Ivan Ivanov building program at Suples Training Center in Boise, Idaho
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by Gary Abbott
For over seven years, Ivan Ivanov served as head wrestling coach at the U.S. Olympic Education Center at Northern Michigan Univ., developing the nation's top young college Greco-Roman wrestlers into national and international stars. Among his students at the USOEC were two-time World bronze medalist Harry Lester and 2008 Olympian Spenser Mango.
This summer, Ivanov made a professional move, leaving the USOEC position to take over a club wrestling program in Boise, Idaho, as well as to concentrate more on his wrestling equipment company Suples. In short order, Ivanov has put together a new training opportunity for elite Greco-Roman wrestlers at the Suples Training Center.
"With the OTC, the USOEC, the Suples Training Center, and the military programs, Greco-Roman will be much better. Athletes will have more options. We will also be able to do more exchange training," said Ivanov.
The results of the new venture were apparent at the Dave Schultz Memorial International in Colorado Springs last week. Two athletes who are training full-time at the Boise facility won gold medals, Jake Fisher of the New York AC at 74 kg/163 lbs. and Justin Ruiz of the New York AC at 96 kg/211.5 lbs. Another athlete at the Suples Training Center, Cheney Haight of the New York AC at 84 kg/185 lbs., placed second at the Schultz.
"This is my eighth year with Ivan. He knows how I wrestle. He works well with the top guys. It is more individual for us out there in Boise. He helps you to prepare and wrestle your style," said Fisher after his win at the Schultz Memorial.
One of the things that make the training situation positive for top athletes is the opportunity to have a job when they are not in practice.
"Russell Brunson gives room and board support for ranked guys, and they are paid hourly for their jobs," said Ivanov. "Justin Ruiz is a coordinator for the work. The wrestlers are working out two times a day, then they go upstairs to do their marketing work between the workouts."
Ruiz believes that this program is working well, and will make an impact in his wrestling as well as for the others who train there.
"We have a group of guys in Boise. We do internet based work. It makes if flexible for guys who are out of town if there is work they want to take with them. It is also a way for them to train in a full-time environment and also be able to work between practices and support themselves. We are hoping to keep expanding and adding more guys," said Ruiz.
The training facility is first-class, with two full mats that Ivanov brought in new from Germany, as well as weight training and fitness equipment. The athletes have great coaching and training opportunities, as well as financial support.
"Ivan Ivanov is our coach and Russell Brunson is our sponsor and employer. Russell is the one who put everything together and it was his brainchild," said Ruiz. "We look to keep growing this, bringing in more athletes from the United States and around the world to train with us. We are building a training site, so we can help the United States be the best in the world again."
There will also be an extensive program for young wrestlers in the community who wish to become the best that they can be and work with high quality coaches and workout partners. The program is called the "World Team Program," and is already making an impact on the local wrestling scene.
"We are accepting committed kids who will train four days a week. We are offering the three styles. Chris Owens from Boise State is helping with folkstyle and freestyle. I am doing the Greco-Roman. Ivan Delchev is coming over from Bulgaria to work with freestyle," said Ivanov.
Ivanov knows how to build a strong youth program. Prior to taking the job at the USOEC in Northern Michigan, he coached for three years with the Treehouse Athletic Club in Utah. While he was there, Ivanov has coached numerous USA Wrestling Greco-Roman All-Americans on the age-group level, some who continued to make an impact when they moved up to the Senior level.
"We are trying to establish our own recruits, like a feeder program. The bottom line is if parents send their kids there, they are training to get recognition and get scholarship opportunities," said Ivanov.
With the Suples Training Center on track, the U.S. national program in Greco-Roman should be greatly enhanced.
"This is wonderful for our program," said National Greco-Roman Coach Steve Fraser. "Ivan is one of our greatest coaches. He has done so much for our program already with his efforts at Northern Michigan. Having him going to Boise was a loss at Northern Michigan, but a win for us also. We have another professional wrestling program that will help us win World Championship medals. I have all the confidence that Ivan Ivanov will build that program and help our country get back on the top of the world."
This summer, Ivanov made a professional move, leaving the USOEC position to take over a club wrestling program in Boise, Idaho, as well as to concentrate more on his wrestling equipment company Suples. In short order, Ivanov has put together a new training opportunity for elite Greco-Roman wrestlers at the Suples Training Center.
"With the OTC, the USOEC, the Suples Training Center, and the military programs, Greco-Roman will be much better. Athletes will have more options. We will also be able to do more exchange training," said Ivanov.
The results of the new venture were apparent at the Dave Schultz Memorial International in Colorado Springs last week. Two athletes who are training full-time at the Boise facility won gold medals, Jake Fisher of the New York AC at 74 kg/163 lbs. and Justin Ruiz of the New York AC at 96 kg/211.5 lbs. Another athlete at the Suples Training Center, Cheney Haight of the New York AC at 84 kg/185 lbs., placed second at the Schultz.
"This is my eighth year with Ivan. He knows how I wrestle. He works well with the top guys. It is more individual for us out there in Boise. He helps you to prepare and wrestle your style," said Fisher after his win at the Schultz Memorial.
One of the things that make the training situation positive for top athletes is the opportunity to have a job when they are not in practice.
"Russell Brunson gives room and board support for ranked guys, and they are paid hourly for their jobs," said Ivanov. "Justin Ruiz is a coordinator for the work. The wrestlers are working out two times a day, then they go upstairs to do their marketing work between the workouts."
Ruiz believes that this program is working well, and will make an impact in his wrestling as well as for the others who train there.
"We have a group of guys in Boise. We do internet based work. It makes if flexible for guys who are out of town if there is work they want to take with them. It is also a way for them to train in a full-time environment and also be able to work between practices and support themselves. We are hoping to keep expanding and adding more guys," said Ruiz.
The training facility is first-class, with two full mats that Ivanov brought in new from Germany, as well as weight training and fitness equipment. The athletes have great coaching and training opportunities, as well as financial support.
"Ivan Ivanov is our coach and Russell Brunson is our sponsor and employer. Russell is the one who put everything together and it was his brainchild," said Ruiz. "We look to keep growing this, bringing in more athletes from the United States and around the world to train with us. We are building a training site, so we can help the United States be the best in the world again."
There will also be an extensive program for young wrestlers in the community who wish to become the best that they can be and work with high quality coaches and workout partners. The program is called the "World Team Program," and is already making an impact on the local wrestling scene.
"We are accepting committed kids who will train four days a week. We are offering the three styles. Chris Owens from Boise State is helping with folkstyle and freestyle. I am doing the Greco-Roman. Ivan Delchev is coming over from Bulgaria to work with freestyle," said Ivanov.
Ivanov knows how to build a strong youth program. Prior to taking the job at the USOEC in Northern Michigan, he coached for three years with the Treehouse Athletic Club in Utah. While he was there, Ivanov has coached numerous USA Wrestling Greco-Roman All-Americans on the age-group level, some who continued to make an impact when they moved up to the Senior level.
"We are trying to establish our own recruits, like a feeder program. The bottom line is if parents send their kids there, they are training to get recognition and get scholarship opportunities," said Ivanov.
With the Suples Training Center on track, the U.S. national program in Greco-Roman should be greatly enhanced.
"This is wonderful for our program," said National Greco-Roman Coach Steve Fraser. "Ivan is one of our greatest coaches. He has done so much for our program already with his efforts at Northern Michigan. Having him going to Boise was a loss at Northern Michigan, but a win for us also. We have another professional wrestling program that will help us win World Championship medals. I have all the confidence that Ivan Ivanov will build that program and help our country get back on the top of the world."
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