Gable, Smith, Baumgartner ask coaches to support Living the Dream Medal Fund
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by Gary Abbott
Three of the most successful athletes and coaches in American wrestling history have encouraged fellow coaches to support the Living the Dream Medal Fund.
In a letter which has been sent to USA Wrestling member coaches, Olympic champions Dan Gable, John Smith and Bruce Baumgartner have reached out to all wrestling coaches for support.
These three wrestling legends won a combined five Olympic gold medals. Smith claimed a pair (1988, 1992) and Baumgartner won two golds (1984, 1992) and Gable one (1972). These stars won a combined eight World Championships gold medals.
All three have been highly successful Div. I wrestling coaches, Gable at Iowa, Smith at Oklahoma State and Baumgartner at Edinboro. Gable and Smith have also been coaches for U.S. Olympic freestyle teams.
The Living the Dream Medal Fund has raised the bar for U.S. athletes. Any U.S. wrestler who wins a gold medal at the 2012 Olympic Games in London, England will receive a quarter-million dollars ($250,000).
Silver medalists in London will earn $50,000 and bronze medalists in London will receive $25,000. The payout for a World Championships medal in 2009, 2010 and 2011 will be $50,000 for a gold, $25,000 for a silver and $15,000 for a bronze.
USA Wrestling has set up a website for the Living the Dream Medal Fund, where wrestling supporters can make donations to the project. People have been asked to give donations from $5 to $5,000 to the fund. This program will be successful based upon support from the entire wrestling community.
The Fund will be maintained as a restricted and segregated fund by USA Wrestling.* It will be overseen by a board that includes representatives of USA Wrestling as well as the group of stewards who have helped establish the Fund and will assist in financially underwriting it. In addition to the support of the stewards, funding will also come from a public fundraising program as well as from existing support from USA Wrestling and the U.S. Olympic Committee.
Included among the stewards are all three Team Leaders for the U.S. wrestling programs: Mike Novogratz (freestyle), Dave Barry (Greco-Roman) and the family of Kim Martori-Wickey (women). Other initial stewards in the program include Rich Tavoso, Stan Dziedzic and Joe Alpert.
Join Gable, Smith and Baumgartner and hundreds of others who have decided to JOIN THE LIST.
Letter to wrestling coaches from Dan Gable, John Smith and Bruce Baumgartner
Dear Coach,
Mike Novogratz and Dave Barry have asked us to help in driving the Living the Dream Medal Fund campaign to a successful completion. If you click on this link you will be able to watch a video explaining this phenomenal and necessary program designed to drastically increase the rewards America's wrestlers receive for winning Olympic or World Championship Medals.
Click here for Living the Dream Medal Fund video
Like these two leaders, throughout our professional careers we have always invested in success. People like to contribute to successful programs that do good things for wrestling.
As members of USA Wrestling since the 1980's, we have served in every capacity within the organization. We have coached at every level and our experience in wrestling demonstrates a way of life that is good for America. America needs wrestling now more than ever.
The wrestling community, from the leadership of the national office all the way down to the club coaches, are being challenged. As a wrestling coach, you are well aware of the impact you have on the lives of your wrestlers. You inspire them and represent leadership.
The Living the Dream Medal Fund is not just for our top-level wrestlers. It is for all of us, the collective wrestling community.
The financial award that will be given to our Olympic Champions represents a commitment that exceeds other national governing bodies for winning a Gold Medal in the 2012 London Olympics.
We are asking the entire coaching community to contribute because of what we have asked from these young men and women along the way. We taught them to work hard, be dedicated and fulfill your dreams.
When one of your athletes comes through your system and wins an Olympic Gold Medal, you and all of us win a little piece of that medal.
They are all in because of you, who "lit their candle" during their formative years participating in your programs.
Lives, families and careers are on hold to pursue the dream that you helped inspire in them. Now they need you!
"It just shows how close-knit the wrestling community is," said Jake Herbert, the U.S. champion at 185 pounds and a first-time World Team member. "This sport brings all these amazing people together for a great cause. It's everybody helping everybody."
And supporters of the Fund won't be disappointed, Herbert promised.
"We've got a young world team, a hungry group of guys and now there's a huge, huge pot of gold behind that gold medal at the end of the rainbow," he said. "It's going to be a good four-year cycle. We've got a great team, and we're going to do great things."
It is not the amount of the donation. It is the commitment of writing a check, envelope, stamp and mail…or donating online. Thousands of names on the "list" shows support to the stewards of the fund and to the world that we love wrestling.
Numbers are the name of the game. With numbers it speaks to commitment and demonstrates that we are "all in." We are building something good for wrestling and America.
The wrestling community in your area will follow you. People give to people. If you ask the people in your circle of coaches to join you and be on THE LIST, they will follow.
Sincerely yours in wrestling,
Dan Gable - 1972 Olympic Champion
John Smith - 1988 & 1992 Olympic Champion
Bruce Baumgartner - 1984 & 1992- Olympic Champion
Click here to donate online
Supporters can also send their contribution by mail. Checks should be made out to USA Wrestling, and sent to:
Living the Dream Medal Fund
c/o USA Wrestling
6155 Lehman Dr.
Colorado Springs, CO 80918
In a letter which has been sent to USA Wrestling member coaches, Olympic champions Dan Gable, John Smith and Bruce Baumgartner have reached out to all wrestling coaches for support.
These three wrestling legends won a combined five Olympic gold medals. Smith claimed a pair (1988, 1992) and Baumgartner won two golds (1984, 1992) and Gable one (1972). These stars won a combined eight World Championships gold medals.
All three have been highly successful Div. I wrestling coaches, Gable at Iowa, Smith at Oklahoma State and Baumgartner at Edinboro. Gable and Smith have also been coaches for U.S. Olympic freestyle teams.
The Living the Dream Medal Fund has raised the bar for U.S. athletes. Any U.S. wrestler who wins a gold medal at the 2012 Olympic Games in London, England will receive a quarter-million dollars ($250,000).
Silver medalists in London will earn $50,000 and bronze medalists in London will receive $25,000. The payout for a World Championships medal in 2009, 2010 and 2011 will be $50,000 for a gold, $25,000 for a silver and $15,000 for a bronze.
USA Wrestling has set up a website for the Living the Dream Medal Fund, where wrestling supporters can make donations to the project. People have been asked to give donations from $5 to $5,000 to the fund. This program will be successful based upon support from the entire wrestling community.
The Fund will be maintained as a restricted and segregated fund by USA Wrestling.* It will be overseen by a board that includes representatives of USA Wrestling as well as the group of stewards who have helped establish the Fund and will assist in financially underwriting it. In addition to the support of the stewards, funding will also come from a public fundraising program as well as from existing support from USA Wrestling and the U.S. Olympic Committee.
Included among the stewards are all three Team Leaders for the U.S. wrestling programs: Mike Novogratz (freestyle), Dave Barry (Greco-Roman) and the family of Kim Martori-Wickey (women). Other initial stewards in the program include Rich Tavoso, Stan Dziedzic and Joe Alpert.
Join Gable, Smith and Baumgartner and hundreds of others who have decided to JOIN THE LIST.
Letter to wrestling coaches from Dan Gable, John Smith and Bruce Baumgartner
Dear Coach,
Mike Novogratz and Dave Barry have asked us to help in driving the Living the Dream Medal Fund campaign to a successful completion. If you click on this link you will be able to watch a video explaining this phenomenal and necessary program designed to drastically increase the rewards America's wrestlers receive for winning Olympic or World Championship Medals.
Click here for Living the Dream Medal Fund video
Like these two leaders, throughout our professional careers we have always invested in success. People like to contribute to successful programs that do good things for wrestling.
As members of USA Wrestling since the 1980's, we have served in every capacity within the organization. We have coached at every level and our experience in wrestling demonstrates a way of life that is good for America. America needs wrestling now more than ever.
The wrestling community, from the leadership of the national office all the way down to the club coaches, are being challenged. As a wrestling coach, you are well aware of the impact you have on the lives of your wrestlers. You inspire them and represent leadership.
The Living the Dream Medal Fund is not just for our top-level wrestlers. It is for all of us, the collective wrestling community.
The financial award that will be given to our Olympic Champions represents a commitment that exceeds other national governing bodies for winning a Gold Medal in the 2012 London Olympics.
We are asking the entire coaching community to contribute because of what we have asked from these young men and women along the way. We taught them to work hard, be dedicated and fulfill your dreams.
When one of your athletes comes through your system and wins an Olympic Gold Medal, you and all of us win a little piece of that medal.
They are all in because of you, who "lit their candle" during their formative years participating in your programs.
Lives, families and careers are on hold to pursue the dream that you helped inspire in them. Now they need you!
"It just shows how close-knit the wrestling community is," said Jake Herbert, the U.S. champion at 185 pounds and a first-time World Team member. "This sport brings all these amazing people together for a great cause. It's everybody helping everybody."
And supporters of the Fund won't be disappointed, Herbert promised.
"We've got a young world team, a hungry group of guys and now there's a huge, huge pot of gold behind that gold medal at the end of the rainbow," he said. "It's going to be a good four-year cycle. We've got a great team, and we're going to do great things."
It is not the amount of the donation. It is the commitment of writing a check, envelope, stamp and mail…or donating online. Thousands of names on the "list" shows support to the stewards of the fund and to the world that we love wrestling.
Numbers are the name of the game. With numbers it speaks to commitment and demonstrates that we are "all in." We are building something good for wrestling and America.
The wrestling community in your area will follow you. People give to people. If you ask the people in your circle of coaches to join you and be on THE LIST, they will follow.
Sincerely yours in wrestling,
Dan Gable - 1972 Olympic Champion
John Smith - 1988 & 1992 Olympic Champion
Bruce Baumgartner - 1984 & 1992- Olympic Champion
Click here to donate online
Supporters can also send their contribution by mail. Checks should be made out to USA Wrestling, and sent to:
Living the Dream Medal Fund
c/o USA Wrestling
6155 Lehman Dr.
Colorado Springs, CO 80918
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