Interesting to read this wrestler’s take on the difference between freestyle and folkstyle wrestling….
Sunday, January 02, 2005
Local
Blanche continues wrestling career with a scholarship
BY NATHAN AHLE/[email protected]
Sunday, January 2, 2005 4:17 PM PST
These days, it’s good to be Tyrell Blanche.
After a very successful high school wrestling career at Burroughs High School and an exceptional junior college career at Moorpark College, Blanche is getting an opportunity few athletes have: he will be able to finish his degree and participate in his sport of choice at the same time, after earning a scholarship to Menlo College in Atherton, located in Northern California.
Blanche was in town this week, working out with the current Burroughs squad over the BHS holiday break. He was hoping to drop some weight in order to compete in the 197-pound division at Menlo.
Blanche had a solid career at Burroughs, earning a berth in the CIF state finals in his senior year in 2002, finishing in ninth place in the 215-pound division. He was also a member of the varsity football team, and was named The Daily Independent’s Winter Sports MVP for the 2001-02 season.
Blanche said that he went 34-1 over his two-year career at Moorpark, and won the state championship “freestyle “wrestling title between his freshman and sophomore years.
According to Blanche, freestyle wrestling is a looser, more free-flowing style than used in high school and college. He said that freestyle wrestling was “lazier “than typical high school and college wrestling.
Last year, Blanche competed as a heavyweight, but hopes to participate at 197 pounds because he enjoys the lighter weights. Blanche said that the lighter weight classes are more athletic, and therefore more enjoyable.
As for his academic career, Blanche recently received his associate’s degree, and is majoring in liberal arts, specializing in humanities.
“I want to be able to teach high school, so I can coach wrestling, “Blanche said with a smile.
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