Road Trip: Wrestling Camps - University of Iowa & Oklahoma State, July 2 to July 19, 2009. The following photographs show a brief documentation of the trip to the University of Iowa Brands-Gable Wrestling Camp and the Oklahoma State - John Smith Wrestling Camp the Juan C. "Charlie" Villegas (Sr.), Justin Ramirez (Sr.), A.J. Garcia (Sr.) and Hector Villanueva, Jr. (Jr.) undertook. Having decided to attend both camps, and then working odd jobs to pay for their trip, the boys headed out on July 2nd leaving Weslaco and traveling to Houston, then on to Little Rock, Arkansas, spending the Fourth of July in St. Louis, Missouri, and arriving in Iowa City, Iowa - the University of Iowa campus on Sunday, July 5th. The boys attended the Brands-Gable Camp from Sunday July 5th through Thursday, July 9th. They stayed in a university dorm and interacted with wrestlers from twelve different states. The highlights of the camp were technique sessions conducted by U. of Iowa Coach Tom Brands, (3-time NCAA Champion, World Champion and Olympic Champion, 2 NCAA National Championship teams); U. of Iowa assistant coach, Terry Brands, (2-time NCAA Champion, Olympic Bronze medalist); and wrestling legend and former U. of Iowa Coach Dan Gable (2-time NCAA Champion, World Champion and Olympic Champion, coached 15 NCAA National Championship teams). Gable also spoke on the "Heart of a Champion", while Tom Brands spoke on leadership and what it takes to be a champion. (Videos available for viewing on this blog.) The boys attended three - 1:45 - technique sessions per day over a five day period. The Hawkeye wrestler's were attending summer school and working-out as a "club" in the afternoons, each wrestler with a black book, noting his goals, his progress, affirmations, etc. - with a due date of March 18, 2010, next year's NCAA Wrestling Championships to be held in Omaha, Nebraska.
After R&R stops in Kansas City, Missouri and Wichita, Kansas, the boys arrived in Stillwater, Oklahoma on Sunday, July 12th to attend the Oklahoma State University - John Smith Wrestling Camp. The boys attended three technique sessions per day for four days - with competition matches at the end of each day, and a tournament on the last day of camp. Justin, Charlie and A.J. each won a bronze medal in their respective weight divisions.
After R&R stops in Kansas City, Missouri and Wichita, Kansas, the boys arrived in Stillwater, Oklahoma on Sunday, July 12th to attend the Oklahoma State University - John Smith Wrestling Camp. The boys attended three technique sessions per day for four days - with competition matches at the end of each day, and a tournament on the last day of camp. Justin, Charlie and A.J. each won a bronze medal in their respective weight divisions.
Leaving Stillwater, the boys visited POPS, a store in Arcadia, Oklahoma that sells over 500 different brands of sodas. Located on the famous Route 66, POPS attracts 800,000 visitors per year! Reaching Fort Worth, we visited the Fort Worth Water Gardens, the Kimbell and Modern Museums. Closing out the trip we visited the University of Texas campus, Schlitterbahn in New Braunfels, the Riverwalk in San Antonio, and got home on the night of July 19th after 2,750 miles. It was well worth the effort in attending the wrestling camps and touring the mid-west.
Charlie Villegas: M. L. King Memorial, Rothko Chapel, Houston.
University of St. Thomas Chapel, Houston, Texas
Charlie Villegas: Mediation Maze at the University of St. Thomas, Houston, Texas
Hector Villanueva, Jr. at Menil Collection, Houston.
Dan Flavin Installation, Houston, Texas.
A.J. sitting in "his" sports car....., Houston.
Justin Ramirez relaxing at De Menil Park, Houston.
Justin, Charlie, A.J. and Hector waiting for the Metro, St. Louis, Missouri
A.J., Charlie, Justin and Hector in front of the Mississippi River, St. Louis, Missouri.
Justin, A.J., Charlie and Hector at U. of Iowa Student Gym.
Hawkeye Wrestling Training Room.
Mural of Dan Gable, Wrestling Legend, University of Iowa.
Charlie, Justin, Dan Gable, Hector and A.J. after practice.
A.J. trains against Walter Reeny, an Iowa prospect.
Hector trains with a fellow camper.
A.J. with Walter Reeny of Dubuque, Iowa (Justin's roommate.)
Warm-up drills before the start of practice. Justin and Charlie, extreme left.
Technique Session at University of Iowa.
Justin, A.J., U. of Iowa Wrestling Coach Tom Brands, Charlie and Hector.
Charlie wrestles an athlete from Sioux City, Iowa.
Hector and his Iowa roommate.
Justin packs for the next phase of the trip.
Art Building, University of Iowa. The flood of 2008 reached the glass panels on the second floor. The buidling is still closed.
The Iowa River runs right through the middle of the campus.
Walkway from the dorm to the wrestling gym, U. of Iowa.
You're never too old to hug and kiss Snoopy. World's of Fun, Kansas City.
The boys ride a roller coaster at Worlds of Fun.
Justin and Charlie get ready to blast off.
Justin, Charlie, A.J. and Hector take a break between rides.
Justin rides the carousel, Kansas City, Missouri.
A view of The Prowler, Kansas City, Missouri.
Capone, Gotti, Colombo and Dillinger on the streets of Chicago?
No! A.J., Justin, Charlie and Hector in Kansas City.
Bloch Wing of the Neslon Atkins Museum, Kansas City, Missouri.
"Rush Hour" sculpture by George Segal, with a Weslaco twist.
Nelson Atkins Museum, Kansas City, Missouri, July 11, 2009.
A.J. walks the tranquil corridor of the Nelson Atkins Museum.
Hector in front of "Standing Figures (Thirty)" by M. Abakanowitz.
A.J. in front of "Shuttle Cocks" by Claes Oldenberg and Coosje van Bruggen,Nelson Atkins Museum, Kansas City, Missouri.
Oklahoma State University - Stillwater, Oklahoma - The National Wrestling Championship banners at Gallahger-Iba Arena.
Gallagher-Iba Arena, the home of Oklahoma State Wrestling
Bennett Hall - the OSU dorm where the boys stayed.
The start of a training session.
A.J. during a warm-up session.
Justin walking across the gym on his hands.
Hector (in purple) during a training session.
Charlie "walking" across the training gym.
Justin and Charlie practice their technique. (Lower Left.)
Justin and Charlie continue their training.
Hector (top, left of center under rails) practices his technique.
Last day of camp, the boys in front of the OSU
Spirit Rider at Gallagher-Iba Arena.
An OSU tradition, eating at Eskimo Joes.
Justin and Charlie view thedisplays at the National Wrestling Hall of Fame.
Hector in front of a drawing of Henry Cejudo, 2008 Olympic Champion.
Pop's - Arcadia, Oklahoma. 500 different brands of soda!
Justin in front of the Pops highway sign.
Finally, a bottle big enough to quench AJ's thirst!
Justin, Charlie, Hector and AJ at the Fort Worth Water Gardens.
The boys at the Ft. Worth Water Gardens.
A Pablo Picasso sculpture at the Kimbell Museum.
Untitled (L.A.) by Felix Gonzalez-Torres. Green candy wrapped
in cellophane, from The Rachofsky Collection! Art?
Justin & Charlie question Dan Flavin's flourescent light. Art!
Hector views a pile of rocks..., excuse me, a work of art!
Chillaxing at Schlitterbahn, New Braunfels, Texas
