Olympic-level training camps in all three styles at U.S Olympic Training Center in January and Febru

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Josi Carlson (USA Wrestling)
01/06/2005


Training camps for women's freestyle, men's freestyle and men's Greco-Roman wrestling will be held in January and February at the U.S. Olympic Training Center (USOTC) in Colorado Springs, Colo.     Many of the top international wrestlers will take to the mats and practice with the National Team coaches in preparation for the winter tour events, including the Dave Schultz Memorial International Tournament Feb. 4-6 at the USOTC.     The first women's camp runs Jan. 3-10 and includes a number of the U.S. and Canada's top Olympic-caliber wrestlers. Following the Schultz Tournament another women's freestyle camp will be held Feb. 8-15.    Among the wrestlers attending the camp are:  - Tela O'Donnell (Colorado Springs, Colo./Dave Schultz WC), 2004 U.S. Olympic Team member  - Tina George (Colorado Springs, Colo./New York AC), Two-time World silver medalist  - Stephanie Murata (Colorado Springs, Colo./Sunkist Kids), 2001 World silver medalist    Coaching the women's freestyle camp:  - Terry Steiner (Colorado Springs, Colo., USA Wrestling National Head Coach  - Tom Tomeo (Colorado Springs, Colo.), USOC Scholarship Coach  - Christine Nordhagen (Calgary, AB, Canada), Six-time World Champion  - Leigh Vierling (Calgary, AB, Canada), Canadian Olympic Coach  - Shannyn Gillespie (Marquette, Mich.), USOEC Head Coach  - Levi Weikel-Magden (Charlottesville, Va.)    The competition between the U.S. and the Canadian women in the training camp has been a great learning opportunity for both teams.    "It's great to have Canada down here," Steiner said. "They're one of the top teams and anytime we can train in a joint situation it's a better opportunity for us to prepare for 2008."    "If our countries are going to get better we have to use each other," Vierling said. "Wrestling the same people all the time just kills you. Wrestling down here raises the bar of competition."     The first men's freestyle camp runs Jan. 5-15 and is mandatory for National Team members and open to any athletes who will be competing in any of the winter tour events.    A mini-camp will be held Jan. 10-15 for those athletes competing in a Russian tour event, which runs Jan. 22-31. The winter tour camp starts again Jan. 30 for athletes competing in the Schultz Tournament.    Among the freestyle stars who will be attending the camp are:    - Chris Bono (Gilbert, Iowa/Sunkist Kids), Two-time U.S. World Team member  - Daniel Cormier (Stillwater, Okla./Gator WC), 4th place at 2004 Olympics  - Sammie Henson (St. Louis, Mo./Sunkist Kids), 2000 Olympic silver medalist, 1998 World Champion  - Jamill Kelly (Stillwater, Okla./Gator WC), 2004 Olympic silver medalist  - Tolly Thompson (Cedar Falls, Iowa/Sunkist Kids), 1998 U.S. Nationals Champion  - Joe Williams (Ames, Iowa/Sunkist Kids), 5th place at 2004 Olympics    Coaching the freestyle camps are:  - Kevin Jackson (Colorado Springs, Colo.), USA Wrestling National Head Coach  - Sergei Beloglazov (Colorado Springs, Colo.), USA Wrestling National Resident Coach  - Dave Bennett (Colorado Springs, Colo.), USA Wrestling National Developmental Coach    Jackson hopes to see a good turnout for the camp in this year of rule changes.     "This year is very important with the implementation of the new rules," Jackson said.  "There will be new tactics, new strategies and new techniques going into the new year."    The Greco-Roman camp runs Jan. 5-Jan. 15 and a second camp will start Jan. 25 in preparation for the Schultz and the Fort Carson International Cup.     Some of the Greco-Roman standouts attending camp include:  - Dremiel Byers (Colorado Springs, Colo./ U.S. Army), 2002 World Champion  - T.C. Dantzler (Colorado Springs, Colo./New York AC), Two-time World Team member  - Jim Gruenwald (Colorado Springs, Colo./Sunkist Kids), Two-time U.S. Olympic Team member  - Keith Sieracki (Colorado Springs, Colo./U.S. Army), 2004 U.S. Olympic Trials champion  - Brad Vering (Colorado Springs, Colo./New York AC), 2004 U.S. Olympic Team member  - Oscar Wood (Fountain Colo./U.S. Army), 2004 Olympic Team member    Greco-Roman coaches include:  - Steve Fraser (Colorado Springs, Colo.), USA Wrestling National Head Coach  - Anatoly Petrosyan (Colorado Springs, Colo.), USA Wrestling National Resident Coach  - Momir Petkovic (Colorado Springs, Colo.), USA Wrestling Asst. National Coach  - Ike Anderson (Colorado Springs, Colo.), USA Wrestling National Developmental Coach  - Rob Hermann (Pensacola, Fla.), U.S. Navy Head Coach, 1996 U.S. Olympic Coach  - Dan Hicks (Fredricksburg, Va.), U.S. Marines Head Coach  - Dale Oliver (Albany, NY)   - Shawn Sheldon (Colorado Springs, Colo.)  - Rich Estrella (Colorado Springs, Colo.), U.S. Air Force Head Coach  - Shon Lewis (Fort Carson, Colo.), U.S. Army Head Coach, 2004 U.S. Olympic Coach    The Greco-Roman camp will also emphasize working with the new rules.     "There will be some different strategies and techniques that we will be focusing on," Fraser said.