The 2006 U.S. World Team in freestyle wrestling will conduct its first training camp in preparation for the World Championships in Fargo, N.D., July 24-29.

These training sessions will occur during the week of the ASICS/Vaughan Junior Nationals and the Accelerade Cadet National Championships, held that week at the Fargodome on the campus of North Dakota State Univ. This is annually the world's largest wrestling competition, with over 4,500 participants.

The training camp will be conducted by USA Wrestling National Freestyle Coach Kevin Jackson of Colorado Springs, Colo., along with 2006 U.S. World Team Coach Mike Duroe of Iowa City, Iowa. Jackson was a World and Olympic champion as an athlete.

A number of other top coaches will work with the athletes including USA Wrestling National Freestyle Resident Coach Terry Brands of Colorado Springs, Colo., Univ. of Iowa coach Tom Brands of Iowa City, Iowa, Gator WC club coach Jamill Kelly of Cambridge, Mass., Overtime WC coach Sean Bormet of Naperville, Ill. and Stanford wrestling coach Kerry McCoy of Stanford, Calif. Tom Brands was a World and Olympic champion, Terry Brands won two World titles, and Jamill Kelly was an Olympic silver medalist.

This is the second straight year that the U.S. World Freestyle Team has come to Fargo, providing the athletes, coaches and fans in attendance a unique chance to witness the nation's best athletes in training.

The U.S. World Freestyle Team was formed with the champions from the 2006 U.S. World Team Trials in Sioux City, Iowa, May 27-28. The team is a mix of veterans and talented young emerging wrestlers. This team will compete at the World Wrestling Championships in Guangzhou, China, Sept. 26-Oct. 2.

Leading the team is 1998 World champion and 2000 Olympic silver medalist Sammie Henson (Flintstone, Ga./Sunkist Kids) at 55 kg/121 lbs. Henson will be competing in his third World Championships.

Also on the squad at 120 kg/264.5 lbs. is 2005 World bronze medalist Tolly Thompson (Cedar Falls, Iowa/Sunkist Kids). 2004 Olympian Daniel Cormier (Stillwater, Okla./Gator WC) will compete at 96 kg/211.5 lbs. This is Thompson's second World Team, while Cormier will be competing in his third World Championships.

The team features a pair of brothers, Mike Zadick (Solon, Iowa/Hawkeye WC) at 60 kg/132 lbs. and Bill Zadick (Colorado Springs, Colo./Gator WC) at 66 kg/145.5 lbs. The brothers grew up in Montana, and both attended the Univ. of Iowa. It is the first World Team for Mike, while Bill previously competed at the 2001 World Championships.

Two other team members will be competing in their first World Championships: Donny Pritzlaff, (Madison, Wis./New York AC) at 74 kg/163 lbs. and Andy Hrovat (Ann Arbor, Mich./New York AC) at 84 kg/185 lbs.

Jackson is very excited for the U.S. team to get started in its preparation for the World Championships, as well as the opportunity for the wrestling community to see the athletes in their training sessions.

"We had a team vote to have our training camp in Fargo," said Jackson. "It is a great place to expose young wrestlers to what our Senior athletes are doing in training. We like to get young athletes working out in the right areas, so their tactics and strategies are ready when they get to our level. Most of our athletes competed in the Junior and Cadet Nationals when they were young. We all had a chance to compete against the nation's best wrestlers and see how far we could go."

"This camp is to kick off our training for the World Championships. This will be more of an individual camp this year. The athletes will be working on their areas of concentration, as well as getting their base conditioning back up," said Jackson.

Practice sessions are open to the public to watch and enjoy. Just like last year, there will be times when the U.S. World Team members compete in matches against other nationally-ranked athletes. 
 
The team will also provide an autograph session on Friday, July 28 from 3:30 p.m. - 4:30 p.m. at the Fargodome.

"We have some new faces this year," said Jackson of the U.S. World Team. "We can be as good as we train to be. If we work hard and improve in the areas we have identified, the sky is the limit. We will surprise some people with this team. A lot of people around the world are not picking our wrestlers to be World champions. We should be able to sneak up on them. This team can be as good as it wants to be."

U.S. FREESTYLE WORLD TEAM TRAINING CAMP SCHEDULE

Tuesday, July 25
10:00 a.m. -12:00 noon - Practice on mats in Fargodome
4:30 p.m. - 6:00 p.m. - Practice on mats in Fargodome

Wednesday, July 26
10:00 a.m. - 12:00 noon - Practice at Bison Sports Arena
4:30 p.m. - 6:00 p.m. - Practice at Bison Sports Arena

Thursday, July 27
Athletes day off

Friday, July 28
10:00 a.m. - 12:00 noon - Practice on mats in Fargodome
3:30 p.m. - 4:30 p.m. - Freestyle Team autograph session in Fargodome
4:30 p.m. - 6:00 p.m. - Practice on mats in Fargodome

Saturday, July 29
10:00 a.m. - 12:00 noon - Practice on mats in Fargodome
6:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. - Practice at Bison Sports Arena

U.S. WORLD FREESTYLE WRESTLING TEAM
55 kg/121 lbs. - Sammie Henson, Flintstone, Ga. (Sunkist Kids)
60 kg/132 lbs. - Mike Zadick, Solon, Iowa (Hawkeye WC)
66 kg/145.5 lbs. - Bill Zadick, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Gator WC)
74 kg/163 lbs. - Donny Pritzlaff, Madison, Wis. (New York AC)
84 kg/185 lbs. - Andy Hrovat, Ann Arbor, Mich. (New York AC)
96 kg/211.5 lbs. - Daniel Cormier, Stillwater, Okla. (Gator WC)
120 kg/264.5 lbs. - Tolly Thompson, Cedar Falls, Iowa (Sunkist Kids)
National Freestyle Coach Kevin Jackson of Colorado Springs, Colo.
World Team Coach Mike Duroe of Iowa City, Iowa
World Team Coach Lou Rosselli of Columbus, Ohio