Get on the list, today!!!!    The deadline for becoming a Founding member of the new USA Wrestling Partner program is Monday, December 31, 2001.    Individuals who join USA Wrestling as a Partner by the end of the 2001 calendar year will be recognized forever as a Founding Partner.     USA Wrestling created this new membership program to encourage individuals who enjoy wrestling to stay involved and active in the sport, year after year.    A list of Founding Partner members is now posted on the internet on USAWrestling.org, and will also be listed in a special section of the next issue of USA Wrestler.    As of December 5, hundreds of wrestling people from across the nation have joined as Founding Partners.     Included on the list are Olympic gold medalists Bruce Baumgartner, Dan Gable, Kevin Jackson, Kenny Monday and Ben Peterson, along with Olympic wrestlers R. Wayne Baughman, Terry Brands, Ken Chertow, Stan Dziedzic, Sergio Gonzales, Lloyd Keaser, Myron Roderick and Tim Vanni. Out of this group, Baumgartner, Gable, Jackson, Monday, Brands, Dziedzic and Keaser were also World Champions.    In addition, other Founding Partners who have been top volunteer leaders within wrestling include Ed Aliverti, Nancy Schultz, Myron Roderick, Al Bevilacqua, Michael Clair, Ken Kraft, Jim Ravannack, Jeff Levitetz, Bill Farrell, Neil Duncan, Dean Rockwell, Nick Gallo, John Dustin, Frank Rader, Mario Saletnig, Sandy Stevens and Toby Steward.    Among the wrestling officials who have joined the Founding Partner list are Santos Cageo and Pat Lovell. A number of wrestling businessmen, including Rick Kacher, Michael Clapier, Keith Lowrance and Jeff Kreider have joined the list.    Many current and past USA Wrestling employees have also signed up. Included are Rader, Scott, Roderick, Jim Scherr and Rich Bender, who have served as USA Wrestling Executive Directors.    Most of those on the growing list of Founding Partners are regular folks who love wrestling and want to be a part of something special. This is their way of showing how much wrestling means to them and why the sport is so great.    It has been an opportunity for families to join and give their support to wrestling. For instance, not only did Bruce Baumgartner sign up as a Partner, but also his wife Linda and his father Robert have become Partners.  How about the Hesse family of New Jersey, who not only signed up for Douglas, but also sent in membership dues in the name of boys Sean, Eric and Cory? The Scott Leeman family of Illinois registered as a Partner as a family unit.    Among the founding partners are super wrestling fans such as Wanda and Ed Knarr of Florida and Kay and Wayne Renneisen of Pennsylvania.    Partners are from all levels of wrestling, all who share an interest in wrestling and wish to stay involved and support the sport. They include people like Jim Janda, Jr. of Indiana, a former high school wrestler and a Middle School Coach. Or Mike DeAnna of Ohio, a four-time NCAA All-American and four-time Big 10 Champion. Or Gerald Donovan of Colorado, whose sons were wrestlers and served as a referee for eight years. Or James Lewis of South Carolina, a state high school champion and a high school coach. Or Rob Williamson of Iowa, a USA Wrestling official. Or Steven Schad of Wisconsin, a wrestling parent. Or Dr. R.M. Vogelwede of North Dakota, who has been a competitor, coach, referee and fan. Every Partner has a personal involvement in the sport, or a desire to help build wrestling.    As of December 5, there are Founding Partners that live in 39 states plus the District of Columbia. The only states without a Founding Partner yet are Arkansas, Delaware, Idaho, Kentucky, Maine, Mississipi, Nevada, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Tennessee and Vermont. A portion of every Partner membership goes to USA Wrestling youth wrestling programs in the menber's state.    "USA Wrestling would be very excited if we could sign up at least one Founding Partner from each state in the nation," said Mark Scott, Director of State Services. "This would display the fact that wrestling is a popular activity everywhere in America."    You can become a Partner by going to the online membership form on USAWrestling.org or TheMat.com, or by filling out a Partner membership form published in each issue of USA Wrestler magazine.    Each Partner receives a membership card, a year subscription to USA Wrestler, a Partner gift, a discount on USA Wrestling merchandise, access to the USA Wrestling Member-only web site, and a decal. More importantly, they have an opportunity to support the sport that they love. Dues is just $30    Sign up before Dec. 31 and get on the list! You will be among the leaders who have committed to get this new program off to a strong start. If you are already a USA Wrestling Founding Partner, please ask a wrestling friend to sign up also. Click on the link below, and see the growing list of Founding Partners.    updated list of Founding Partners    Click here for on-line Partner Application