I have received several questions about the Ohio All-Star Wrestling Team, so I thought I would answer them below.

1. Q: Why is it called the Ohio All-Star Team if you allow non Ohio wrestlers to be a part of it?
A: Initially, when the team was formed back in 1983, it was limited to just Ohio wrestlers. However, we found that we had made friends with a number of non Ohio wrestlers that wanted to be a part of the team. So, in 1985, we accepted our first non Ohioans to the team. Since that time, word of the team has spread and the interest from non Ohio wrestlers has been very strong. While there are other teams that may travel, I can assure you that the Ohio All-Stars are the most unique traveling youth wrestling team out there.

2. Q: What are the chances a non Ohio wrestler is selected to the team?
A: While Ohio wrestlers do receive some priority in the selection process, generally about half the team will be made up of non Ohio wrestlers.

3. Q: Other than Ohio, what states have been represented by the team in the past?
A: California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia and Wyoming have all been represented in the past. Of these states, Pennsylvania has had the most wrestlers selected, with close to 50.

4. Q: Who are some of the teams top past alumni?
A: Since 1983, we have had more than 600 youth wrestlers represent the team. Overall, they have won 7 NCAA titles, approximately 200 State High School Titles and n 30 USA Junior National Cadet & Junior Freestyle and Greco titles. They have included: Alan Fried (OH) NCAA Champion, 2X Runner Up and 4X USA Junior FS Champion; Rex Holman (OH) NCAA Champion; Sheldon Thomas (DE) NCAA Champion; Ryan Bertin (OH) 2X NCAA Champion; Corey Kline (OH) NCAA Division III Champ; Kenny Anderson (MA) 2012 NCAA Division III Champ.

State champs/national place winners have included: Nathan Galloway (PA) 3X State Champ; Willie Wineberg (OH) 4 X State Champ; Drew Pariano (OH) 3X State Champ and current Head Coach at Northwestern; Scott Hinkel (OH) Current Head Coach at Purdue; Hudson Taylor (NJ) 3X NCAA Placer; Scott Giffin (NJ); Josh Weitzel (PA); Pat Lynch (NJ); Tony Trujillo (CA) 2X State Champ; Ryan Needle (NY) 3X State Champ; Trevor Chinn (NY), Trevor Dearden (NH), Mike Rowe (MD) 4X State Champ; John McGhee (OH) 4 X State Champ; Eddie Jayne (OH) 3X State Champ; Mark Jayne (OH) 3X State Champ; Joey Ward (OH) 2X State Champ; Bobby Ingram (VA) 3X State Champ; Connor McDonald (DE) 3X State Champ; Jason Taylor (WV) 3X State Champ; Shawn Contos (OH) current Asst.Coach at Penn State; Jack Clark (NJ) National Prep Champ; TJ Miller (NJ); Brandon Thompson (OH); Cam Tessari (OH) 4X State Champ; Kevin Hardy (OH) 3X State Champ and 2012 NAIA National Champion; and many more.

5. Q: Who were some of the top wrestlers on this past year’s team?
A: Kaleb Romero (OH) 6X OAC State Champ, 4X Ohio TofC Champ; Austin O’Connor (IL) 2X Ohio TofC Champ, 2X Trinity Award Winner, 4X IKWF State Champ; Shae Bloom (PA) 2011 PJW Champion; Dylan D’Emilio (OH) 2012 OAC State Champ; Michael May (OH) placed 6th at OHSAA States as Freshman; Dylan Taylor (WV) State Runner Up as Freshman; Garrett O’Shea (NJ) Kids State Runner Up; Matthew Steer (OH) TofC Runner Up; Cal Reichart, Nate Newberry and Owen Wherley (PA) 2011 PJW State Runner Ups.

6. Q: Where will the team travel to in 2013?
A: While we are still working on the final itinerary, initial plans include a return visit to the Seattle/Vancouver (Canada) region, as part of the tour. Other planned stops include: Denver/Colorado Springs, Salt lake City, Jackson (WY), Reno, Sacramento, Los Angeles and Las Vegas.

7. Q: How much wrestling will my son actually receive on the trip?
A: I can assure you that your son will receive a good deal of mat time, as part of the Ohio All-Stars. For starters, the team has a one week training camp, prior to their departure. On the tour, the team is on the mat an average of at least 5X per week. Other days, the team may be hiking a mountain, white water rafting, etc... This past summer, wrestlers averaged about 16 dual matches. A strong benefit of the tour is the practice time and we had 17 practices on tour this past summer. Coaches and wrestlers, that have gone in the past, have indicated that there was a lot more wrestling on the trip than they had thought there would be and that there was a good balance between the wrestling and the other activities.

8. Q: Other than the wrestling, what else will my son do if selected?
A: I can assure you that each day is filled with things to do. Based on the above itinerary, I would say the following would be part of the itinerary: Space Needle, Pike Place Market, Mount Rainier, tubing, Lake Tahoe, Blue Man Group, Disneyland, Hollywood, TV Taping, Pacific Ocean, Yellowstone National Park, white water rafting, Pikes Peak, Olympic Training Center, USAF Academy, Mormon Temple, Improv Show, Oldies Show, water parks, alpine slide, Grosse Mountain, Rendezvous Mountain, Snow King, Magic Show and much more.

We also have guest speakers for our team along the way. This past year we had 1970 AAU Mr. World Curt Haywood; NBA Hall of Famer Rick Barry; 5X Olympic Gold Medalist Eric Heiden; Former Child Actors Steve Mond (Diff’rent Strokes) and Scott Curtis (Cameron’s Closet) and Current Child Actor Zachary Gordon (Diary of a Wimpy Kid). Past speakers have included: Former President Ronald Reagan, Joseph Barbera & William Hanna (Hanna Barbera Cartoon fame), UCLA Basketball Coach John Wooden, Olympic Gold Medal Gymnast Peter Vidmar, 2X Heisman Trophy Winner Archie Griffin, NFL Hall of Famer Raymond Berry, Olympic Wrestling Champion Rulon Gardner and many more. Incidentally, Joseph Barbera so enjoyed meeting our team (he met with us 5 times), that he helped design our team mascot.

9. Q: The cost of $4500 seems rather high?
A: My best response here is that I am more than willing to provide you with names/contact info for parents who have gone in the past and let you ask them if they felt the tour was worth the money raised. However, if you compare the trip to the J. Robinson intensive camp, I think you will begin to see that the $4500 is not so much. The J. Robinson camp is $2600+ for a 28 day camp, as compared to $4500 for a 44 day tour+1 week camp. In addition, OASWT members receive approximately $650 worth of team equipment and another $650 in sightseeing. Add to this exchange gifts, airfare, hotel lodging, rental vehicles and meal money.

10. Q: What all will my son learn as part of the team?
A: Obviously your son will learn a lot of new wrestling technique, but he will learn a LOT more as a member of the team. He will learn how to get along better with others, how to talk to adults (who come up to ask them about the team), how to do laundry, how to manage their money and how to make decisions on their own. They will also become “brothers” to the other kids on their team and have lifelong friendships and memories. Past team members describe the trip as a “Once in a lifetime experience that they will never forget.”