Gary Abbott/USA Wrestling
USA Wrestling has made its choice for the World Team Coaches in women’s freestyle wrestling who will participate in the World Championships in Budapest, Hungary, Sept. 27-Oct. 2.
Selected to join USA Wrestling National Women’s Coach Terry Steiner of Colorado Springs, Colo. as World Team Coaches in women’s freestyle wrestling are Bill Scherr of Glenview, Ill. and Troy Steiner of Iowa City, Iowa.
These coaches, as well as all of the coaching assignments in women’s freestyle for the year, were made by the Women’s Coach Selection Committee and approved by USA Wrestling’s Executive Committee.
Scherr has extensive coaching experience on the college and international level. He served five years as an assistant wrestling coach at Indiana Univ. Scherr is currently coaches the Wildcat WC freestyle wrestlers and is a volunteer with Northwestern Univ. program.
He was one of the best freestyle wrestlers in U.S. history, winning five consecutive World-level medals between 1985-90. In 1985, he was a World Champion, and in 1988 he won an Olympic bronze medal. He also boasts two World silver medals and a World bronze medal, in addition to numerous other international titles. Scherr was a NCAA champion for the Univ. of Nebraska. He is a Distinguished Member of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame.
Troy Steiner is currently the head assistant wrestling coach at the Univ. of Iowa. He has previous college coaching experience at Univ. of Wisconsin and the Univ. of Minnesota. He was the state freestyle coach for Wisconsin USA Wrestling for many years, and has coached many young wrestlers through his camps and clinics.
Steiner has coached a number of U.S. women’s wrestling teams on international tours. As an athlete, he qualified for the USA Wrestling Freestyle National Team two times (1992, 1996). He won a gold medal at the 1992 World Cup and placed in the U.S. Olympic Team Trials three times (1992, 1996, 2000). Steiner was a NCAA champion for the Univ. of Iowa.
Complete biographies of each World Team Coach selection follows, as well as quotes from each of the coaches.
QUOTES FROM THE WOMEN’S WORLD TEAM COACHES
Bill Scherr of Glenview, Ill.
“I’m excited about being chosen as a World Team Coach. I didn’t expect to receive such a high-level assignment. I have as much work to do as the women athletes between now and the World Championships. I need to learn the new rules and learn more about the wrestlers. I want to be ready by the time training camp arrives.”
“I believe I have very good technical skills, an area where I can be helpful. More importantly, my philosophy and beliefs as a coach will help. I have worked with some of the greatest coaches in U.S. history, such as Stan Dziedzic, Dan Gable, J Robinson and Jim Humphrey. I will take the best of each and add my own philosophy. I plan to inspire, motivate and educate the World Team to be successful. My goal is for all of them to be successful. We are right there. We have a great opportunity to win the World Title.”
Troy Steiner of Iowa City, Iowa
“I’m grateful for the opportunity to get assigned to a World Team, and an opportunity to work with the women wrestlers. It is nice to help Terry coach the team. It could be a new team with some new athletes, and will be fun to help them get to the top. The goal is the same, regardless of the athletes who make the team, and that is to win the World Championships.”
“This group coming in will have to continue to improve as they go on. They will have to continue to make strides. We also have some veterans coming back, and it will be a good mix of athletes. This is something I’ve wanted to get involved with for a long time. I hope to help the athletes get what they want.”
National Women’s Coach Terry Steiner of Colorado Springs, Colo.
(about Scherr and Troy Steiner)
“I am excited to have them both on staff. They bring a lot of experience and knowledge to the program. Having people like these two involved with the women’s program shows the wrestling community that women’s wrestling is a worthy cause and important to USA Wrestling.”
“Bill Scherr is obviously one of USA Wrestling’s most distinguished champions. It is very important for the World Team and the entire women’s program that somebody of his stature is coaching the team. He brings extraordinary skills and experience that will be an asset to the team.”
“Troy Steiner has built a great relationship with the Senior-level women. The athletes feel very comfortable with him. Personally, I know that Troy and I work well together, so it will be a great fit for the team.”
BIOGRAPHY SKETCHES OF WORLD TEAM COACHES IN WOMEN’S WRESTLING
Bill Scherr of Glenview, Ill.
Scherr currently coaches the Wildcat WC freestyle wrestlers and is a volunteer with Northwestern Univ. program.. This is his first assignment with a women’s wrestling team.
He was an assistant coach at Indiana University for five years, from 1984-89, working with coach Jim Humphrey. The team was 2-17 the season before his arrival and had a 15-0 record his final year with the program. Scherr is also a widely respected clinician, working numerous camps and clinics around the nation.
Scherr was one of the greatest wrestlers in U.S. freestyle history. He was a 1985 World champion and a 1988 Olympic bronze medalist. He ran off an amazing five-year run of consecutive World-level medals for the United States from 1985-89. He was also a 1986 and 1989 World silver medalist and a 1987 World bronze medalist. His five consecutive World-level medals is one of U.S. wrestling’s greatest feats, surpassed only by superstars Bruce Baumgartner, John Smith and Dave Schultz.
Bill Scherr was a two-time World Cup champion, a Pan American Games champion, a World Grand Masters champion, a Goodwill Games champion and a four-time U.S. Nationals champion. In 1992, he made a late comeback to the sport, winning the U.S. Nationals title and making the finals of the Olympic Team Trials where he placed second. He was elected as a Distinquished Member of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame.
Scherr was a 1984 NCAA champion at the Univ. of Nebraska, where he starred alongside his twin brother Jim. He was also a two-time high school state champion from Mobridge, S.D.
Scherr has developed a new web page about wrestling coaching (www.mywrestlingcoach.com), where he posts numerous detailed articles with information and advice on technique, coaching, mental toughness and other important training issues. Professionally, he is a Vice President with Goldman Sachs & Co.
Troy Steiner of Iowa City, Iowa
Steiner has coached a number of U.S. women’s wrestling teams on international tours and has assisted in coaching America’s elite women wrestlers in training. His twin brother Terry serves as USA Wrestling’s National Women’s Coach.
Steiner is currently the head assistant wrestling coach at the Univ. of Iowa, a position that he assumed this season for the national powerhouse Div. I wrestling program.
He was an assistant coach with the Univ. of Wisconsin from 1997-2001, serving as the strength and conditioning coach. Steiner was also strength and conditioning coach at the Univ. of Minnesota in 1996-97.
He served as the Wisconsin Wrestling Federation state freestyle coach from 1997-2004. He ran the state’s Junior Nationals training camp, and set up USA Wrestling regional training sites around the state. He also operated a year-round wrestling training system for motivated young wrestlers from high school age and below.
Steiner was a successful freestyle wrestler for many years, making the USA Wrestling Freestyle National Team two times (1992, 1996). He won a gold medal at the 1992 World Cup and won a medal in numerous international tournaments. He placed in the U.S. Olympic Team Trials three times (1992, 1996, 2000). He was second at the 1998 U.S. Nationals Championships and placed in the tournament nine times.
He was a 1992 NCAA champion for the University of Iowa, and was a four-time All-American for the Hawkeyes. He is originally from Bismarck, N.D., where he won three state high school titles.
2005 INTERNATIONAL COACHING ASSIGNMENTS IN WOMEN’S WRESTLING
World Championships
Troy Steiner, Madison, Wis.
Bill Scherr, Glenview, Ill.
Junior World Championships
Shannyn Gillespie, Marquette, Mich.
Kip Flanik, Williamsburg, Ky.
World University Games
Tadaaki Hatta, Elyria, Ohio
Bobby Douglas, Ames, Iowa
Russia Tour
Terry Steiner, Colorado Springs, Colo.
Ron Tirpak, Swarthmore, Pa.
France Tour
Lee Allen, El Granada, Calif.
Levi Weikel-Magden, Charlottesville, Va.
Sweden Tour
Brent Barnes, Lake Stevens, Wash.
Bill Scherr, Glenview, Ill.
Italy Tour
Shannyn Gillespie, Marquette, Mich.
Jack Prest, Schenectady, N.Y.
Belarus Tour
Terry Steiner, Colorado Springs, Colo.
Vlad Izboinikov, Yucca Valley, Calif.
World Cup
Terry Steiner, Colorado Springs, Colo.
Lou Rosselli, Edinboro, Pa.
Cadet/Junior Tours
Mike Marr, LaFarge, Wis.
Billy Wood, Kaneohe, Hawaii
Dan Chaid, San Jose, Calif.
Randy Baker, Lakefield, Minn.
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