Mountain Home AFB hosts All Air Force Wrestling Team tryouts, Armed Forces Championship

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Brian Stives
  • 366th Fighter Wing Public Affairs Office
MOUNTAIN HOME AIR FORCE BASE, Idaho (ACCNS) --  Beginning Feb. 13, potential candidates for the All Air Force Wrestling Team will begin arriving at Mountain Home Air Force Base to participate in tryouts for the 2009 team.

After more than 75 Airmen initially responded to Coach Richard Estrella's invitation to join the team, only 30 received the good news that they were selected to travel here for the All Air Force Wrestling Camp.

The Airmen will continue to train until the "wrestle-off" March 7 and 8 when they will find out which 14 will make the final cut and continue training throughout April.

In preparation, wrestlers will undergo almost a month of intense training at least six days a week. During the training, Coach Estrella, who was also a coach for the 2008 U.S. Olympic Team, will have the athletes train over 12 hours from 6 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. during the weekday. On Saturdays, sessions will run from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. with a few competitions on weekends. Exercises include a two-mile run followed by weightlifting, wrestling training, drills and other workouts meant to bring them together as a team.

During the selection process, Coach Estrella sent out invites to Airmen asking for biographies including their experience, accomplishments and weight classes. He then contacted each athlete personally to let them know if they were accepted or not.

Athletes are competing for a spot in one of seven weight classes including 55, 60, 66, 74, 84, 96 and 120 kilograms.

After eliminations on March 7 and 8, the 14-athlete group will stay at Mountain Home AFB to participate in the Armed Forces Championship from March 13 to 15. This is the first time the base has hosted the Armed Forces Championship since 2003.

"We feel fortunate and proud to be representing all the men and women in the military, including those who are deployed," said Coach Estrella, "and we really appreciate all the units that allowed their people to participate in the Air Force sponsored wrestling team. I also want to thank Mountain Home AFB, especially the 366th Services Squadron, for hosting us for the seventh year."

In fitness center director Richard Holmes' opinion, it's worth the extra time spent preparing the fitness center for the wrestling team's use.

"It takes extra work, but it's well worth it because it benefits the whole Gunfighter population," he said. "It's something unique and different than your typical intramural program."