-Round Fitness and others. … rest of story at https://wrestlingchangedmylife.com/223-buddy-lee-olympian-inventor-and-world-class-jump-roper/?mc_cid=977ea0b267&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

9} – ‘It’s not just a hobby’ for Pat Ryan: the effects of weight cutting in wrestling
The dangerous practice can cause short- and long-term effects
Editor’s note: This article discusses weight cutting and may be triggering to people who suffer from eating disorders. People suffering can contact the National Eating Disorders Association helpline at (800)931-2237. This article appeared in The Eagle’s March 2021 virtual print edition.

It’s two hours before a dual meet. American University wrestlers are in the locker room with weigh-ins minutes away. The wrestlers’ nagging hunger and no-nonsense attitudes leave no room for chatter. There’s no loud hype music or team chants. It’s just a team of men silently waiting their turn to step on the scale. Weigh-ins commence as the wrestlers strip off their clothes and form a line. Weigh-ins are a simple process, yet what seems like a mundane formality of the sport is the culmination of hours of dedication and tough work. 

“Nobody, no matter how you explain to someone, will ever understand how it feels to cut 20 pounds in a month for wrestling unless they’ve actually done it,” AU wrestler Pat Ryan said.  Ryan, a sophomore wrestling at 141 pounds, has one of the more difficult cuts on the team. He’s wrestling down a weight class since All-American senior Kizhan Clarke occupies the 149-pound spot. Ryan, whose natural weight is around 165 pounds, plans out his weight cut a week before weigh-ins. … rest of story at https://www.theeagleonline.com/article/2021/03/its-not-just-a-hobby-for-pat-ryan-the-effects-of-weight-cutting-in-wrestling?mc_cid=3727c6a762&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

10 } – Foley’s ‘Final’ Friday Mailbag: March 26, 2021
I wrote the first Foley’s Friday Mailbag nine years ago on April 13, 2012. I had graduated from journalism school in 2009 and had spent a majority of the next two years traveling to traditional wrestling events and writing for outlets like ESPN and FIGHT! Magazine. The money was terrible, and I wasn’t writing often enough to feel like I was staying sharp.

The mailbag was a suggestion from a journalism professor who thought if I could find an outlet willing to host me each week I could work on the writing and grow an audience. The money still was not great, but the idea that I would have a platform to work on ideas was compelling. I needed forward momentum and the mailbag was at least a chance to create something for myself. Almost a decade later I have submitted more than 400 mailbags and written more than 600,000-plus words. Some sharp, others dull, but all committed to creating a conversation.

But, as tends to happen, things need to change and so today will be my last column. The wrestling community is unique. We greet each other with underhooks, make fun of each other’s weight gain, and show off our cauliflower ears as badges of honor. All communities have their quirks, but at their core they are a collection of stories we tell ourselves about ourselves, and the experiences, controversies, and key moments we choose to commemorate. In starting the mailbag I’d hoped to sharpen my skills, but quickly realized that I was given the opportunity to be the first editor on the story of our community.

The weekly platform is the perfect length to both live inside a moment but be given enough time to consider its impact. A tweet about a wrestling match can feel as disposable as a book about the top champions of the sport can feel distant. But a weekly review of meaningful topics is well-positioned to strike a balance between the passion of immediacy and the benefit of hindsight. I hope the mailbag juggled those charges well. … rest of story at

11 } – MEMORIES OF USA WRESTLING PAIRING OFFICIAL AND LEADER MARCIA GOULD OF NEW YORK WHO RECENTLY PASSED AWAY
Although word was quickly shared through social media over a week ago, USA Wrestling would like to recognize the many contributions that dedicated volunteer and wrestling enthusiast Marcia Gould of Merrick, N.Y. made to the organization and the sport for decades. She was more than a leader in our sport; she was a true friend to so many within the vast wrestling family.

Marcia, always alongside her beloved husband Ed, served the New York and national wrestling community in many capacities, always with an upbeat attitude and a smile on her face. She was a wrestling mom, not only to her own family but also to all of the kids who came through the ranks in Long Island wrestling, New York USA Wrestling and even the U.S. national team program. With Marcia, it was not about being in charge of things, nor being the center of attention. Marcia did everything she could do, or whatever was asked of her, to help the wrestlers in any way possible.

Marcia was a dear friend to my wife Pat and I, going far beyond our shared love of wrestling and our work side-by-side within USA Wrestling. She was family to us, somebody who would call at any time to talk about everything and nothing at all. While we already miss spending time with Marcia at wrestling events, over dinner back in New York or all over the country, or over the cell phone, we smile every time we think about her. That is what Marcia was all about, taking care of other people and giving them her love.

The Gould family had a small funeral service and burial for Marcia shortly after her death, but there is talk of getting her larger wrestling family together sometime soon to celebrate her life and share stories and memories together. Marcia was mentioned to the crowd at the recent U.S. Olympic Team Trials, and there are plans to present the USWOA Lifetime Achievement Award she had won but never received to Ed when we all get together this summer in Fargo.
… rest of story at https://intermatwrestle.com/articles/24459?mc_cid=977ea0b267&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

12 } – National Coach of the Year Johnny “J-Rock” Johnson visits Somerset for Wrestling Clinic
One of the more successful wrestling club coaches in the nation, All-American Johnny “J Rock” Johnson, came to Somerset to run a National level Clinic. Somerset Wrestling Coach Mondell Hunter has known J-Rock for about six years and has stayed connected with him doing several camps all over the South when he travels down from New Jersey. “I really have tried to mimic some of the wide-open offense that he teaches,” Hunter stated. “The kids love this fast-paced style. It is equivalent to a no huddle offense in college. This type of wrestling applies so much pressure it forces the opponent to make a mistake. But, in return you must then take advantage of it by scoring and letting the opponent back up, that’s is called two-for-one.”

Jonathan Johnson, the one and only coach/director of RAW241, produced a Olympic Gold Medalist, World Champions, he has produced 2009’s D-1 NCAA Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) Freshman of the Year (Jarrod Garnett, VA Tech 125), four # 1s (in the nation) wrestlers, (more than any other state, let alone club), 3 Walsh Jesuit Champs, 4 Beast of the east Champs, 3 Asics First team All-Americans, 2 NHSCA Sr. National Champs, 2 NHSCA Jr. National Champs, 3 Fargo National Champs, the Nation’s #1 overall college recruit, a Hodge Award winner, the Asics Wrestler of the Year, numerous high school and youth state champions from NJ, PA,MD,DE, GA, KY and VA, as well as much much more, all in the past year.

Also, commonly referred to as RAW241, the wrestling club has been in existence for 20 years and has trained some of the finest athletes in the country. The proof is in the results. Many of his wrestler’s have competed in or won or paced in ALL the National-caliber college, high school and youth events all around the country! These warriors have many things in common; … rest of story at https://www.somerset-kentucky.com/sports/national-coach-of-the-year-johnny-j-rock-johnson-visits-somerset-for-wrestling-clinic/article_b2af39c6-b516-58ec-a062-79eb4c2d2cc6.html?mc_cid=8b7957ea1f&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

June 4, 2021 - Posted by The TakeDown Report | Uncategorized