Past Olympic and World champions helping prepare U.S. Freestyle World Team for competition
Share:
by Gary Abbott
1996 Olympic champion Kendall Cross and 2000 Olympic champion Brandon Slay pose at the wrestling room at the U.S. Olympic Training Center where they are helping coach our 2009 U.S. Freestyle World Team.
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - The 2009 U.S. Freestyle World Team camp has been loaded with Olympic wrestling champions this summer.
You may ask how that is possible, with a World Team in which all seven athletes will be competing on their first U.S. Senior-level team.
The Olympic champions in camp are the coaches. In fact, during the most recent training cycle at the U.S. Olympic Training Center, there has been an Olympic freestyle gold medalist from every Olympic Games between 1984 and 2000 helping coach the U.S. freestyle athletes.
Included were Mark Schultz (1984), John Smith (1988 and 1992), Kendall Cross (1996) and Brandon Slay (2000). Smith is one of the World Team coaches. Slay is the USA Wrestling Assistant National Freestyle Coach. Schultz and Cross came into camp specifically to work with the athletes on a variety of skills.
"If I can help a guy win a World title, if I can show one thing that puts them in position to win that gold, I want to be a part of it," said Cross.
"It gives our wrestlers confidence, knowing they are taught and encouraged by wrestlers from the past who have been there and done that," said Slay.
The wrestlers on the U.S. World Team truly appreciate what these past Olympic champions have done to help them prepare for the World Championships.
"Brandon Slay is my age, and I had a relationship with him," said 55 kg World Team member Danny Felix, who is 35 years old. "But with guys like Mark Schultz, it is surreal. He is helping you and he's giving words of advice. They have so much to offer. They have been there and done it. You have to be a sponge and absorb as much of it as you can. They can offer something. I have taken bits and pieces from them and figured out how it fits in my gameplan."
For many of the younger wrestlers on the team, these coaches were their heroes when they were growing up in the sport.
"It's unbelievable. I am almost star-struck. They are helping my wrestling," said 84 kg World Team member Jake Herbert. "I learned a gutwrench from a video by Kendall Cross when I was back in Pennsylvania in high school. Kendall is here in person working with me on it. He is saying, no, this is how you do it correctly. They are working on little things, fine tuning things. With Mark Schultz here, I learned the Schultz front headlock right from himself."
It's not just Olympic titles on the coaching staff. There are a ton of World titles in the room as well. Smith won four World titles and Schultz won two World titles. Then there are National Freestyle Coaches Zeke Jones and Bill Zadick, who both won World freestyle gold medals.
"When we cast a vision, we can tell about it. Kendall, Mark, John and I have been telling stories about the Olympics. We are going to the World Championships, and Zeke and Bill can talk about winning that. We can tell stories about what we have been through. It legitimizes our voice," said Slay.
Working with the current U.S. freestyle athletes is something that is very important and meaningful for Cross. He has been able to teach some of his best technical skills to the athletes, especially from what is called the seatbelt position.
"I talked to the national coaches. The way the style is changing, there are specific techniques the international wrestlers are using a lot. I am very familiar with that technique. Zeke said that these guys are trying to do what you do. I said I would come and help," said Cross.
Cross has taken pride in helping the athletes to be prepared for the World Championships and has stayed longer in camp than he had planned.
"I was going to stay one cycle at training camp. But after we did that, I wanted to stay one more cycle. I wanted to finish it off and see this through," said Cross. "It feels good. It makes me realize how valuable I am. I feel good about teaching the stuff that I know. It is humbling."
After a recent workout, the freestyle coaches were talking about practice and Herbert came by and made a comment about all of the hardware in the discussion. Slay was impressed that Herbert was able to tell them exactly how many Olympic and World gold medals the coaching group had won during their careers.
"That shows how important this is to him," said Slay.
The list of Olympic champions helping the U.S. freestyle team will increase by one, when 2004 Olympic champion Cael Sanderson will go with the U.S. delegation to Denmark to help coach 96 kg World Team member Jake Varner.
The current athletes understand the rich legacy of excellence in the U.S. freestyle wrestling program, and appreciate the support and advice of the great champions from the past.
"That is what will keep our country strong," said Herbert. "They will be passing on their knowledge to the next generation of wrestlers for the United States.
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - The 2009 U.S. Freestyle World Team camp has been loaded with Olympic wrestling champions this summer.
You may ask how that is possible, with a World Team in which all seven athletes will be competing on their first U.S. Senior-level team.
The Olympic champions in camp are the coaches. In fact, during the most recent training cycle at the U.S. Olympic Training Center, there has been an Olympic freestyle gold medalist from every Olympic Games between 1984 and 2000 helping coach the U.S. freestyle athletes.
Included were Mark Schultz (1984), John Smith (1988 and 1992), Kendall Cross (1996) and Brandon Slay (2000). Smith is one of the World Team coaches. Slay is the USA Wrestling Assistant National Freestyle Coach. Schultz and Cross came into camp specifically to work with the athletes on a variety of skills.
"If I can help a guy win a World title, if I can show one thing that puts them in position to win that gold, I want to be a part of it," said Cross.
"It gives our wrestlers confidence, knowing they are taught and encouraged by wrestlers from the past who have been there and done that," said Slay.
The wrestlers on the U.S. World Team truly appreciate what these past Olympic champions have done to help them prepare for the World Championships.
"Brandon Slay is my age, and I had a relationship with him," said 55 kg World Team member Danny Felix, who is 35 years old. "But with guys like Mark Schultz, it is surreal. He is helping you and he's giving words of advice. They have so much to offer. They have been there and done it. You have to be a sponge and absorb as much of it as you can. They can offer something. I have taken bits and pieces from them and figured out how it fits in my gameplan."
For many of the younger wrestlers on the team, these coaches were their heroes when they were growing up in the sport.
"It's unbelievable. I am almost star-struck. They are helping my wrestling," said 84 kg World Team member Jake Herbert. "I learned a gutwrench from a video by Kendall Cross when I was back in Pennsylvania in high school. Kendall is here in person working with me on it. He is saying, no, this is how you do it correctly. They are working on little things, fine tuning things. With Mark Schultz here, I learned the Schultz front headlock right from himself."
It's not just Olympic titles on the coaching staff. There are a ton of World titles in the room as well. Smith won four World titles and Schultz won two World titles. Then there are National Freestyle Coaches Zeke Jones and Bill Zadick, who both won World freestyle gold medals.
"When we cast a vision, we can tell about it. Kendall, Mark, John and I have been telling stories about the Olympics. We are going to the World Championships, and Zeke and Bill can talk about winning that. We can tell stories about what we have been through. It legitimizes our voice," said Slay.
Working with the current U.S. freestyle athletes is something that is very important and meaningful for Cross. He has been able to teach some of his best technical skills to the athletes, especially from what is called the seatbelt position.
"I talked to the national coaches. The way the style is changing, there are specific techniques the international wrestlers are using a lot. I am very familiar with that technique. Zeke said that these guys are trying to do what you do. I said I would come and help," said Cross.
Cross has taken pride in helping the athletes to be prepared for the World Championships and has stayed longer in camp than he had planned.
"I was going to stay one cycle at training camp. But after we did that, I wanted to stay one more cycle. I wanted to finish it off and see this through," said Cross. "It feels good. It makes me realize how valuable I am. I feel good about teaching the stuff that I know. It is humbling."
After a recent workout, the freestyle coaches were talking about practice and Herbert came by and made a comment about all of the hardware in the discussion. Slay was impressed that Herbert was able to tell them exactly how many Olympic and World gold medals the coaching group had won during their careers.
"That shows how important this is to him," said Slay.
The list of Olympic champions helping the U.S. freestyle team will increase by one, when 2004 Olympic champion Cael Sanderson will go with the U.S. delegation to Denmark to help coach 96 kg World Team member Jake Varner.
The current athletes understand the rich legacy of excellence in the U.S. freestyle wrestling program, and appreciate the support and advice of the great champions from the past.
"That is what will keep our country strong," said Herbert. "They will be passing on their knowledge to the next generation of wrestlers for the United States.
Read More#
Benjamin wins silver, Bommarito adds bronze at Beach World Series Monterrey in Mexico
Jimenez, Blades, Baublitz win golds, Schwab claims silver, Martinez gets bronze in women’s freestyle at Pan American Championships
Arujau, Forrest to meet at 61 kg in men’s freestyle at 2025 Final X in Newark, N.J.
2025 Senior World Team Trials Challenge Tournament qualifier list updated after U.S. Open
