Dave Schultz Excellence Camp honors top high school graduates
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - For the second year in a row, the Dave Schultz Excellence Camp was held at the Olympic Training Center. From June 16-19, 21 Dave Schultz Excellence Award winners participated in the camp.
The camp, held at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, provided the participants with the opportunity to train in the world-class facility.
The camp, funded by a grant received by the National Wrestling Hall of Fame (NWHF), included both classroom and wrestling technique sessions. Classroom sessions included presentations from OTC staff on sports psychology, and strength and conditioning. The athletes who took part in the camp are recent high school graduates.
In addition to the OTC staff, other distinguished Americans spoke to the campers. Lee Roy Smith, Executive Director of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame and Museum, spoke to the wrestlers about the meaning of the Dave Schultz Excellence Award. Smith is a past World silver medalist.
Stan Zeamer, 2008 Olympic Women Wrestling Team Leader and Vice Chairman of the NWHF, was the first keynote speaker at the camp. Stan was an NCAA College Division National Champion at Northwest Missouri State . He talked about leadership skills and time management, and how those skills helped him become a successful business man in his home state of Pennsylvania.
Jeff Levitetz, 2004 Olympic Greco-Roman Team Leader, talked about eight key points to success. He also highlighted how wrestling has helped shape his life in the business world. Levitetz impressed upon the attendees how wrestling has helped him to become successful off the mat. Levitetz is founder and owner of Purity Wholesale Grocers.
Joel Sharratt, head coach at the United States Air Force Academy, also spoke to the Dave Schultz Excellence Award winners. Sharratt challenged the audience with ways to strengthen wrestling in the future, as well as ways in which they can become better leaders.
Top-notch clinicians conducted the on-the-mat sessions. Freestyle Developmental Coach Dave Bennett, Head Freestyle Coach Kevin Jackson, along with Greco-Roman Resident Coach Momir Petkovic taught the on-the-mat sessions. This was the first exposure to the national coaches for many of the campers, and the impression left by the coaches is one that will not soon fade away.
The campers' were also privy to climb the famed "Incline" in Manitou Springs. Formerly the roadbed to the former Mount Manitou Scenic Incline Railway, the Incline is a 2010 foot climb that is a staple of many World and Olympic Athletes, both in and out of the sport of wrestling. All 21 campers made it to the top of the Incline, which is just over 8600' above sea level, in times ranging from 26 minutes to 65 minutes.
The Dave Schultz Excellence Award winners were chosen as the sole recipients from their respective states. The award, chosen by the National Wrestling Hall of Fame, is selected based on wrestling and academic success, as well as civic involvement.
DAVE SCHULTZ EXCELLENCE CAMP PARTICIPANTS
Diego Bencomo (Independence HS, Arizona)
Kyle Blevins (Sapulpa HS, Oklahoma)
Jon Burns (Cardinal Gibbons HS, North Carolina)
Jason Chamberlain (Springville HS, Utah)
Romero Cotton (Hutchinson HS, Kansas)
Kyle Cuthbertson (Scottsboro HS, Alabama)
Seth Easter (Nitro HS, West Virginia)
Jimmy Eggemeyer (Kodiak HS, Alaska)
Robert Hamlin (Mt. Mansfield Union HS, Vermont)
David Mang (Bradley Central HS, Tennessee)
Jake Martinez (Robertson HS, New Mexico)
Matt McDonough (Linn-Mar HS, Iowa)
Hunter Meys (Shenendehowa HS, New York)
Connor Nelson (South Kingston HS, Rhode Island)
Jarett "Bubba" Owens (Tillamook HS, Oregon)
Conrad Polz (Carl Sandburg HS, Illinois)
Detoreious "T.T." Prayther (North Myrtle Beach HS, South Carolina)
Jacob Scharbrough (Weiser HS, Idaho)
Chris Smith (Deering HS, Maine)
Mark Weber (Goodrich HS, Michigan)
Jason Welch (Las Lomas HS, California)
The camp, held at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, provided the participants with the opportunity to train in the world-class facility.
The camp, funded by a grant received by the National Wrestling Hall of Fame (NWHF), included both classroom and wrestling technique sessions. Classroom sessions included presentations from OTC staff on sports psychology, and strength and conditioning. The athletes who took part in the camp are recent high school graduates.
In addition to the OTC staff, other distinguished Americans spoke to the campers. Lee Roy Smith, Executive Director of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame and Museum, spoke to the wrestlers about the meaning of the Dave Schultz Excellence Award. Smith is a past World silver medalist.
Stan Zeamer, 2008 Olympic Women Wrestling Team Leader and Vice Chairman of the NWHF, was the first keynote speaker at the camp. Stan was an NCAA College Division National Champion at Northwest Missouri State . He talked about leadership skills and time management, and how those skills helped him become a successful business man in his home state of Pennsylvania.
Jeff Levitetz, 2004 Olympic Greco-Roman Team Leader, talked about eight key points to success. He also highlighted how wrestling has helped shape his life in the business world. Levitetz impressed upon the attendees how wrestling has helped him to become successful off the mat. Levitetz is founder and owner of Purity Wholesale Grocers.
Joel Sharratt, head coach at the United States Air Force Academy, also spoke to the Dave Schultz Excellence Award winners. Sharratt challenged the audience with ways to strengthen wrestling in the future, as well as ways in which they can become better leaders.
Top-notch clinicians conducted the on-the-mat sessions. Freestyle Developmental Coach Dave Bennett, Head Freestyle Coach Kevin Jackson, along with Greco-Roman Resident Coach Momir Petkovic taught the on-the-mat sessions. This was the first exposure to the national coaches for many of the campers, and the impression left by the coaches is one that will not soon fade away.
The campers' were also privy to climb the famed "Incline" in Manitou Springs. Formerly the roadbed to the former Mount Manitou Scenic Incline Railway, the Incline is a 2010 foot climb that is a staple of many World and Olympic Athletes, both in and out of the sport of wrestling. All 21 campers made it to the top of the Incline, which is just over 8600' above sea level, in times ranging from 26 minutes to 65 minutes.
The Dave Schultz Excellence Award winners were chosen as the sole recipients from their respective states. The award, chosen by the National Wrestling Hall of Fame, is selected based on wrestling and academic success, as well as civic involvement.
DAVE SCHULTZ EXCELLENCE CAMP PARTICIPANTS
Diego Bencomo (Independence HS, Arizona)
Kyle Blevins (Sapulpa HS, Oklahoma)
Jon Burns (Cardinal Gibbons HS, North Carolina)
Jason Chamberlain (Springville HS, Utah)
Romero Cotton (Hutchinson HS, Kansas)
Kyle Cuthbertson (Scottsboro HS, Alabama)
Seth Easter (Nitro HS, West Virginia)
Jimmy Eggemeyer (Kodiak HS, Alaska)
Robert Hamlin (Mt. Mansfield Union HS, Vermont)
David Mang (Bradley Central HS, Tennessee)
Jake Martinez (Robertson HS, New Mexico)
Matt McDonough (Linn-Mar HS, Iowa)
Hunter Meys (Shenendehowa HS, New York)
Connor Nelson (South Kingston HS, Rhode Island)
Jarett "Bubba" Owens (Tillamook HS, Oregon)
Conrad Polz (Carl Sandburg HS, Illinois)
Detoreious "T.T." Prayther (North Myrtle Beach HS, South Carolina)
Jacob Scharbrough (Weiser HS, Idaho)
Chris Smith (Deering HS, Maine)
Mark Weber (Goodrich HS, Michigan)
Jason Welch (Las Lomas HS, California)
