Aug.
7, 2007: Wrestling USA
Magazine
Sandy and West Jordan Youths Win Wrestling National
Championships
(Sandy, Utah) Aug. 7, 2007 — Twelve-year-olds William
Kilpack of Sandy and Justin Schwendiman of West Jordan won
national championships in wrestling at the State Games of
America, held in Colorado Springs, Colo., Aug. 4-5, 2007.
Both won titles in both styles of wrestling featured at
the biannual national competition: freestyle, one of the
international styles practiced in the Olympic Games; and
folkstyle, the style practiced in high school and college
in the United States.
Kilpack just completed his sixth-grade year at Sunrise
Elementary School, and rounded out an outstanding season
by pinning every opponent he met in the tournament,
without allowing a single point to be scored against him.
Previously this season, he was Utah's only All-American at
the USA Wrestling Kids Nationals in Green Bay, where he
took fourth in Greco-Roman and second in freestyle; won
another national title in folkstyle and runner-up finishes
in freestyle and Greco-Roman at the AAU Grand Nationals,
in Butte, Mont.; and won titles in freestyle and
Greco-Roman at the 11-state USA Wrestling Western Regional
Championships in Klamath Falls, Ore. Kilpack is now a
seven-time national champion, and an eight-time state
champion. He was also named the Intermountain Champion for
the Novice (ages 11 and 12) division in freestyle and
Greco-Roman wrestling in the first year of the
Intermountain Champion Series.
Schwendiman, who just finished the sixth grade at
Heartland Elementary, also finished out a great season,
with an All-American finish at the U.S. Folkstyle
Nationals, where he placed third; two AAU state
championships; and two USA Wrestling-Utah state
third-place finishes. He finished second behind his
teammate for the Novice Intermountain Champion title.
These were Schwendiman's first two national titles,
although he is a four-time All-American.
Kilpack and Schwendiman were two of only three Utahns
competing in wrestling at the State Games of America.
Athletes from 21 states competed in the wrestling
tournaments, after qualifying in their respective state
games in one or both of the previous two years.
In 2005, Kilpack took titles in both styles at the
State Games of America, also.
Kilpack and Schwendiman are members of Mountain Top
Wrestling Club, a nonprofit organization operating through
Salt Lake County Rec, which practices at Jordan High
School. Coach and father Bill Kilpack (III) said, "William
has all the potential in the world and, despite all that
he's done already, is really just starting to take off as
an athlete. It's humbling to see someone as young as he is
doing things that I couldn't until I was quite a bit
older."
Kilpack has been recognized by the club coaching staff
as one of the team's Outstanding Wrestlers each of the
past seven years. He is currently ranked as the top
Novice-division wrestler in Utah (regardless of weight)
and the top Kids-division wrestler in the state (ages four
to 14, regardless of weight). He has won nine
championships at the Utah Summer Games. In February 2005,
Utah Sports Magazine recognized him as one of Utah's Best.
Kilpack wrestled in his first tournament three weeks after
he turned four and, at age 12, has wrestled 685 matches.
Schwendiman has been recognized by the club coaching
staff as one of the team's Most Improved wrestlers in
2005, and the Most Dedicated Wrestler in 2006. He is
currently the No. 6-ranked Novice-division wrestler in
Utah and No. 17-ranked Kids-division wrestler in the
state. He is a Utah Summer Games champion in Greco-Roman,
a runner-up in freestyle, and bronze-medalist in
folkstyle. Where his teammate has been wrestling since
before he could ride a bicycle, Schwendiman just finished
his third season on the mat.
Coach Kilpack said, "Justin works so hard. He gets
everything he's got through determination. He's had to
start out in some of the toughest weights, playing catchup
with some of the best in the state, but he just goes out
and goes after it. And it's paid off. Kids who beat him
early on get a whole different story about every time he
walks out on the mat. For those who were a nightmare for
him not very long ago, now he's theirs."
Kilpack will be a seventh-grader at Indian Hills Middle
School in the new school year. He said he wants to one day
wrestle in the Olympics and the Pan-Am Games. He said he
wants to grow up to be a surgeon.
Schwendiman will be a seventh-grader at West Jordan
Middle School. He said he wants to wrestle in high school
and college and, one day, coach young wrestlers like
himself. He said he wants to grow up to be a teacher or
"something else working with kids," he said.
Kilpack is also a skilled gymnast and football player;
and plays piano and cello. Schwendiman is an avid Boy
Scout, enjoys writing and art, and plays piano.
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 are held three
days a week at Jordan High School. For more information,
call 641-9832, e-mail
coach@mountaintopwrestling.com or visit them on the
Worldwide Web at
www.mountaintopwrestling.com. |