BLACK HISTORY MONTH: Current USA Wrestling coaches making huge impact on program
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by Gary Abbott, USA Wrestling
Coaches Shawn Sheldon (center) and Herb House (right) work with Ravaughn Perkins at the 2016 U.S. Olympic Trials. Sheldon and House are among the African-American coaches who are leading USA teams in competition this season. Photo by Tony Rotundo, Wrestlers Are Warriors
During Black History Month, USA Wrestling has traditionally looked back in time to celebrate the achievements and contributions of African-Americans in our sport, as athletes, coaches and leaders. We honor the rich heritage of African-Americans in wrestling, many who have been trailblazers within the Olympic family.
Rather than only look at the past, as one of our Black History Month features, we would like to celebrate the current African-American coaches who are part of USA Wrestling’s National Coaches Pool, and are leading U.S. teams into international competition during the 2016-17 season.
Herb House, U.S. Senior Greco-Roman World Team Coach
House was a nationally-ranked Greco-Roman wrestler who competed on the Senior level for many years, training at the U.S. Olympic Training Center. He lives in Colorado, and has coached with USA Wrestling at many levels, including age-group and Senior level teams. He is one of the regular coaches who work with resident athletes on a daily basis at the U.S. Olympic Training Center. He will lead our Greco-Roman men at the 2017 World Championships in Paris this summer.
Chris Pendleton, U.S. Junior Freestyle World Team Coach
A two-time NCAA champion at Oklahoma State, Pendleton was a Freestyle National Team member for a number of years. He has held a number of prominent assistant coaching positions, including his current role as assistant coach at Arizona State and previously at the University of Wyoming. He also coaches Senior and age-group freestyle wrestlers with the Sunkist Kids, and previously with other national-level clubs.
Ike Anderson, U.S. Junior Greco-Roman World Team Coach
An All-American in college at Appalachian State, Anderson was a 1988 Olympian in Greco-Roman, with many major Senior-level accomplishments. He worked many years as USA Wrestling National Greco-Roman Developmental Coach, leading our age-group wrestlers at the Cadet and Junior World Championships while assisting with the Senior wrestlers. He is currently a coach with the Sunkist Kids, working with both top women’s freestyle wrestlers and Greco-Roman athletes. Anderson is the coach at Colorado State Power Castle View High School, as well as with one of the top youth club programs in the state.
T.C. Dantzler, U.S. Junior Greco-Roman World Team Coach
A wrestling and football star at Northern Illinois, Dantzler was a 2008 Olympian in Greco-Roman and competed on numerous World Teams during a long tenure as a U.S. Olympic Training Center resident athlete. He was a member of the 2007 U.S. Greco-Roman World Champion Team. Since retiring, Dantzler has been an active coach with young wrestlers in the Colorado Springs area, coaching at both the high school and club levels. Among the young Greco-Roman stars he has mentored and developed are 2017 U.S. Open champions Kamal Bey and G’Angelo Hancock. Dantzler also helps coach athletes at the U.S. Olympic Training Center.
Kevin Jackson, U.S. Senior Freestyle Pan American Championships Team Coach
An All-American wrestler at LSU and Iowa State, Jackson became one of the greatest freestyle wrestlers in history, winning a gold medal at the 1992 Olympics as well as two World gold medals for the USA. His international coaching career began as the National Freestyle Resident Coach for USA Wrestling, working with Olympic champion Brandon Slay and others at the Olympic Training Center. For two Olympic cycles, he served as the National Freestyle Coach for USA Wrestling, leading Team USA at the 2004 and 2008 Olympic Games and all of the World Championships and major events in those years. He was head wrestling coach at Iowa State, his alma mater, for eight years. Jackson has also coached Senior and age-group level freestyle wrestlers for many years.
Kerry McCoy, U.S. Junior Pan American Championships Team Coach
A two-time NCAA champion for Penn State, McCoy was a two-time Olympian and 2003 World silver medalist in freestyle wrestling for Team USA. He started his college coaching career as an assistant for Penn State and Lehigh, before becoming the head coach at Stanford, then moving to his current position as head coach at Maryland. McCoy has served as an Olympic Coach in freestyle at the 2008 Beijing Games, and has also led numerous other U.S. teams in international competition. He has coached Senior and age-group freestyle wrestlers for many years.
Toccara Montgomery, U.S. Junior Women’s Pan American Championships Team Coach
A two-time college national champion for the University of the Cumberlands, Montgomery was a member of the first U.S. Women’s Olympic Team when she competed in the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens, Greece. She also won two World silver medals for the USA. Her coaching career began first at the Cumberlands, then she moved to Lindenwood University where she was the head coach of the women’s team for many years. Montgomery has led numerous U.S. Senior and age-group teams at the international level in the past.
Cornell Robinson, U.S. Junior Pan American Championships Team Coach
Robinson is a gold-certified coach with USA Wrestling’s National Coaches Education Program. He serves as the head coach at Christian Brothers College High School in Missouri, and was previously head coach at Timberland High School. He has served as the coach for the UWW Junior World Team in 2012, and the UWW Cadet Pan American Team in 2013. He has been an assistant coach with Missouri USA Wrestling’s state level teams for many years, runs a successful Regional Training Center, and a highly respected camp.
Shawn Charles, U.S. Cadet Pan American Championships Team Coach
An NCAA All-American for Arizona State, Charles went on to become a Freestyle National Team member on the Senior level. He has a rich college coaching record, serving as the head coach at Arizona State and at Fresno State, as well as an assistant coach at Brown, Missouri, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Central Michigan, Iowa State and Phoenix College. Charles has also coached Senior and age-group freestyle wrestlers for many years. He was head coach of the Power Inferno Wrestling Academy.
Shawn Sheldon, U.S. Cadet Pan American Championships Team Coach
An All-American at the Div. III level for SUNY-Albany, Sheldon became one of our nation’s best Greco-Roman stars, placing fourth at the 1992 Olympics and competing on numerous U.S. World Teams. Sheldon was a 1991 World silver medalist. He has become one of our most active Greco-Roman coaches, serving as an Olympic coach and World Team Coach and leading numerous U.S. tour teams. He is a coach with the New York Athletic Club, which has won a number of national team titles. Sheldon also has served as a high school and club level coach in Florida, as well as with Florida’s USA Wrestling state association.
Braumon Creighton, U.S. Schoolboy Pan American Championships Team Coach
A Nebraska native, Creighton won two NCAA Div. II national titles for Nebraska-Omaha. He has coached at a number of levels, including high school and college, with experience in both California and Nebraska. Creighton also established the Creighton School of Wrestling, which has impacted the lives of numerous young wrestlers during his career.
Kenny Monday, U.S. Freestyle Team Coach at 2016 UWW Golden Grand Prix and 2017 Paris International
An NCAA champion for Oklahoma State, Monday became one of the greatest freestyle wrestlers in USA history. He was a 1988 Olympic champion, 1992 Olympic silver medalist, 1989 World champion and 1996 U.S. Olympian, along with numerous other major international achievements. Monday has served as a co-head coach at Oklahoma State and an assistant coach there. For many years, he has coached Senior and age-group freestyle wrestlers for a number of club programs. He also has experience as a coach within Mixed Martial Arts. Monday is currently the coach for the Tarheel WC, the Regional Training Center at the University of North Carolina. He has coached numerous U.S. teams in international competition.
Jamill Kelly, U.S. Freestyle Team Coach for 2017 UWW Golden Grand Prix
Kelly was a JUCO All-American in California, and wrestled for Oklahoma State on the Div. I level. He won a silver medal at the 2004 Olympic Games, competed on the 2003 World Team, and won a number of medals at the international level. He has been a very successful college assistant coach, working with Cal Poly, Harvard, NC State and his current position as the Associate Head Coach for Stanford. Kelly has coached Senior and age-group freestyle wrestlers for many years with a number of Senior-level clubs. He was a club coach at Oklahoma State as well. Included on his resume was serving as head coach of the Junior World Team in 2007 and a number of Senior tour teams in the past.
James Johnson, U.S. Greco-Roman Team Coach for 2017 Tour to Denmark
A star at the University of Kentucky, Johnson went on to become a Greco-Roman National Team member, who represented the USA at the World Championships, among other international achievements. Johnson was an Olympic Greco-Roman coach at the 2012 Games in London. For many years, he has been a Greco-Roman coach with the Sunkist Kids. Johnson has coached dozens of U.S. Greco-Roman teams at the Senior and age-group levels during a long career as a coach and mentor.
Currently, not all U.S. tour team coach assignments are completed, so there is a possibility that even more African-American coaches may help our American athletes win overseas before the season is over. We thank all of these great coaches for their commitment to USA Wrestling and the Olympic movement.
During Black History Month, USA Wrestling has traditionally looked back in time to celebrate the achievements and contributions of African-Americans in our sport, as athletes, coaches and leaders. We honor the rich heritage of African-Americans in wrestling, many who have been trailblazers within the Olympic family.
Rather than only look at the past, as one of our Black History Month features, we would like to celebrate the current African-American coaches who are part of USA Wrestling’s National Coaches Pool, and are leading U.S. teams into international competition during the 2016-17 season.
Herb House, U.S. Senior Greco-Roman World Team Coach
House was a nationally-ranked Greco-Roman wrestler who competed on the Senior level for many years, training at the U.S. Olympic Training Center. He lives in Colorado, and has coached with USA Wrestling at many levels, including age-group and Senior level teams. He is one of the regular coaches who work with resident athletes on a daily basis at the U.S. Olympic Training Center. He will lead our Greco-Roman men at the 2017 World Championships in Paris this summer.
Chris Pendleton, U.S. Junior Freestyle World Team Coach
A two-time NCAA champion at Oklahoma State, Pendleton was a Freestyle National Team member for a number of years. He has held a number of prominent assistant coaching positions, including his current role as assistant coach at Arizona State and previously at the University of Wyoming. He also coaches Senior and age-group freestyle wrestlers with the Sunkist Kids, and previously with other national-level clubs.
Ike Anderson, U.S. Junior Greco-Roman World Team Coach
An All-American in college at Appalachian State, Anderson was a 1988 Olympian in Greco-Roman, with many major Senior-level accomplishments. He worked many years as USA Wrestling National Greco-Roman Developmental Coach, leading our age-group wrestlers at the Cadet and Junior World Championships while assisting with the Senior wrestlers. He is currently a coach with the Sunkist Kids, working with both top women’s freestyle wrestlers and Greco-Roman athletes. Anderson is the coach at Colorado State Power Castle View High School, as well as with one of the top youth club programs in the state.
T.C. Dantzler, U.S. Junior Greco-Roman World Team Coach
A wrestling and football star at Northern Illinois, Dantzler was a 2008 Olympian in Greco-Roman and competed on numerous World Teams during a long tenure as a U.S. Olympic Training Center resident athlete. He was a member of the 2007 U.S. Greco-Roman World Champion Team. Since retiring, Dantzler has been an active coach with young wrestlers in the Colorado Springs area, coaching at both the high school and club levels. Among the young Greco-Roman stars he has mentored and developed are 2017 U.S. Open champions Kamal Bey and G’Angelo Hancock. Dantzler also helps coach athletes at the U.S. Olympic Training Center.
Kevin Jackson, U.S. Senior Freestyle Pan American Championships Team Coach
An All-American wrestler at LSU and Iowa State, Jackson became one of the greatest freestyle wrestlers in history, winning a gold medal at the 1992 Olympics as well as two World gold medals for the USA. His international coaching career began as the National Freestyle Resident Coach for USA Wrestling, working with Olympic champion Brandon Slay and others at the Olympic Training Center. For two Olympic cycles, he served as the National Freestyle Coach for USA Wrestling, leading Team USA at the 2004 and 2008 Olympic Games and all of the World Championships and major events in those years. He was head wrestling coach at Iowa State, his alma mater, for eight years. Jackson has also coached Senior and age-group level freestyle wrestlers for many years.
Kerry McCoy, U.S. Junior Pan American Championships Team Coach
A two-time NCAA champion for Penn State, McCoy was a two-time Olympian and 2003 World silver medalist in freestyle wrestling for Team USA. He started his college coaching career as an assistant for Penn State and Lehigh, before becoming the head coach at Stanford, then moving to his current position as head coach at Maryland. McCoy has served as an Olympic Coach in freestyle at the 2008 Beijing Games, and has also led numerous other U.S. teams in international competition. He has coached Senior and age-group freestyle wrestlers for many years.
Toccara Montgomery, U.S. Junior Women’s Pan American Championships Team Coach
A two-time college national champion for the University of the Cumberlands, Montgomery was a member of the first U.S. Women’s Olympic Team when she competed in the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens, Greece. She also won two World silver medals for the USA. Her coaching career began first at the Cumberlands, then she moved to Lindenwood University where she was the head coach of the women’s team for many years. Montgomery has led numerous U.S. Senior and age-group teams at the international level in the past.
Cornell Robinson, U.S. Junior Pan American Championships Team Coach
Robinson is a gold-certified coach with USA Wrestling’s National Coaches Education Program. He serves as the head coach at Christian Brothers College High School in Missouri, and was previously head coach at Timberland High School. He has served as the coach for the UWW Junior World Team in 2012, and the UWW Cadet Pan American Team in 2013. He has been an assistant coach with Missouri USA Wrestling’s state level teams for many years, runs a successful Regional Training Center, and a highly respected camp.
Shawn Charles, U.S. Cadet Pan American Championships Team Coach
An NCAA All-American for Arizona State, Charles went on to become a Freestyle National Team member on the Senior level. He has a rich college coaching record, serving as the head coach at Arizona State and at Fresno State, as well as an assistant coach at Brown, Missouri, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Central Michigan, Iowa State and Phoenix College. Charles has also coached Senior and age-group freestyle wrestlers for many years. He was head coach of the Power Inferno Wrestling Academy.
Shawn Sheldon, U.S. Cadet Pan American Championships Team Coach
An All-American at the Div. III level for SUNY-Albany, Sheldon became one of our nation’s best Greco-Roman stars, placing fourth at the 1992 Olympics and competing on numerous U.S. World Teams. Sheldon was a 1991 World silver medalist. He has become one of our most active Greco-Roman coaches, serving as an Olympic coach and World Team Coach and leading numerous U.S. tour teams. He is a coach with the New York Athletic Club, which has won a number of national team titles. Sheldon also has served as a high school and club level coach in Florida, as well as with Florida’s USA Wrestling state association.
Braumon Creighton, U.S. Schoolboy Pan American Championships Team Coach
A Nebraska native, Creighton won two NCAA Div. II national titles for Nebraska-Omaha. He has coached at a number of levels, including high school and college, with experience in both California and Nebraska. Creighton also established the Creighton School of Wrestling, which has impacted the lives of numerous young wrestlers during his career.
Kenny Monday, U.S. Freestyle Team Coach at 2016 UWW Golden Grand Prix and 2017 Paris International
An NCAA champion for Oklahoma State, Monday became one of the greatest freestyle wrestlers in USA history. He was a 1988 Olympic champion, 1992 Olympic silver medalist, 1989 World champion and 1996 U.S. Olympian, along with numerous other major international achievements. Monday has served as a co-head coach at Oklahoma State and an assistant coach there. For many years, he has coached Senior and age-group freestyle wrestlers for a number of club programs. He also has experience as a coach within Mixed Martial Arts. Monday is currently the coach for the Tarheel WC, the Regional Training Center at the University of North Carolina. He has coached numerous U.S. teams in international competition.
Jamill Kelly, U.S. Freestyle Team Coach for 2017 UWW Golden Grand Prix
Kelly was a JUCO All-American in California, and wrestled for Oklahoma State on the Div. I level. He won a silver medal at the 2004 Olympic Games, competed on the 2003 World Team, and won a number of medals at the international level. He has been a very successful college assistant coach, working with Cal Poly, Harvard, NC State and his current position as the Associate Head Coach for Stanford. Kelly has coached Senior and age-group freestyle wrestlers for many years with a number of Senior-level clubs. He was a club coach at Oklahoma State as well. Included on his resume was serving as head coach of the Junior World Team in 2007 and a number of Senior tour teams in the past.
James Johnson, U.S. Greco-Roman Team Coach for 2017 Tour to Denmark
A star at the University of Kentucky, Johnson went on to become a Greco-Roman National Team member, who represented the USA at the World Championships, among other international achievements. Johnson was an Olympic Greco-Roman coach at the 2012 Games in London. For many years, he has been a Greco-Roman coach with the Sunkist Kids. Johnson has coached dozens of U.S. Greco-Roman teams at the Senior and age-group levels during a long career as a coach and mentor.
Currently, not all U.S. tour team coach assignments are completed, so there is a possibility that even more African-American coaches may help our American athletes win overseas before the season is over. We thank all of these great coaches for their commitment to USA Wrestling and the Olympic movement.
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