Colorado's Team Excel Tribute Dinner
Where:
Denver Athletic Club
1325 Glenarm Pl.
Denver, CO 80204
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When:
Wednesday Evening, December 30th, 2009
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Schedule:
Social Hour: 5 pm
Dinner: 6 pm
Awards: 6:30
pm
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At this year's 9th Annual Colorado Excel "Hall of Heroes" Tribute Dinner, we will honor each of our 55 Colorado Junior Olympic Program wrestlers. We will also recognize two Hall of Heroes inductees.
 
The first "Hall of Heroes" inductee for this year is Excel Advisory Board Member Arno Niemand.
It is an honor to induct Arno Niemand to the Excel Wrestling "Hall of Heroes" this year in Denver, CO.
Arno has served as a member of Excel's Advisory Board of Directors for the past 10 years. He has been instrumental in the success of the organization and his overall association with the sport of wrestling has touched many lives.
Arno Niemand wrestled for Cornell University...click here for full story.
The second "Hall of Heroes" inductee for this year is Larry Nugent.
It is with great pleasure that we induct USA Wrestling's Director of Development Larry Nugent into the 2009 Excel Wrestling "Hall of Heroes". Larry has left his mark on the wrestling community over the past 30 years and continues to be a leader within our sport for marketing and promotion. His endeavors have taken him from wrestler to coach to marketing, promoting and managing events as Director of Development with the USA Wrestling National Office in Colorado Springs, CO.
Larry grew up in Oregon...click here for full story.
We will also recognize two individuals in addition to our event sponsors and Hall of Heroes inductees.
Special presentations...
The "John Olivas" Award - honored for outstanding work in news coverage of wrestling in Colorado. This year's award goes to Roy True, founder and editor of www.cowrestling.com. Roy is from Greeley, CO and has been doing the cowrestling.com website now for six years covering alll levels of wrestling in Colorado. Congratulations Roy and thanks for all you do!
(John Olivas, Sr. was a devoted Excel dad, who covered wrestling for many years running both the coloradowrestling website and the Rocky Mountain Wrestling Newspaper. His son John, Jr. [1985-2004] was an outstanding Excel wrestler and State champion for Roosevelt High School in Johnstown, CO.)
The "Tyler Graff " Award - honored for outstanding character both on and off the wrestling mat. This year's award goes to Connor Medbery. Connor Medbery is a Colorado State Champion from Loveland HS. He is a Fargo Champion and four time All American. He has been a part of the Excel Program in Northern Colorado for nine years and looks to win his 2nd State Championship this year. Congratulations Connor!
(Tyler Graff was one of the most accomplished wrestlers to ever come through the Excel Wrestling program and the state of Colorado. Coach Knight worked with Tyler for many years growing up and continues to work with him today through the NYAC freestyle wrestling team.)
- Information:
The night will begin with a social hour at 5pm and dinner following at 6pm.
All funds raised from the Excel Tribute Dinner go toward supporting financial need-based scholarships for wrestlers in the Colorado Excel Junior Olympic Program.
- Cost: $40 per plate for adults, $20 per plate for all teenagers and below. All Colorado Excel Wrestler's dinners are complimentary.
Please contact the Excel Wrestling office for table sponsorship, individual and group ticket info at 303.931.3973.
Excel Wrestling
Winter Break Camp
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Where: 2 Colorado Locations
North Denver location: Fairview High School, Boulder, CO
South Denver location: Ponderosa High School, Parker, CO
(see application for camp location addresses)
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When: December 28th-December 30th, 2009
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Camp Information: The Excel Winter Break camp will focus specifically on takedown wrestling. Technique areas: Low heel finishes, setups to shots - single, double, etc., short offense, defensive and more! We will do a lot of "live wrestling". Clinicians will also speak about life, motivation for the sport and specifically what it takes to step up to the next level of achievement!
- Downloadable Flyer/Registration Form: Download the Camp Flyer for more information about the camp! (PDF Format)
- Camp Registration: Click here to register online
- Featured Clinicians: Mark Branch, Evan Knight, and Steve Knight
 Mark Branch is the Head Coach at the University of Wyoming, now in his second year. He led Wyoming to the 2009 Western Wrestling Conference title and was voted the Western Wrestling Conference Coach of the Year. Branch comes to Wyoming from Oklahoma State University where he was the Associate Head Wrestling Coach. He was a part of five NCAA team championships as a coach and student-athlete at OSU. As a college wrestler, Branch was a member of OSU's 1994 NCAA Championship team, and served on the coaching staff for OSU's 2002, 2003, 2004 and 2005 NCAA titles.
Branch was a 4 x NCAA All American for Oklahoma State and one of the most accomplished college wrestlers in US history. He finished his college career as a 2 x NCAA Champion and a 4 x NCAA Finalist. He was also a 4 x Big 12 Academic All American for OSU. We wish Coach Branch much success at the University of Wyoming and we look forward to having him as one of our clinicians at this year's Winter Camp.
 Evan Knight has grown up in the Excel Wrestling program both in Colorado and Iowa. He will be working with his dad Steve this year at Excel's 15th Annual Winter Camp. Evan is a 3 x Iowa High School State finalist and a 2 x Iowa State Champion. He is in his senior year at Urbandale High School in Urbandale, IA. Evan is also a Fargo USA Wrestling All American in Freestyle and was one of the nation's top recruits this year in several national polls. He recently committed to Cornell University in Ithaca, NY and plans to wrestle there at 184lbs. He is working toward his third Iowa High School State Championship and looks forward to seeing many of his Colorado friends at this year's camp.
 Steve Knight has been a member of the US National Teams Coaching Staff for the past 13 years along with coaching on the US Freestyle Circuit for the New York Athletic Club. He served on the US Olympic Staff in 2000 and 2004. He has coached in World Cup competition and two World Freestyle Championships. He also coached the US team at the Pan American Championships in 2004 and 2009.
Steve is a 2x Iowa HS State Champion, Iowa State Big 12 Champion, NCAA American and US Pan American Gold Medalist at 62kgs. He enters his 15th year working as Head Coach and Executive Director of Excel Wrestling, USAW Junior Olympic Program.
Camp Schedule:
South Denver Location
Ponderosa High School 7007 Bayou Gulch Rd (Bayou Gulch and Parker Rd) Parker, CO 80134 (enter on southwest side of building)
December 28th
11am - 12pm, Registration/check in
Session One, 12 - 2pm - Technique with Evan Knight
Break, 2 - 2:30pm
Session Two, 2:30 - 4pm - Technique Review and Live wrestling
December 29th
Session Three, 12 - 2pm - Technique with Mark Branch
Break, 2 - 2:30pm
Session Four, 2:30 - 4pm - Technique Review and Live wrestling
December 30th
Session Five, 9 - 11am - Red Flag Workout & Motivation with Steve Knight
North Denver Location
Fairview High School,
1515 Greenbriar Boulevard
Boulder, CO 80305
December 28th
3 - 4:00pm, Registration/check in
Session One, 4 - 6pm - Technique with Evan Knight
Break, 6 - 6:30pm
Session Two, 6:30 - 8pm - Technique Review and Live wrestling
December 29th
Session Three, 4 - 6pm - Technique with Mark Branch
Break, 6 - 6:30pm
Session Four - 6:30 - 8pm - Technique Review and Live wrestling
December 30th
Session Five, noon - 2pm, Red Flag Workout & Motivation with Steve Knight
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