As much as I want to wrestle this week, we are going to take a one week break from club practice. Those on the national teams can go to UVU national teams practice this and every Thursday through July for free at 5:00 PM.  Those not on the national teams can pay 25 bucks a month to get into those practices too.

The next session will last for six weeks and start on Tuesday May 8th and end on Wednesday June 13th.  Here are the details of practice:  Please make a note that this will be the schedule from now on.

Every Tuesday and Wednesday only:  Focus on Freestyle and Greco only.  Practice time from 6:30 to 8:00 only.  All ages will practice together at that time.  Practice locations will change between MJH,  MMHS, and some at my home gym.   Cost is nothing as long as you are already a member of the club/city recreation program.  The practices will be geared toward the advanced wrestlers training for national competition.  So young kids even down to fly age are welcome, but parents MUST be there to assist ans support and they are expected to take the wrestlers and leave early if the attention span is running short.  Again, the following six weeks we must maintain a serious and advanced practice setting no matter what the age.

Remember that all registration for West Regionals from Bantams through Cadets is due tomorrow.  Register at www.wrestleutah.com and you can buy your gear, registration, etc all in one place.  All schoolboy, cadet and Junior duals registration is also due tomorrow as is the Fargo down payments.

Wear your champions gear this weekend if you have it.

Practice this week is normal.  Please welcome Brandon George back this week to help practice and coach.  Thursday practice will be relaxed to allow for the boys to manage their weight as needed.  Remember that this tournament is an on-site weigh in.  For those new to this concept, you have to weigh in at the venue and you need to be on or under the weight posted.  So if you are wrestling 80 lbs division, you can’t weigh 80.2.   You have to be 80 or less.  Remember that their is also a skin check.  So if you have any skin issues, you need to get on them medically this week and make sure you are carrying a legitimate doctor’s note if your skin is not clear.

Anyone who wants to stay at our team Hotel in our block of rooms needs to contact Diane by tonight as the rooms will be released tonight.  Remember that the drive to Utah County is about an hour, so hotels are not a necessity.

Comfort Inn
877 North 400 West
Layton, Utah
801-544-5577

If you want to reserve a room, we have negotiated a significant discount.  You need to call or email Diane asap if you want one of our rooms.

2) For those wanting to stay at the team Hotel for West Regionals in Pocatello, please contact Diane at Dianelamont1@yahoo.com  These rooms will be first come first serve.

3) For those interested in going to the Fila Cadet Nationals in Akron OH (must be born in 1995, 1996 or 1997).  We are flying out of Provo Airport Thursday May 31st in the morning and flying back Sunday June 3rd.  Most of our club have already purchased tickets.  If you win this tournament you also win an all expense paid trip to the world championships in Baku Azerbajan in August.

4) Don’t forget registration for the Crusher tournament ends Thursday afternoon.   Don’t forget at the free Les Gutches clinic going on this Friday!

The clinic this Friday is about a $250.00 value and it is FREE for all USA members.  I know that it means two weeks in a row of missing school on Friday, but I think this clinic may be one of the highlights of your wrestler’s spring season.  Les is a friend of mine.  He was the world team coach the year the USA won the world championships, he is a 2X NCAA champion, he is a World Champion and Olympian.  He came last year and did a clinic for us and I am a huge fan.  The clinic will be Friday from 11:30 to 4:00 at Layton High School.  Then the Greco tournament is that night.  As a coach, I am a huge supporter of academic excellence, but this is one clinic that I suggest a dedicated wrestler miss class for.

Go to www.wrestleutah.com for direct links and flyer for the next two tournaments.  See you all at practice!

Second, remember that registration closes tomorrow at 4:30 for the Timpview tournament.  Very close tournament.  This is the first of four weeks when the tournament will be in traditional line brackets instead of round robins and there will be weight divisions.  Check out the flyer on www.wrestleutah.com.

Third, next week’s practices will be consolidated due to spring break.  We will only have two practices.  One for fly, bantam, and intermediates from 5:00 to 6:00 on Thursday and Novice through Juniors from 6-8 PM on Thursday.  No Tuesday or Wednesday practice next week.

Fourth,  Congratulations to our club members who earned all American status last week.  Taylor LaMont first place, Grant LaMont, Jacob Armstrong, and Gentry Warner second place, Ashton Seely, Ryan Hansen, Kimball Bastian, all took third place and Dusty Hone took seventh place.  Eight of the twelve All Americans from Utah were from out club and I am very proud of them.

1) Hailey Cox went to Oklahoma last weekend and earned a legitimate girls NATIONAL Championship!  Way to go Hailey!

2) The tournament this weekend is at American Fork High School.  It should be a good one.  Even though I won’t be there to coach this weekend, I hope we have a great showing.  There will be champion’s coaches there, so don’t be shy.  Register with a direct link through www.wrestleutah.com or go to trackwrestling.com.

3) After day one of wrestling back here at the Nationals in Virginia Beach, every one of our athletes are still in.  Most are undefeated.  Hopefully our club will come home with more All-Americans than we left with!

The following week will be at American Fork High School.  I will be out of town with 15 of our best athletes in a tournament in Virginia Beach.  All practices will run on normal times and dates but other coaches will be taking the lead at practice.

Good luck to Josh Wilson, UVU’s only wrestler in the NCAA D1 tournament this year.  He won his first match about half an hour ago!