2016 DGS Summer Update

While school was out for the summer, the Mustangs were certainly hard at work throughout the months of June and July.  Many times coaches and teams talk about making gains in the off-season, and there is no doubt that the Mustangs got better this summer.  The dedication of about 15-20 current and future Mustangs will pay dividends next season, but also in the years to come.  Below you will find a recap of the different initiatives that the Mustangs participated in this year.

DGS SATELLITE CAMP WITH DI COACHES FROM CAL-POLY- HEAD COACH JOHN SIOREDAS AND ASSISTANT COACH MIKE HATCHER

For the first time DGS hosted a satellite camp where college coaches came to our own room to give us three days, six sessions, and twelve hours of top level technique.  Coach Sioredas and Hatcher did an amazing job in not only teaching the kids basic fundamental positions in the sport, but also in teaching in a sequence where wrestlers can progress through variations of the moves.  They were high energy and had high expectations of the kids and the Mustangs did not disappoint.  We have already started to incorporate much of what we learned in the camp into our drilling and will no doubt incorporate more into our Mustang Wrestling System next season.

Cal-Poly Head Coach Jon Sioredas

Mustangs with Cal-Poly Coach Mike Hatcher

2016 WORLD WRESTLING CAMP AT THE WISCONSIN DELLS

DGS brought 25 current and future Mustangs to the team camp this year. This was a very young group that included 13 wrestlers who were sophomores and below.  The team field had expanded to 14 teams that included IL powers Deerfield and Barrington, while crosstown rival DGN also made the trip to the team camp.  The Mustangs started off rocky, but finished 6-1 in their last seven duals to go 8-4 on the week, including a win over crosstown rival DGN.  While summer dual meet results do not mean much, it was great to see this young team come together as the week went on and figure out how to win as a team.  I believe this is a trend that we are going to continue to see with this group.  We also were very fortunate to have World Champion Dennis Hall serve as our own personal camp counselor.  Coach Hall is not only a great technician and motivator in the sport of wrestling, but is as gracious as they come with his time and energy in helping young athletes.

We also once again kicked off our team camp with an overnight camping trip to Devils Lake, WI where we completed a team hike and a five mile trail run to the peak of Devils Lake.  It was also a bonus as Coach Lovelace managed to not get lost this year.

Devils Lake, WI

2016 World Wrestling Camp Team Camp- WI Dells

2016 DGS SUMMER CAMPS

We ran two camps this summer, one for grades K-6 that lasted four days in June and one 7-12 that went Tuesday and Thursday for four weeks.

The K-6 camp was a blast as nearly 30 young athletes learned fundamental body movements, basic skills of wrestling, and participated in games, obstacle courses, and activities that were not only extremely fun, but also will help them in any sport they participate in.

We also had a very sold 7-12 group as we reinforced the skills we learned at the Satellite Camp and also introduced many incoming middle school wrestlers to the Mustang Wrestling System.  The Mustangs participated in two Summer League nights as part of our 2016 camps.

2016 DGS Summer Camp- K-6

2016 MIDWEST NATIONALS

The 2016 DGS Summer Camps concluded with once again a trip to the Midwest Nationals in Bloomington, IL.  This tournament featured wrestlers from nearly 30 states as well as an appearance by USA Wrestling legend Dan Gable. The tournament expanded to 16 man brackets this year which meant more W's needing to be earned in order to place in the top six.

Thirteen future and current Mustangs participated in Midwest Nationals this past season and the results were outstanding!

7th/8th Grade:  Canyon Stage- 5th Place, Robert Major- 3rd Place competing for the Bolingbrook Jr. Raiders
9th/10th Grade: Dylan Knoch- 4th Place, Matt Straus- 3rd Place, Jeff Nugent- 3rd Place, Andres Lopez- 2nd Place
11th/12th- Zach Muller 1st Place

Participants:  Manny Wallace, Joe Straus, Justin Muller, Nick Newell, Jacob Chisholm, Matt Carlson

TEAM:  11th overall from about 300 scoring teams, 4th place in the 9th/10th Grade Division

IL/USAW TEAM DUALS/FARGO PARTICIPANTS

Junior Mustang Sergio Villalobos wrestled for Team IL on three different teams, and was a part of three teams that all won top three team finishes including a National Championship in Cadet Freestyle.  Sergio went a combined 11-1 in Freestyle and Greco at the Cadet level and was only one of two wrestlers to be called up to the Junior level to wrestle for Team IL in Greco.  Sergio has had a remarkable Spring and Summer and looks to continue that in Fargo at the end of the month.

Speaking of Fargo, Sergio will be joined by Seniors McKyla Kerr and Zach Muller as Sergio, McKyla, and Zach each look to contend for national titles.  Both Kerr and Muller were double All-Americans last summer and the Mustangs are looking to place three wrestlers on the podium at a National Tournament.  Each of the three will also be seeking the first National Championship won by a Mustang Wrestler in Freestyle or Greco.

The Cadet and Junior National Championships take place in Fargo, ND from July 16-23.

2016 OFF-SEASON POINTS LEADERS

Each year we track the wrestlers off-season activities including strength and conditioning, wrestling, tournaments, camps, clinics, dual teams, etc. This year was probably the deepest in terms of the number of wrestlers who earned points and it was also the most points earned by wrestlers who have yet to set foot at Downers Grove South High School.  These athletes putting in the off-season work will lay the foundation of what we expect to be a very successful run for DGS Wrestling.

Here were the 2016 off-season point leaders:

FRESHMEN AND BELOW:  1st- Canyon Stage, 2nd- Joe Straus, 3rd- Justin Muller
SOPHOMORES: 1st- Matt Straus, 2nd- Jeff Nugent, 3rd- Dylan Knoch
JUNIORS:  1st- Sergio Villalobos, 2nd- Keiran Burke, 3rd- Kuba Diggory
SENIORS:  1st- McKyla Kerr, 2nd- Zach Muller, 3rd Matt Carlson

Each of the point leaders from their groups earned SOUTHSTRONG MMA shorts while the others in the top three earned SOUTHSTRONG shirts

Thanks to all the Mustangs for all their hard work this Spring and Summer.  The saying "Champions are made in the off-season" certainly applies to this group of future and current Mustangs.  We cannot wait to see the fruits of their labor in the years to come!