1)   Les Gutches is an amazing clinician.  He is coming to Utah because he believes in what Utah is producing and doing.  This clinic is 100% FREE for all USA card holders.  Les is giving up the Olympic Trials tournament to spend a day in Utah with Utah Wrestlers.  I am a huge believer in academics and I know that this would mean two straight Friday’s out of school, but I would highly encourage every serious wrestler and coach with a USA Membership to show up this coming Friday at Layton High School to spend a day with Les Gutches.  World Gold Medalist, World Team Coach, NCAA Champion, Director of USA Wrestling, and generally a great guy.  Last year he came to Utah and taught my boys a move that they were both able to use to win high profile matches in national tournaments.  This clinic, if you had to go to it somewhere else would be worth at least $250.00 Don’t miss it!

2)   Two weeks until the state tournament.  Many of you have been out of state, taking some time off, playing other sports, etc.  Don’t miss our state tournament this year.  It will likely be the biggest state tournament in the history of our state.  Remember that there is no qualifier for this.  You can come, even if you have not wrestled at any other spring tournament.  The state tournament is the only tournament that the schedule is different.  Be sure to download the flyer and be familiar with it.

3)   Since my time as president, we have grown each year by about 200 members.  This year we have already doubled our membership over last year and we still have two weeks left before state.  Our growth is number 1 in the country and we are barely tapping into our potential.  I want to personally thank our state, our board, our volunteers and staff, the parents of so many wrestlers, our sponsors, and so many more.  Utah received recognition this month as the fastest growing state in the nation for USA Wrestling.

4)   Not only are we the fastest growing, but I am convinced that Utah produces the best athletes in the country.  Check out this list of wrestlers competing for the Olympic Team from Utah.  Realize that possibly the top wrestler with Utah connections (Cael) may not even be on this list.  While we are learning from Les this weekend and wrestling at the Crusher Tournament, lets stay connected to our smart phones and follow our Utah super-stars at the trails!  Good luck to them all.

Matt Brown, freestyle 74 kg – West Valley City, Cypress High School

Jason Chamberlain, freestyle, 66 kg – Springville High School

Rulon Gardner, Greco-Roman, 120 kg – Logan

Cheney Haight, Greco-Roman, 74 kg – Orem; Timpanogos High School

Andrew Hochstrasser, freestyle, 60 kg – Tooele High School

Phil Keddy, freestyle, 84 kg – Uintah High School

Ben Kjar, freestyle, 55 kg – Orem, Utah Valley State, Viewmont HS

Zach Lamano, Greco-Roman, 66 kg – Layton High School

Justin Ruiz, Greco-Roman, 96 kg – Orem; Taylorsville High School

Candace Workman, women 48 kg – Uintah High School”

Please forward this on to any businesses/people that you think would be interested in joining us for this meeting and possibly becoming part of Utah Wrestlers in Networking! RSVP for catering head count. We are also looking for a few people who can help coordinate future meetings.

For more details, questions, or to RSVP, contact:

Jeff Newby
Email: jeffreynewby@hotmail.com
Phone: 801-358-4933

Sam Allen
Email: Samueliallen@gmail.com
Phone: 801-540-3680

Here are the first Schoolboy Freestyle rankings. Please send your input to wrestlingutah@gmail.com. Any and all input is appreciated, with the season just getting underway it is hard to tell who will be at which weights so please feel free to send input and comments.

70

1. Brandon Meikel – Grapplers West
2. Jayden Williams – South Summit

77

1. Jaxon Cole – North Summit
2. Trevor Cluff – Wasatch
3. Holden Richards – Bear Den

84

1. Cameron Hunsaker – Mettle
2. Raynger Keckler – Logan
3. Seth Gardner – Wasatch

91

1. Cole Moody – Team Legacy
2. Brandyn Van Tassell
3. Jace Tilley – Stinger

98

1. Ben Anderson – Pleasant Grove/TUG
2. Ryan Hansen – Champions
3. Dallin Ewart – Millard County

105

1. Taylor Lamont – Champions
2. Jaron Jensen – Grapplers West
3. Owen Pentz – Morgan

112

1. Ritchie Heywood – Wasatch
2. Conner Wengreen – Pony Express
3. Tyler Andreason – Canyonlands

120

1. Davis Reynaud – Brighton
2. Briar Bunderson – Stinger
3. Mason Burton – Crusher

128

1. Rex Bowden – Wasatch
2. Colton Flygare – Mettle
3. Sean Johnson – Team Legacy

136

1. Ashton Seely – Champions
2. Koy Wilkinson – Pleasant Grove/TUG
3. Garth Healey – Wasatch

144

1. Wyatt Koelling – Crusher
2. Alek Shope – Extreme
3. Alexander Johnson – South Summit

152

160

1. Zephaniah Na’oupu – Pleasant Grove/TUG

175

1. Korbon Tibbals – Champions
2. Wyatt Ekblad – Morgan
3. Michael Milliner – Ogden Bonneville High

190

1. Jordy Evans – Champions
2. Riley Taylor – Stinger

210

265

1. Roy Darbro – Roosevelt

Here are the first Cadet Freestyle rankings. Please send your input to wrestlingutah@gmail.com. Any and all input is appreciated, with the season just getting underway it is hard to tell who will be at which weights so please feel free to send input and comments.

88

1. Tanner Cox – Champions
2. Bryce Brimhall – Syracuse (Attack)
3. Chance Hardy – Stinger

94

1. Kyle Evans – Total Domination
2. Caleb Rasmussen – Millard County

100

1. Jayden Pentz – Morgan
2. Matthew Lee – Pride
3. Josh Jensen – Elite

106

1. Joe Mondragon – POW
2. Dalton Rice – POW
3. Trevor Lowe – Pony Express

113

1. Dallin Denton – Fremont
2. Jaydon Rogers – Crusher
3. Landon Gates – Mettle

120

1. Drew Hawkins – Bear Den
2. Carson Wikstrom – Bear Den
3. Victor Almanza – Millard County

126

1. Dakota Caldwell – Warrior Wrestling Club
2. David Kim – Tech
3. Jesse Ballow – Juab

132

1. Johnny O’Hearon – Champions
2. Matthew Mott – Logan
3. Taylor Johnson – Vandit

138

1. Brooks Robinson – Champions
2. Tevin Nuttall – Champions
3. William Chavez – Kingdom Klub

145

1. Jacob Armstrong – Champions
2. Kieffer Taylor – Champions
3. Spencer Heywood – Wasatch

152

1. Kimball Bastian – Champions
2. Weston Taylor – Champions

160

1. Kaden Campbell – Roosevelt
2. Wyatt German – Syracuse (Attack)
3. Shane French – Tactik Wrestling

170

1. Rylee Foy – Wasatch
2. Wade French – Tactik Wrestling
3. Landon Brown – Crusher

182

1. Trevor Pappas – Crusher

195

1. Micah Ngatuvai – Provo-Orem Freestyle Wrestling Club
2. Cody Stevensen – Red Storm
3. Jacob Biesinger – Champions

220

1. Tyler Stevenson – Red Storm
2. Casey Golding – Mettle

285

Here are the first Junior Freestyle rankings. Please send your input to wrestlingutah@gmail.com. Any and all input is appreciated, with the season just getting underway it is hard to tell who will be at which weights so please feel free to send input and comments.

100

1. Brock George – Syracuse (Attack)

106

1. Tyler Jensen – Vandit

113

1. Kyle Robison – Millard County

120

1. Dusty Hone – Champions
2. Sterling Ballif – Wasatch
3. Cezly Collard – Emery Allstars

126

1. Matthew Findlay – Pride
2. Shand Hardy – Stinger
3. Antonio Meikel – Grapplers West

132

1. Branson Ashworth – Elite
2. Kalin Gray – Syracuse (Attack)
3. Robert Minor – Wasatch

138

1. Landon Knutzen – Champions
2. Rayden Lindley – Pony Express
3. Bronson Young – Pleasant Grove/TUG

145

1. Grant Lamont – Champions
2. Bridger Cutler – Pleasant Grove/TUG
3. McKay Parrish – Stinger

152

1. Jesse Carlisle – Champions
2. Hunter Riggs – Warrior Wrestling Club
3. Walker Van Tassell – Salem Skyhawks

160

1. Rasten Yeates – Stinger
2. Jake Tolman – Stinger
3. Seth Manning – Tooele

170

1. Nick Sorenson – Stinger
2. Kenyon James – TECH
3. Taylor Davis – Pleasant Grove/TUG

182

1. Breckin Gunter – Stinger
2. Kyle Foy – Wasatch
3. Kohler Smoot – Stinger

195

1. Dustin Christensen – Crusher
2. Aspen Naylor – Syracuse (Attack)
3. Kyle Sorensen – Tech

220

1. Taylor Lancaster – Stinger
2. Nate Rogers – Vandit

285

1. Carlos Turner – Crusher
2. Jacob Fiefia – Pony Express
3. Brodee Stevensen – Bear Den

1)   In January of 2011 we had our highest membership ever.  We had 1,571 USAWU members.  This year on January 1, 2012 we have 2,562.  That represents just short of 1000 members more than last year on New Year’s Day!  I am excited over our growth.  It is an excellent sign for the future of wrestling in Utah.  It also speaks volumes about the new structure for youth folkstyle wrestling.  We have three or four sanctioned youth tournaments each weekend and all of them are full of young wrestlers.  I hope that the rural communities can see the benefits of growth with the added structure that USAWU provides.  The communities that have embraced that structure are flourishing.

2)   USA Wrestling Utah has officially hired its second employee.  Sam Allen, recent UVU wrestler, has been hired as our Corporate Relations Specialist.  His job is to raise money for our organization through corporate relations and other alternative income streams.  Sam has a terrific resume and has hit the road running by bringing in more money in the first month of employment than what he was paid! For those of you who know business owners who would possibly donate, but are shy about asking for sponsorships, just contact Sam and he will take over for you.  We are excited and want to welcome Sam to our staff.

3)   USA Wrestling Utah has made an offer to merge with the Utah Amateur Wrestling Foundation.  The UAWF was founded over a decade ago by Ross Brunson in an attempt to save College Wrestling in Utah.  More than any other single movement, this foundation has made an impact in saving wrestling in Utah.  The money the foundation raised originally was what allowed UVU to adopt wrestling as a sport.  Their continued fundraising support is donated to the university each year to help offset costs of the program.  USAWU is 100% committed to support UVU wrestling and college wrestling in Utah and will now manage the foundation to help its events grow.  The UAWF will maintain its name and its focus on collegiate wrestling but will be a subsidiary of USAWU.

4)   Last but not least, USAWU has tripled its number of female wrestlers already this year.  As most wrestlers know, women’s freestyle wrestling was added to the Olympics 15 years ago.  Since that time women’s wrestling has exploded all over the country…well, almost all over.  Actually it hasn’t exploded in Utah, but we hope to experience some pyrotechnics in 2012. Here are some exciting things about women’s wrestling in Utah.  We have a new Women’s Wrestling Chair in Billy Cox.  We have a new women’s wrestling Facebook page, we have a state wide women’s wrestling practice that takes place weekly, we have added a girls division to our state tournaments, western regional and nationals this year.  We are excited to not only grow our membership in this area, but to offer girl’s only divisions to our big events.

Good luck to all Utah wrestlers working hard for their goals at their state tournaments coming up.  My New Year’s hope is that injuries will be few and that dreams can be reached by those that deserve it the most!  Go Utah Wrestling!

Craig LaMont

President, USA Wrestling Utah

1/12/12

106

1. Chandler Strand – 12 – Herriman
2. Jovani Tolayo – 11 – Orem
3. Marshall Curtis – 10 – Maple Mountain
4. Trevor Lowe – Mountain Crest
5. Kyle Smith – 9 – Box Elder
6. Colton Thiel – Clearfield

1. Britain Carter – 11 – Maple Mountain
2. Shand Hardy – 10 – Box Elder
3. Hayden Jackman – 12 – Bonneville
4. Christian Kodele – Clearfield
5. Logan Harrison – Logan
6. Braden Griffen – 11 – Provo

120

1. Brandon Winward – 12 – Skyline
2. Brandon George – 12 – Maple Mountain
3. Trent Kelly – 10 – Maple Mountain
4. Mason Kendrick – 10 – Mountain Crest
5. Jake Smith – 11 – Box Elder
6. Josh Canfield – 12 – Westlake

126

1. Brady Dart – 11 – Mountain Crest
2. Austin Rowley – 12 – Maple Mountain
3. Jackson Lightfoot – 12 – Murray
4. Skyler Lloyd – 11 – Highland
5. Talon Teeples – 11 – Logan
6. Jordan Zufelt – Westlake

132

1. Quinn Hinkley – 12 – Logan
2. Landon Knutzen – 11 – Maple Mountain
3. Rayden Lindley – 11 – Mountain Crest
4. Dante Winward – 12 – Box Elder
5. Brigg Butler – 11 – Westlake
6. Braiden Wilson – Salem Hills

138

1. Grant Lamont – 11 – Maple Mountain
2. Kaden Lindley – 11 – Mountain Crest
3. Teagan Hubbard – 10 – Box Elder
4. Jess Clapier – 12 – Skyline
5. Jacob Armstrong – 9 – Salem Hills
6. Isaac Harrison – 12 – Logan

1. Craig Findlay – 12 – Salem Hills
2. Jake Tolman – 11 – Box Elder
3. Jesse Carlisle – 11 – Maple Mountain
4. Matt Williams – 10 – Box Elder
5. Jordan Wengreen – 11 – Mountain Crest
6. Josh Campbell – Springville

152

1. Rasten Yeates – 11 – Box Elder
2. Kimball Bastian – 10 – Maple Mountain
3. Hunter Ballam – Logan
4. Taylor Thorpe – Salem Hills
5. Danny Shepherd – 12 – Provo
6. Kieffer Taylor – 9 – Maple Mountain

160

1. Nick Sorenson – 11 – Box Elder
2. Josh Searle – 11 – Maple Mountain
3. Logan Kinross – 12 – Maple Mountain
4. Bob Nenbee – 12 – Cyprus
5. Bradley Brockbank – Murray
6. Alex Werling – 11 – Box Elder

170

1. Brandon McBride – 12 – Olympus
2. Spencer McKay – 12 – Logan
3. Jordan Argyle – 12 – Maple Mountain
4. Britton Gunter – 12 – Box Elder
5. Jon Britt – 12 – Springville
6. Ryder Wright – Mountain View

182

1. Talon Niederhauser – 11 – Mountain Crest
2. Mason Prestwich – 12 – Timpanogos
3. Lorenzo Rowley – 12 – Maple Mountain
4. Kohler Smoot – 11 – Box Elder
5. Kaleb Egbert – 12 – Orem
6. Josue Arredondo – 12 – Logan

195

1. Dustin Christensen – 12 – Roy
2. Drake Comer – 12 – Mountain Crest
3. Breckin Gunter – 10 – Box Elder
4. Colton Cavalli – 12 – Mountain View
5. Trevor Ringwood – Olympus
6. Tony Mendez – 11 – Woods Cross

220

1. Sylas Wells – 12 – Mountain Crest
2. Joe Flores – 11 – Box Elder
3. Pete Olvany – 12 – Logan
4. Raul Aguilar-Macias – Murray
5. Hunter Riley – Mountain View
6. Steven Gueck – Springville

285

1. Derek Mangelson – 12 – Salem Hills
2. Rylee Reeves – 12 – Box Elder
3. Zac Rittenhouse – 12 – Provo
4. Jacoby Wildman – 12 – Logan
5. Ben Krutsch – Springville
6. Dallas Howard – 11 – Murray

35lbs – Simjay Engberg – Brighton

40lbs – Ty Maynard – Dixie Red Storm

45lbs – Cam Ford – Payson Grappling Force

50lbs – Cole Eldredge – Westlake Thunder

55lbs – Chanse Pendergrass – Carbon Raptors

55lbs+ – Cole Cripps – Carbon Raptors

1st – 2nd Grade Division

40lbs – David Edwards – Uintah

45lbs – Tristan Smith – North Summit

50lbs – Will Manning – Team Legacy

55lbs – Tristan Farnsworth – Altamont

60lbs – Jack White – Team Legacy

65lbs – Kameron Moss – Pride

70lbs – Cael Keith – Dixie Red Storm

70lbs+ – Spencer Tauteoli – Mettle

3rd – 4th Grade Division

50lbs – Cameron Dickson – Uintah

55lbs – Oakley Ridge – Mettle

60lbs – Cole Zorn – Mettle

65lbs – Zak Kohler – Wasatch

70lbs – Jack Lang – Team Legacy

75lbs – Mason Christiansen – Team Legacy

80lbs – Spencer Curtis – Champions

85lbs – Denver Hiatt – Payson Grappling Force

90lbs – Alec Bolingbroke – Crusher

95lbs – Joseph Watson – Brighton

105lbs – Kade Carlson – Team Rulon

105lbs+ – Carson Kay – Champions

5th – 6th Grade Division

65lbs – Jaxon Cole – North Summit

70lbs – Seth Gardner – Wasatch

75lbs – John Manning – Team Legacy

80lbs – Brandyn Van Tassell – Champions

85lbs – Ryan Hansen – Champions

90lbs – Michael Peterson – Champions

95lbs – Tucker Tomlinson – Uintah

100lbs – Rand Pentz – North Summit

105lbs – Chayce Loveless – Payson Grappling Force

115lbs – Ashton Seely – Champions

125lbs – Cutler Thomas – Dixie Red Storm

145lbs – Christopher Rojas – Champions

7th – 9th Grade Division

75lbs – Tanner Cox – Team Legacy

80lbs – Taylor Lamont – Champions

85lbs – Bo Labrum – Mountain Crest

90lbs – Marshall Curtis – Champions

95lbs – Dallin Denton – Fremont

100lbs – Riley Loveless – Payson Grappling Force

105lbs – Jordan Mcrae – Pride

110lbs – Johnny Ohearon – Champions

115lbs – Bracken Lovell – Delta

120lbs – Brandon Musselman – Blanding

125lbs – Cameron Killian – Champions

130lbs – Jacob Armstrong – Champions

135lbs – Will Lang – Team Legacy

142lbs – Spencer Heywood – Wasatch

150lbs – John Harmon – Payson Grappling Force

160lbs – Aaron Dick – Independant

175lbs – Rylee Foy – Altamont

210lbs – Roy Nash – Brighton

285lbs – Caleb Birchell – Uintah

The Quest program is an effort by USA Wrestling Utah to give inner city kids an opportunity to get involved in wrestling at a young age in an attempt to keep them from the trouble they so often get into in the streets.  Quest is modeled after the successful “Beat the Streets” campaign in many major cities around the country.   USAWU picked inner city Ogden to start this program with a new club called Ogden City Quest (www.ogdencityquest.com).  This is a club that is actually owned by the state association and has its own creative funding sources for paying for the USA membership cards for these kids.  Ogden City School District decided to not only support the club, but decided to sanction and support the Jr. High Wrestling program too.  Those interested in donating to this program can do so through USAWU.

This program not only serves the community in fighting crime, it serves to change the participation level of the high schools in Ogden City that traditionally have struggled to fill full teams.  Here is a letter written by long time USAWU supporter and Ben Lomond HS coach Gary Boden about this program:

“I am very excited and thankful that USA Wrestling Utah has provided the Ogden City area with an opportunity to have a K-6 wrestling club.  I believe this club will have benefits beyond just being a positive experience for our youth. This helps complete the wrestling chain that successful programs and communities have, (K-6, Junior High, High School). Communities support winning programs.  This Ogden City Quest club will help create winning programs in our local schools.  This means more people will attend meets and take an interest in the program and the participants.  Parents and families will also take a more active role in their athlete’s lives. Having people interested in a child’s success is a blessing that many do not have. High expectations and community support will have a positive effect on the youth and community of Ogden.  Thank you USA Wrestling Utah and Ogden City School District for the courage and hard work to make things better. We, in the wrestling community know how important it can be to provide opportunities for our youth.  Through the hard work of the Ogden City School District and athletic director Ken Crawford, they have expanded all athletics at the junior high level, including wrestling.  I believe it is important for our young people to stay active in an organized sport and wrestling is a great choice.”

As you can see there are a lot of reasons to be excited about this upcoming year, I wish all the athletes and coaches a successful season.

Craig Lamont

President – USA Wrestling Utah