For 34 years, Seahorse Open in Florida provides great wrestling over Thanksgiving
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by Gary Abbott
You don't have to tell wrestlers in Florida what the Seahorse Open is. If you are a wrestler or coach, you probably have spent some of your Thanksgiving weekend at this outstanding event.
"I wrestled in this when I was competing," said Bill Grant, Florida USA Wrestling state chairperson. "It has been one of the premier events for three decades. In the fall, you wrestle in the Seahorse Open."
In fact, the Seahorse Open is entering its 34th year. This season, this USA Wrestling-sanctioned event will be held on November 28-29 in a new facility, the city of Coral Springs gymnasium. With room for 10 mats, there is expected to be as many as 1,000 wrestlers battling for medals during the weekend.
The event is open to wrestlers from all over the country, and Grant estimates that there are at least 15% of the participants coming in from other states. This year there could be even more.
If you like to wrestle, there is probably a division for you. The tournament features the following divisions: Kids, Schoolboys, Cadet JV, Cadet varsity, Juniors State-level, Juniors varsity-level, Open and Masters.
If you want to know anything about the Seahorse Open, or if you want to enter the tournament, just contact Ron Schulz. He has been the driving force behind this tournament since its inception, and takes great pride in its history. The tournament goes back to the days of the U.S. Wrestling Federation, which is the predecessor of USA Wrestling.
You can email Ron at SeaHorseWrestler@aol.com. His phone number is 954-290-5262. If you call him, be prepared to talk some wrestling.
"Thirty-four years ago we ran it at Broward Community College. It was the BCC Seahorse Open. The BCC mascot was a seahorse. We formed a corporation, the Seahorse WC, Inc., and have been around since 1971," said Schulz.
BCC no longer has a wrestling team, but the Seahorse Open has continued on, getting bigger and bigger and more prestigious. Schulz, along with the other wrestling leaders who help organize the tournament, have done some extra things to help it to become such a success.
"Every year, there is a theme. This year, the theme is 'No Excuses,'" said Schulz.
The event structure is very efficient. Kids, Schoolboys and Cadets all wrestle on the first day. Juniors, Open and Masters divisions are contested on the second day. Wrestlers and their families can be there just for a day if they are participating in just one division.
"In reality, this is a two-day event, except it is different," said Schulz. "It is more conducive for the coaches and the athletes."
The quality of the competition is something that the Florida wrestling community is proud about, and is also a reason that an increasing number of out-of-state wrestlers and teams enter the tournament.
"It is a gang-busters tournament," said Grant. "To have that many kids competing in Florida in late November during football season is amazing. We have a number of Florida teams that are nationally ranked, and they all go there."
Schulz is proud of how the divisions have been formed, providing the right competition level for every athlete. The Junior division is split into two levels, the "state level" and the "varsity level." The state level is focused on wrestlers who have competed at the state championships or those who are talented and motivated enough to contend. The varsity level is for all of the other high school wrestlers who enter.
"The studs go in the state division, because they want the best competition at the Junior level," said Schulz. "The kids wrestle people at their own level."
Schulz is not too proud to brag about the quality of the tournament, which he believes is the reason that it has established a tradition and is continuing to go strong into its fourth decade.
"We have had some unbelievable matches," said Schulz. "Three of the matches last year ended up being the finals of the states later on. We have a lot of very good little kids also. Families can come down here to enjoy Thanksgiving weekend. It is Thanksgiving, turkey and wrestling. So many of the coaches who bring teams wrestled in this as kids and in high school."
Schulz, who has coached at Nova High School for 38 years, thinks that this year could have a record-setting field. He says the record of entries was 923, which was set two years ago.
"I expect that with 10 mats in one facility that it will grow," said Schulz. "A thousand wrestlers sounds like a lot. But we believe we can do that."
Grant invites wrestlers from across the nation to spend their Thanksgiving in sunny Florida.
"All you need is a USA Wrestling card and $20 and you are in," said Grant. "The largest USA Wrestling folkstyle tournament in the nation over Thanksgiving is the Seahorse."
SEAHORSE OPEN
At Coral Springs, Fla., November 28-29
Friday, Nov. 28
8:00 a.m. - 9:30 a.m. - Weigh-in and registration for Cadets, Schoolboys, Kids
10:00 a.m. - conclusion - Competition for Cadets, Schoolboys, Kids
4:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m. - First weigh-in and registration for Juniors, Open, Masters
Saturday, Nov. 29
8:00 a.m. - 9:30 a.m. - Second Weigh-in and registration for Juniors, Open, Masters
10:00 a.m. - conclusion - Competition for Juniors, Open, Masters
Entry fee: $20 for Schoolboys, Cadets, Junior, Open and Masters; $15 for Kids 12 and under. All participants need 2008-09 USA Wrestling card.
Contact: Ron Schulz at SeaHorseWrestler@aol.com or 954-290-5262.
"I wrestled in this when I was competing," said Bill Grant, Florida USA Wrestling state chairperson. "It has been one of the premier events for three decades. In the fall, you wrestle in the Seahorse Open."
In fact, the Seahorse Open is entering its 34th year. This season, this USA Wrestling-sanctioned event will be held on November 28-29 in a new facility, the city of Coral Springs gymnasium. With room for 10 mats, there is expected to be as many as 1,000 wrestlers battling for medals during the weekend.
The event is open to wrestlers from all over the country, and Grant estimates that there are at least 15% of the participants coming in from other states. This year there could be even more.
If you like to wrestle, there is probably a division for you. The tournament features the following divisions: Kids, Schoolboys, Cadet JV, Cadet varsity, Juniors State-level, Juniors varsity-level, Open and Masters.
If you want to know anything about the Seahorse Open, or if you want to enter the tournament, just contact Ron Schulz. He has been the driving force behind this tournament since its inception, and takes great pride in its history. The tournament goes back to the days of the U.S. Wrestling Federation, which is the predecessor of USA Wrestling.
You can email Ron at SeaHorseWrestler@aol.com. His phone number is 954-290-5262. If you call him, be prepared to talk some wrestling.
"Thirty-four years ago we ran it at Broward Community College. It was the BCC Seahorse Open. The BCC mascot was a seahorse. We formed a corporation, the Seahorse WC, Inc., and have been around since 1971," said Schulz.
BCC no longer has a wrestling team, but the Seahorse Open has continued on, getting bigger and bigger and more prestigious. Schulz, along with the other wrestling leaders who help organize the tournament, have done some extra things to help it to become such a success.
"Every year, there is a theme. This year, the theme is 'No Excuses,'" said Schulz.
The event structure is very efficient. Kids, Schoolboys and Cadets all wrestle on the first day. Juniors, Open and Masters divisions are contested on the second day. Wrestlers and their families can be there just for a day if they are participating in just one division.
"In reality, this is a two-day event, except it is different," said Schulz. "It is more conducive for the coaches and the athletes."
The quality of the competition is something that the Florida wrestling community is proud about, and is also a reason that an increasing number of out-of-state wrestlers and teams enter the tournament.
"It is a gang-busters tournament," said Grant. "To have that many kids competing in Florida in late November during football season is amazing. We have a number of Florida teams that are nationally ranked, and they all go there."
Schulz is proud of how the divisions have been formed, providing the right competition level for every athlete. The Junior division is split into two levels, the "state level" and the "varsity level." The state level is focused on wrestlers who have competed at the state championships or those who are talented and motivated enough to contend. The varsity level is for all of the other high school wrestlers who enter.
"The studs go in the state division, because they want the best competition at the Junior level," said Schulz. "The kids wrestle people at their own level."
Schulz is not too proud to brag about the quality of the tournament, which he believes is the reason that it has established a tradition and is continuing to go strong into its fourth decade.
"We have had some unbelievable matches," said Schulz. "Three of the matches last year ended up being the finals of the states later on. We have a lot of very good little kids also. Families can come down here to enjoy Thanksgiving weekend. It is Thanksgiving, turkey and wrestling. So many of the coaches who bring teams wrestled in this as kids and in high school."
Schulz, who has coached at Nova High School for 38 years, thinks that this year could have a record-setting field. He says the record of entries was 923, which was set two years ago.
"I expect that with 10 mats in one facility that it will grow," said Schulz. "A thousand wrestlers sounds like a lot. But we believe we can do that."
Grant invites wrestlers from across the nation to spend their Thanksgiving in sunny Florida.
"All you need is a USA Wrestling card and $20 and you are in," said Grant. "The largest USA Wrestling folkstyle tournament in the nation over Thanksgiving is the Seahorse."
SEAHORSE OPEN
At Coral Springs, Fla., November 28-29
Friday, Nov. 28
8:00 a.m. - 9:30 a.m. - Weigh-in and registration for Cadets, Schoolboys, Kids
10:00 a.m. - conclusion - Competition for Cadets, Schoolboys, Kids
4:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m. - First weigh-in and registration for Juniors, Open, Masters
Saturday, Nov. 29
8:00 a.m. - 9:30 a.m. - Second Weigh-in and registration for Juniors, Open, Masters
10:00 a.m. - conclusion - Competition for Juniors, Open, Masters
Entry fee: $20 for Schoolboys, Cadets, Junior, Open and Masters; $15 for Kids 12 and under. All participants need 2008-09 USA Wrestling card.
Contact: Ron Schulz at SeaHorseWrestler@aol.com or 954-290-5262.
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