PRTC Wrestling

Richard Perry Top 6 at Olympic Trials

2016-04-15

Rich Perry of the Pennsylvania Regional Training Center finished in the top 6 at the Olympic Trials held in Iowa City, IA this past weekend. Perry began his run for Olympic glory as the 7-seed against the 10-seed Tyler Caldwell of Sunkist Wrestling Club. Through solid preparation, Perry was able to explode to his offensive attacks and close out a dominating 10-4 performance. Perry had a highlight 4 point single leg that he transitioned into a driving double leg takedown which had so much explosion, it sent both wrestlers flying and tumbling in the air.

Perry next met 2-seed and 4x NCAA Champion Kyle Dake. Perry controlled the majority of the match by using his speed and explosiveness to take advantage of his opportunities. The first period ended on a questionable two which was awarded to Dake for a chest lock throw while he was out of bounds. The original scoring had two points awarded to Perry, while after the review it was determined that the two points were to go to Dake. This small exchange was the difference between going into the halftime with a 7-2 lead, as opposed to the called 5-4 score. To begin the second period, Perry jumped the angle on a front headlock and cinched a cradle, which was inches from a fall and gave him a 7-4 lead with 2:30 to go in the match. After multiple blood-time stoppages, Dake went on a scoring spree and finished off Perry’s chances of wrestling in Rio this summer. Dake won 10-7.

Although the ultimate goal was unachieved, Perry showcased his mental toughness by bouncing back and rattling off two consecutive victories on the back side of the bracket. Perry put away Clayton Foster of Titan Mercury Wrestling Club with a vicious cradle. That was the third time the pair had wrestled this year, with Perry extending his margin of victory in each consecutive match. That win propelled Perry into the Consi-Quarter Round against Deron Winn, the champion of the Last Chance Qualifier the weekend before. Perry controlled most of the positions in the match and looked extremely dominant as he moved onto the Consi-Semi Round with an 8-4 decision. There he met Keith Gavin, a veteran on the Senior International Circuit. Perry led the first period 1-0, but was taken down with a single leg that fell into a tight leg lace, which Gavin was able to roll through three times before Perry could cut it loose. Perry lost the match 8-1 and finished his Olympic Trials with a 3-2 record. Perry will spend his off-season building his body and his mind to compete at the highest levels of the sport again next season. He will also help grow the sport of wrestling with Beat The Streets Philadelphia as a mentor to inner-city youth.

“Although I didn’t reach my goal to qualify for Rio, I walked on the mat each time relaxed, ready to have fun, and ready to give my best effort. I’ve made gain from last years performance at the US World Team Trials but I still don’t believe I’ve wrestled close to my potential and that excites me.” – Richard Perry

Results

1st Round / Round of 16: vs. Tyler Caldwell (Sunkist) – 10-4 Perry

2nd Round / Quarters: vs. Kyle Dake (TMWC) – 7-10 Dake

3rd Round / Consi pigtail: vs. Clayton Foster (WY RTC )- FALL Perry

4th Round / Consi Quarters: vs. Deron Winn (TMWC) – 8-4 Perry

5th Round / Consi Semis: vs. Keith Gavin (TMWC) – 1-8 Gavin

Brandon Slay Named Executive Director & Head Coach of Prtc

2016-04-06

University of Pennsylvania alumnus Brandon Slay, a gold medalist in freestyle wrestling at the 2000 Sydney Olympics, will assume responsibilities as Executive Director and Head Coach of the Pennsylvania Regional Training Center based in Philadelphia. Slay graduated from Penn’s prestigious Wharton School of Business in 1998, with a dual concentration in Finance and Entrepreneurial Management. He has served as National Freestyle Development & Resident Coach for USA Wrestling since 2008.

The Pennsylvania Regional Training Center (PRTC), established in August of 2014, is a designated Regional Training Center (RTC) by USA Wrestling under the United States Olympic Committee (USOC). The PRTC is the only one of its kind in the nation – a collaboration of Philadelphia’s two NCAA Division I programs with the University of Pennsylvania and Drexel University serving as the designated training sites. The Pennsylvania RTC will serve as an elite training organization for three age group levels, including Olympic, collegiate, and scholastic wrestlers.

“The collaboration between Penn and Drexel presents a tremendous opportunity, providing twice the number of college coaches, twice the number of college athletes, and shared infrastructure,” stated Slay.

By regulation, RTC’s are permitted to attract qualified athletes from within a 250-mile radius. Slay added, “There is no better hotbed in the nation of youth, scholastic, and collegiate wrestling than the 250-mile radius around Penn and Drexel. This fact puts us in position to build something very unique, and very special at the Pennsylvania RTC.”

The impact on opportunities for Penn and Drexel’s programs is significant. Alex Tirapelle, head coach at Penn, stated, “I’m excited for Penn’s program to work with and learn from Brandon. He has reached the pinnacle of our sport as both a coach and a competitor, all the while displaying the type of character we expect from our student-athletes and coaches. The leadership and experience he brings to the Pennsylvania RTC will have an immediate impact on international, collegiate, and scholastic wrestling in our region. I cannot imagine a better fit for this position.”

Matt Azevedo, head coach at Drexel, added, “The Pennsylvania RTC has created a unique opportunity for Drexel wrestlers to train side-by-side with Penn wrestlers and some of the nation’s top Olympic hopefuls. I strongly believe that freestyle training is an important part of any wrestler’s overall development. That’s why I am so excited for Brandon Slay to be the new PRTC Executive Director & Head Coach. He has the ability to make the PRTC one the most influential and successful RTCs in the country, and serve the local scholastic and club community. Brandon is an amazing leader and he will bring a wealth of knowledge to share with our athletes and coaches.”

Slay, one of the coaches leading Team USA to the 2016 Rio Olympic Games, noted that five of the eight 2015 USA Wrestling Freestyle World Team members hailed from within the Pennsylvania RTC’s training radius. Former Penn Head Coach Roger Reina, currently the President and Chairman of the Board of the PRTC and Senior Associate Athletic Director at Penn, added “The wrestling ecosystem in our region includes the PRTC collaboration between Penn and Drexel, the impressive youth and scholastic wrestling communities, combined with the outstanding mission of Beat The Streets Philly (which has introduced 22 new school wrestling programs in Philadelphia and Camden, serving over 1,200 student-athletes). These communities provide a powerful environment like no other in the United States.”

“With Brandon coming to lead the Pennsylvania RTC, we envision furthering opportunities for members of our community to advance their national and international aspirations in the sport of amateur wrestling, as well as serve the community on and off the mats,” stated Clinton Matter, a teammate of Brandon’s on record-setting Penn teams in the late 90’s, Vice President of the PRTC, Chairman of Beat The Streets Philly, and a hedge fund manager for Weiss Associates in New York City. “This is a very exciting moment in time for the sport of wrestling in the United States and our region.”

Penn’s Matt Valenti, a two-time NCAA Champion and 2012 Olympic Trials placewinner, added, “This is an sensational opportunity for the PRTC, Penn, Drexel and the Mid Atlantic Region. Brandon’s accolades alone– Olympic champion, two-time NCAA finalist and Penn alumnus – are enough to inspire local student-athletes and coaches. Yet it is the character traits behind those accomplishments that will truly lay the foundation for success of the PRTC. We are fortunate to have such a dedicated, humble and genuine person to lead this program toward a very bright future.”

Penn’s famous Palestra, in Greek literal translation meaning “House of Wrestling,” was Slay’s home arena throughout college. “The Palestra has been a destination venue for terrific scholastic, collegiate and international events over the years,” Slay said. These include 3 NWCA College All Star Meets, 2 USA Wrestling World Team Trials, the 1992 Olympic Team Trials, and this past year FloWrestling’s Who’s #1 Dual Meet Championships. “The PRTC will look to bring major events to Philadelphia and the Palestra. The fan base in our region is second to none,” Slay added.

– The Palestra – “House of Wrestling” hosting the 2014 National Wrestling Coaches Association All Star Meet

Slay will be inducted into the National Wrestling Hall of Fame, as a Distinguished Member, on June 5, 2016 in Stillwater, OK. During Slay’s collegiate career at Penn, his accomplishments included two appearances in the NCAA finals, a pair of EIWA championships, and two Ivy League Wrestler of the Year honors. In addition, Slay won every age group national freestyle title available including Espoir National Freestyle and Greco Roman Champion, University National Freestyle Champion, US Open Freestyle National Champion and Outstanding Wrestler, and Olympic Champion.

“For the Pennsylvania RTC, its time to reimagine the possible,” stated Slay.

– Brandon Slay, en route to 2000 Olympic Gold Medal in Sydney

For more information, contact the Pennsylvania RTC here.

Mitcheff and Bethea Results at the Last Chance Olympic Trials Qualifier

2016-04-04

Danny Mitcheff finished in 2nd place at the Last Chance Olympic Trials Qualifier this past weekend in Cedar Falls, Iowa at the UNI Dome. Mitcheff had a tremendous tournament racking up three consecutive tech falls on his road to the finals. Mitcheff scored at least 11 points in three out of four matches, including an 11-0 technical fall over Andrew Hochstrasser, an opponent that beat Mitcheff in the semi-finals of the US Open one year ago. Mitcheff has dedicated the past few years to chasing his Olympic dream, but was halted by NC State Assistant Coach Obe Blanc in the finals. With only the champion of the tournament advancing to this week’s Olympic Trials in Iowa City, Mitcheff will be forced to be a spectator for the competition. Danny has done an outstanding job with his training and participation with the RTC and Beat The Streets Philadelphia programs. His contributions have been greatly appreciated. The Pennsylvania RTC is confident that Mitcheff’s best wrestling is still ahead of him.

Mitcheff Results:

Mitcheff over Ludwin TF 11-0

Mitcheff over Kuhn TF 11-0

Mitcheff over Hochstrasser TF 12-2

Blanc over Mitcheff TF 11-0

Canaan Bethea finished the Last Chance Olympic Trials Qualifier with a 1-2 record. He drew a tough Josh Asper in the first round, and fell into the consolations where he picked up a solid victory over Anthony Bonaventura in the next round. His third opponent would be his final match of the tournament, as he dropped a 15-8 nail biter to Frank Richmond. Bethea went on a few scoring bursts in the match, but was unable to overcome the front-headlock turns from Richmond. Bethea’s effort was evident in his training and in his competition. After just graduating last May, his international career is only in the beginning stages. He will make the trip to Iowa City to help prepare fellow Pennsylvania RTC teammate Richard Perry for his shot at Olympic glory. Canaan is a valuable contributor to Beat The Streets Philadelphia, and is also a co-founder of Beat The Streets Trenton. Bethea is an elite human-being, on and off of the mat.

Bethea Results:

Asper over Bethea Dec 7-0

Bethea over Bonaventura Dec 9-1

Richmond over Bethea Dec 15-8

Mitcheff and Bethea to Compete at the Last Chance Qualifier

2016-03-31

This weekend, Pennsylvania RTC resident athletes Danny Mitcheff and Canaan Bethea will travel to Cedar Falls, Iowa to compete at the Last Chance Qualifying tournament. The field will be loaded with top athletes from across the country competing for the last remaining spot at the Olympic Trials. Only the winner in each weight class will secure the coveted spot at the Olympic Trials.

Danny and Canaan have made tremendous progress over the year and the PRTC wishes both the best.

Richard Perry Top American Placer at Prestigious Medved Cup

2016-03-31

It’s been a long road for PRTC resident athlete Richard Perry. After graduating with All-American honors from Bloomsburg University, Richard embarked on a coaching career at American University while simultaneously training for his own Olympic aspirations.

With only medial results, Richard came to the realization that he must commit to training full-time if he were to have a chance of meeting his lofty goals. Now entering his second year at the PRTC, his decision is beginning to pay off in spades.

Per Richard, “Once I realized that I couldn’t give both training and coaching the amount of time needed to being the best, I had to step down and focus on training. The window for competing is small and with every day it shuts a little more.”

Following Richard’s 7th place finish at last year’s US Open, Richard has made steady progress. He placed 3rd at the Bill Farrell Open and 5th at this year’s US Open. Richard then traveled to Minsk, Belarus to compete the highly competitive Medved Grand Prix, where he was a Silver medalist. Richard’s path to the finals included a decisive 9-1 win in the semis over home country favorite Mahamedau who had beaten defending US Open Champion Kyle Dake in the previous round. Richard’s Silver Medal finish was the highest American finish at the tournament.

With an Olympic Trials spot locked up, Richard is now in final preparations for a run to represent the USA in Rio. “Richard is progressing extremely well and is on the right track to break through at the 2016 Olympic trials,” says PRTC President, Roger Reina.

The PRTC would like to congratulate Richard on his recent success and wishes him the best at the Trials.

Strong Prtc Showing at the Bill Farrell International

2015-11-24

After several months of training at home in University City, Philadelphia, PA, as well as the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, CO, our athletes finally got to shine at the 1st Olympic Trials Qualifier, The Bill Farrell International. With that said, the field was very tough having top ranked wrestlers from USA and International senior levels entered in at each weight class. Dan Mitcheff 57 KG, Canaan Bethea 86 KG, and Richard Perry 86 KG all made their debuts representing the PRTC.

Starting the PRTC off at 57kg Dan Mitcheff had an impressive day. First match 6-0 win against Canada. Second match 10-0 tech against Mark McKnight. Third match Danny ends up getting caught on his back against Ali Nasser of USA. He goes on to wrestle back and beat Alan Walters 7-0, then 10-0 tech against Frank Perrelli before losing 12-2 to Dan Dennis who placed 3rd.

Next Canaan Bethea our recent signee from UPenn (Finished 7th at University Nationals) not only makes his debut at the international level but receives a bye in the first round. He then unfortunately gets paired against his training partner Richard Perry who knows him all to well and gives Canaan his first loss. Canaan wrestling tough in his second match gets caught in a gut wrench that ended the match for him. Canaan is young and has a bright future ahead of him!

Richard Perry nearly had a perfect day. He opens up with a 10-0 tech against Andrew Sorenson. Next match he wrestled Bethea. Perry then avenges a loss from last years Nationals by defeating Ryan Loder which sends him to the Semis. Perry loses a one-point heart breaker which had the room on their feet to top ranked Ed Ruth. The match went back and forth with questionable calls that ultimately cost Perry the loss. Despite his loss, Perry stayed focused and rallied to win two tough matches earning himself a bronze medal!!!

All in all it was a strong showing and lets us know what we need to do to put ourselves in a position to get on the this year’s Olympic Team. Next stop US NATIONALS in LAS VEGAS! #PRTC