I spent quite a bit of time this
evening talking with Brad Swartz of Vision Quest Sport and Fitness about the
Regional Training Center and received the information necessary to make a
post explaining what their responsibilities are, based on the contract they
have with USAW. I have outlined the four primary responsibilities below.
1. Contact State Director and get
approval to proceed with an application as an RTC to USAW.
2. Provide 2 practices per week in the spring and summer at no charge to
wrestlers with a valid, current USAW card.
3. Provide competent staffing by coaches that are USAW Bronze level
certified.
4. Provide and follow an established schedule.
In talking with Brad it seems that
Vision Quest Sport and Fitness has fulfilled their obligations as an RTC.
Specific RTC practices have been offered 2 days a week in compliance with
the contract. They have been on Tuesdays and Thursdays but will be switched
to Wednesdays at 6-7:30 PM and Sunday 12:00-1:30 PM. These are the RTC
practices and additional practices will be available for Vision Quest
members. The schedule for those additional practices are:
Monday and Friday 6-7:30 for
advanced wrestlers.
Tuesday and Thursday 6-7:00 PM for young kids and beginners. Coach Coach
Tigart will coach the younger children and he is a past Armenian National FS
champion.
Coaching for the RTC and advanced
wrestlers will be handled by the following two individuals.
Tim Kitchen was a 4X Cadet National
AA and runner-up, 2x Jr Nat Placer and national runner-up. He was a 4X
Espoir medalists and runnerup in GR and FS, was an AA at CWU 1997. He
started his career in Washington where he was a 4X HS placer and state
champion in 1992 .
The second coach will be Matt Hoover
who was a 2X Iowa state HS champion and a 3X JR AA in FS. He was a 1994 JR
world team member and a member of 4 Div-I National championship teams from
University of Iowa. While there he spent 2 years with Dan Gable and 2 years
with Jim Zalesky. Afterwards he was a pan assistant coach at Cornell College
in Iowa under National Coach Mike Duroe. He was also a Cadet and Junior
coach for Velle Plains FS Club and was NCEP certified.
The RTC will be available from
February 1 through July 31st of each year as per USAW contract. Due to the
huge response this year, Vision Quest Sport and Fitness is going to extend
the free RTC practices through the end of 2006 as an added bonus.
Vision Quest Sport and Fitness is
available 24/7 360 days a year. If you have an interest in the complete
program check the website or call 253-333-7771 and ask for Tim Kitchen.
