Save the Last Dance

from WrestlingRoots.org
I remember sitting in the University of Virginia Wrestling room in 1999 listening to then-captain, now-coach Steve Garland and a half-dozen other wrestlers fantasize about what they would do if they ever win the NCAA championship. Almost every celebration included some use of available props, in this case ankle bands. Guys floated the idea of using them as a grenade (you've seen this before), others would lift them high above their head and then fall rigid to the mat like a tree in the forest. Still others had totally complicated, totally unprintable ideas they thought they'd like to express to 18k screaming fans. It was a comical moment that left an impression on me about the range of emotions and desires in the head of a post-match competitor. However, the truth is post-match victory celebrations in American folkstyle are exceedingly rare, in fact, they're almost non-existent. Read more...

Last weekend marked the 15th straight year that North Central Wrestling honored the memory of Craig E. Fischer by getting together for a day of golfing, eating, and raffles. It was another successful event this year as we had a beautiful day with plenty of sunshine. While most groups golfed surprisingly well, the trio of Andrew Hiller (sophomore), his father, and Josh Arenson ('09) took home the trophy for best round shooting 8 under par. Derrick Martin ('95) took home the prize for longest putt, while Arenson was the victor in the longest drive competition and Pam Fischer, Craig's mother, took home the award for "closest to the pin." Please check out our new North Central Wrestling website at http://www.fearthebirdwrestling.com/page/home to see some videos and photos from the event. Please be patient as we are still working on labeling some of the videos (and pardon any poor language that may have slipped through the cracks - there were some BAD tee shots). We would like to thank everyone that came out and honored Fish as well as all who donated, and look forward to seeing everyone again at next year's event!

GO CARDINALS!

Joe Norton
North Central College
Graduate Assistant Wrestling Coach
Off: 630.637.5139
Cell: 630.310.9595
jnorton@noctrl.edu

ESPY Awards Fan Voting now open: Anthony Robles among nominees; Win Win up for best Sports Movie

By USA Wrestling
06/24/2011

NCAA Champion Anthony Robles is one of the nominees for Best Male Athlete with a Disability. Fans are encouraged to vote for Robles.

"Win Win" starring Paul Giamatti is also nominated for best sports movie.

The ESPY Awards are presented annually by ESPN. Fans can follow the link above to vote in each respective category.

Fan voting ends July 9 and the ESPY Awards will air on ESPN on July 13.

Vote for Robles: ESPN Fan Voting Site.

Where Are They Now?!?

DERRICK MARTIN

1.) What are you up to these days?
     I'm married to Heather ('98) and have two sons; 2 year old Cole and 2 week old Emmett.  I'm a water resources engineer at V3 Companies in Woodridge, IL (just east of Naperville) and we live in Park Ridge (just east of O'Hare airport).  When time permits, I still try to make it over to wrestling practice now and then (every year I get older but the guys are "forever young") and to as many meets as possible.  I'm also on the Alumni Board at the college.  Heather (or H-Mart as she's affectionally known to the wrestlers) and I try to maintain some level of fitness by training for triathlons (we did our 3rd Ironman last fall), marathons, and other outdoor activites when we can find the time (right now - not so much).
 
2.) What is you favorite memory from you North Central Wrestling days?
    My favorite memories from my competition days are almost entirely of the relationships and experiences I shared with my teammates, Coach Miller, Coach Farris, Coach Selby and the mysterious BC.  Near the top has to be the story of how we missed our plane after the Florida tournament my senior year and since it was New Year's Day evening we couldn't find enough alternate flights for everyone.  The result was 6 or so wrestlers crammed into one room with Coach Miller and his new, but very understanding, wife Kristin (they had gotten married Dec. 3rd) and we all watched the Nebraska Cornhuskers defeat the Miami Hurricanes for the college football national championship (Fish was a happy man).

Although almost all of my best memories had nothing to do with my matches, the one exception is the last match I wrestled at regionals my senior year.  After losing in the championship match to a kid I had beat the week before, I had to wrestle a "true second" place match to even be considered for a wildcard selection to nationals.  I was on the brink of breaking mentally.  Coach Miller came over and told me what I needed to hear; that I was too mentally tough and had worked to hard to break now.  The match itself was jacked up because the score table set the clock for 2-2-2 (instead of 3-2-2) and as luck would have it, I had the guy on his back with a two count when the buzzer went off.  Needless to say, there was a bunch of confusion and subquent discussions at the head table about what should be done.

With all of that as background, the part I remember best is what happended while the coaches were sorting out the chaos at the head table.  My teammates all gathered around the mat, sitting on the other mats that had been rolled up during the rest break before my match (there was only one other true second match and it was a light weight so all the other mats were rolled up).  Pretty soon all my friends that had come to watch came down out of the stands and started surrounding the mat as well.  I'm not sure who started it, but the next thing I know everyone is chanting "Let's Go Derr...ick".  I remember it being loud and in mind, lasting the remainder of the match.  It's tough to adequately express how much that meant to me other than to say it's a memory I will never forget.


3.) What is one thing that you took from North Central College/Wrestling that has helped you throughout your career?
    There are no substitutes for hard work; shortcuts will not result in sustainable success.  Good people that work hard generally have good things happen to them.  I try to surround myself with as many good, hard-working people as possible.   

Spring Formal 2011

The NCC Wrestling team hosted the Sixth Annual North Central Wrestling Spring Formal on June 4th. Plenty of current wrestlers and alumni (and their lovely dates) were in attendance to dress up, eat, hand out awards and dance the night away! Thanks for those who made it and we hope to see everyone as next year's event!

Joe Norton
North Central College
Graduate Assistant Wrestling Coach
Off: 630.637.5139
Cell: 630.310.9595
jnorton@noctrl.edu

Where Are They Now?!?

COWAN BROWN

1) What are you up to these days?

    I'm currently working at St. James hospital in Chicago Heights, IL as a rehab technician.  I'm applying for Physical Therapy schools, aspiring to practice as a physical therapist. 


2) What is your favorite memory from your North Central Wrestling days?

    I have several favorite memories; however one stands out the most.  After we competed at Regionals my Senior year of college, my fate on competing at the National Tournament lied in the hands of several coaches.  I was in a restaurant eating with a majority of the guys on the team when I received a text from Coach Karl stating "you're the man, you are going to Nationals."  After I was congratulated by my teammates and family members, I started to reflect back to freshman year until that particular moment and realized that North Central Wrestling positively changed my life forever.  My coaches, teammates, family, friends, alumni, fans, etc. all had a impact on my life and those memories that we all made together will last forever.
(Not mentioned: The great Vegas Taxi incident of 2009)


3) What is one thing that North Central College/Wrestling did for you that has helped you in your career?

    North Central College Wrestling transformed my focus and priorities, not only on the mat, but also in life.  The coaching staff did a great job on making believe in myself, because they believed in me (even though we did the most ridiculous workouts that I still have nightmares from).  I wouldn't trade my experience of being apart of the North Central Wrestling team for the world.  I would never be in the position that I am now with my life if I had never bought into the system.  Thanks to my coaches, I still live by your philosophy!

Joe Norton
North Central College
Graduate Assistant Wrestling Coach
Off: 630.637.5139
Cell: 630.310.9595
jnorton@noctrl.edu

Craig E. Fischer Golf Outing Newsworthy in TribLocal - Elburn

Check it out! The Fischer Golf Outing makes the featured page of TribLocal-Elburn edition. Awesome!

http://triblocal.com/elburn-maple-park/community/stories/2011/06/north-central-college-wrestling-hosts-craig-e-fischer-golf-outing/