Attending summer wrestling camp is out of reach for many young wrestlers who do not have the family resources to afford it. Helping these deserving athletes has become a mission for wrestling leader Jeff Levitetz.

The Levitetz Family Scholarship Fund provides opportunities for hundreds of needy young wrestlers to attend summer wrestling camps each summer. The Levitetz Family Scholarship Fund was established in honor of John Ricciardi, Rochelle Levitetz and Charlie Levitetz and is dedicated to assisting wrestling athletes from around the country.

Jeff Levitetz created the program in 2003, when 21 athletes, most from his home state of Florida, were provided funds to attend a summer wrestling camp. The Levitetz Family Scholarship Fund has grown each year. USA Wrestling was able to help send 250 athletes from 28 states to summer camp in 2007, with $50,000 spent directly on camp tuition. 

Over the five years of this worthy project, a total of 697 young people have been able to go to summer wrestling camp because of the financial support of the Levitetz Family Scholarship Fund. In total, the program has provided $140,000 to pay the tuition costs for the athletes, directly impacting the lives of our nation's future leaders. 

The funds from the scholarship program that help athletes from Florida honors the late Richard Anthony Tucci, son of FILA Official and U.S. Wrestling Officials Association President Rick Tucci. This year, 30 native Florida wrestlers were able to go to camp through the Levitetz Family Scholarship Fund.

Levitetz has been a major leader within wrestling for many years. He was the Team Leader for the 2004 U.S. Olympic Greco-Roman wrestling team. Levitetz served as a Co-Chairperson of the "Wrestling for the Next Millennium" capital campaign. He has served with distinction on the USA Wrestling Board of Directors. Levitetz has also been a leader with the Gator Wrestling Club, one of the nation's top club programs. He was inducted as an Outstanding American in the National Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2002.

For the last three years, every person who receives support through the Levitetz Family Scholarship Fund must be a graduate of Handshake University. Levitetz created Handshake University on the internet as a method to teach kids how to make a great first impression and expand their life skills. Each of these young wrestlers have gone to the website, worked through the assignments and learned another valuable lesson about how to better deal with other people. 

USA Wrestling will start accepting applications for the 2008 program starting on February 1. 

Those who believe that this tremendous program could impact the life of a young wrestler are encouraged to inquire. For information on how to apply for the Levitetz Family Scholarship Fund, contact Kevin Hansen of USA Wrestling at 719-598-8181 or via e-mail at khansen@usawrestling.org