Clarksville, Tenn. – (ESPN CLARKSVILLE) A team of youth wrestlers just finished competing at the International Freestyle Open Cup Le Creusot 2018 in Le Creusot, France.
The U.S. left France with eight medalists, including five champions and three silver medalists and an overall team championship. The competition was comprised of eight countries, over 60 teams and over 400 wrestlers.
Rossview Middle School sixth grader, Vaun Morris, ended with a 5th place finish at the event. The USA team consisted of 17 wrestlers aged 11-14 years from Wisconsin, Kansas, Georgia, Nebraska, Colorado, Oklahoma, Connecticut, Tennessee and Idaho represented the United States at the international event.
Three of the boys were only 11 years old and too young to compete at Schoolboy age category. Rather than sitting out, they elected to wrestle up in age-group competing against older, more experienced and developed wrestlers.
Morris, 11, who is a six-time Tennessee State Champion and multiple time All-American, competed in the 14/15 year old category. Despite giving up four years to most of his competition, Morris competed without fear and ended up 5th place.
“This was a great trip and event for me. This is my first overseas trip and I hope to have many more. I learned a lot and saw a lot of cool stuff that we learn about in school. I made a lot of friends and I got to share it with my dad, which is really special. I plan on getting back to The Academy and putting more work in, so I can go on more trips,” said Morris.
The Team Organizer, Jared Lewis from Wisconsin said, “The trip is definitely a wrestling trip but it’s so much more than just wrestling and some sightseeing. It’s an opportunity for the boys to grow both on and off the mat, an opportunity to meet friends that have similar interest from all over the world and most importantly, it’s the opportunity to test their skill against some of the best youth wrestlers in Europe!”
The team was coached by Wisconsin’s Ringer’s Wrestling Club founder, James Schmitz and assisted by coaches Brandon Morris, President/Head Coach The Alliance Wrestling Academy in Clarksville and Philip Arnold, owner of Alpha Omega Wrestling Club of South Georgia.
Coach Morris, who is an Active Duty Warrant Officer stationed at Fort Campbell, is also the President and Head Coach of The Alliance Wrestling Academy located on Franklin Street downtown. The Alliance Wrestling Academy is an elite wrestling program organized around the sound fundamental skills of technique, physical conditioning, personal discipline, and mental edge. The main goal of The Alliance is to train, educate and support our athletes to achieve the next level of excellence.
Coach Morris said “It was an honor and privilege to be a part of this trip and to share the experience with my son. I look forward to taking more of our kids oversees to see the world and compete at the highest levels.”
U.S. results for the 2018 International Freestyle Open Cup Le Creusot were Gold medalists Gabriel Arnold, Jadon Skellenger, Christopher Coates, Royce Nilo and Nick Hamilton. Silver medals went to Brandon Bohm, Rhett Peak and Cash Stewart. Vaun Morris, Hunter Taylor and Aden Attao took fifth lace, sixth place, Cole Sarbacker, seventh place, Henry Amborn, eighth place, Jackson Mankowski, ninth place Aidan Squire and in eleventh place Aedon Sinclair and Beckett Spilde.