OhioTofC 1 Report post Posted September 5, 2011 Dear Parents & Coaches, Do you have a young wrestler at home that you feel would be an outstanding candidate to represent the sport on a cross-country wrestling tour next summer? If so, the Ohio All-Star Wrestling Team is looking for 15-18 of the top youth (Ohio and midwest/eastern) wrestlers, (currently in grades 5-9, with an anticipated summer weight of 60-145 pounds), for its 30th Anniversary tour next summer. Already, we have received applications from several outstanding young wrestlers, but encourage each of you to try to nominate one of your wrestlers as well. Applications are due by October 15 and a form is can be found at http://ohiotofc.com/index1.php?intId=7 Past OASWT participants have gone on to win five NCAA Division I titles and more than 100 state high school titles. Among the more than 500 youth wrestlers to participate on the team, have been the following Ohio multiple state champions: 4X State Champions: Willie Wineberg, John McGhee, Lance Palmer and Cam Tessari 3X State Champions: Alan Fried, Shawn Nelson, Eddie Jayne, Drew Pariano, Scott Burnett, Mark Jayne, Mason Lenhard, Mike Miller, Kevin Hardy and Colt Sponseller 2X State Champions: Rick Hartman, Jeff Struass, Ferd Miller, Rex Holman, Scott Zapadka, James Johnson, Jim Joltin, Corey Kline, Mike Kulczycki, Keith Cupp,Marcus Gordon, Matt McIntire, Braxdon Scaletta, Kevin Lipp, Pat McLemore and Gus Sako. Non Ohio wrestlers have included numerous state champions and placers, including: PA: Nathan Galloway, DeWitt Driscoll, Matt Lower, Matt Kyler, Kyle Fluke, Chris Reninger, Josh Weitzel, Jon Lower, Brandon Foose, Zach Kemmerer, Matt Panasevich, Brad Farley, Devon Lotito NJ: Hudson Taylor, Ricky Frondorf, TJ Miller, Jack Clark, Kevin Devoy, Pat Lynch, Scott Giffin MD: Mike Rowe, Andrew Gold, Evan Silver, Joe Breen, Ricky Tippett DE: Tommy Abbott, Connor McDonald, Codey Combs MI: Greg Mayer, Jeff Mayer, Dennis Parks, Daniel Craig IN: Case Hooper, John Sims VA: Bobby Ingram, Walker Faison New York: Ryan Needle, Kyle Ingraham, Trevor Chinn T.R. Chinn, Joe Jewett, Brandon MacWhinnie WV: Ryan Muldrew, Jason Taylor, Judd Billings We have had wrestlers from 19 states on the team before,but never one from Kentucky...so we welcome you to apply for a spot. The Ohio All-Stars are perhaps the most unique traveling team in the country. Those selected to the team will take part in an extremely unique experience. Besides a week long training camp, the team will compete in a series of dual meets across the Western USA. Along the way, they will also have the opportunity to experience many great landmarks and activities across the country. They will also have the opportunity to have private meetings with several well known athletes and individuals along the way. Past teams have had the pleasure of meeting with Former President Ronald Reagan, Cartoon Magnates William Hanna and Joseph Barbera, Olympic Champions Peter Vidmar (gymnastics), Eric Heiden (speed skating), John Naber (swimming) and Rulon Gardner (wrestling), Hall of Famers Rick Barry (basketball) and Raymond Berry (football) and Track and Field Legend Louis Zamperini (1936 Olympics and World War II Hero), among others. If any of you have any questions about the team, please feel free to contact me at bdbop@aol.com or at 614-833-5885. Yours in Wrestling, Bart Freidenberg Ohio All-Star Wrestling Team Quotes from former team members: "The Ohio All-Star Wrestling Team was a once in a lifetime experience in that it combined great competition, a month long tour of the United States and it brought together some of the best young wrestlers in Ohio and the surrounding states. To this day, I still keep in contact with several of my teammates; the majority of which, are still connected with wrestling. Our first meet during the 1989 All-Star trip was against the Sundance Wrestling Club (Utah). The team had a guy by the name of Sanderson (probably Cody) on it and if memory serves me correctly, Mr. Sanderson was coaching the team base out of Salt Lake City, Utah. When we arrived in Arizona, a guy by the name of Danny Felix was on the team that we competed against. It's ironic that those names are still very prominent today in the wrestling circles and it's a tribute to the opportunities that Bart Freidenberg has put together for over three decades." - Drew Pariano (3X Ohio State High School Champion & Current Head Wrestling Coach at Northwestern University) ------------------------------- "Quite frankly, it was one of the pivotal experiences on my life. I came from a small time with small visions and dreams. After taking that trip I realized that there was a much bigger world than my small town and that I was capable of doing anything I wanted in that world. As a wrestler I also realized that I actually had the ability to accomplish big things with it. That summer kick started my drive to become the best wrestler I could be. I wrestled at Penn State University in college and that is where our pre-trip camp was. Trust me, that was no coincidence. The exposure to PSU made me realize I wanted to wrestle in college and always had a place for PSU after that week. As a person I also grew a lot. We were held to a standard of respect and accountability, values that, as a teacher, I see many young people do not have. I learned what it meant to a part of a team. Even though we all barely knew each other we were kids far away from home and we depended each other both on and off the mat. It was without a doubt one of the single most important things that helped shape my future." - DeWitt Driscoll, Connellsville, PA (Pennsylvania State Champion) ------------------------ "The Ohio All-Star Wrestling Team gives young wrestlers a once in a lifetime opportuinity. The trip provides kids with an opportunity to visit cities and other famous structures throughout or country. I know that many of these locations I will never return to again such as the Hostle at Jackson Hole or United States Air Force Academy or the Olympic Training Center in Colorado. While on the trip there is a special bond that forms between the teammates. I know wrestlers who were on trips before and after me and we instantly have memories and experiences to share. I am also still in touch with many of the teammates from my trip, as 55 days allows you to learn things about the guys their parents may not even know. Though it may seem the focus of the trip is culture or friendship, it truly is wrestling. Athletes have daily workouts giving by rotating groups of coaches that provides a variation of technique not taught by your home coaches. Your daily workout partners are the best wrestlers across the northeast of the country so you are bound to improve your techniques and wrestling abilities to help propel you to the next level." - Drew Schaefer (State Qualifier for Chanel) ------------------------- "The Ohio All Star Team is an experience which helped shape me into the person/wrestler that I am today. I often talk about my team's trip as "The best summer of my life." The friendships and experiences are a once in a lifetime opportunity and I sincerely hope you take advantage of it. I personally have countless memories from the trip that I often look back to as motivation during the brutal wrestling season. We are part of the most grueling sport in the world, and this trip highlights how special and fun wrestling truly is." - Eric Hess (2X PIAA State Champion) Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
OhioTofC 1 Report post Posted September 8, 2011 I have received a great number of e-mails, regarding the 2012 Ohio All-Star Wrestling Team tour. I thought it might be best to try to address many of the questions by posting the responses below: Q: If it is the Ohio All-Stars, why does the team accept applications from non Ohio wrestlers? A: The Ohio All-Stars are pretty unique and are the only youth wrestling team, that we know of, that does what we do to the extent that we do. Along with the wrestling, we try to incorporate a lot of cultural and fun activities along the way (plays, amusement parks, National Parks, water parks, whitewater rafting, special guest speakers, etc...). When the team started, in 1983, it was just for Ohio high school wrestlers. In 1984 we had both a high school and middle school team, again with only Ohio wrestlers. However, we received a tremendous amount of interest from non Ohio wrestlers. and In 1985, we accepted our first two of these to our team. Since then, we have had more than 125 non Ohio wrestlers represent the OASWT. Q: What is the probability that a non Ohio wrestler will get selected? A: While Ohio wrestlers do sort of have an edge, recent years has seen about 40-60% of the roster filled by non Ohio wrestlers. A lot of this will have to deal with who all applies and at what weight they are. A large part of the selection process also hinges on the character of the wrestler and not necessarily their wrestling ability, though that does play a part in it as well. Many times, those that don't get selected will be invited to the team training camp and generally then have an edge on making the team the following year. Here is the overall breakdown on other states and the number of wrestlers they have had participate: Pennsylvania 45, New Jersey 22, Maryland 11, New York 11, Michigan 10; Delaware 6, West Virginia 6, Massachusetts 4, Connecticut 3, California 2, Indiana 2, North Carolina 2, Virginia 2, Colorado 1, Illinois 1, New Hampshire 1, Vermont 1 and Wyoming 1 - for a total of 128 different wrestlers. Q: What are the dates for the 2012 tour and where will they travel to? A: We are still working on the final dates, but are estimating that the team camp will be held around mid June and the tour would finish around the end of July or first few days of August. For the most part, the team will travel and compete in the Western USA. There is a possibility that part of the training camp could be held in New York City (we have done this several times in the past), but that is not a definite for 2012 yet. Q: We see the tour will run between $3500-$4000. Why so much? A: Actually, the team runs a very tight budget. The money raised covers airfare, rental vehicles, hotel lodging, meal money, sightseeing, equipment, exchange gifts, coaches, team videos/photos. For the most part, all an individual is responsible for is their own souvenir spending. Best thing we can do is put you in contact with a former team member's parents and you can ask them if they feel the trip was worth the money they raised. Q: How much wrestling do they do on the tour? A: First off, there is a high intense training camp held, prior to the team's departure. After that, the team is generally on the mat (practice/competition) about five times per week. However, other days may be filled with running, hiking mountains or some other activity that helps with conditioning. Generally, each wrestler will receive between 12-18 matches on the tour. However, the real benefit of the tour's wrestling comes during scheduled practice sessions. Also, a major benefit of the tour is allowing the wrestler to learn to be independent from their parents. They are responsible for managing their money, doing their own laundry, displaying proper manners, getting along with their teammates, etc... Q: Why don't you take younger/older kids on the tour? A: We have found that 6th-9th graders seem to be able to grasp the tour the best and are best able to handle the time away from home. Fifth graders may be selected, but often times they are about a year away, maturity wise, to handle things properly and have the tour be a positive experience for them. Likewise, we have taken some 10th graders, but they need to have the ability to get along well with the younger wrestlers and realize that they have limits on what is acceptable behavior. Q: Why do you limit the upper weight at 145 pounds? A: There are a few reasons for this. First off, when someone thinks they will be 145 in the summer, that can mean they will be anywhere from 145-160. In the past, we have found it difficult for the other teams to be able to find big enough kids, (without them being a lot older), to match up against our heavier weights. However, taking a 9th grade 150 pounder would not be as much of a problem as taking a 150 pound 6th or 7th grader, as the 9th grader could compete against a high school junior/senior, if necessary. It's not that wrestlers over 145 would not be considered, but we would also need to be sure that any selected wrestler will have proper workout partners on the trip - so we would need to receive at least a few to consider. Q: Can we e-mail the applications back, or do we have to mail them? A: You can submit your application either way. If e-mailing, please remember to e-mail both the completed form and a recent photo. Also, please make sure that at least one of the references you list is a non wrestling individual, such as a school teacher, guidance counselor, principal, clergyman, etc... For the most part, this reference plays a bigger role in the selection process than the wrestling reference you list. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
OhioTofC 1 Report post Posted September 14, 2011 Dear Wrestlers, Parents & Coaches, Due to the interest we have received, we are now looking at expanding the opportunity to be able to accommodate 20 - 22 wrestlers on next summer's Ohio All-Star Team. So far, we have received applications from wrestlers representing seven states, including Kentucky, and have heard, with strong interest, from those representing several others. Among those that have already applied are champions and place winners from the Ohio Tournament of Champions, Tulsa Nationals, Liberty Nationals, NUWAY Nationals, USA Folkstyle Nationals, AAU Nationals, OAC Junior High and Grade School States, OURWAY States, Ohio Youth State, Schoolboy National Dual Team members and various other State Scholastic Championships. Again, if you have any interest in having your son participate as a member of this team, I encourage you to fill out and return, either via US postal mail or e-mail, an application, which can be found at: (http://ohiotofc.com/index1.php?intId=7) Also, if you have any additional questions, please feel free to contact me and I will do my best to answer them, If necessary, I can also provide you with names/numbers of former trip wrestlers/parents, so that you can get their feelings on the Ohio All-Star tour as well. Bart Freidenberg Ohio All-Star Wrestling Team bdbop@aol.com 614-507-1653 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
OhioTofC 1 Report post Posted September 22, 2011 Dear Parents, Coaches & Wrestlers, Just a reminder that applications for the 2012 Ohio All-Star Wrestling Team are due by October 15. Those interested need to currently be in the 5th thru 9th grade, have at least a minimum of a B-/C+ grade point average, and have an anticipated Summer weight of between 60-145 pounds. If interested, an application can be found at: http://ohiotofc.com/index1.php?intId=7 and you can fill it out and mail it in, or e-mail it back. Note: Non Ohio wrestlers MAY apply for a spot on this team. For those wondering abut the team's itinerary, we are still working on the particulars, but it appears the following would be pretty close to what the final tour will look like: June 16-22 Team Training Camp June 23-August 4 Wrestling Tour - with wrestling stops in: Denver, CO Cheyenne, WY Jackson, WY Salt Lake City, UT Winnemuca, NV Reno, NV Northern California (San Francisco area) Central California (Fresno, Tulare, Bakersfield area) Southern California (Los Angeles area) Las Vegas, NV Southern Utah Green River, WY So far, we have had a lot of wrestlers, with outstanding accomplishments (TofC, Tulsa, OAC, OURWAY, NUWAY and Various State Champs and place winners) apply. If you have any additional questions, please feel free to contact me. Yours in Wrestling, Bart Freidenberg bdbop@aol.com 614-833-5885 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
