COCONUT CREEK, Fla. - Numerous members of the U.S. Grappling World Team will participate in a training camp this week in preparation for the FILA World Grappling Championships in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., Dec. 12-13.

The training camp will be held at the American Top Team facility in Coconut Creek, Fla., from Saturday, Dec. 5 through Thursday, Dec. 10. The training camp will be directed by USA Grappling National Coach Ricardo Liborio, who is also the co-owner and head instructor of the American Top Team program.

Attending the training camp will be most of the No. 1-ranked No-Gi Grapplers on the U.S. team, along with a number of other U.S. team members. There will be as many as 23 of the 50-member U.S. team members attending the training camp during the week. The United States is the reigning World Team Champions in both No-Gi and Gi Grappling.

Liborio is the head coach of the U.S. Grappling World Team, and will have a number of the team assistants participating in the training camp. He was a champion in international Jiu-Jitsu, and has trained numerous champion athletes in Grappling, Jiu-Jitsu, Mixed Martial Arts and other disciplines.

Liborio was recently inducted into the Broward County Sports Hall of Fame.

Journalists are invited to attend any of the scheduled U.S. Grappling World Team workouts to conduct interviews with the U.S. athletes and coaches. American Top Team Main Academy is located at 4631 Johnson Road, Coconut Creek, Florida 33073.

Journalists are asked to contact Gary Abbott of USA Wrestling in advance if they are attending any of the training sessions. Contact him on his cell phone at 719-659-9637 or via email at gabbott@usawrestling.org.

The FILA Grappling World Championships will be at the Fort Lauderdale/Broward County Convention Center in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., Dec. 12-13. The No-Gi competition will be held Saturday, Dec. 12 and the Gi competition is Sunday, Dec. 13. Daily ticket prices are $20 for adults and $10 for youth and seniors. They are available at the door, or in advance through TicketLeap.com.

U.S. GRAPPLING WORLD TEAM TRAINING CAMP SCHEDULE
At American Top Team Academy in Coconut Creek, Fla., Dec. 5-10

Saturday, Dec. 5 - 10:00 a.m.
Sunday, Dec. 6 - 4:00 p.m.
Monday, Dec. 7 - 9:00 a.m. and 4:30 p.m.
Tuesday, Dec. 8 - 9:00 a.m. and 4:30 p.m.
Wednesday, Dec. 9 - 9:00 a.m. and 4:30 p.m.
Thursday, Dec. 10 - 9:00 a.m. and 4:30 p.m.

Tentative roster of 2009 U.S. Grappling World Team members at training camp

Men Grapplers
60 kg/132 lbs. - Zachary Makovsky, Philadelphia, Pa. (Philadelphia Fight Factory)
60 kg/132 lbs. - Matt Kucala, Frankfort, Ill. (Gilbert Grappling)
60 kg/132 lbs. - Brian Peterson, Valencia, Calif. (Big John McCarthy's UTA)
60 kg/132 lbs. - Matt Betzold, Phoenix, Ariz. (Gracie Barra Lions Den)
60 kg/132 lbs. - Jason Patino, Coconut Creek, Fla. (American Top Team)
66 kg/145.5 lbs. - Dennis Prokopos, Milbrae, Calif. (10th Planet Jiu Jitsu)
66 kg/145.5 lbs. - Bryan Caraway, Goldendale, Wash. (Victory Athletic)
66 kg/145.5 lbs. - Din Thomas, Coconut Creek, Fla. (American Top Team)
74 kg/163 lbs. - Alex Pacheco, Mesa, Ariz. (American Pankration)
74 kg/163 lbs. - Ian McAlpine, Chandler, Ariz. (American Pankration) 
74 kg/163 lbs.  - James Dinette, Golden, Colo. (Grappler's Edge)
74 kg/163 lbs. - Cole Miller, Coconut Creek, Fla. (American Top Team)
96 kg/211.5 lbs. - Largus Brock, Oklahoma City, Okla. (USAStars)
96 kg/211.5 lbs. - Sam McCoy, Coconut Creek, Fla. (American Top Team)
120 kg/264.5 lbs. - Kelly Anundson, Columbia, S.C. (Black Knight WC)
120 kg/264.5 lbs. - Charles McCarthy, Coconut Creek, Fla. (American Top Team)
Absolute - Mario Rinaldi, Port St. Lucia, Fla. (American Top Team)

Women Grapplers
50 kg/110 lbs. - Felicia Oh, Valencia, Calif. (Big John McCarthy's UTA)
55 kg/121 lbs. - Stephanie Murata, Minden, Nev. (Sunkist Kids)
59 kg/130 lbs.  - Tara LaRosa, Woodstown, N.J. (Philadelphia Fight Factory)
63 kg/138.75 lbs. - Shayna Baszler, Sioux Falls, S.D. (CSW/Next Edge)
63 kg/138.75 lbs. - Miesha Tate, Tacoma, Wash. (Victory Athletics)
67 kg/147 lbs. - Tori Adams, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Sunkist Kids)

Head Coach - Ricardo Liborio, Coconut Creek, Fla.
Assistant Coach - Sheldon Marr, Aurora, Colo. 
Assistant Coach - Shawn Sheldon, W. Palm Beach, Fla.
Assistant Coach - Anthony Califano, Santa Barbara, Calif.
Assistant Coach - Rhadi Ferguson, Boca Raton, Fla.

For information on the Grappling World Championships, visit:
http://www.WorldGrappling09.com