Congratulations to two coaches with ties to Kansas, Matt Baker, Prairie Village, KS and Doug Vanderlinden, Burlington, KS who were awarded full scholarships to attend the NWCA/FCA Leadership Academy Workshop.
http://www.nwcaonline.com/NWCAWebSite/Ne...cademy-workshopFormer Speaker of the House Dennis Hastert to be keynote speaker at NWCA/FCA Leadership Academy Workshop
5/21/2014 2:25:09 PM
Manheim, Pa. -- In conjunction with the Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA- Wrestling Ministry), the National Wrestling Coaches Association has finalized its lineup of participants, mentors and speakers for the annual NWCA/FCA Leadership Academy Workshop in Edwardsville, Illinois at the Jon Davis Wrestling Center from May 21-22.
The first day of the workshop will feature the core NWCA CEO Leadership Academy components which will be delivered by the NWCA faculty. The second day of the workshop will feature a faith-based curriculum presented the FCA faculty.
Highlighting this year’s list of presenters is former U.S. Speaker of the House Dennis “Denny” Hastert. The longest-serving Republican Speaker in history, Hastert’s early career started as a high school wrestling coach in Yorkville, Illinois. Hastert wrestled and played football at Wheaton College and was one of the more prominent figures on the political landscape during his eight-year run as Speaker of the House.
Hastert’s association with the NWCA has extended into its second decade and Moyer is elated he’ll be involved in this year’s event.
“Speaker Hastert is one of wrestling’s great champions from a leadership standpoint,” said Moyer. “Even while he was in the pressure cooker of Congress, Speaker Hastert has always made time for wrestling and the wrestling community and we’re gracious to have him speak to our Leadership Academy.”
Also joining Hastert at the Leadership Academy Workshop are Dr. Amanda Stanec, founder of Move Live Learn LLC, a consulting business in the St. Louis area; former Manchester and Northwestern head wrestling coach Tom Jarman, former Lock Haven and Messiah coach Neil Turner, recently retired Oklahoma wrestling coach Jack Spates, recently-retired ten-time Division III national champion coach Jim Miller of Wartburg and current college head coaches Heath Eslinger (Chattanooga) and Kevin Ward (Ouachita Baptist).
“This is an outstanding group of speakers and presenters,” said NWCA President, Rob Koll. “Many of the new college wrestling programs popping up around the country are at private, faith-based institutions. With the help of the FCA, we feel we can give an additional focus on coaches interested in coaching in those faith-based environments where the school’s principles are often more important than simply wins and losses.”
Hastert’s association with the NWCA has extended into its second decade and Moyer is elated he’ll be involved in this year’s event.
“Speaker Hastert is one of wrestling’s great champions from a leadership standpoint,” said Moyer. “Even while he was in the pressure cooker of Congress, Speaker Hastert has always made time for wrestling and the wrestling community and we’re gracious to have him speak to our Leadership Academy.”
• Dr. Amanda Stanec, is a native of Nova Scotia and was recently named a True Sport Ambassador by USADA. She received her Ph.D. from the University of Virginia in Kinesiology and also holds a Masters Degree in Exercise Science and a Bachelors of Science in Education degree in Physical Education. She owns her own consulting business, Move Live Learn, LLC and works in the physical eduation, wellness and sport sectors. Along with her husband Jim, former Cornell All-American, founded the non-profit Parkway Wrestling Club.
• Kevin Ward is the head wrestling coach at Ouachita Baptist University in Arkadelphia, Arkansas. Ward led the Tigers to a fourth-place finish at the 2014 NCAA Division II Championships in the program’s fourth year of existence. Ward was named the NWCA Division II Coach of the Year and is a member of the NWCA Executive Committee. He graduated from Oklahoma State University.
• Jim Miller led Wartburg College to 10 NCAA Division III team championships and 21 straight Iowa Conference Championships. He’s won dozens of National and Conference Coach of the Year Awards and is a member of six Hall of Fames.
• Heath Eslinger is a two-time Southern Conference Coach of the Year while leading the wrestling program at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. Prior to taking the reigns at his alma mater, Eslinger was a successful high school coach and won the Fellowship of Christian Athletes’ Jim Slater Leadership Award and the Gerry Stephens Influence Award.
• Jack Spates retired from coaching after finishing his caree as the head coach at Oklahoma. Spates has been the Division I Coach of the Year and Big 12 Coach of the year and previously served as the head wrestling coach at Cornell. Spates is currently doing ministry work.
• Tom Jarman had a long career in coaching at Northwestern University and at Division III Manchester College. A member of seven Hall of Fames, including the Division III Hall of Fame, Jarman also served as Manchester’s Athletic Director. He brought Manchester from a struggling athletic program to one of the top Division III programs in all sports and also elevated the school’s women’s programs.
• Neil Turner served as a head coach at Lock Haven and Messiah College and helped the NWCA develop numerous coaching programs as well as the Pyramid of Participation. Turner is currently the director of the Mat Town Wrestling Club in Lock Haven, Pa.
Twenty coaches from all levels of wrestling will partake in this year’s event. The NWCA and FCA have awarded full “scholarships,” including transportation, meals, lodging and tuition to the following coaches: Pierre Bondoc (Springfield), Todd Porter (Colorado School of Mines), Dennis Papadatos (North Carolina), Frank Beasley (N.C. State), Art Canales (Marian), Frank Johnson (Warner Pacific), Matt Baker (Maryville), Mario Morgan (Maryville), Todd Allen (Cumberland U.), Chris Chionuma (Ouachita Baptist), Doug Vander Linden (Burlington H.S., Kansas), Spencer Adams (St. Catherine), John Gabordi (Trinity), Tom Erickson (Hamilton Heights H.S., Indiana), Mike DeRoehn (Lakeland), Marcus Cobbs (Truett McConnell), Chris Ortner (Wartburg) and JohnMark Bentley (Appalachian State).
“We’re really excited to work with the Fellowship of Christian Athletes to help these 20 coaches get to where they need to be to not only improve upon their current position as wrestling coaches, but to instill the leadership culture and values at many of our faith-based institutions. This will serve them well as they develop and move up in the coaching ranks,” said Moyer.
The group will be facilitated by Dr. Dan Gould of Michigan State University, a nationally renowned coaching development expert and the architect of the NWCA Leadership Academy.
About the National Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA)
The National Wrestling Coaches Association, established in 1928, is a non-profit organization for the advancement of all levels of the sport of wrestling with primary emphasis on developing coaches who work in academic environments. The membership embraces all people interested in amateur wrestling. The three core competencies of the NWCA are: coaching development, student-athlete welfare, and promotion of wrestling.
About the Fellowship of Christian Athletes-Wrestling (FCAW)
Fellowship of Christian Athletes Wrestling (FCAW) is a sports-specific ministry of FCA (Fellowship of Christian Athletes). FCA is the largest sports organization in the world. Founded in 1954, FCA has been challenging athletes and coaches at all levels to use the powerful medium of athletics to impact the world for Jesus Christ. The focus of FCA, as well as that of FCAW, is to serve the athletic community by equipping, empowering, and encouraging people to make a difference for Christ.
