FEATURE: Ware tries his hand in Greco-Roman at the NYAC International
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by UL
NEW YORK, N.Y. - Teyon Ware was about to wrestle in his first Senior Greco-Roman match ever at the American Airlines New York Athletic Club International Open on Saturday. Sitting right next to the mat was Momir Petkovic, USA Wrestling's Assistant National Greco-Roman coach and a 1972 Olympic gold medalist.
Ware, a two-time NCAA champion for the University of Oklahoma and a talented freestyle wrestler, had entered the tournament in Greco-Roman. The word within wrestling was that Ware, who competes for the New York AC, was switching to the classic style.
Petkovic, known for his direct form of speech, started joking with Sam Hazewinkel, another former Sooner and a Greco-Roman star, who has been training with Ware. Petkovic told Hazewinkel that if Ware was going to be a Greco-Roman guy that he would have to lose the headgear. Hazewinkel told Petkovic that Ware "has been throwing me around" in training.
A minute later, Ware was out on the center mat against unattached James Comfort, without the headgear. In fast order, Ware secured a number of impressive lifts and throws from the par terre position, getting the attention of all of the fans in the gym.
"I like his calmness," said Petkovic, as he watched Ware hit throw after throw.
Once the match was over, Ware sat down next to Petkovic and got an earful of Greco-Roman perspective. Welcome to the family.
"He was just telling me that he likes my style, how relaxed I am our there," said Ware of his visit with Petkovic. "With my style and my explosion, he said I will do real well."
The idea of Ware, who has great athletic skills, a tremendous work ethic and the heart of a lion, doing Greco-Roman for a quadrennium has the attention of the U.S. Greco-Roman world.
"He is a very talented, experience guy, a two-time NCAA champion," said National Greco-Roman Coach Steve Fraser. "We need more of these guys in our sport. But I don't know if he is just teasing up. He has been teasing with the idea of Greco for the last few years."
Fraser will have to wait a little longer before he stops worrying about being teased. Ware says he is committed to another four-year Olympic wrestling cycle. He just doesn't know if it will be in Greco-Roman or in freestyle.
"I am just giving it a try," said Ware. "If I'm not as successful in Greco-Roman as I am in freestyle, I will go back."
Ware did some Greco as a youth wrestler in Oklahoma, but decided to focus on freestyle when he got into high school. Ware made a run at the Olympic spot in freestyle during the last Olympic cycle.
Ware and Hazewinkel are working together as coaches and training side-by-side at the Prodigy Training Center in Ohio, a facility run by former Penn State wrestler Ryan Root where people can learn not only wrestling but other disciplines in mixed martial arts. One of the other coaches there is 2000 Greco-Roman Olympian Kevin Bracken, who was a top international competitor for many years.
"I think I can wrestle with these guys," said Ware. "I wrestle with one of the best in Kevin Bracken every day."
Ware said that he learned about the Prodigy center from Hazewinkel, and a visit to the facility in Ohio made him decided to leave Oklahoma and try something different with his life.
"I got there through Sam. They contacted Sam first. They brought us in on a trip and we liked it. We saw the training facility and the training partners there and decided it was time for a change. We have MMA and boxing there as well. We have tough kids there and we can relate to them because we were successful as kids. We try to teach them that they can never stop learning," said Ware.
Hazewinkel, a U.S. Nationals champion and Olympic Trials runner-up in Greco-Roman, believes that Ware has a bright future in the classic style.
"When we were little, he destroyed everybody in Greco," said Hazewinkel. "I have been telling him to do it for a long time. It fits his style. We will see how he does."
Ware's second match did not go as well. He faced Japan's Hiroyuki Shimizu, who was considerable taller than Ware. Under the pressure of an experienced Greco-Roman opponent, Ware made some mistakes due to his Greco-Roman inexperience. He was cautioned twice for blocking with his legs when Shimizu lifted him up, and another time for jumping too often from the par terre position. Three cautions result in a disqualification, and Ware had his first Greco-Roman loss of the day and in his Senior career.
Ware is not sure if he will stay up at 66 kg/145.5 lbs. or drop down to 60 kg/132 lbs., but in either case, he is certain that he can learn to do this style.
"I would like to get a couple of foreign tours," said Ware. "I think the more I get involved, the better I'll get. I want to take a shot out there. The more I get international matches, the better I will get."
The decision about whether or not Coaches Fraser and Petkovic will be able to work with Ware over the next four years has not been made yet.
"Let's see how it goes, and how it feels, how I adjust," said Ware. "I think I will adjust quickly."
Ware, a two-time NCAA champion for the University of Oklahoma and a talented freestyle wrestler, had entered the tournament in Greco-Roman. The word within wrestling was that Ware, who competes for the New York AC, was switching to the classic style.
Petkovic, known for his direct form of speech, started joking with Sam Hazewinkel, another former Sooner and a Greco-Roman star, who has been training with Ware. Petkovic told Hazewinkel that if Ware was going to be a Greco-Roman guy that he would have to lose the headgear. Hazewinkel told Petkovic that Ware "has been throwing me around" in training.
A minute later, Ware was out on the center mat against unattached James Comfort, without the headgear. In fast order, Ware secured a number of impressive lifts and throws from the par terre position, getting the attention of all of the fans in the gym.
"I like his calmness," said Petkovic, as he watched Ware hit throw after throw.
Once the match was over, Ware sat down next to Petkovic and got an earful of Greco-Roman perspective. Welcome to the family.
"He was just telling me that he likes my style, how relaxed I am our there," said Ware of his visit with Petkovic. "With my style and my explosion, he said I will do real well."
The idea of Ware, who has great athletic skills, a tremendous work ethic and the heart of a lion, doing Greco-Roman for a quadrennium has the attention of the U.S. Greco-Roman world.
"He is a very talented, experience guy, a two-time NCAA champion," said National Greco-Roman Coach Steve Fraser. "We need more of these guys in our sport. But I don't know if he is just teasing up. He has been teasing with the idea of Greco for the last few years."
Fraser will have to wait a little longer before he stops worrying about being teased. Ware says he is committed to another four-year Olympic wrestling cycle. He just doesn't know if it will be in Greco-Roman or in freestyle.
"I am just giving it a try," said Ware. "If I'm not as successful in Greco-Roman as I am in freestyle, I will go back."
Ware did some Greco as a youth wrestler in Oklahoma, but decided to focus on freestyle when he got into high school. Ware made a run at the Olympic spot in freestyle during the last Olympic cycle.
Ware and Hazewinkel are working together as coaches and training side-by-side at the Prodigy Training Center in Ohio, a facility run by former Penn State wrestler Ryan Root where people can learn not only wrestling but other disciplines in mixed martial arts. One of the other coaches there is 2000 Greco-Roman Olympian Kevin Bracken, who was a top international competitor for many years.
"I think I can wrestle with these guys," said Ware. "I wrestle with one of the best in Kevin Bracken every day."
Ware said that he learned about the Prodigy center from Hazewinkel, and a visit to the facility in Ohio made him decided to leave Oklahoma and try something different with his life.
"I got there through Sam. They contacted Sam first. They brought us in on a trip and we liked it. We saw the training facility and the training partners there and decided it was time for a change. We have MMA and boxing there as well. We have tough kids there and we can relate to them because we were successful as kids. We try to teach them that they can never stop learning," said Ware.
Hazewinkel, a U.S. Nationals champion and Olympic Trials runner-up in Greco-Roman, believes that Ware has a bright future in the classic style.
"When we were little, he destroyed everybody in Greco," said Hazewinkel. "I have been telling him to do it for a long time. It fits his style. We will see how he does."
Ware's second match did not go as well. He faced Japan's Hiroyuki Shimizu, who was considerable taller than Ware. Under the pressure of an experienced Greco-Roman opponent, Ware made some mistakes due to his Greco-Roman inexperience. He was cautioned twice for blocking with his legs when Shimizu lifted him up, and another time for jumping too often from the par terre position. Three cautions result in a disqualification, and Ware had his first Greco-Roman loss of the day and in his Senior career.
Ware is not sure if he will stay up at 66 kg/145.5 lbs. or drop down to 60 kg/132 lbs., but in either case, he is certain that he can learn to do this style.
"I would like to get a couple of foreign tours," said Ware. "I think the more I get involved, the better I'll get. I want to take a shot out there. The more I get international matches, the better I will get."
The decision about whether or not Coaches Fraser and Petkovic will be able to work with Ware over the next four years has not been made yet.
"Let's see how it goes, and how it feels, how I adjust," said Ware. "I think I will adjust quickly."
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