USA Wrestling has announced the winners of the 2011 Jacob Curby Memorial Award. This new award will be presented annually to recognize a Greco-Roman athlete from each of its Olympic Training Centers for displaying strong personal character and commitment.
 
The award is presented in honor of Jacob Curby, a Greco-Roman Team USA member who unexpectedly passed away at the age of 25 in January 2010. The winners of this award will exemplify the personal traits and characteristics which Curby displayed throughout his remarkable life. 

Receiving the award for the U.S. Olympic Education Center at Northern Michigan University in Marquette, Mich. is Mark Stenberg (Lockport, Ill./USOEC)

Receiving the award for the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colo. is Robert Smith (Colorado Springs, Colo./New York AC).

Stenberg placed fourth in the 2011 U.S. Open at 84 kg/185 lbs. Stenberg was a 2010 and 2011 University Nationals champion and was second in the 2010 University World Team Trials. He won the 2009 and 2010 FILA Junior Nationals, and was the Pan American Junior champion in 2009. He was an Illinois state runner-up for Lockport Township High School in 2009.

“He is a great kid, a great student and works hard in the wrestling room. There is zero nonsense. He is trying to get to the next level, just like Jake Curby would have. He is a great athlete to coach. It is not just about his results. It is about what he does on and off the mat,” said USOEC Head Greco-Roman Coach Rob Hermann. 

Smith placed second in the 2011 U.S. Open at 96 kg/211.5 lbs. He was third in the 2010 World Team Trials and fourth in the 2008 and 2010 U.S. Open. Smith won both the Sunkist Kids International and the New York AC Internationals in 2010. Smith won two University Nationals titles and competed on three U.S. Junior World Teams. He was in the USOEC program at Northern Michigan prior to going to the U.S. Olympic Training Center. He attended San Ramon High School in Danville, Calif.

“He is really a great person. There are no questions asked. He responds well to instruction. We asked him to go heavyweight at the Pan Ams for the team, and he went and got it done. He approaches it the right way and with energy. He does what is necessary to reach his goals and achieve his dreams,” said Momir Petkovic, Assistant National Greco-Roman Coach. 

These attributes for the award include: hard work, never giving up, teamwork, positive attitude, overcoming adversity, steady performance improvement, hunger for knowledge, coachability, great human qualities.

The winners of this award will be placed on display in the wrestling room at both of these training centers, and each award winner will be presented with a special plaque.

"This is a way that we can honor Jake Curby and his family, and keep his spirit alive in the wrestling world," said National Greco-Roman Coach Steve Fraser. "He meant so much to our country and his commitment and character was impressive. This way we can also honor and recognize future wrestlers that emulate his characteristics. I am so excited about this new memorial award."

The award program is sponsored by the 2007 U.S. Greco-Roman World Team, which captured the World Team title in Baku, Azerbaijan. This was the first U.S. Greco-Roman team to win the World Championships title.

JACOB CURBY MEMORIAL AWARD WINNERS

U.S. Olympic Education Center, Marquette, Mich.
2010 – Ben Sanchez
2011 – Mark Stenberg

U.S. Olympic Training Center, Colorado Springs, Colo.
2010 – Anton Gottfredson
2011 – Robert Smith