U.S. National Freestyle Coach Kevin Jackson stepping down to take position with Sunkist Kids
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by Craig Sesker
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - USA Wrestling National Freestyle Coach Kevin Jackson resigned his position on Friday to become head coach with the Sunkist Kids Wrestling Club.
Jackson, 43, has served as National Freestyle Coach for USA Wrestling since January 2001. He led the U.S. to a second-place team finish at the 2003 World Championships and a third-place finish at the 2006 World Championships.
"I'm looking forward to pursuing the Sunkist situation," Jackson said, "and I'm planning to continue helping the U.S. in our quest to win at the World level."
During Jackson's tenure as U.S. National Coach, the U.S. had Olympic freestyle gold medalists in Cael Sanderson in 2004 and Henry Cejudo in 2008, and a World champion in Bill Zadick in 2006.
Jackson was Freestyle Resident Coach for USA Wrestling from 1998-2001. An athlete he coached was 2000 Olympic champion Brandon Slay.
"We've had an Olympic champion in the last three Olympics, in addition to a World champion, and I'm proud of their efforts," Jackson said. "We never met my goal of being the best team in the World, but we accomplished some good things here."
Art Martori, founder of the Sunkist Kids, offered Jackson the position with his Phoenix-based club.
"Kevin Jackson will run our elite program, and he will be responsible for preparing our elite athletes to become World and Olympic champions," Martori said. "Our program is going to be very aggressive in our approach and we're excited about the future. We're very excited about having Kevin involved with our program. He's going to make this program as good as it can be."
Jackson is considered one of the greatest wrestlers in U.S. history, winning a gold medal at the 1992 Olympic Games in Barcelona, Spain. He also won a pair of World Championships, in 1991 and 1995. He is one of only five U.S. wrestlers to claim three career World-level titles.
Jackson is a Distinguished Member of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame and the FILA International Wrestling Hall of Fame.
Jackson, 43, has served as National Freestyle Coach for USA Wrestling since January 2001. He led the U.S. to a second-place team finish at the 2003 World Championships and a third-place finish at the 2006 World Championships.
"I'm looking forward to pursuing the Sunkist situation," Jackson said, "and I'm planning to continue helping the U.S. in our quest to win at the World level."
During Jackson's tenure as U.S. National Coach, the U.S. had Olympic freestyle gold medalists in Cael Sanderson in 2004 and Henry Cejudo in 2008, and a World champion in Bill Zadick in 2006.
Jackson was Freestyle Resident Coach for USA Wrestling from 1998-2001. An athlete he coached was 2000 Olympic champion Brandon Slay.
"We've had an Olympic champion in the last three Olympics, in addition to a World champion, and I'm proud of their efforts," Jackson said. "We never met my goal of being the best team in the World, but we accomplished some good things here."
Art Martori, founder of the Sunkist Kids, offered Jackson the position with his Phoenix-based club.
"Kevin Jackson will run our elite program, and he will be responsible for preparing our elite athletes to become World and Olympic champions," Martori said. "Our program is going to be very aggressive in our approach and we're excited about the future. We're very excited about having Kevin involved with our program. He's going to make this program as good as it can be."
Jackson is considered one of the greatest wrestlers in U.S. history, winning a gold medal at the 1992 Olympic Games in Barcelona, Spain. He also won a pair of World Championships, in 1991 and 1995. He is one of only five U.S. wrestlers to claim three career World-level titles.
Jackson is a Distinguished Member of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame and the FILA International Wrestling Hall of Fame.
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