randy.cruz@me.com On the extended weekend of Sept. 29-Oct. 2, Mike Poeta and Matt Valenti were special Club visitors training extensively at one of numerous LVAC senior level workout sessions held during the year at Lehigh University in Bethlehem.
The Club’s Head Coach, Jason Kutz weighs in with comments:
“It was great to see top level FS technique as these guys prepared for the Ramzan Kadirov, at Grozny, Russia, October 9-10, arguably as tough as the Worlds, to some people (Edit. Note: of the 28 medals won there, 25 were by wrestlers from Russian republics – all but one by Turkey and two from the USA: Nick Marable and Tommy Rowlands) .
Mike Poeta looked very sharp after recovering the past two months from a deviated septum surgery. I guess he didn’t forget how to wrestle in that time off. His conditioning looked fine and his speed often times gives off the ‘wow’ factor.
Matt Valenti also got in some quality work with new Bloomsburg U Asst, former Drexel Dragin, Steve Mytych, with some of the LU lightweights – and, of course, yours truly. It was especially good for Keith Gavin to figure out some technical issues against strictly FS opponents. All in all it was a good cycle and we look forward to the next time we gather our studs in the Lehigh Valley. JK”
Bottom line: the sessions were steeped in quality, including former NCAA champions Gavin and Valenti from the LVAC, LU assistants John Hughes and 2-time champion, Steve Mocco (overseen by 2-time champ, Pat Santoro) as well as 2-time NCAA finalist, Poeta.
Poeta (above) made his 2nd Bethlehem training visit in the past year while assisting at U of Illinois, while Valenti (left in red) is able to visit even more often while coaching at his alma mater, U of Pennsylvania.
———————-see: October session below ——————————
142 lb coach Kutz also put together another blog after the Club’s Oct. 9-10 Heavyweight Weekend Warrior Workouts in Bethlehem:
At National Open in April: Zach Rey (left, taking down NCAA 1st, Zabriskie); Blake Gillis (above) looks for fall; by visiting from Iowa, the big gun looked for high level workouts and got them, including his gos with ’08 Olympian, Steve Mocco
“We finished up a long weekend of training Oct. 10-12 with the big boys, as LVAC Hwt Blake Gillis came to town from Cedar Rapids (he trains in Iowa City). We put him through the grinder in the short amount of time he had here and he was very satisfied. He was impressed with the amount of individual attention afforded the wrestlers and looks forward to his next, or second, trip to campus.
“It was great to see the improvement of Zach Rey against the 6’6” 275 Gillis. The weekend made me feel “extra medium” as the room mainly consisted of Rey, Gillis, Steve Mocco and true frosh, Tim Granata; all at 265 or better with a combined weight of over 1100 lbs. At any rate, nobody beat me up and a good training cycle was had by all.
“In other news, Pat Cummins has decided to, at least for the time being, pursue his opportunities in MMA and won’t be moving to Bethlehem. He’s currently in Brazil being hailed as the ‘next big thing’ by his promoters in the Strikeforce organization. No hard feelings and he is extremely grateful for what we have done for him. He is working on a one fight contract in December in St. Louis.
“I’m sure Cummins will be around as he trains for this event, although he’ll now forego his Club stipends. While Pat’s not certain his wrestling career is completely over, he is excited about his potential fighting career. Either way I think Pat has the ability to still place in the top 3 in wrestling while focusing on MMA, but we’ll see.
“Kudos to John Hughes for spearheading the Sunday Junior Clinics through the LVAC. We are now up to 11 middle schoolers, bringing our weekend total of scholastic wrestlers coming through our Fall program in the 35-40 range.
“Next up is Sunkist in Phoenix Oct. 23-24. We’ll have Gillis and Valenti competing. Gavin will return from Russia on the 16th and will take some time to arrange to have his fiancee’, Carrie, move to Bethlehem. All for now. -Coach Kutz”