Terry Brands launches USA Wrestling Membership Tour

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Ted Witulski (USA Wrestling)
08/27/2001


 Two Time World Champion, Olympic Bronze Medallist, Three Time U.S. Nationals Champion, Two Time World Cup Champion, Two Time NCAA Champion, Dan Gable Trained, and one of America's greatest wrestlers.      The Terry Brands Tour will be in the northeast, just one week prior to the World Championships!      The chance to learn from an American wrestling legend is something no wrestling enthusiast should pass up.  The Terry Brands Tour is set to travel to five states and help grow the base of America's wrestling future.      The Brands tour will begin on Thursday, September 20th in New Jersey and then move to Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania on Friday, September 21st.  On Saturday, September, 22nd Brands will be in Dover, Delaware before stopping off in Hartford, Connecticut on Sunday, September 23rd.  Brands' five-state tour will end in Glens Falls, New York on Monday, September 24th.      What makes the Terry Brands Tour even more extraordinary is that the only requirement to attend the clinic is the cost of the membership card for USA Wrestling for the 2001-2002 season.  Wrestlers and coaches will be able to register as USAW members and be a part of a fantastic clinic by a true wrestling hero!    USA Wrestling's Executive Director, Rich Bender, looks at the Brands tour as a great opportunity for the states involved.  "Terry has proven himself on the world wrestling stage, and he will provide young wrestlers with outstanding motivation to be deeply committed to the sport of wrestling for years to come.  We hope that the coaches, wrestlers, and wrestling enthusiasts of these five states will turnout in large numbers to be part of such a valuable event", he said.       Terry Brands gained national recognition while wrestling for Dan Gable at the University of Iowa.  While there, he and his brother Tom relied on an aggressive and relentless attacking style that still is the trademark of the Brands name.  Terry went on to win two NCAA Division I Titles for the Hawkeyes.  In 1993, Terry and Tom Brands won World Titles in Toronto, Canada for the United States.  Terry returned to win a second World Title in 1995 in Atlanta, Georgia.  In 2000, after an extended absence from the international wrestling scene, Brands came out of retirement and earned the Olympic berth to Sydney, Australia.  Competing in the Olympic Games Terry earned a Bronze Medal.      Terry Brands, one of America's most accomplished wrestlers, has succeeded at all levels of wrestling.  His tour in support of the sport of wrestling will offer state organizations a valuable membership benefit for its prospective members.      According to Mitch Hull, Director of National Teams for USA Wrestling, "The Brands Tour is just another great example of why amateur wrestling supporters should join the growing ranks of USA Wrestling.  As the National Governing Body for the sport of wrestling, USA Wrestling can provide benefits like Terry's appearance as another way to strengthen the sport of wrestling nationwide."      Each stop on the Tour will have a local person for wrestling enthusiasts to contact for more information.  Signing up for the new USA Wrestling Membership gives members the chance to participate in the Brands clinic and the membership is activated for the entire upcoming season.  Registration for the new card will begin one hour prior to the clinic start time.  To attend the Brands Tour, all participants must purchase the 2001-2002 USAW Membership Card.      The Tour program will include the Brands clinic, video of Brands' matches, autograph and fan photo signings, information on the World Championships in New York City the following week, and the most current USA Wrestling merchandise.      With Brands making stops in so many states in the mid-Atlantic region many state leaders are excited about the tour coming to their area.  David Thomas, Head Coach at Dover High School and the point of contact for the Delaware stop, is one of many wrestling fans looking forward to Brands' visit to Delaware. "This event will be great because of the high profile of Terry Brands and the dedication of Delaware to USA Wrestling to encourage more wrestling participation at the national level.  We need to have clinics like this in Delaware to let the student-athletes know that the national level is not out of reach for wrestlers from small states."      Kennon Engleman, point of contact for the Glens Falls stop, is equally enthusiastic about Brands' visit to New York.  "If you're a fan of the sport of wrestling, then you know of the toughness that is associated with the Brands name.  To be able to attend a clinic with a World Champion like Terry Brands for the low cost of a USA Wrestling membership is an awesome deal for wrestlers in New York."      USA Wrestling invites wrestling enthusiasts from the five states involved to attend the Terry Brands Tour and join the ranks of amateur wrestling as a USA Wrestling member.  USA Wrestling members have an exciting opportunity to learn from Terry Brands, a real wrestling hero.      Scheduled tour dates and locations are as follows:    Thursday, September 20th; Rahway, New Jersey; John Welch  (908) 766-6828  Friday, September 21st; Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania; John Hohmann (570) 387-1633  Saturday, September 22nd; Dover, Delaware; Tommy Pavia (302) 677-1961  Sunday, September 23rd; Hartford, Connecticut ; Mike Quibble (860) 464-9128  Monday, September 24th; Glens Falls, New York; Kennon Engelman (518) 743-3418    Sample schedule for Newark, New Jersey; Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania; Dover, Delaware; Glens Falls, New York    6:00 p.m. Registration  6:30 p.m. Meet Terry Brands and watch his matches from video  7:00 p.m. Terry Brands Clinic   8:00 p.m. Break  8:15 p.m. Terry Brands Clinic Session II  9:00 p.m. A Talk with Terry Brands  9:15 p.m. Closing    Hartford, Connecticut    12:00 p.m. Registration  12:30 p.m. Meet Terry Brands and watch his matches from video  1:00 p.m. Terry Brands Clinic   2:15 p.m. Break  2:30 p.m. Terry Brands Clinic Session II  4:00 p.m. A Talk with Terry Brands  4:15 p.m. Closing    Rahway High School  1012 Madison Ave  Rahway, NJ  07065    Contact: John Welch  P.O. Box 250   Liberty Corner, NJ 07938  (908) 766-6828  Email: nj1wrestle@worldnet.att.net    Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania  Central Columbia School District  4777 Old Berwick Rd.  Bloomsburg, Pa. 17815    John D. Hohmann Jr.  2242 Riverview Ave.  Bloomsburg, Pa. 17815  Phone: 570 387 1633  Email: foxrhino@ptd.net    Dover Delaware at Dover High School     Directions from I 95 (south) --  to RT 7 (Christiana) to RT 1 south to Dover.  Take RT 1 south to west Dover exit (RT 8--Scarborough Avenue).  Go straight through the first light onto Scarborough Avenue.  Follow Scarborough   Avenue through to the 2nd light then left (Walker Road).  Follow Walker Road to first light-then left at the first light (Pat Lynn Drive)  --then follow around to the back of the building.  You will be at Dover High School.      Contact:   David E Thomas   271 Greenwich  Drive      Dover, DE. 19901   Email: DvdEThom@aol.com    West Hartford, Connecticut  Hall High School     Directions to Hall High School in West Hartford-  975 N Main St  W Hartford, CT 06117-2057     From Springfield, Ma - I91 South exit 35B CT-218 to Windsor / Bloomfield and go south for 0.30 miles. Turn Right on CT-218 and go west for 6 miles    From Danbury, CT - I84 East exit 41 and go east for 0.20 miles Turn Left on South Main St and go north for 4.4 miles    From New Haven, CT - I91 North to Trumbel St exit and travel northwest for 0.50 miles. Turn Right on Main St and go northwest for 4.9 miles    From Norwich, CT - Rt 2 West to I84 West to exit 48. Go southwest on Asylum Ave for 400 feet and continue on  Spring St for 170 feet. Turn Right on Asylum Ave and go west for 3.4 miles. Turn Right on N Main St and go north for 1.2 miles    Contact:  Mike Quibble  USACT National Team Director /