Friday, 20 September 2024… Two trophies in two days! It’s safe to say, Women’s Age Group Beach Wrestling in the United States is developing at a brisk pace.

You’ve already read Gary’s article. After winning the U17 team championship yesterday, our American women knocked down a Silver trophy today. Our global peers are asking, “What’s the secret? How is the U.S. growing so strong, so quickly?”

A few of us, coaches and leaders, had a rather penetrating conversation about this question over lunch. Two terms came up… out of every mouth, from every perspective: ‘Pipeline’ and ‘Factory’.

Both are pretty common terms in a lot of wrestling conversations today. Wrestling folks describe Japan as a Women’s Wrestling ‘Factory.’ Penn State and the Nittany Lion RTC are widely considered as a ‘Pipeline’ to World and Olympic medals. Dagestan is viewed as a men’s Freestyle Wrestling ‘Factory’.

I’d like to give credit where it’s due. When I think of USA Beach Wrestling’s recent climb to international success, three entities jump off the page. In no particular order, those three are North Carolina, Fargo, and Stanford University.

A majority of our U17 and U20 World Team members are native to North Carolina. In addition to hosting our Beach National Championship/World Team Trials for a decade, North Carolina schedules multiple Beach events throughout the year.

North Carolina – USA State Chair, Ed Duncan directs that symphony. But the High School and Club Coaches, like Randall and Cheryl Baynard and Rebecca Mathewson play the featured solos.

The simple fact that Beach Wrestling is a consistent option has allowed North Carolina athletes and parents a consistent choice in spring and summer. Many choose Outside, On the Sand, In the Sun, With a Cookout. Can it be a big surprise that a bunch of North Carolina kids are in Katerini this week?

The bulk of our U17 World Championship Team qualified for open spots during the 2024 Fargo Beach Events. These are really good high school wrestlers who, like most, were done early at our July marathon event.

Many of the kids who really didn’t belong in a National Championship spent the rest of their stay trading singlets and finding/dodging ways to get into trouble. A percentage of the ‘Few’, who did belong but fell short (on the mat), went down the street. They poured into another chance to get some kind of medal in Fargo. Some are forever members of a very first American World Championship Team. Are you surprised to discover that our U17 team is loaded with talent?

Thor and Lars Michaelson both attend Stanford. Both are returning World Medalists. Lars added a U20 Silver this afternoon. The Washington natives join three Cardinal teammates competing in World Level Beach events this summer.

The Stanford collegiate staff and their RTC make it easy for their wrestlers to compete internationally over the summer. Thor and Lars join Nick Stemmet and All-Americans Daniel Cardenas and Hunter Garvin in competing on the sand in 2024.

For a collegiate room and staff, along with their RTC, boosters and alum to support talented collegians, in using wrestling to see and study the world sets a high bar. Think what our U20 Beach Team can become, should a few more collegiate coaches reward the risk their student athletes are willing to take, using wrestling to become more complete Global Citizens?

Congrats to this crop of young American superstars for scratching their mark on the international Beach Wrestling tree. Congrats to North Carolina for providing fertile soil. Congrats to State Leaders and Coaches in Fargo, who challenged great kids with “Are you done yet?”

Congrats the Stanford University and RTC for encouraging student athletes to allow Wrestling to “Make their World Small.” Congrats to Team USA Beach Wrestling for an historic performance in Katerini.

Two trophies in two days… Wow !

Ciao

Beach Blog: A day to celebrate the grit and spirit of U.S. Beach wrestlers

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