SCHULTZ MEMORIAL NOTES: Byers works to fix his wrestling; High school star Padilla seeks Senior success; Konrad tries hand at Greco-Roman

Byers looking for improvement in loaded Schultz field

2002 World Champion Dremiel Byers of the U.S. Army enjoys wrestling at the Dave Schultz Memorial International. Although his focus is on the upcoming Olympic Trials and Olympic Games, he takes this competition very seriously.

"The Schultz is one of the best tournaments in the world, and it is right here on U.S. soil," said Byers. "The competition is great, and every year there are more teams."

Byers has won the Schultz event twice, in 2005 and 2007, but will be hard-pressed to win it again this year. His weight class is loaded, with World champion Mijian Lopez of Cuba and 2004 Olympic silver medalist Georgiy Tsurstumia of Kazakstan competing, as well as all of the other top U.S. heavyweights in his division.

"The No. 1 guy in the world is here (Lopez), and Georgiy (Tsurtsumia) was the Olympic silver medalist. There are tough competitors everywhere," said Byers.

U.S. Army coach Shon Lewis is impressed by Byers' fearless approach to competition.

"He doesn't shy away from matches. He is the only one from the World Championships who wrestles in every possible tournament. He is chasing down matches. He is a field soldier. He is the best in his field. Competition is his field. That is where he excels. This is good for him. And he is still learning," said Lewis.

Facing tough competition on a regular basis is part of Byers growth as a wrestler, according to Lewis. He feels that having to wrestle often under pressure helps him to perform better.

"You see this great talent. But what people don't realize is he didn't do four year in Division I wrestling. He doesn't have those big matches. He is making up ground. He didn't have the NCAA Championships, or dual meets like Iowa against Iowa State. He never experienced anything like that. He is always in a learning mode. But he is really starting to perform," said Lewis.

For Byers, this tournament gives him a chance to perfect his craft.

"It is always about winning," said Byers. "I want to push myself harder and harder. I want to fix everything before the Olympic Games. You have to identify it to fix it, and the only way to do that is in competition."

Padilla looks beyond high school to bright international career

Tatiana Padilla is the top high school wrestler in the nation in women's wrestling. She has entered the Dave Schultz Memorial International this weekend to continue her progress in international freestyle wrestling.

Padilla was the ASICS Girls High School Wrestler of the Year in 2007. Her three Junior National titles ties the national record, and if she enters the event in Fargo next summer, she has a chance to set the record with a fourth title. She won a silver medal at the Junior World Championships in China last summer. Perhaps her biggest achievement was placing second at the Women's World Team Trials last year, taking the No. 2 spot on Women's Team USA at 59 kg/130 lbs.

This year, Padilla has been spending a lot of time in Colorado Springs for training and competition. Not only will she compete today in the Dave Schultz Memorial, but she will also be on the U.S. Pan American Championships team which will compete at the Olympic Training Center, Feb. 28-March 2.

"She came out this year for the winter camp, and she has been here this week training prior to the Schultz International," said National Women's Coach Terry Steiner. "She is feisty. She is a tough competitor. Tatiana won a Junior World silver medal for us last year. We think she can be the future and step forward for us. We are trying to get her as much international experience as we can, while keeping her balanced with her schoolwork."

Padilla is a member of the Northview High School wrestling team, and is competing in dual meets on the varsity. Because of her active freestyle schedule, she will not be competing in the post-season events. "I enjoy wrestling the boys," says Padilla, but she knows her future is in freestyle competing against women.

"I am on independent study, and I have a personal teacher," said Padilla of her high school studies. "It allows me to be here. It is a great experience to come out there and train with world-class athletes. I come here to get international experience and to face different opponents. I feel like I have approved. I have made a lot of corrections in my style. Last year was the first year on the Senior level and I didn't know what to expect. You learn as you go."

Padilla competes at 59 kg/130 lbs., a non-Olympic weight, but plans to drop down to 55 kg/121 lbs. for the U.S. Nationals and the Olympic Trials.

"My goal is to make the Olympic team," said Padilla. "I will be down to that weight at the nationals. My weight is low right now. I am under the scratch weight at 130 pounds, so it will not be a problem for me.

Once high school is over, Padilla has many options, including the possibility of moving to Colorado Springs to join the U.S. Olympic Training Center resident program. Regardless of her choice, she plans to continue her education while pursuing World and Olympic medals.

"School is very important," said Padilla. "I want to be a registered nurse. I will start right away in school. You need to get a degree."

Multi-talented Cole Konrad competing in Greco-Roman

Two-time NCAA heavyweight champion Cole Konrad is very talented and successful in both international freestyle and Greco-Roman wrestling. With the Olympic year at hand, what does he do? Compete in both? Choose one over the other?

At this time, Konrad has decided he will make his Olympic run in Greco-Roman.

"I am going to keep with Greco and take it as far as I can," said Konrad. "I feel like I am done with freestyle."

His achievements at the Senior level in both styles are impressive. While still a college student, Konrad placed third in the 2004 Olympic Trials in Greco-Roman. In freestyle, he was second at the 2007 U.S. Nationals, and placed third at the 2006 World Team Trials, qualifying for Freestyle Team USA.

Konrad has entered the Dave Schultz Memorial in Greco-Roman. It has been part of an effort to concentrate on Greco-Roman and make his stand in that style.

"In the 2004 Olympic Trials, he was third in Greco-Roman. He had a great career at Minnesota. After he won his last NCAA title, a few weeks later he was second at the U.S. Nationals in freestyle. At the World Team Trials, he lost a few matches he maybe should not have. A lot of people talked to him about his best option. In freestyle, there are five or six good guys. In Greco-Roman, there is one dominant guy. He did both styles at Sunkist, and wrestled freestyle at another tournament. I suggested he concentrate on Greco-Roman for a few months to see where he is at in that style," said Chandler.

So far this year, Konrad has gone to Russia and Europe for competition and training. He has participated in the Greco-Roman winter training camps and is scheduled to compete on another tour to Serbia later this winter.

"I'll enter these events and go overseas, and keep banging heads with the top guys," said Konrad. "This lets you know where you are. I have learned a few things already. That is why this tournament is so beneficial."

The decision to compete in Greco-Roman is a unified effort with his club coaches. When Konrad competed in the Schultz event, Minnesota Storm freestyle coach Gordy Morgan was in the corner alongside Chandler. Morgan, himself an Olympian in Greco-Roman, supports Konrad's pursuit of the classic style.

"He needs more mat time and a little more exposure," said Konrad. "He has to figure out his style. He needs to bring his folkstyle into his Greco-Roman. He is driven. It happens with many great college guys. It is a new level. He's taken his lumps. He has to perservere and he will."

Chandler believes Konrad has what it takes in Greco-Roman.

"I look at his past success in Greco, his two Junior National titles and his medal at the Olympic Trials. He has the college background, and knows how to fight. He is a good height and size for Greco, and has long legs he doesn't have to defend. His body is suited to Greco. He is enjoying the Greco, as a change of pace. He is going through 2012. If he didn't try Greco, and then didn't make it in freestyle, he might regret that," said Chandler.

Konrad had a challenging first match at the Dave Schultz Memorial, losing to Bulgaria's Ivan Ivanov, 0-5, 0-6. The Bulgarian was able to turn Konrad from the mat in both periods. He returned in his first wrestle-back match, stopping Alfonso Victor Asprilla Caicedo of Colombia, 3-0, 5-0. His next match was a loss against veteran Polish heavyweight Marek Mikulski, 0-7, 1-1.

This tournament, and the events in the next few months will help Konrad in his transformation into a world-class Greco-Roman athlete. He says that his main focus at this time is to improve his par terre defense, the biggest challenge in the matches that he has lost.

"I really enjoyed it in high school," said Konrad about Greco-Roman. "To be honest, I wasn't that motivated to go to freestyle practice lately. It was too much like college. Wrestling Greco, I was re-energized. I could see myself improving every day."

All three international styles on display on Saturday

Any fan who wants a true taste of Olympic wrestling would be satisfied with the Saturday competition at the Dave Schultz Memorial International. Competition is being held side-by-side with all three international styles of the sport: men's freestyle, men's Greco-Roman and women's freestyle.

Today marks the second day of the Greco-Roman tournament, which began on Friday. The three largest weight classes are up for grabs. The featured weight class is at 120 kg/264.5 lbs., where a pair of World champions are in competition, Dremiel Byers of the United States and Mijian Lopez of Cuba, along with Olympic silver medalist Giorgiy Tsurtsumia of Kazakhstan.

Men and women's freestyle starts off today, with three weight classes in each style. For the men, the three lowest weight divisions on display. Special interest will be at the 55 kg/121 lbs. division, where 2004 Olympic silver medalist Stephen Abas of the USA, 2003 World silver medalist Ghenadie Tulbea of Moldova and 2007 World silver medalist Naranbaatar Bayaraa of Mongolia.

The women's weight classes on Saturday are the three non-Olympic weights, which are contested at the World Championships but not at the Olympic Games. The field is not large this year at these divisions, as many athletes have switched to Olympic weights. Perhaps the top athletes to compete on Saturday are at 67 kg/147.5 lbs., where 2006 World bronze medalist Maria Mueller of Germany and two-time World bronze medalist Monika Mihalik-Rogien of Poland.