Dave Schultz High School Excellence Leadership Camp brings nation’s best to Olympic Training Center
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Dave Schultz High School Excellence award winners pose at the top of the famous "Incline" in Manitou Springs, Colo.
A group of 25 of the nation's top senior scholar-athletes came together for the 2009 Dave Schultz High School Excellence Leadership Camp at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colo., June 15-18.
Invited to attend were the 2009 Dave Schultz High School Excellence award winners in each state, who were brought together for three days of meetings, including training sessions, leadership presentations and other personal growth opportunities.
It is the third straight year for this program, funded by a grant received by the National Wrestling Hall of Fame, which partnered with USA Wrestling to provide this unique educational opportunity.
"It was great. I have been excited from day one," said Tyler Caldwell of Kansas. "I have never been to the Olympic Training Center before. To see our Olympic wrestlers train, and to train with them, was amazing. The camp was great and we had fun. There were great workouts. There was one guy from each state, and it was neat to get to know people from all across the country."
Technique sessions were provided by USA Wrestling National Women's Coach Terry Steiner, National Greco-Roman Developmental Coach Ike Anderson, Assistant National Freestyle Coach Bill Zadick and NCEP Manager Sam Barber. Anderson was an Olympian as an athlete, and Zadick won a World freestyle title on the mat.
There were four leadership presentations by wrestling leaders, which gave tremendous insight and inspiration to the wrestlers in attendance.
Returning to give leadership presentations this year were dynamic speakers Jeff Levitetz, Stan Zeamer and Joel Sharratt.
Levitetz, the 2004 Olympic Greco-Roman Team Leader, is the founder and owner of Purity Wholesale Grocers. Zeamer, the 2008 Olympic Women's Team Leader, is the Owner/President of Utility/Keystone Trailer Sales. Sharratt is the head coach at the U.S. Air Force Academy, a past NCAA champion and top freestyle competitor.
Closing out the program was a leadership presentation by 2000 Olympic champion Brandon Slay, who serves as USA Wrestling's Freestyle Resident Coach and Assistant National Coach.
"We got to meet Brandon Slay, and it was great to hear his advice," said Tyler Caldwell. "Among my favorite things were the meetings with the speakers."
Providing a session on Strength and Conditioning was Mike Favre, strength coach at the U.S. Olympic Training Center. Also speaking to the athletes was Lee Roy Smith, the Executive Director of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame and Museum. Smith was a World silver medalist as a freestyle wrestler, a successful Div. I coach at Arizona State and a former National Freestyle Coach for USA Wrestling.
"I really enjoyed the speakers," said Camden Eppert of Indiana. "I was able to listen, take it all in and put it to heart. With the speakers, if you listen closely, it can be very beneficial. You can truly learn from them."
As a group, the wrestlers also climbed "the Incline," which is located in nearby Manitou Springs, Colo. This is a very challenging test for elite athletes of all levels. It was a railbed for an incline railroad and goes straight up a mountain in a climb of over 2,000 feet.
"The include was a great workout," said Eppert. "That tested you both physically and mentally. I had to push myself on the Incline."
The group also visited one of the nation's most beautiful outdoor spectacles, the Garden of the Gods Park on the edge of Colorado Springs.
The Dave Schultz Excellence Award winners were chosen by the National Wrestling Hall of Fame, and are selected based on wrestling and academic success, as well as civic involvement.
"I thought it was a really good opportunity to come to the Olympic Training Center. I learned a lot from the experience," said Brandon Zeerip of Michigan. "The people who ran the camp did a great job. They would do anything for you to make it a good experience."
"We got to come to the Olympic Training Center, where people come to train for a gold medal," said Eppert. "I was standing where Henry Cejudo was when he was preparing to win the Olympic gold medal. It was a great experience and I hope to be able to come back here again in the future."
Dave Schultz High School Excellence Leadership Camp participants:
Andrew Bannister, Maryland
Tyler Caldwell, Kansas
Andrew Clement, Virginia
Eddie Coles, South Carolina
Hayden Countryman, Alabama
Kile Coatney, Arkansas
Alexander Ekstrom, New York
Toby Erickson, Montana
Camden Eppert, Indiana
Eric Grajales, Florida
Jordan Gray, Vermont
Miguel Guzman, Massachusetts
Kyle Johnshoy, Idaho
Ethen Lofthouse, Utah
Britain Longmire, Nevada
Luke Macchiaroli, Arizona
Corey Mock, North Carolina
Reid Oshiro, Hawaii
Ed Ruth, New Jersey
Kevin Steinhaus, Minnesota
Alex Thomas, Delaware
Tim Vollaro, Connecticut
Shane Young, Pennsylvania
Brandon Zeerip, Michigan
A group of 25 of the nation's top senior scholar-athletes came together for the 2009 Dave Schultz High School Excellence Leadership Camp at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colo., June 15-18.
Invited to attend were the 2009 Dave Schultz High School Excellence award winners in each state, who were brought together for three days of meetings, including training sessions, leadership presentations and other personal growth opportunities.
It is the third straight year for this program, funded by a grant received by the National Wrestling Hall of Fame, which partnered with USA Wrestling to provide this unique educational opportunity.
"It was great. I have been excited from day one," said Tyler Caldwell of Kansas. "I have never been to the Olympic Training Center before. To see our Olympic wrestlers train, and to train with them, was amazing. The camp was great and we had fun. There were great workouts. There was one guy from each state, and it was neat to get to know people from all across the country."
Technique sessions were provided by USA Wrestling National Women's Coach Terry Steiner, National Greco-Roman Developmental Coach Ike Anderson, Assistant National Freestyle Coach Bill Zadick and NCEP Manager Sam Barber. Anderson was an Olympian as an athlete, and Zadick won a World freestyle title on the mat.
There were four leadership presentations by wrestling leaders, which gave tremendous insight and inspiration to the wrestlers in attendance.
Returning to give leadership presentations this year were dynamic speakers Jeff Levitetz, Stan Zeamer and Joel Sharratt.
Levitetz, the 2004 Olympic Greco-Roman Team Leader, is the founder and owner of Purity Wholesale Grocers. Zeamer, the 2008 Olympic Women's Team Leader, is the Owner/President of Utility/Keystone Trailer Sales. Sharratt is the head coach at the U.S. Air Force Academy, a past NCAA champion and top freestyle competitor.
Closing out the program was a leadership presentation by 2000 Olympic champion Brandon Slay, who serves as USA Wrestling's Freestyle Resident Coach and Assistant National Coach.
"We got to meet Brandon Slay, and it was great to hear his advice," said Tyler Caldwell. "Among my favorite things were the meetings with the speakers."
Providing a session on Strength and Conditioning was Mike Favre, strength coach at the U.S. Olympic Training Center. Also speaking to the athletes was Lee Roy Smith, the Executive Director of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame and Museum. Smith was a World silver medalist as a freestyle wrestler, a successful Div. I coach at Arizona State and a former National Freestyle Coach for USA Wrestling.
"I really enjoyed the speakers," said Camden Eppert of Indiana. "I was able to listen, take it all in and put it to heart. With the speakers, if you listen closely, it can be very beneficial. You can truly learn from them."
As a group, the wrestlers also climbed "the Incline," which is located in nearby Manitou Springs, Colo. This is a very challenging test for elite athletes of all levels. It was a railbed for an incline railroad and goes straight up a mountain in a climb of over 2,000 feet.
"The include was a great workout," said Eppert. "That tested you both physically and mentally. I had to push myself on the Incline."
The group also visited one of the nation's most beautiful outdoor spectacles, the Garden of the Gods Park on the edge of Colorado Springs.
The Dave Schultz Excellence Award winners were chosen by the National Wrestling Hall of Fame, and are selected based on wrestling and academic success, as well as civic involvement.
"I thought it was a really good opportunity to come to the Olympic Training Center. I learned a lot from the experience," said Brandon Zeerip of Michigan. "The people who ran the camp did a great job. They would do anything for you to make it a good experience."
"We got to come to the Olympic Training Center, where people come to train for a gold medal," said Eppert. "I was standing where Henry Cejudo was when he was preparing to win the Olympic gold medal. It was a great experience and I hope to be able to come back here again in the future."
Dave Schultz High School Excellence Leadership Camp participants:
Andrew Bannister, Maryland
Tyler Caldwell, Kansas
Andrew Clement, Virginia
Eddie Coles, South Carolina
Hayden Countryman, Alabama
Kile Coatney, Arkansas
Alexander Ekstrom, New York
Toby Erickson, Montana
Camden Eppert, Indiana
Eric Grajales, Florida
Jordan Gray, Vermont
Miguel Guzman, Massachusetts
Kyle Johnshoy, Idaho
Ethen Lofthouse, Utah
Britain Longmire, Nevada
Luke Macchiaroli, Arizona
Corey Mock, North Carolina
Reid Oshiro, Hawaii
Ed Ruth, New Jersey
Kevin Steinhaus, Minnesota
Alex Thomas, Delaware
Tim Vollaro, Connecticut
Shane Young, Pennsylvania
Brandon Zeerip, Michigan
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