2018-19 USA Wrestling memberships now available, with some changes for the new season
Editor’s Notes; As the official 2018-2019 season begins in September it is time to renew or add one’s membership with NCUSA Wrestling. Even if one is not competing as a wrestler or coaching on the sidelines they can still be active in, follow the news from and be supportive of the sport. Wrestling is for the growth and development of our youth. Keep that in mind and help out by joining in.
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By USA Wrestling State Services | Sept. 01, 2018, 6:41 p.m. (ET)
Memberships for the 2018-19 season, which runs from September 1, 2018 – August 31, 2019, are now available at http://www.usawmembership.com.
USA Wrestling just wrapped up its most successful membership season ever, as it set a record for number of athlete (202,009) and coach members (33,086), as well as overall members (237,562), breaking the record set in 2015-16 (232,995).
New for 2018-19 is the Wrestling Leader membership, which is for those individuals who wish to coach and/or officiate in USA Wrestling chartered clubs and sanctioned events. This means that USA Wrestling will no longer have specific memberships for coaches and officials, as the new joint membership will allow for a member to do both if desired.
Another change for the 2018-19 membership season is that USA Wrestling has partnered with a new background screening provider, the National Center for Safety Initiatives (NCSI). Along with being the background screening provider for USA Wrestling, NCSI performs the same services for the US Olympic Committee and many other National Governing Bodies. For more information about NCSI, please visit NCSI’s website.
In an effort to increase member satisfaction, USA Wrestling’s membership system now has a built-in chat function for users. The chat is currently staffed during USA Wrestling business hours (8:00 AM – 5:00 PM Mountain Time), but plans are in place to increase staffing of this outside of business hours. When the chat system is not being staffed, users are able to leave a message that is promptly answered by USA Wrestling staff members.
Although added during the 2017-18 membership season, many repeat users will now see that they are able to add pictures to profile(s) that print on their membership card. This function allows for a more personal membership card that members can print at home, and also stands to alleviate the need to show both a membership card and photo ID at USA Wrestling events.
Rest of the story at https://www.teamusa.org/USA-Wrestling/Features/2018/September/01/Membership-now-available-with-some-changes-for-2018-19?mc_cid=57430aecfe&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b
Want more fans? Change things up!
Editor’s Notes; Some great ideas in this article about how to promote and make progress in the growth of wrestling opportunities for fans and wrestlers. Be creative, be daring and be successful in increasing interest and participation. Read this one over.
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“That’s the way we’ve always done things.”
You hear that refrain all the time, especially in wrestling. We get comfortable with a situation because it’s familiar. But sometimes it helps to change things up a bit. Try something new. You never know what good things can come from changing things up. Even when it comes to the oldest and greatest sport. Making changes to the typical wrestling dual meet — a change in location, or trying new promotions — can help grow the sport. It can help energize athletes and coaches … put more fans in the seats … and build a bigger, stronger fan base.
As the prospect of a new wrestling season looms on the horizon — and programs reveal their schedules for 2018-19 — it seems like a great time to look at how some college mat programs have employed a “change of venue” — or changed things up in other ways — to generate more excitement … greater attendance … and more positive media coverage.
Go big
The genesis for this feature came from a “year in review” story from Duke University wrestling about how the Blue Devils had moved some of their home dual meets during the 2017-18 season from Card Gymnasium to the larger, flashier, arguably more famous Cameron Indoor Stadium, one of the most iconic sports venues in all of college athletics. Jacob Kasper, who completed his collegiate career this past season by earning All-American honors in the heavyweight bracket at the 2018 NCAAs (and is now investigating the possibility of a career in WWE or MMA), weighed in with his thoughts on the venue. “Cameron Indoor is one of the most iconic and historic arenas in college athletics. So many of Duke’s finest athletes have competed and continue to compete within the building’s confines, both on the basketball and volleyball courts,” Kasper told InterMat. “To have the opportunity to compete within a stadium of such significance is certainly exciting. To be able to etch your name alongside other legends and leave a lasting legacy is forever motivational … ”
As the article on the Blue Devils wrestling program’s change of venue stated, “Though Cameron Indoor Stadium will always be a treasured gem on Duke’s campus because of Blue Devil basketball, its ambiance seems to have a magical power to transform any sporting event into an unforgettable one.”
In addition to greater seating capacity, Cameron Indoor Stadium has other “bells and whistles” that make a Blue Devil dual meet more engaging for fans and athletes, such as the overhead scoreboard that shows highlight videos, and the LED boards installed on press row, displaying each wrestler’s name and photo before he competed. As Duke head coach Glen Lanham put it, “it was a better vibe” to have the team wrestle in Cameron.
Other schools have experimented with conducting some of their dual meets in a larger arena. One example is Penn State. The NCAA team champions for seven of the past eight seasons normally conduct their home events at Rec Hall, an iconic wrestling facility built 90 years ago for nearly 7,000 frenetic fans. However, the Nittany Lions have, from time to time, have brought their championship mat form to the much larger — and newer — Bryce Jordan Center, a basketball arena opened in 1996 which seats over 16,000 for concerts and, um, pro wrestling events.
Rest of the story at http://matbossapp.hs-sites.com/blog/want-more-fans-change-things-up
Raiders donate $250,000 to help save Oakland school sports
Editor’s Notes; It is rare that we mention professional sports when discussing wrestling and The TDR and especially rare that its a positive remark. Yet this is great news. Very glad to see the Raiders step up and make a positive contribution to so many in their community. Would be good to encourage all professional teams to do the same. Support educational efforts.
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The Raiders announced Tuesday night that they have donated $250,000 to help close an Oakland Unified School District budget gap that led to the district deciding last week to cut 10 high school sports. “The prospect of these kids losing their dreams was difficult to hear for everyone in the community,” Raiders owner Mark Davis said in a statement. “After-school athletics are an important part of the high school experience and this donation will keep student-athletes on the playing fields in Oakland.” The district said it needed to balance its budget by trimming $500,000 from the Oakland Athletic League, the governing body for high school sports in the district. To do so, it announced the elimination of bowling, boys’ and girls’ golf, boys’ and girls’ tennis, wrestling, swimming, girls’ lacrosse, girls’ badminton, and boys’ volleyball.
“For decades, the Oakland Raiders have been big brothers to our football players and models for all students to emulate,” said Oakland Unified Superintendent Kyla Johnson-Trammell. “They have been there for us when we were down, and when our students needed someone to look up to.
Rest of the story at https://www.sfgate.com/sports/article/Raiders-make-250-000-donation-to-beleaguered-13189626.php
Midway Wrestling inks 34 for inaugural season
Editor’s Notes; OK, there are no North Carolina wrestlers on this list yet it is encouraging to see the large number and wide diversity that are joining in to participate in this opportunity. The school is Midway between Frankfort and Lexington Kentucky. Yes I had to look it up as well. We wish Coach Brumbelow and the Midway Eagles the best of success in their first season.
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MIDWAY, Ky. — Midway University Head Wrestling Coach, Jake Brumbelow, has announced that he has added 34 to his first-ever roster for the upcoming inaugural season, which begins in November. “We are really excited about our first signing class,” noted Brumbelow. “We really tried to recruit a balanced class of freshman as well as some transfers and I think we did a great job with that.” Brumbelow was hired in December 2017 and has hit the ground running ever since. The first year head coach has been busy getting the program on its feet and ready for the upcoming 2018-19 season. The upcoming class features a total of 34 grapplers that span 11 different states including: Alabama (3), Arizona (1), Florida (2), Georgia (4), Indiana (2), Kentucky (11), Maryland (2), Ohio (1), Tennessee (5), Texas (2), and West Virginia (1). The bulk of the 34 grapplers come from the home state of Kentucky. The class also shows a range in experience, which is something Brumbelow knew he would need for leadership. The class has 21 freshman, six sophomores and seven juniors, including 16 transfers.
Rest of the story at http://www.gomidwayeagles.com/article/1215.php?mc_cid=138d3eb4ef&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b
Mount Olive To Add Wrestling For 2019-20 Season
Editor’s Notes; This is a great development as another college in North Carolina will be adding wrestling as part of their athletic opportunities. Very encouraging news that all wrestling fans in eastern North Carolina should find exciting.
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MOUNT OLIVE, N.C. — University of Mount Olive will add men’s wrestling to the 20 NCAA Division II varsity sports currently being offered by the university, announced Vice President for Athletics Jeff Eisen.
The program will begin competition in the 2019-2020 academic year. UMO is a member of Conference Carolinas for its current sport offerings and will participate in wrestling under the umbrella of Conference Carolinas. Conference Carolinas and the South Atlantic Conference have joined forces to sponsor wrestling, with Conference Carolinas administering the championship. UMO will be the eighth school in the conference to participate in wrestling. The other schools are Belmont Abbey, Emmanuel, King, and Limestone from Conference Carolinas and Coker, Newberry, and Queens from the South Atlantic Conference. There are 62 schools nationally competing in wrestling at the NCAA Division II level. Plans are underway to hire a head coach as soon as possible, with a full-time assistant coach to be hired prior to the start of the season. The University will provide a site near campus for training and conditioning. Home competitions will be held in Kornegay Arena.
“Wrestling is a conference sport with ready-made competition and the ability to compete for a championship. North Carolina ranks in the top 10 nationally in terms of the number of high school participants in wrestling and there is a void in opportunities to compete on the collegiate level in the Southeast. We want to help fill that void,” said Eisen. I want to thank the National Wrestling Coaches Association for its assistance in the planning process,” added Eisen.
Rest of the story at http://www.umotrojans.com/general/2018-19/releases/20180904hvmigt?mc_cid=b6c167c754&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b
Jamestown (N.D.) to host 2019 Women’s Wrestling National Invitational
Editor’s Notes; The details on this inaugural women’s championship tournament are included in this announcement. Jamestown is stepping forward to host this tournament in a classy manner. Look over the details and see that this will be an event to look forward to in March.
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Jamestown named host of inaugural NAIA Women’s Wrestling National Invitational
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Jamestown will host the 2019 NAIA Women’s Wrestling Invitational, the national office announced on Wednesday. The invitational will be held on March 15-16, 2019. The NAIA added women’s wrestling as an invitational sport beginning the 2018-2019 academic year after the National Administrative Council (NAC) unanimously approved the motion at the NAIA National Convention in Kansas City, Mo., in April 2018. The NAIA is the first intercollegiate athletics association to officially recognize women’s wrestling.
“The NAIA is thrilled to have the University of Jamestown host the 2019 Women’s Wrestling National Invitational,” said Jim Carr, NAIA president and CEO. “This is a milestone event for women’s wrestling and we are confident that Jamestown will deliver an exceptional experience for student-athletes, coaches, and fans.”
“The University of Jamestown looks forward to hosting this tournament,” University of Jamestown President Dr. Polly Peterson said. “We have been committed to women’s wrestling for a decade and are pleased that it is now an NAIA sport. The University and the Jamestown community look forward to welcoming the athletes and their fans. The University is appreciative of the support and participation that it received from the community as we moved through the site selection process.”
Rest of the story at http://www.naia.org/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=27900&ATCLID=211770717&mc_cid=833e56e30a&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b
Mike Milkovich, 96, Hall of Fame wrestling coach, won historic libel ruling
Editor’s Notes; Coach Milkovich had a tremendous impact on our sport not only at the school district that hired him but also in Northeast Ohio, then the state and nationwide. By creating and coaching an excellent team he raised the bar for other programs and that led to the rise of other strong programs and youth wrestling and many All-American wrestlers from Ohio. I had the good fortune to meet Coach Milkovich once years after he coached as he attended an open tournament. He brought about many creative ways to build interest in the sport.
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MAPLE HEIGHTS, Ohio – The King of Ohio high school wrestling died Monday at age 96.
Mike Milkovich, the patriarch of a powerhouse wrestling family and program as the great Maple Heights High School coach for 27 years, passed away from what doctors said was complications from pneumonia and old age.
Milkovich was a charter member of the Ohio Wrestling Hall of Fame and also one of the few high school coaches elected to the Helms National Wrestling Hall of Fame in Stillwater, Oklahoma. From 1949 to 1977, he coached the Mustangs to 16 undefeated seasons, 10 state championships, nine state runner-up finishes and had 37 individual state champions. His teams’ overall record in dual meets was 262-25-2 (a .912 winning percentage). All were state records at the time he retired in 1977. Milkovich also guided the Mustangs to a record 103 consecutive dual meet victories from 1963-72 (still a record). “I’m proud of those winning streaks because we’ve taken on all comers,” Milkovich said in 1977. “It’s not my nature to back away from tough teams.” More than 3,000 fans packed the Maple Heights gym for Milkovich’s final match in 1977, at which he wore his trademark long-sleeve red shirt.
“I’m getting old and tired,” he said then. “It’s time for the younger generation to take over. But wrestling will always be in my blood. It’s been my whole life.”
While the records speak for themselves, Milkovich’s nephew, Jamie Milkovich – the current Maple Heights coach – said his uncle’s legacy was heightened as a promoter of the sport.
“He was the first coach to wrestle dual meets at night, which attracted sellout crowds at our school,” Jamie Milkovich said. “He also had cheerleaders and mat maids at our matches, formed a huge booster club and made sure we got coverage in newspapers.”
Jamie Milkovich was Mike’s last state champ in 1977 at 145 pounds. Coincidentally, his first state champ was Jamie’s father Paul in 1949.
Mike Milkovich was a 145-pound state champion for Garfield Heights High in 1941, and he helped the Bulldogs win the state team title.
A key to Milkovich’s powerful teams was his establishment of junior high wrestling programs, where wrestlers could come to Maple Heights already knowing basic wrestling. Fittingly, Maple Heights named a new middle school for Milkovich in 2009. He was also the first coach in Ohio to have a summer wrestling camp in 1970.
“My uncle was a very good technician,” Jamie Milkovich said, “but he was a master motivator. He could reach kids who were not involved in any school activities and make them outstanding wrestlers.”
Rest of the story at https://www.cleveland.com/sports/index.ssf/2018/09/mike_milkovich_96_hall_of_fame.html?mc_cid=d7b6a980b9&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b
and from the Wrestling Hall of Fame at https://nwhof.org/blog/distinguished-member-mike-milkovich-passes-away/?mc_cid=2192a385d4&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b
Ramos Promoted To UNC Assistant Coach
Editor’s Notes; Our congratulations to Coach Ramos!
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CHAPEL HILL — Three-time All-American and 2014 NCAA champion Tony Ramos has been promoted to assistant coach for the North Carolina wrestling program, head coach Coleman Scott announced Friday. Ramos, who joined the staff as a volunteer assistant in 2016, brings a wealth of experience from both the collegiate and international ranks.
“I am very excited to have the opportunity to keep working with the the Carolina wrestling program,” Ramos said. “Recruiting is a new role that I get to step into with this promotion, and I am ready to hit the ground running and get the Tar Heels competing for individual and team national titles on a regular basis.”
Ramos replaces Neil Erisman, who departed earlier this year to become the first head wrestling coach at Little Rock.
Rest of this story at https://goheels.com/news/2018/8/31/wrestling-ramos-promoted-to-assistant-coach.aspx?mc_cid=1130640d35&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b
UNC-Pembroke Releases 2018-19 Schedule
Editor’s Notes; The Braves look to have another exciting, competitive schedule this year. The Pemboke Classic is one of the biggest college competitions in North CArolina each year. Lots of tradition.
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PEMBROKE – Four home dates, including the 37th Annual Pembroke Classic in early November, highlight the 2017-18 UNC Pembroke wrestling schedule released on Friday morning by head coach Othello “O.T.” Johnson. Fans can get their first look at the Braves on October 24 (Wednesday) when they host their annual Black & Gold Intrasquad at Lumbee Guaranty Bank Court. Admission to that event is free.
The Black & Gold will officially lift the lid on its 2018-19 slate on November 4 when it heads to Roanoke, Va., for the Virginia Tech-hosted Hokie Open inside the Berglund Center. The Braves will compete in front of the home crowd for the first time on November 11 when they welcome multiple teams to campus for the Pembroke Classic.
Rest of the story at http://uncpbraves.com/news/2018/8/31/wrestling-releases-2018-19-schedule.aspx?mc_cid=1130640d35&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b
Kasper Joins Duke Coaching Staff
Editor’s Notes; Good to see Jacob Kasper sticking around. This will help the Blue Devils as they continue to improve and that will have a positive affect on other college teams in our state. We encourage all former wrestlers and younger fans to look over the home meet schedules for the colleges in North Carolina and see some college action.
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DURHAM, N.C.—Duke University wrestling head coach Glen Lanham has announced the addition of former Blue Devil standout Jacob Kasper to the coaching staff. Kasper will serve as an assistant coach and will work closely with the upper weights as well recruiting for the program.
“I’m excited to have him join our staff,” said Lanham. “I think this is the first time in the program’s history we’ve had someone as decorated as him coming back to be a part of the coaching staff. He’s going to add a youth and an excitement to our program. Whatever Kasper does, he’s passionate about and that will spill over into coaching. He’s already had some great ideas. I’m excited to see him as a coach.”
A two-time All-American at heavyweight and the Duke single-season wins record holder, Kasper joins the staff after one of the most decorated careers in Blue Devil wrestling history. The Ohio native graduated in May after finishing a career-best fourth at the NCAA Championships to earn his second consecutive All-America honor.
Rest of the story at http://www.goduke.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=4200&ATCLID=211770676&mc_cid=833e56e30a&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b
TDR blog
After 20 seasons of publicizing wrestling The TakeDown Report’s (TDR) focus has changed to the collecting of college coaching records from North America since 1903. We will continue to recognize and reward successful wrestlers in eastern North Carolina (east of Raleigh & Fayetteville), assist with schools in starting or re-starting a team and this blog. Join us on our FaceBook Page – “The TakeDown Report” for photos and news. Please send results, stories, links and news to pass along. E-mail us at takedownreport@gmail.com
Martin Fleming, Editor
Takedown Report
