WREsTLING2016

VOL. 2

MISSION STATEMENT

All-Navy Wrestling Ethos

To combine our core values of Honor, Courage and Commitmentwith the dedication and drive of a wrestler

to develop and nurture Sailors with the appropriate skill set to compete at the highest level

outside ofthe service academies. We are dedicated to the pursuit of excellence

in inter-service athletics in accordance with the mission of the Navy

and Morale Welfare and Recreation.

We are Wrestlers.through hard work, determination and sheer will

we bring victory and glory to the Navy.With anchors chained to our feet,

we will rise from the deepest trenches to the highest peaks declaring our core values of

Honor, Courage and Commitment.In times of war and peace

we wrestle our demons on and off the mat, bringing the highest honor to the world’s most dominant naval force.

We represent our naval heritage and tradition, never forgetting whence we came,

setting the foundation for what paths we pave.We are Wrestlers in the United States Navy.

ScheduleBreakdown

February 3Wednesday

0700-0915 Wrestle-offs(Greco-Roman)

1500-1630 Wrestle-offs(Freestyle)

February 4Thursday

0830-1045 All-Navy Wrestling Workout

1500-1700 All-Navy Wrestling Practice

February 5Friday

0700-0945 All-Navy Wrestling Workout

1300 Administrative Duties

February 6Saturday

0800-1030 Live Wrestling& Grind Matches(Greco-Roman)

1300-1430 Live Wrestling& Grind Matches(Greco-Roman)

February 7Sunday

0800-1030 Live Wrestling& Grind Matches

(Freestyle)

1300-1430 Live Wrestling& Grind Matches

(Freestyle)

February 8Monday

0700-0915 All-Navy CampWorkout

1500-1700 All-Navy Wrestling Practice

February 9Tuesday

1430-1530 Studio Photos Individual Portraits

and Team Photo

February 10Wednesday

0700-0915 All-Navy CampWorkout

0930-1030 All-Navy Active Recovery Workout

1500-1630 All-Navy Wrestling Practice

All-Navy Sports wrestle off

SILVERDALE, Wash. – The All-Navy Sports wrestling team held a wrestle-off tournament at Naval Base Kitsap (NBK), Feb. 3.

The tournament was formatted with single elimination matches, while finals were best of three, determining which Sailors would compete on the All-Navy wrestling team’s designated weight classes for Freestyle and Gre-co-Roman wrestling at the All Armed Forces Champion-ship.

“This is a baby step people are going home after today,” said Chief Navy Diver Alejandro Delapena, a Benton City, Washington, native stationed with Naval Undersea War-fare Center, Division Keyport Dive Locker and coach of the team. “Making the team should not be your dream. You should have Olympic dreams, to be champion.”

Wrestlers throughout the fleet normally meet up annually, training Freestyle and Greco-Roman wrestling at North-ern Michigan University, the U.S. Olympic training site for Greco-Roman wrestling. This year the championship is slated to be hosted by NBK in Bremerton, Washington so the team homeported camp at the base.

“I want the best person at that style, at that weight class,” said Delapena. “You have six minutes to prove yourself,

just prove it to yourself how far you can push yourself—give everything

that you have.”

Seventeen wrestlers faced-off for 17 different weight classes in both

styles on the team. One Sailor is able to hold a spot in both styles if

they win.

“This week [leading up to wrestle offs] has been tough yet reward-

ing,” said Interior Communications Electrician 3rd Class Austin Craig,

a Monroe, North Carolina, na-tive and one of two Sailors station

aboard USS Nimitz (CVN 68) who

160203-N-OO032-368 SILVERDALE, Wash. (Feb 3, 2016) - Aviation Electrician’s Mate 2nd Class Whit Dawkins, a Lincoln, Neb., native stationed with VP-40 Fighting Marlins, finishes a double leg takedown with a flare against Aviation Support Equipment Technician 3rd Class David Perez, an East Stroudsburg, Pa., native stationed with USS America (LHA 6), during a freestyle match in the 65kg division of the All-Navy Sports wrestle off tournament at Naval Base Kitsap. The tournament was formatted with single elimination matches, while finals were best out of three, determining which Sailors would compete on the All-Navy Wrestling team’s designated weight classes for freestyle and Greco-Roman wrestling at the All Armed Forces Championship. (U.S. Navy photo/Released)

applied and were accepted to the team’s trial camp. “We are training savagely in preparation for the [All Armed Forces Championship], which is an

Olympic trials qualifier.”

The wrestling camp started Jan. 17 and entails two-a-day wrestling practices with Tuesdays off as an

active recovery day. Wrestlers are training through minor injuries and are responsible for their own dieting and weight management and weighed-in

for their prospective weight classes Feb. 2.

“I expected another normal week of wrestling,” said Navy Diver 3rd Class Blake Borges, a Forest-

ville, California, native stationed with SEAL Deliv-ery Vehicle Team One and returning team mem-

ber. “Two days into the week my big toe swelled to the size of a tomato. [After surgery] I’m now back

in the fight and ready for wrestle offs.”

The common thread for Sailor candidates wres-tling off for the team was their mindset and dedi-

cation.

“I never feel more alive than when I’m on the mat wrestling,” said Machinist’s Mate 3rd Class James

Souza, a Puyallup, Washington native stationed

All-Navy Sports wrestle off

160203-N-OO032-153 SILVERDALE, Wash. (Feb 3, 2016) - Hospitalman Bobby Raines, a Yokoha-ma, Japan, native stationed with Naval Branch Health Clinic Port Hueneme and returning member of the All-Navy wrestling team, bridges in an attempt to escape Fireman Ryan Schmehr’s, a San Diego native stationed with USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76), pin during a Greco-Roman match in the 59kg division of the All-Navy Sports wrestle off tournament at Naval Base Kitsap. The tournament was formatted with single elimination matches, while finals were best out of three, determining which Sailors would compete on the team’s designated weight classes for freestyle and Greco-Roman wres-tling at the All Armed Forces Championship. (U.S. Navy photo/Released)

160203-N-OO032-423 SILVERDALE, Wash. (Feb. 3, 2016) - Interior Communications Electrician 3rd Class Austin Craig, a Monroe, N.C., native stationed with USS Nimitz (CVN 68) and returning member of the All-Navy wrestling team, counters Navy Diver 2nd Class David Close’s, a Mar-seilles, Ill., native stationed with Mobile Diving and Salvage Unit Two, takedown with body lock tilt during a freestyle match in the 75kg division of the All-Navy Sports wrestle off tournament at Naval Base Kitsap. The tournament was formatted with single elimination matches, while finals were best out of three, determining which Sailors would compete on the team’s designated weight classes for freestyle and Greco-Roman wrestling at the All Armed Forces Championship. (U.S. Navy photo/Released)

with USS America (LHA 6). “There’s no one who can stop me but myself and I will make sure to leave it all on the mats.”

Eleven Sailors were selected to be on the team’s 17 spots, with mul-tiple Sailors competing a different weight classes in both styles.

The All-Navy wresters will be facing off against representatives from the Army, Marine Corps and Air Force at the championship in late February.

For more information about the All-Navy Wrestling team, visit: https://www.facebook.com/All-Navy-Wrestling-

Team-172423636238080/. For more information on how to apply for All-Navy Sports, visit: http://www.navyfitness.org/all-navy-sports/na-vy-sports-application.

FN Schmehr, Ryan57kg Freestyle-59kg Greco

USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76)“I am beyond grateful that my

command gave me this great opportunity to come out and make

the team. Now that I have done that, my eyes are on taking double

gold medals. I didn’t just come here to compete, I came to win.”

OS2 Zachariah Manning125kg Freestyle-130kg Greco

USS Leyte Gulf (CG 55) “The third week of practice has

been more intense than the first two weeks. I am getting better

everyday and pushing my self past what I thought I could, mentally

and physically. In practice we have been doing a lot of grind matches getting us in the

mindset of going hard for six minutes and trying to get our opponent to quit. I cannot thank team Leyte Gulf for this great

opportunity. HOOYAH!”

AN Lance Jeffries74kg Freestyle

USS Nimitz (CVN 68) “With wrestle-offs complete, I’m

proud to say that I am the starting 74kg freestyle wrestler for the U.S.

Navy. When I joined the Navy over a year ago, making the wrestling team was one of my many goals,

and I made it happen. It’s a great opportunity and I am very grateful to represent my branch of service doing something I love.

My mission isn’t over yet though, making the team was just the first step, now all I have in my mind is winning the Armed Forces

Championships.”

AS3 David Perez65kg Freestyle-66kg Greco [2nd String]USS America (LHA 6)“Camp continues to go well. As we are approaching the tournament, I have been helping to keep the team ready mentally and physically. We are all facing our own small battles, whether it is of the mind or of the

body. I am confident that all of the hard work will pay off and those

competing will see success.”

OS3 Abril Ramirez63kg FreestyleUSS Halsey (DG 97)“Since I’ve been here I’ve gained so much, I’ve acquired new friendships and the motivation to keep pushing myself. Every practice my teammates push me to do my best and it inspires

me to keep pushing and not give up. Its been a while since I’ve had this drive to be the best I can be and I’m really blessed to have been given this opportunity and train with these amazing athletes. I know that my teammates and I will do great at the Armed Forces Championship.”

HN Bobby Hiro Raines61kg FreestyleNaval Branch Health Clinic Port Hueneme“I’m extremely thankful that my command has been very supportive of my wrestling. For my second year trying out for the team, I’m not able to compete at the specific weight I

was planning to wrestle but I will be representing the Navy at a higher weight class. Now that I will be competing, the next step is gold—One step at a time until I achieve that Olympic dream.”

ND2 David Close80kg GrecoMDSU-2“I’m proud to be competing for the All-Navy wrestling team at the Armed Forces Championships, and thank those at MDSU-2 who supported my journey to this point. Training has intensified as the team

moves on from tryouts to preparation for the tournament. I’ve had significant improvements in skill each and every day, and will continue this as we strengthen the team for the final week.”

The Team

IC3 Austin Craig75kg Greco

USS Nimitz (CVN 68) “Being an Olympic champion has been a dream of mine since 2007. I am extremely blessed to be able to say that being on the All-Navy wrestling team has brought me a

stepping-stone closer to my ultimate dream. Not being a starter last year has driven me to

push as hard as I can and improve as fast as possible. I’m excited to participate in my first Armed Forces Championship. I feel it

would be a great measuring block I’m looking forward to embracing the grind and leaving it all on the mat.”

ND3 Blake Borges70kg Freestyle

SDVT-1“Aloha, from Washington State!

All I crave is pancakes and Gold. Go USA!”

MM3 James Souza85kg Freestyle-86kg Greco

USS America (LHA 6)“The opportunity to wrestle for the

Navy influenced my decision to serve. Being able to live my dream

and grind on the mat along with all my years of training will come

to fruition at the Armed Forces Championshp. It’s only a matter of time, I’ll be the champ.”

AE2 White Dawkins65kg Freestyle-66kg Greco

VP-40“This week has been better as my body is adjusting to the training

schedule. My body won’t give me a break though—if it’s not one thing it’s another. My left ear has swollen

up and it isn’t too long before the cauliflower ear sets in. If you are not familiar with cauliflower

ear essentially it occurs when the ear gets damaged—in my case it’s rubbing on other people and the mat. It swells up with blood

and then kills the cartilage from lack of nutrients and creates scar tissue that looks like cauliflower, but enough about poor

me. If you would like to come see the team and me wrestle it’s going down February 20th and 21st at the Bremerton gym all day starting at 0900. If you can’t make it I understand, we are

busy gearing up for deployment.”

AEAN Joseph K. Blaes 97kg Freestyle-98kg GrecoHSC-4“We are in the home stretch of the intense practices sessions. Almost every session we are doing live goes trying to break one another, but building each other up in the end. I won my wrestle-offs, both Freestyle and Greco-Roman, so now I will

officially be representing the Navy at 97kg and 98kg at the Armed Forces Championships. I am extremely grateful and blessed that my hard work is paying off in making the team, but it’s not the final goal. I still have the goals of winning the Armed Forces Championship, which qualifies you for the Olympic Trials. I truly know that anything is possible and if I take it one match at a time this experience can take me to places I never thought could be possible.”

MA2 Bobby Yamashita71kg GrecoNAS Pensacola“The battles on the mats are definitely getting physical and borderline unnecessary as we’ve been brawling, clubbing, pushing each other off the mats, into walls, crushing ribs, burying faces into the

mats and just flat out trying to embarrass and kill each other. Usually I’m pretty calm and poised but even I was getting so frustrated because I couldn’t get anything going against my partner and I punched/slapped him in the face but he showed his toughness and kept wrestling like nothing phased him. That was a coward move on my part and I need to do a better job of being fearless by executing my technique and shining in the moment for the whole match especially when they’re bringing the heat, but great job to my partners because they’re making everything tougher on me and I know that’s the only way I’m going to get better. As always I’m truly thankful for being healthy and being able to pursue my dreams.”

MASN Justice Shorter97kg Freestyle-98kg Greco [2nd String]Strategic Weapons Facility Pacific“I feel like I’m taking a step in the right direction. Being apart of this team is a wonderful experience and one of the many I hope to have with this team. The next step is the Armed Forces Championship.”

The Team

9 AM-5 PM | BREMERTON FITNESS COMPLEXFeaturing the best wrestlers from the Army, Air Force,

Navy, and Marines. All are encouraged to come enjoy the event.NBK.SPORTS@NAVYLIFEPNW.COM, 360-315-2132/476-9414

Connect with Us!/EverettFFR/KitsapFFR

/WhidbeyFFR

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