Summer Workshops
Three 3-Day Technique Workshops
July 28-30 2010 (Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday)
Location: Villa Park (Wrestling Room)
18042 Taft Ave, Villa Park, CA 92861
Workshop 1: 10am-12pm
Takedowns and Defense (Recommended for beginners, intermediate, and those new to Valdez Wrestling)
This workshop focuses on penetration step, Single Double and High Crotch takedowns, and defending shots.
Workshop 2: 1-3pm
Escapes and Bottom Wrestling
This workshop focuses on keeping a base on bottom, and learning several stand ups and counters from the bottom position.
Workshop 3: 3:30-5:30
Leg Riding (Advanced)
This workshop focuses on fundamental and advanced leg riding skills. Students will learn basic positioning, set ups, how to turn opponents for near fall points, and how to defend and get out of leg rides.
Cost: $60 for one workshop; $100 for two workshops
Limit: 20 students per workshop; two workshops per student
*must have valid USA Wrestling Card
Spaces are limited, please call Coach Valdez at (562) 607-5840 or email dane(at)valdezwrestling to secure a spot.
Valdez Twins Reunite for Texas Clinic!
Valdez Wrestling Clinics Headed to Dumas Texas
If you ask three-time all American Shane Valdez, when was the last time he had an opportunity to roll around the mats with his twin brother, All-American Dane Valdez, the answer is simple, “Too long.” Not surprisingly, if you ask Coach Dane, you’ll get the exact same response. Maybe it’s a twin thing, but regardless of how long it’s been, the two will be reuniting in the town of Dumas Texas to do a three day clinic for the Dumas wrestling community.
Pedro Murga , a former college teammate and Dumas wrestling promoter, played an integral part in getting the two to come for the clinic. “We are extremely excited to have Valdez Wrestling Clinics come to our town, especially because it is rare to have an opportunity to work with both of the twins. Shane and Dane bring such a wealth of wrestling knowledge and experience… our kids are in for something really special come June 16, 17, and 18.”
The Dumas coaches and wrestlers will be exposed to the elite training regimen of Valdez Wrestling which has been successful at the highest levels of wrestling. This successful regimen will include high percentage wrestling technique, focused drilling, and hard wrestling, as well as mental preparation.
When asked about the clinic, coach Dane, was thrilled, “I can’t wait. I love doing personalized clinics, but to be able to do one with my brother, Shane, is just too cool to be true!”
Tran Places at High School Nationals!
Becomes First All-American for Valdez Wrestling School
They say it’s not how you start something, but how you finish something that matters. Thien Tran knows this very well. At the beginning of the 2009-2010 wrestling season, Thien Tran was not listed in the California State Rankings, and he certainly was not mentioned in the national rankings. In fact, most people in wrestling circles throughout the state probably never heard of him. None of this mattered to Tran. After spending the entire off-season going to tournaments, camps, and training at Valdez Wrestling School for 3 sessions, he knew he had put in the extra time and work. He knew he was among the best in the state and possibly the country.
Tran’s 2009-10 season started with a bang! He won several tournaments at the 112 lb. weight division. He was even voted the outstanding wrestler of the prestigious Las Vegas Invitational. It didn’t take long for Tran to start to make a name for himself as one of the elite in Orange County, but Tran wanted to start making a name for himself at the state level. With the infamous Five Counties just around the corner, Tran decided to drop to 103 lbs. and make a run for a state title.
Unfortunately, Tran never got a chance to wrestle at the Five Counties Tournament. He never wrestled at 103lbs or any weight class for the remainder of the season . Just days prior to Five Counties Tran suffered a freak accident injury to his eye. Initially, doctors said he would need to undergo a minor procedure and would be back wrestling in a week. When the procedure did not take the way it was supposed to, things turned for the worse. His eye wasn’t healing as planned and as a result, doctors would not release him to wrestle until sometime in March. Just like that his season was over. Any hopes of winning a state title had suddenly vanished.
Fortunately, Tran’s fighting spirit wasn’t about to give up. Immediately after receiving the horrible news, Tran started making plans to petition into the National High School Wrestling Association Senior National Championships… one of the most prestigious wrestling tournaments in the country. The NHSWA hosts a National Tournament for high school Seniors who have won State Titles. They allow four people to petition in. Tran sent his petition and got in!
What looked to be a horrible ending to a high school carrier was now a chance for Tran to prove to the state, the country, and most importantly, to himself that he belonged on the mat with the nation’s elite. After only a few weeks from being released from the doctor and limited mat time, Tran flew to Virginia Beach, VA to do battle with the best the country could throw at him and stake his claim as one of the best high school wrestlers in the land.
Thien Tran did not disappoint. After two fierce days of battling with the nation’s best Tran emerged as 7th place atop the podium. In doing so Tran became the first wrestler from Valdez Wrestling School and the first wrestler in Irvine High School history to place at a national tournament and earn All-America honors. Congratulations Thien Tran! All of your hard work paid off!
Valdez Student is One of Seven in Entire County
Walker Slaughter Places 6th at the California State Wrestling Championships!!!
Congratulations to Walker Slaughter for placing 6th place at the California State Wrestling Championships! After two days of ferocious battling with the top wrestlers in the state, and months of preparation and sacrifice, Walker Slaughter earned a spot on the podium, solidifying him as one of the top 140lb wrestlers in the state.
Walker came into the tournament mentally and physically ready and it showed right away. In his first bout, he pinned Rayko Castro, of Kerman High School, in 1:22 of the first period. It was clear from that match that Walker Slaughter did not come to the state meet just for the experience.
Walker’s second match would prove to be one of his biggest tests. Facing Jesse Baldazzo from Liberty high school, a wrestler who had beaten him over the summer and who he would later describe as someone who had, “Crushed me the last time I wrestled him,” he surely needed to be on his game. When the match began it was obvious Walker was not the same wrestler he was over the summer. Taking control and dictating the tempo of the entire match Walker was never threatened and went on to win by a score of 5-2.
It was in the quarter finals that Walker had his first defeat, losing a close match to the number one ranked wrestler in the state, Jake Briggs from Bella Vista High School.
After his loss in the quarterfinals, Walker needed only to win his next match to guarantee him a place in the top eight. He did just that! In the heart-wrenching morning session where the winner places and the loser goes home, Walker dominated his opponent 6-0. He then went on to pin his next opponent to put him in a match for 5th place against local orange county rival Charles Chavez from El Dorado High School. It was a hard fought battle, but in the end Chavez edged out Walker 4-2.
This has been an incredible breakout season for Slaughter, who did not qualify for the state tournament last season. It has been a goal of his to place at the state meet from the time he stepped into his first Valdez Wrestling class one year ago. The dedication and commitment he has made toward accomplishing his goal of placing at state has finally paid off. Congratulations to Walker Slaughter for placing 6th at the California State Wrestling Championships! You deserve it.
Five Valdez Wrestlers Claim League Titles!
Twelve Qualify for CIF Tournament!
This was a big weekend for all of our Valdez Wrestlers. Congratulations to all of our guys who competed in their recent League Finals Tournaments. Valdez Wrestling School had a great showing at several tournaments spread throughout Southern California.
Leading the way with league championship titles were:
Andrew Mestas (103, El Modena H.S.)
Devon O’Donoghue (112, Foothill H.S.)
Andrew Flores(125, El Modena H.S.)
Kimo Napohaku (135, Lakewood H.S)
Walker Slaughter (140, Irvine H.S.).
When all was said and done Valdez Wrestling School qualified 12 wrestlers for the CIF tournament. The following wrestlers placed in the top three in order to qualify for CIF:
Nam Tran (2nd, 103, Irvine H.S.)
Manny Rojas (2nd , 112, Segerstrom H.S.)
Matt Lutwen (2nd, 125, Irvine H.S.)
Moose Catalan (2nd, 145, Segerstrom H.S.)
Joseph Trimmer (2nd, 152, Irvine H.S.)
Greg Locklin (2nd, 171, Los Alamitos H.S.)
Max Cantomer (3rd, 130, El Modena H.S.)
The next step is getting through the CIF tournament and on to the Masters Meet. Good luck to all of our wrestlers. Remember, be confident, and step on the mat expecting to win. You have all put in the time and work so expect to have success.
Along with these varsity wrestlers, Valdez Wrestling School also had several wrestlers compete at the JV and Frosh/Soph levels. Many wrestlers placed and wrestled extremely well.
Wrestler of the Month
January: Andrew Mestas (103, El Modena H.S.)
The month of January was a great month for many of the Valdez wrestlers. Kimo Napohaku (135, Lakewood H.S.) traveled to Florida and won 1st place along with the Outstanding Wrestler Award for the tournament. Walker Slaughter (140, Irvine H.S.)continued his dominance with a couple of first place finishes, and made a statement at the state level by placing 7th at the prestigious Five Counties Tournament. Devon O’Donoghue (112, Foothill H.S.)stretched his record to 20 plus wins and only 4 defeats on the year.
The wrestler who really broke out in the month of January though, was Andrew Mestas (103, senior, El Modena H.S.). Mestas had been competing the entire year at 112 lbs. and was doing great. He wrestled outstanding at the Godinez Invitational, besting his Valdez teammate Thien Tran, in a close match in the semi-finals. He went on to take 2nd place at the Godinez. From here Mestas went on to compete at the prestigious Five Counties invitational. This was an enormous test for Mestas, given the reputation of the tournament and the fact that it was his first time competing at the 103 lb. weight class. Mestas was up for the challenge. After battling with the top guys in the state for two days, Mestas fought his way onto the podium with an 8th place finish. Hopefully this is just a sign of what is to come in the near future with league, CIF, Masters, and State coming up soon. Congratulations Andrew Mestas for being Valdez Wrestling School’s January Wrestler of the Month!
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