Carlson named 2009 USA Wrestling Junior Person of the Year
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by Gary Abbott
John Carlson, of Chandler, Ariz. has been named USA Wrestling's Junior Person of the Year by USA Wrestling, the national governing body for amateur wrestling in the United States. This award goes to a nationally respected leader who works with athletes and programs on the Junior level (grades 9-12).
Carlson has been involved in wrestling for more than 50 years, and has been active with USA Wrestling for more than 25 years. He is currently a member of USA Wrestling's National Junior Executive Council. Other national positions have included serving as a Western Regional representative for 12 years, and served on a committee that is involved in event site selection.
Carlson is a gold level coach in USA Wrestling's National Coaches Education program, the highest level of achievement.
He successfully lobbied the Arizona Interscholastic Association to allow high school wrestlers to participate in workouts, dual meets, tournaments and cultural exchange programs during the off-season.
He has served on the Arizona USA Wrestling Board, as well as the AAU Wrestling Board in his state, and has helped increase the number of wrestlers, coaches and tournaments in his state.
Carlson has served as Arizona USA Wrestling's Cultural Exchange Director for 22 years. He has coached 11 Arizona cultural exchange teams, including three which have represented the United States in international tournament. Carlson served as the Team Leader for the 1995 Junior World freestyle team which competed in Finland.
Among his other state-level activities is serving as Arizona's certification director for the National Coaches Education Program from 1989-2006.
Carlson was inducted into the Arizona Coaches Hall of Fame in 1995 and the Arizona state chapter of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2005.
"I believe that wrestling is not only a great sport, but a way of life," said Carlson. "Wrestling has helped me to achieve my goals in life over the 52 years since I was first introduced to the sport in elementary school. Wrestling helps the individual athlete develop his/her strengths and identify weaknesses and turn them into strengths. Through the sport of wrestling, I have tried to help young athletes to realize the same benefits I attained. I have devoted most of my career to wrestling, as an athlete, coach and administrator. I still find many challenges to keep me interested and enthusiastic about improving the sport, and take great pleasure in being a small part of the successes of the athletes."
Junior Person of the Year
1997 - Tom Lehman, Michigan
1998 - Don Murray, New York
1999 - Bob and Sue Siar, Pennsylvania
2000 - Al Billings, Iowa
2001 - Gene Krebs, North Dakota
2002 - Ed Gould, New York and Pete DiBiase, New Jersey
2003 - Sam Harnsongkram, Louisiana
2004 - Patricia Fox, New Jersey
2005 - Mike Dowden, Indiana
2006 - Chris Curtis, New Jersey
2007 - Sue Siar, Pennsylvania
2008 - Mike Juby, Kansas
2009 - John Carlson, Arizona
Carlson has been involved in wrestling for more than 50 years, and has been active with USA Wrestling for more than 25 years. He is currently a member of USA Wrestling's National Junior Executive Council. Other national positions have included serving as a Western Regional representative for 12 years, and served on a committee that is involved in event site selection.
Carlson is a gold level coach in USA Wrestling's National Coaches Education program, the highest level of achievement.
He successfully lobbied the Arizona Interscholastic Association to allow high school wrestlers to participate in workouts, dual meets, tournaments and cultural exchange programs during the off-season.
He has served on the Arizona USA Wrestling Board, as well as the AAU Wrestling Board in his state, and has helped increase the number of wrestlers, coaches and tournaments in his state.
Carlson has served as Arizona USA Wrestling's Cultural Exchange Director for 22 years. He has coached 11 Arizona cultural exchange teams, including three which have represented the United States in international tournament. Carlson served as the Team Leader for the 1995 Junior World freestyle team which competed in Finland.
Among his other state-level activities is serving as Arizona's certification director for the National Coaches Education Program from 1989-2006.
Carlson was inducted into the Arizona Coaches Hall of Fame in 1995 and the Arizona state chapter of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2005.
"I believe that wrestling is not only a great sport, but a way of life," said Carlson. "Wrestling has helped me to achieve my goals in life over the 52 years since I was first introduced to the sport in elementary school. Wrestling helps the individual athlete develop his/her strengths and identify weaknesses and turn them into strengths. Through the sport of wrestling, I have tried to help young athletes to realize the same benefits I attained. I have devoted most of my career to wrestling, as an athlete, coach and administrator. I still find many challenges to keep me interested and enthusiastic about improving the sport, and take great pleasure in being a small part of the successes of the athletes."
Junior Person of the Year
1997 - Tom Lehman, Michigan
1998 - Don Murray, New York
1999 - Bob and Sue Siar, Pennsylvania
2000 - Al Billings, Iowa
2001 - Gene Krebs, North Dakota
2002 - Ed Gould, New York and Pete DiBiase, New Jersey
2003 - Sam Harnsongkram, Louisiana
2004 - Patricia Fox, New Jersey
2005 - Mike Dowden, Indiana
2006 - Chris Curtis, New Jersey
2007 - Sue Siar, Pennsylvania
2008 - Mike Juby, Kansas
2009 - John Carlson, Arizona
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