SMWC All-Stars "Best of the Best" |  |
Note: You have reached our 2001/2002 edition. Practices are currently Monday - Wednesday - 6:30 to 8:30 Sandberg MS, VA and Tuesday - Thursday - 6:30 to 8:30 Riverdale Baptist HS, MD. The Riverdale Baptist HS multi-purpose room. The Sandburg Middle School practices are in Virginia off of Fort Hunt Road in S Alexandria, in Northern Virginia by the Wilson bridge until March. Additional information on this non-profit youth club, the kids competitive branch of Southern Maryland Wrestling Club, can be obtained by contacting us here.
Note: When schools are closed in PG County due to various reasons, practices are also cancelled at GP.
The 1999/2000 and the 2000/2001 All- Stars won the CAWL Dual Meet Crown, the CAWL League Championships, and the MD/VA Beltway State Championships.
This is it. You've come to the big leagues in kids wrestling. The long time showcase and training grounds for young wrestling stars in the DC metro region, this is the youth team that has continually produced national champions, national record holders, and many Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia, and Pennsylvania state high school champions over an extended number of years. Below you will find information for potential members about our youth select wrestling team, the SMWC All-Stars. The accelerated youth program sponsored by Southern Maryland Wrestling Club is structured primarily for experienced youth wrestlers, or those wrestlers who are high school age but need to refine their technique. We do have some beginners join our program so they can learn by "fire" the "right way to do it". Most advance to become contenders within a short time.
Affiliated with USAW and AAU
ABOUT THE TEAM
Fielding highly successful programs over many
years, the current SMWC youth team competes in the Capital Area Wrestling League
and regional tournaments until late February, when the league championship
qualifies regional wrestlers for the beltway state championships.
Following the state championships and the open Age/wt State Championships,
the team is very active in national level youth competitions.
Our team is the only advanced competition team for young wrestlers in PG County, and also the closest to Calvert County for Southern Maryland wrestlers. We are also to closest advanced team for Virginia youth wrestlers living in the southern beltway region.
While the focus of the team is for young advanced wrestlers, older wrestlers may practice with us provided they are SMWC members and also have current USAW cards. We welcome coaches from other area programs, as well as open wrestlers who want to have fun while helping some great young talent. We also welcome very young wrestlers who are just being exposed to the sport but not ready to compete in league competitions yet.
Our 2001/2002 team
will feature some tremendous talent. These are kids who will dominate
competition no matter where they show up. Included among this years squad are
such young national level stars as Lucus Black, Jonathan
Farringer, Steve Sargent, and Matt Jones.
We have a couple of other dark horse stars waiting in the wings
as well, plus a whole new crop of younger wrestlers (5 & 6 yr old)
not quite ready for
the serious competitions yet.
You can tell how strong a youth program you have by how many knowledgeable wrestlers and coaches show up with their own kids. Many regional high school coaches, athletic directors, and former outstanding wrestlers, some driving considerable distance to participate. We are also likely the only youth team around that often has several high school state champions show up at our practices to learn additional skills on a regular basis throughout our season.
The SMWC All-Stars is the premier feeder program for high school wrestlers in the DC region.
Among those from last season's championship team who enter the high school varsity
ranks this season include Maryland's top prospect, National AAU Triple Crown Champion Mike Rowe,
and Virginia's top prospect Brent Jones.
Our members come to our team from many sources. We practice and believe in the old wrestling saying: "If you want to become the best, you need to work with the best, coaches and team mates." We also have a motto: "All Champions Must Pay Their Dues Here" . Don't expect an easy road to victory, only a sure road that you will get out what you are willing to put in. If your wrestler wants the easy road and and to have easy wins in order to "gain confidence" without learning the advanced skills to beat the best, then we suggest he stay in the junior leagues as this is the Beltway League, top of the line for this region. most wrestlers in advanced programs have historically become high school contenders their first year in high school and are seriously looked at by college coaches for scholarships down the road. No BS on this, just the facts.
1999/2000 SMWC All-Stars Flyer.
2000/2001 CAWL & MD/VA State
Champions
SMWC All-Stars
COACHING INFORMATION
Our coaching staff features some of the most respected coaching talent in the region.
These are serious coaches. Each is well experienced in all styles of wrestling and
have significant coaching and competition backgrounds.
The SMWC All-Stars are coached by former Iowa wrestler and
Virginia HS coach Rick Jones.
His assistant coach is
MSWA Hall-of-Fame member Bruce Gabrielson.
Among those who attend and help on a regular basis include former Espoir National Champion and 1996 Olympic Freestyle Contender Jason Gabrielson and former Maryland State Champion Steve Arslanian.
Drop by a practice any night and see what it takes to step to the top.