Cam Jones’ Journey: Greco Star Puts Career on Hold, Now Set to Compete at World Team Trials
Highly Touted and Talented Utah Native Will Wrestle For Cody Sanderson at Utah Valley State College
By Andrew Hipps – Staff Writer
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As a 17-year-old high school senior in 2001 he placed third at the U.S. Nationals behind Olympians Dennis Hall and Jim Gruenwald. One Web site calls him one of the greatest Greco-Roman wrestlers to come out of the Western United States. If you don’t know the name Cam Jones, you better become familiar with it. He might soon become the new face of Greco-Roman wrestling in the United States.
How it Got Started
In the mid-1980s, Jedd Jones, a former Idaho state champion and wrestler at San Jose State University, brought his oldest son, Brady, to a youth wrestling club practice in Salt Lake City, Utah. Jedd watched as high school wrestlers taught his son the basic fundamentals of wrestling. Although Jedd had been out of the sport for quite some time, he came away less than impressed by the instruction that his son was getting.
Recalls Jedd, “I sort of thought, ‘I can do a better job than them.’ So I just started helping and got more involved.”
The next year, Jedd took a more active role in the wrestling club. Soon he was running a successful youth program called the Sundance Wrestling Club. A couple of years later, his middle son, Cam, began wrestling in the club.
Cam took an immediate liking to the sport and showed natural ability. He had great hips, amazing balance, and a sense for the sport. He began competing in local tournaments around the Salt Lake City area. It wasn’t long before he was excelling at state and national competitions.
“I remember watching Cam wrestle when he was probably 5 or 6 years old,” says Cody Sanderson, who was a four-time state champion in Utah. “I remember seeing him win the kids state tournament in Utah when he was very small.”
In 1996, when Cam was in seventh grade, he began wrestling under the tutelage of former U.S. Greco-Roman star Mark Fuller, who had just been hired as the general manager of the Treehouse Athletic Club (TAC). Fuller, who wrestled on four consecutive U.S. Olympic Greco teams (1980-1992), coached and trained Cam for three years. But in the summer of 1998, after the club was built, former world-class Greco-Roman star Ivan Ivanov was hired on as the new head coach for TAC.
Ivanov, a native of Bulgaria and a 1994 World silver medalist, instilled a work ethic and attitude in his young wrestlers never before seen. In the past, the kids would simply show up to practice, learn the moves, and go home. But when Ivanov came, the training regimen drastically changed. Ivanov scheduled two practices a day (morning and afternoon) instead of the usual one that they had grown accustomed to. He also understood the importance of peaking for the major events like Cadet and Junior Nationals. According to Jedd, “Wrestling became more of a lifestyle, rather than just going to practice.”
The Early Signs of Success
Cam thrived under Ivanov. He had already begun to taste success in Greco on the national level by winning a Cadet national title. But under the guidance of Ivanov, he improved by leaps and bounds.
“He really brought me along technically,” Cam says of Ivanov. “He helped me out a lot as far as knowing correct Greco positioning, learning different moves, and the proper way to lift.”
In the spring of 2000, at the age of 16, Cam traveled to Corvallis, Oregon to compete in the West Regional Olympic Trials qualifier, which would be his first major test in a senior level event. He ended up placing an impressive third at 54 kg (119 pounds).
“After that tournament, I thought, wow, he can start competing with these guys,” recalls Jedd. “I felt that he was developed more technically than a lot of the senior wrestlers were, simply because of the training he was getting with Ivan.”
He would add a FILA Cadet national title in Greco that spring as well.
That summer, Cam went on to claim his second Junior National Greco title in dominating fashion. He was a man among boys on the junior level in terms of technical skills. He won his first nine matches by technical fall or fall, which included a two minute and fifty-three second pasting of two-time Cadet National Greco champion Chris Fleeger from Pennsylvania. He dispatched his opponent in the finals by a score of 9-2.
The Decision
Cam entered his senior year at Brighton High School with a resume that already included a Cadet national title, a FILA Cadet national title, two Junior national titles, and two high school state titles. College coaches from major Division I programs all across the country were dreaming about the possibility of Cam joining their program. Many wondered which path he would choose: collegiate wrestling or Greco. That’s when he made his decision. Neither. He was going to put his wrestling career on hold while serving a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Cam’s older brother, Brady, had to make the same decision three years prior. Brady, like Cam, was a phenom in Greco-Roman wrestling (their youngest brother, Jaes, is a freshman wrestler at Brighton High School and a state champion in both freestyle and Greco-Roman). Brady was a Cadet and Junior national champion in Greco. He was a four-time state finalist and a state champion in high school. He decided that he was not going to go on a mission, and instead signed to wrestle for Iowa State. The Sanderson brothers, who he knew from wrestling in Utah, were making quite a name for themselves as Cyclones. It was going to be the perfect situation for him. Or so he thought.
But a month before he was supposed to leave for Ames he changed his mind.
“After Brady got back from Junior Nationals his senior year of high school, we had gone to church one day, and someone was talking about the importance of missions,” recalls Jedd. “He came home that afternoon and said, ‘You know what, I’m not going to go Iowa State right now. I’m going to go on my mission.’ From that point on, he never looked back.”
That fall, Brady packed his bags and headed to Venezuela for his LDS mission. Two years later, Cam and his family traveled to South America to pick up Brady from his mission. It was an experience that would be etched in Cam’s memory forever.
“When I saw how much Brady cared about these people, and how much they cared about him, I knew that it was something that I wanted to strive for,” says Cam. “I knew that it would be something that would benefit my life. When I was able to go down to a different country, with a different culture, and see the interaction between my older brother and these people, and the love they had for each other, I knew that it was something that I wanted to have for people too.”
Making His Mark on the National Scene
But as he entered his senior year of high school, Cam still had some business to take care of on the wrestling mat.
In February of 2001, he claimed his third straight high school state title in Utah. Two months later, in mid-April, he competed at the U.S. Nationals in Greco-Roman at 58 kg (127.5 pounds). In his weight class were two Olympians, Hall and Gruenwald. Cam breezed through to the semifinals, winning his first three matches by technical fall over seasoned veterans. In the semifinals, Cam faced Hall, an Olympic Silver Medalist who is widely considered to be one of the greatest U.S. Greco-Roman wrestlers ever.
Hall, like Cam, had worked closely with Ivanov. In fact, Hall was the man responsible for bringing Ivanov to the United States in the first place.
In a battle of youth versus experience, Cam dropped a 4-0 decision to Hall.
“I think Dennis wrestled very conservatively against Cam,” says Jedd. “From working with Ivan, maybe he had seen Cam wrestle and knew that he was a good thrower, with good hips, and a big move wrestler. He didn’t want to get caught in anything.”
Cam went on to win his two remaining consolation matches and place third behind Hall and Gruenwald. Finishing third at the U.S. Nationals while still in high school is an almost unheard of feat. It is virtually the equivalent of a high school men’s tennis player reaching the semifinals at Wimbledon. It’s not supposed to happen.
“I knew my potential,” says Cam, who wound up placing fourth at the 2001 World Team Trials in Cincinnati. “I had goals and I achieved those goals. It was really satisfying knowing that I was up at that level, that I was able to compete with Dennis Hall and Jim Gruenwald. They are just excellent wrestlers. To know that I was up there, right behind them, it was great. I just had a good time being there, wrestling, having fun, and doing what I do.”
Ivanov, a native of Bulgaria and a 1994 World silver medalist, instilled a work ethic and attitude in his young wrestlers never before seen. Jones Thrived under the tutelage of Ivanov. Photo from USA Wrestling
Two weeks later, Cam and his fellow Utah stars competed against the USA All-Stars in the 1st Annual Utah Greco-Roman Challenge held at Jordan High School in Sandy, Utah. More than 1,000 wrestling fans filled the bleachers to watch the dual meet. Cam faced Harry Lester from Ohio, a wrestler who had become a dominant force on the junior scene. Lester had already won four state high school titles, two national Greco titles (Cadet and Junior), a Cadet World title, and was named the Outstanding Wrestler at Junior Nationals the previous summer.
The two precocious high school seniors put on a show. The quick and explosive Lester jumped out to a 6-0 lead, but Cam methodically worked his way back into the match and eventually won a 10-8 thriller.
“I had more people come up to me after that and tell me that it was the most fun and entertaining style of wrestling that they had ever watched,” says Jedd, who organized the event. “Cam and Harry’s match was the highlight of the dual because both guys got after it. They were explosive. They did moves. And it was a lot of fun to watch.”
That match set the stage for a rematch at Junior Nationals that summer in Fargo. Both wrestlers cruised through to the finals at 132 pounds while hardly breaking a sweat. Once again, the two wrestlers would not disappoint. Cam scored first with a gut wrench to take a 2-0 lead. But Lester battled back, hitting a three point throw (with an appreciation lift point) to grab the lead. Cam, however, retook the lead with a body lock throw for three points, which he followed up with a gut wrench to make the score 7-5 after the first period. Cam would eventually take a 10-6 lead, before Lester mounted a comeback. Lester scored with a late takedown and a gut wrench, but Cam held on for the 10-9 victory, and claimed his third straight Greco title at the Junior Nationals.
“Harry is really quick,” says Cam. “He is probably one of the more athletic and talented wrestlers I’ve ever wrestled. I think wrestling him really made me step up my wrestling to the top level that I needed it to be at.”
Mission Accomplished
Cam wasn’t scheduled to leave on his mission to Chile until the following May, so he lived at home, worked, and continued to wrestle Greco. He finished third behind both Hall and Gruenwald at the Sunkist International Open that October. He was planning on wrestling in the NYAC Christmas International Championships in December, but suffered a bad ankle sprain shortly before the tournament. Another sprained ankle kept him out of the U.S. Nationals in April.
Cam left for his LDS mission to Chile on May 8, 2002.
In Chile, Cam would wake up at 6:30 every morning and study the Scriptures until 9:30. He would then begin working on service projects like cutting grass, roofing houses, building houses, and shoveling snow. The rest of the day was spent sharing stories about Jesus and about sacrifice. He had one free day a week where he’d play sports like basketball and soccer. It was the same routine every day for two years. And he loved it.
Occasionally his mind would wander and he’d think about wrestling. He missed it a lot, but was focused on his mission. He’d wrestle around once in a while with his friends and companions in the living room of the house, just for fun. Jedd would write him letters, and every once in a while he’d update Cam on what was going on in the wrestling world.
Recalls Jedd, “A few times Cam told me, ‘I don’t really want to talk about wrestling. I just want to focus on what I’m here for, and I’ll worry about that when I get back.’ But during the last three or four months of his mission he started talking more about it.”
Cam returned home to Utah on May 14, 2004.
“The experience that I had while serving an LDS mission in Chile is one that I wouldn’t trade for anything,” says Cam. “I met a lot of great people, a lot of people I still keep in touch with. They are people that have touched my life. They have helped me to grow spiritually and mentally.”
The Decision, Part II
When he returned from his mission, Cam explored his wrestling options. Many Division I coaches called and wrote letters inquiring about his future plans. Boise State recruited him hard. His friend and former high school teammate, Robb Maxwell, wanted him to come to Cal Poly. Ivanov, his former mentor, who had been coaching the USOEC Greco-Roman program at Northern Michigan University since February of 2002, talked to him about the possibility of enrolling in that program.
So he went on a recruiting visit to Northern Michigan. He liked what he saw. Cam decided that if he was going to wrestle again, he might as well compete in the style that he does best, Greco. He could also get his education in the process. It allowed him to reunite with Ivanov and train with many of the nation’s brightest, young Greco stars, including Lester.
Cam enrolled at Northern Michigan, located in the Upper Peninsula, in the fall semester of 2004. He had excellent training partners, state-of-the-art facilities, and a phenomenal coach. From an outsider’s perspective, it looked like he was in the perfect situation to make a run at the 2008 Olympic Games. But something wasn’t right. He went to the NYAC Christmas International Championships and failed to place. He wasn’t happy in his new environment, so he decided to leave the USOEC program. His father was initially upset with his decision.
“I was mad when he told me that he was coming home,” says Jedd. “Just frustrated. I felt like he had made a commitment.”
Cam returned home to Utah in late December. In January, he attended the Utah Wrestling High School All-Star Classic held on the campus Utah Valley State College (UVSC) in Orem. The event was a fundraiser in support of the wrestling program at UVSC, which isn’t eligible to compete in the NCAA Division I Wrestling Tournament until the 2009-10 season. Administrators at the school are currently in discussions with NCAA officials in hopes of getting that changed. One of Cam’s friends who wrestles at UVSC suggested that he talk to Sanderson about the possibility of enrolling at the school. So he did.
Growing up in Utah, Cam had known the Sanderson family since he started competing. In the Utah wrestling community, the Sanderson’s are royalty. Cody’s father, Steve, is the National Teams Co-Director in Utah (along with his wife, Debbie). Steve has been heavily involved with the youth wrestling programs in Utah for years, much like Jedd. Cam had closely followed the storied wrestling careers of Cody, Cole, Cael, and Cyler since they were young. Although Cam had known Cody for quite some time, he hadn’t gotten to know him on a personal level, mostly because of their six and a half year age difference.
“Cam came and talked to me and from there we just kind of put it together,” says Sanderson. “I didn’t know really what he was up to. We just kind of crossed paths, really.”
So Cam enrolled at UVSC in the spring semester and joined the Wolverines wrestling team. He decided to use the 2004-05 season as his redshirt year, which will give him four more years of college wrestling eligibility beginning next season. He hadn’t wrestled collegiate style (folkstyle) since high school, so he has had to relearn many of the techniques that he once relied on. Techniques that once helped him win three Utah high school state titles and earn a spot on the Asics Tiger All-America second team. Shooting. Sprawling. Setups. Finishes.
The Future
Sanderson is pleased with what he has seen so far.
“He learns very quickly,” says Sanderson. “No matter what I say, he just goes right out there and tries it. He’s a great athlete. Cam has so much potential and wants to learn, so he’s just picking things up very fast. He’s going to need a little bit more time in the room, and a few more competitions under his belt, but I really feel that he will be a very successful folkstyle wrestler.”
Cam is excited to be working with Sanderson.
“Cody is wonderful,” says Cam. “I don’t think there is another coach in the country that could help me as much as Cody.”
In late February, Cam began training Greco once again, as he prepared for the Rocky Mountain Regionals and U.S. Nationals. He sharpened his Greco skills by wrestling with a few of his former training partners from Utah, like Zach Lamano, Cheney Haight, and Maxwell.
On March 24, Cam headed out to Laramie, Wyoming to wrestle in the Rocky Mountain Regionals at 66 kg (145.5 pounds). He completely dominated the competition. He won two of his matches by technical fall and the other by fall, which earned him the Outstanding Wrestler of the Tournament award. It also qualified him for the U.S. World Team Trials June 18-19 in Ames, Iowa.
“I was definitely pleased with my performance in Laramie,” Cam says. “I actually wrestled a lot better than I had anticipated. I was quick on my feet and good in par terre, offense and defense.”
On April 30, Cam competed at the U.S. Nationals in Las Vegas for the first time since his third place finish in 2001. He entered the tournament as the seventh seed and won his first two matches. In the quarterfinals, however, he dropped a 1-0, 3-0 decision to second-seeded Marcel Cooper of the U.S. Army. He then lost his first match in the consolation bracket, which eliminated him from the tournament. Cam characterized his performance in Vegas as “sluggish.”
Both Jedd and Sanderson believe that it’s going to take some time for Cam to get to the level that they know he is capable of competing at. He has to adjust to the rule changes implemented by FILA. According to his father, he must also add more muscle mass if he wants to compete with the top guys. He is said to be a “tweener,” which means that he is too big to compete at 60 kg and a little small for 66 kg.
“I truly believe with Cam it’s going to be more about getting back in shape, getting the fight and the physicality of the sport back,” says Jedd, who now runs a wrestling club in Salt Lake City called Specialized. “I think it takes between two and two and a half years to get there after returning from a mission.”
Sanderson, who has been wrestling Greco with Cam since the collegiate season ended, believes that getting mat time is the most important thing right now.
“I think he has had less than a dozen matches since he returned from his mission,” says Sanderson. “He has had probably 10-12 matches in the last three years, so right now every match for him is about getting better and more experience.”
As Cam prepares to wrestle in the World Team Trials he remains both excited and optimistic about his future. He is majoring in accounting at UVSC and plans to earn a minor in either Spanish or economics. He will likely wrestle at 149 pounds next year for the Wolverines. His short term goal is to place in the top four at the World Team Trials. Long term, he’s not yet certain about his wrestling goals. He will decide that next year. He says he would like to have a good collegiate season next year, and plans to continue competing in Greco. Maybe even a little freestyle, too. But for now, he just wants to enjoy the sport.
“Right now I’m trying to learn how to enjoy wrestling as kind of like an extracurricular activity, instead of making it like a job,” he says.
Andrew Hipps also receives feedback at [email protected]
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