USA Wrestling has announced the first athletes who will participate in the new U.S. Olympic Training Center (USOTC) resident athlete program for freestyle wrestling.The U.S. Olympic Committee approved the creation of the freestyle resident program in Colorado Springs, Colo., and the initial group of athletes began their training in early September. The program is managed by National Freestyle Coach Bruce Burnett.
The program has begun with seven talented young athletes, all who are expected to challenge for future U.S. World and Olympic teams. The wrestlers have moved into the dormitories at the USOTC, and have started their training program. Additional athletes are expected to join the program in the upcoming months.
The resident athletes include Eric Albarracin (Coral Springs, Fla./Sunkist Kids) at 119 pounds, Kerry Boumans (Comeaux, La./Dave Schultz WC) at 127.75 pounds, Steve St. John (Cleveland, Ohio/Sunkist Kids) at 138.75 pounds, Shannyn Gillespie (Evanston, Ill./Wildcat WC) at 152 pounds, Kenny Johnson (Racine, Wis./Wildcat WC) at 152 pounds, Charles Burton (Meridian, Idaho/Sunkist Kids) at 167.5 pounds and Dominic Black (Lexington, Ky./New York AC) at 213.75 pounds.
All seven of these athletes have been successful in USA Wrestling's age group programs and have shown promise in national events on the Senior level.
Albarracin is perhaps the most successful of the group, having reached a No. 2 national ranking at 105.5 pounds in the 1994-95 season. He moved up to the 119 pound weight class when the international weight classes were changed in 1997.
Albarracin was second in the 1994 U.S. Nationals, and is a two-time University Nationals champion. He was second in the 1997 Pan American Championships and competed in the 1995 World Cup. Albarracin attended Arizona State and was a high school state runner-up in Florida.
Black has also been very successful on the national level in freestyle wrestling. His career highlight was a gold medal at the 1995 World Cup, with victories over some of the best wrestlers in the world. He was also a Sunkist International Open champion in 1994.
Black was third in the U.S. Nationals in both 1994 and 1995, and earned a No. 4 national ranking both years. He was a University National champion in 1994. Black attended the Univ. of West Virginia, and was fourth in the 1991 NCAA Championships. He was a Kentucky state high school champion.
Boumans is a rising young talent, placing fifth at the 1997 World Team Trials. He was sixth in the 1997 U.S. Nationals and seventh in the 1996 U.S. Nationals. Boumans was an NAIA National champion for the Univ. of Mary, and attended high school in Louisiana.
St. John placed sixth in the 1996 U.S. Olympic Team Trials. He was fifth in the 1993 U.S. Nationals and sixth in the 1996 U.S. Nationals. St. John was second in the 1993 U.S. Olympic Festival, and has won age-group national titles on the Junior and University levels. He was second in the 1996 NCAA Championships for Arizona State, and was a two-time Ohio state high school champion.
Gillespie won the New York Athletic Club Christmas Open in 1996 and was a Northeast Regional champion in 1997. He was second in the 1996 Michigan International Open, and was a Junior National runner-up in 1989. Gillespie placed third in the 1993 NCAA Championships for Lock Haven Univ., and was an Illinois state high school champion.
Johnson was eighth in the 1997 U.S. Nationals. He was fourth in the 1994 U.S. Olympic Festival, and fifth in the 1996 Michigan International Open. Johnson attended the Univ. of Iowa, and is originally from Racine, Wis.
Burton placed seventh in the 1997 U.S. Nationals, and was the 1997 University Nationals champion. He won a bronze medal at the 1997 Pan American Championships. He was third in the 1996 NCAA Championships, competing for Boise State, and is originally from Meridian, Idaho.
"I'm excited about the opportunity to work with these talented athletes in a program where so many people are working to help them reach their dreams," said National Freestyle Coach Bruce Burnett. "The support staff at the U.S. Olympic Training Center is awesome. There is a wealth of resources for the athletes to take advantage of. This can't do anything but help our overall national program. Knowledge is power, and you can get a lot of knowledge by wrestling freestyle year round."
The new freestyle program will be in addition to the successful Greco-Roman wrestling resident program, which was created in 1993 and has been a major step forward for Greco-Roman wrestling in the nation.
Up to 12 freestyle wrestlers will live in the dormitories at the USOTC, and as many as 10 freestyle wrestlers may live off-campus as part of the program. Each of these athletes will have full access to the many facilities and services at the USOTC, which is one of the best training centers in the world.
The wrestlers will practice in the wrestling room in the Sports Center II facility, and will have use of the weight training and medical facilities at the USOTC. In addition, there are many other athlete services available to all residents athletes in the program.
The United States is considered one of the top freestyle wrestling nations in the world. The freestyle resident program has been created to allow the U.S. to maintain its edge in a very competitive international wrestling climate.
1997 USOTC Freestyle resident athletes (with hometown, club, high school and college listed)
119 lbs. - Eric Albarracin, Coral Springs, Fla., Sunkist Kids, Coral Springs HS, Arizona State Univ.
127.75 lbs. - Kerry Boumans, Comeaux, La., Dave Schultz WC, Comeaux HS, Univ. of Mary
138.75 lbs. - Steve St. John, Cleveland, Ohio, Sunkist Kids, St. Joseph HS, Arizona State Univ.
152 lbs. - Shannyn Gillespie, Evanston, Ill., Wildcat WC, Evanston Township HS, Lock Haven Univ.
152 lbs. - Kenny Johnson, Racine, Wis., Wildcat WC, Washington Park HS, Univ. of Iowa
167.5 lbs. - Charles Burton, Meridian, Idaho, Sunkist Kids, Centennial HS, Boise State
213.75 lbs. - Dominic Black, Lexington, Ky., New York AC, Henry Clay HS, Univ. of West Virginia