Aug. 11, 2005: Wrestling USA Magazine

Sandy Youth Takes Two National Wrestling Titles at State Games of America

(Sandy, Utah) Aug. 11, 2005 — Ten-year-old William Kilpack of Sandy earned two wrestling National Championships at the State Games of America held recently in Colorado Springs, Colo. The titles were earned in freestyle and folkstyle wrestling.

Kilpack, who just completed his fourth-grade year at Sunrise Elementary School, won the gold in folkstyle by going undefeated in the 70-pound weight class in the Midget Division (9 and 10 year olds). Not only did he beat every opponent, but he won every match by fall, and not one opponent scored a single point on him.

Coach Bill Kilpack (III) said, "William's folkstyle tournament was about as perfect a tournament as I can imagine. To walk through a national tournament like that is just unheard of. He didn't give up a single point, and he pinned everybody. I can't even think of a single thing he should have done differently. That's really something."

Kilpack also won the title in freestyle, each win coming by way of fall, although not as dominantly as in the previous tournament. "I'm not surprised that he didn't pull off the perfect tournament in freestyle," Coach Kilpack said. "He was functioning at such a high level on day one, that's a tall order to maintain that over an extended period. If nothing else, fatigue becomes a major factor in these multiple-day tournaments. But he still pulled off an amazing tournament."

The two national titles at the State Games of America are not Kilpack's first. He took a national championship in Greco-Roman a few weeks ago at the AAU Grand Nationals in Santa Fe, NM, two more All-American finishes in freestyle and folkstyle, and All-American finishes in freestyle and Greco-Roman at the USA Wrestling Kids Nationals held in Green Bay, Wis., in early July.

Kilpack said, "I feel really good about winning the championships in the State Games. Now I have a National Championship in all three styles. There aren't very many people who have done that."

Kilpack will be a fifth-grader at Sunrise Elementary School in the new school year. He said he wants to one day wrestle the Pan-Am Games, and to be an Olympic champion. He said, "It will take lots of practice, lots of hard work, wrestling smart in the important matches, and making sure that I maintain my skills from now until I don't wrestle anymore."

The State Games of America is a national tournament held every other year. The qualifiers for the tournament are the previous two years' Summer Games in each state. Kilpack is now a six-time gold medalist in the Utah Summer Games, winning championships in all three styles in 2004 (qualifier for this year's State Games of America) and 2005.

Mountain Top Wrestling Club is a nonprofit 501(c)3 corporation dedicated to providing a venue for individuals to learn, develop and refine their athletic skills and abilities; and teaching the rules and regulations of freestyle, folkstyle and Greco-Roman wrestling. It is open to male and female athletes ages four and older who live anywhere in the State of Utah. Practices will resume at the beginning of next season in January 2006 at Jordan High School. For more information, call 641-9832, e-mail coach@mountaintopwrestling.com or visit them on the Worldwide Web at http://www.mountaintopwrestling.com.