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    All-Navy Sports wrestle off

    All-Navy Sports wrestle off

    Photo By Petty Officer 1st Class Cory Asato | 160203-N-OO032-423 SILVERDALE, Wash. (Feb. 3, 2016) - Interior Communications...... read more read more

    SILVERDALE, Wash. – The All-Navy Sports wrestling team held a wrestle-off tournament at Naval Base Kitsap (NBK), Feb. 3.

    The tournament was formatted with single elimination matches, while finals were best of three, determining which Sailors would compete on the All-Navy wrestling team’s designated weight classes for Freestyle and Greco-Roman wrestling at the All Armed Forces Championship.

    “This is a baby step people are going home after today,” said Chief Navy Diver Alejandro Delapena, a Benton City, Washington, native stationed with Naval Undersea Warfare Center, Division Keyport Dive Locker and coach of the team. “Making the team should not be your dream. You should have Olympic dreams, to be champion.”

    Wrestlers throughout the fleet normally meet up annually, training Freestyle and Greco-Roman wrestling at Northern Michigan University, the U.S. Olympic training site for Greco-Roman wrestling. This year the championship is slated to be hosted by NBK in Bremerton, Washington so the team homeported camp at the base.

    “I want the best person at that style, at that weight class,” said Delapena. “You have six minutes to prove yourself, just prove it to yourself how far you can push yourself—give everything that you have.”

    Seventeen wrestlers faced-off for 17 different weight classes in both styles on the team. One Sailor is able to hold a spot in both styles if they win.

    “This week [leading up to wrestle offs] has been tough yet rewarding,” said Interior Communications Electrician 3rd Class Austin Craig, a Monroe, North Carolina, native and one of two Sailors station aboard USS Nimitz (CVN 68) who applied and were accepted to the team’s trial camp. “We are training savagely in preparation for the [All Armed Forces Championship], which is an Olympic trials qualifier.”

    The wrestling camp started Jan. 17 and entails two-a-day wrestling practices with Tuesdays off as an active recovery day. Wrestlers are training through minor injuries and are responsible for their own dieting and weight management and weighed-in for their prospective weight classes Feb. 2.

    “I expected another normal week of wrestling,” said Navy Diver 3rd Class Blake Borges, a Forestville, California, native stationed with SEAL Delivery Vehicle Team One and returning team member. “Two days into the week my big toe swelled to the size of a tomato. [After surgery] I’m now back in the fight and ready for wrestle offs.”

    The common thread for Sailor candidates wrestling off for the team was their mindset and dedication.

    “I never feel more alive than when I’m on the mat wrestling,” said Machinist’s Mate 3rd Class James Souza, a Puyallup, Washington native stationed with USS America (LHA 6). “There’s no one who can stop me but myself and I will make sure to leave it all on the mats.”

    Eleven Sailors were selected to be on the team’s 17 spots, with multiple Sailors competing a different weight classes in both styles.

    The All-Navy wresters will be facing off against representatives from the Army, Marine Corps and Air Force at the championship in late February.

    For more information about the All-Navy Wrestling team, visit: https://www.facebook.com/All-Navy-Wrestling-Team-172423636238080/.

    For more information on how to apply for All-Navy Sports, visit: http://www.navyfitness.org/all-navy-sports/navy-sports-application.

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    NEWS INFO

    Date Taken: 02.03.2016
    Date Posted: 02.05.2016 12:54
    Story ID: 188030
    Location: SILVERDALE, WA, US

    Web Views: 623
    Downloads: 0

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