Wrestler Collins invited to train at Colorado Springs Olympic
Training Center, Barragan makes Junior National Team
n By Ana Patejdl Sports Editor
Gilroy – Hunter Collins has the goal to one day be an Olympian.
This summer, Collins has been invited to do the next best thing: Train where the Olympians train.
The Gilroy High sophomore, who was the 171-pound runner-up at the California Interscholastic Federation State Wrestling Championships in March, has been offered the opportunity to train at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs with U.S. National Team coaches.
“It’s a great opportunity that not many people get presented with,” Collins said. “Any time you can work out with somebody of that caliber, you’ve got to be excited.”
Said Gilroy High assistant wrestling coach Mike Koester, “You’re talking like a handful (of wrestlers), right there. That’s really hard to get into.”
Collins will train in Colorado Springs for three weeks, in addition to competing at the Junior Dual National Championships in Oklahoma City in June, the Cadet and Junior National Freestyle Championships in Fargo, ND in July, and training with a perennial-powerhouse high school wrestling program in Virginia for another three weeks.
It all adds up to eight weeks of highly-competitive summer wrestling.
“It’s a sacrifice, but in the end it’ll be worth it,” Collins said. “It’s always been a goal of mine to go as far as I can.”
Dan Collins, Hunter’s father and coach, said he believes his son’s ranking as the fourth-best sophomore wrestler in the country and his second-place finish at the state championships helped Hunter get noticed and considered for the very select Olympic training program.
“He’s just following that path of what typically happens for kid of his caliber at his age,” the elder Collins said. “Once he’s in that group, they really do a lot to groom those wrestlers.”
The younger Collins, who has made the honor roll at GHS for the second-straight year, said he’s looking forward to learning from some of the best wrestling coaches in the country.
Although no wrestlers he’s ever faced have been invited to be a part of the Olympic Training Center program, two-time California state champion at 130-pounds Billy Murphy of Hughson has, as well as former California repeat-state champions out of Bakersfield Nathan Morgan (now at Oklahoma State) and Jake Varner (now at Iowa State).
Hunter Collins is looking for sponsorship to make his trip to the Olympic Training Center possible. Contact Dan at 438-0531 if you’re interested in helping.
Wrestling Notes
– Another GHS wrestler, Andres Barragan, the 2006 CCS champion at 189 pounds, earned a spot on the FILA Junior National team by taking fourth in the FILA Junior State Championships. But because of summer commitments to football, the senior-to-be won’t be participating as a part of California’s state team.
– Earlier this month, the Gilroy Hawks wrestling program crowned three champions at the freestyle state championships in San Jose: Hunter Collins won his fourth state championship at 171 pounds, freshman-to-be Jesse Delgado won at 100 pounds and youngster Isaiah Locsin came out on top at 65 pounds.
