Coaches Randall and Duran host successful Cadet Girls National Developmental Camp in California
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by By Jonny Ruggiano, Titan Mercury WC
Last week, USA Wrestling National Team Coach Emma Randall was able to trade the high elevation and low temperatures of Colorado Springs for fun in the sun and a couple runs on the beach as she and Titan Mercury Wrestling Club coach Mike Duran led wrestlers at the Cadet National Developmental camp.
Held at Valencia High School in Placentia, Calif., the camp hosted some of the best young women wrestlers in the nation. Coach Randall gave us a layout of the campers who attended.
“We have girls from all over the nation: from New York in the east coast to California in the west coast… we have a lot of national team members here at camp. I would say about 30-40 percent of the girls here are national team members. We have six world team members here including World Cadet Champion Ronna Heaton, so a lot of good athletes from all over the country are coming together,” said Randall.
“It’s been awesome! When I landed here, there was sunshine and when I left my house there was frost on my car so it was a nice welcome,“ Randall reflected regarding the change of scene.
Randall and Duran spent all week working wrestling technique, position and mindset with some of the best wrestlers throughout the country along with several standout local wrestlers. The training regimen was mixed with a traditional world-class training as well as unique entertainment and fun.
Another Colorado native at camp, two-time World Team member Ashlynn Ortega express the same excitement regarding being in California with the local wrestlers.“It’s really fun. Being on the beach was a lot of fun and I don’t get to experience that in Colorado,” she said.
Regarding her new training partners from California, Ortega was even more complimentary, “They bring a lot of enthusiasm to practice. Its always nice to be around people who bring positive vibes and good energy.”
One of the wrestlers who knew all about how much the camp had to offer was World Team member, Titan Mercury standout and three time California State Champion Gabby Garcia, who is going into her final year at Valencia High School. “My Dad and I always talked about it. It’s pretty cool having it here, it being my senior year,” she said.
This camp has also been a benefit to Garcia who is working to regain her dominance on the mat.
“I’m working to get back to where I was my freshmen year… over the past couple years I have been wrestling at the other girls’ level and I want to get back to where I used to be better than anybody,” she said.
In a room such as that of the developmental camp, Gabby along with the best in the nation were able to test themselves with great competition and newly acquired experience.
The camp was not all about hard intense work though. Instead the girls were greeted to a series of fun challenges and opportunity only southern California could offer. Coach Duran shared some of the experiences that the girls had along with the benefit of California training .
“We were able to get the girls out to the beach and do a beach workout and we’re going to take the girls out to downtown Disney tonight and have a good time. I think primarily California is known for having a long tradition of having really, really good female wrestling and for the girls to come into California and work with some of our local girls along with some of our national level girls, is a good thing overall,” he said.
One of the standout wrestlers at camp was South Dakota native and Cadet World Champion Ronna Heaton. She is used to being in a community in which she is only one of a few female wrestlers. In South Dakota, Heaton often has to go to the university to find sufficient training partners. South Dakota State coaches Jon Reader and Chris Bono have been very supportive of Heaton and her quest to be the best in women’s wrestling. “(Coach Chris) Bono will tell me to find a partner; sometimes Bono will wrestle with me,” she said.
However being in California and having the chance to experience all that it has to offer was a blast for the World Champion.
“Its really great to work on the beach and work in the sand. This whole camp has been high intense and a lot of fun meeting all these new girls too.,“ she said.
For many of the girls at camp, this is a stepping-stone to where they envision themselves. Coach Duran discussed the stages of how the developmental camps are helping women’s wrestling and how important it was to him to have it in California.
“I think one of the biggest things early on was coaches taking interest in women’s wrestling and developing these young girls early. Leading into that it was getting these girls to be part of the national system and getting to national developmental camps,” he said.
Duran is also the California USA Wrestling Director of Women’s Wrestling.
“My idea of bringing the developmental camp to California was to introduce our younger cadets to the system, the ideas and the techniques.” The system, he said was rooted in the basics; the tools that make all wrestlers succeed, “The simple things are what are going to win us more international titles.”
Developmental camps throughout the county help bond our national level team members and prepare them for the next level. Coach Randall discussed the next opportunity for young wrestlers.
“Our Cadets and Juniors have a combined camp in December. It’s going to be held at Arizona State University. From there, the Cadets will go up to Canada to compete in some dual meets with some provincial teams. The Juniors will go back to their college season.The next big thing for them will be the Klippan Open in Sweden, February 19th- 20th. It’s the largest women’s event, besides the World Championships. There are tons of countries; the brackets are filled with World medalists and World Champions. It’s really one of the best tournaments that we can get to, so that’s what’s up next,” she said.
Reprinted with permission by Titan Mercury Wrestling Club. Check out the many outstanding articles and features at:
http://tmwc1.com
Held at Valencia High School in Placentia, Calif., the camp hosted some of the best young women wrestlers in the nation. Coach Randall gave us a layout of the campers who attended.
“We have girls from all over the nation: from New York in the east coast to California in the west coast… we have a lot of national team members here at camp. I would say about 30-40 percent of the girls here are national team members. We have six world team members here including World Cadet Champion Ronna Heaton, so a lot of good athletes from all over the country are coming together,” said Randall.
“It’s been awesome! When I landed here, there was sunshine and when I left my house there was frost on my car so it was a nice welcome,“ Randall reflected regarding the change of scene.
Randall and Duran spent all week working wrestling technique, position and mindset with some of the best wrestlers throughout the country along with several standout local wrestlers. The training regimen was mixed with a traditional world-class training as well as unique entertainment and fun.
Another Colorado native at camp, two-time World Team member Ashlynn Ortega express the same excitement regarding being in California with the local wrestlers.“It’s really fun. Being on the beach was a lot of fun and I don’t get to experience that in Colorado,” she said.
Regarding her new training partners from California, Ortega was even more complimentary, “They bring a lot of enthusiasm to practice. Its always nice to be around people who bring positive vibes and good energy.”
One of the wrestlers who knew all about how much the camp had to offer was World Team member, Titan Mercury standout and three time California State Champion Gabby Garcia, who is going into her final year at Valencia High School. “My Dad and I always talked about it. It’s pretty cool having it here, it being my senior year,” she said.
This camp has also been a benefit to Garcia who is working to regain her dominance on the mat.
“I’m working to get back to where I was my freshmen year… over the past couple years I have been wrestling at the other girls’ level and I want to get back to where I used to be better than anybody,” she said.
In a room such as that of the developmental camp, Gabby along with the best in the nation were able to test themselves with great competition and newly acquired experience.
The camp was not all about hard intense work though. Instead the girls were greeted to a series of fun challenges and opportunity only southern California could offer. Coach Duran shared some of the experiences that the girls had along with the benefit of California training .
“We were able to get the girls out to the beach and do a beach workout and we’re going to take the girls out to downtown Disney tonight and have a good time. I think primarily California is known for having a long tradition of having really, really good female wrestling and for the girls to come into California and work with some of our local girls along with some of our national level girls, is a good thing overall,” he said.
One of the standout wrestlers at camp was South Dakota native and Cadet World Champion Ronna Heaton. She is used to being in a community in which she is only one of a few female wrestlers. In South Dakota, Heaton often has to go to the university to find sufficient training partners. South Dakota State coaches Jon Reader and Chris Bono have been very supportive of Heaton and her quest to be the best in women’s wrestling. “(Coach Chris) Bono will tell me to find a partner; sometimes Bono will wrestle with me,” she said.
However being in California and having the chance to experience all that it has to offer was a blast for the World Champion.
“Its really great to work on the beach and work in the sand. This whole camp has been high intense and a lot of fun meeting all these new girls too.,“ she said.
For many of the girls at camp, this is a stepping-stone to where they envision themselves. Coach Duran discussed the stages of how the developmental camps are helping women’s wrestling and how important it was to him to have it in California.
“I think one of the biggest things early on was coaches taking interest in women’s wrestling and developing these young girls early. Leading into that it was getting these girls to be part of the national system and getting to national developmental camps,” he said.
Duran is also the California USA Wrestling Director of Women’s Wrestling.
“My idea of bringing the developmental camp to California was to introduce our younger cadets to the system, the ideas and the techniques.” The system, he said was rooted in the basics; the tools that make all wrestlers succeed, “The simple things are what are going to win us more international titles.”
Developmental camps throughout the county help bond our national level team members and prepare them for the next level. Coach Randall discussed the next opportunity for young wrestlers.
“Our Cadets and Juniors have a combined camp in December. It’s going to be held at Arizona State University. From there, the Cadets will go up to Canada to compete in some dual meets with some provincial teams. The Juniors will go back to their college season.The next big thing for them will be the Klippan Open in Sweden, February 19th- 20th. It’s the largest women’s event, besides the World Championships. There are tons of countries; the brackets are filled with World medalists and World Champions. It’s really one of the best tournaments that we can get to, so that’s what’s up next,” she said.
Reprinted with permission by Titan Mercury Wrestling Club. Check out the many outstanding articles and features at:
http://tmwc1.com
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