TCPalm: JCS's Sheldon to coach national team
The former Olympian will lead the U.S. Greco-Roman wrestling team to China for World Championships.
By Mike English
January 15, 2006
Jupiter Christian School assistant wrestling coach Shawn Sheldon has been named to coach the U.S. World Greco-Roman wrestling team that will compete in the World Championships in Guangzhou, China Sept. 26 to Oct. 1.
Sheldon will coach the team along with Andy Seras, who was the 2004 U.S. Olympic Greco-Roman team, and he hopes the appointment will boost his chance to coach the U.S. Olympic team in 2008.
"I'm excited about that," said Sheldon, who teaches computer classes at JCS. "After wrestling on eight World teams, I finally get a chance to be the coach of one."
Before he retired from the mat in 2000, Sheldon, a State University of New York-Albany graduate, competed in two Olympics at 119-pounds. He was fourth in 1998 in Barcelona and competed in the '88 games in Seoul.
He was a silver medalist at the 1991 World Championships and won nine U.S. National titles and two World Cup titles.
Greco-Roman wrestling involves more upper body holds and throws than free style or folk style, which is the style used by high schools.
"You are not allowed to attack below the waist (in Greco-Roman)," Sheldon said.
Through high school and college, Sheldon participated in all three wrestling styles but eventually gravitated to Greco-Roman.
"I prefer Greco-Roman because you are allowed to throw your opponent without him grabbing your legs to stop you," he said. "I liked that. ... You can use Greco-Roman techniques in folk style and in free style."
Sheldon and Seras were club, college and Olympic teammates.
"We've known each other for about 20 years," Sheldon said. "We grew up wrestling together in upstate New York."
Besides coaching and teaching at JCS, Sheldon also is the club coach for the New York Athletic club wrestling team and the administrator for the Palm Beach County Olympic Development Program, which offers year-round club wrestling for area schools.
"I'm busy right now," Sheldon said. "This is definitely my busiest time but when the high school season is over (next month), I'll have more time on my hands."
When he finds the time, he also helps coach wrestlers at the U.S. Olympics training center in Colorado.
"I've found out that coaching is a little more difficult than competing," Sheldon said. "When I was competing, I was only worrying about myself. When you are coaching, you have to worry about the whole team.
"I think I'm a disciplined coach and a hard coach — meaning, I do hard training and have hard workouts. I don't have too many words," he said.
"I teach a technique and I want to see them do it on the mat."
As busy as he is, Seldon hopes the appointment to coach the National Greco-Roman team will boost his chances to coach the U.S. Olympic Greco-Roman wrestling team in 2008.
"What pretty much happens is the coaches that coach the U.S. world championship teams between Olympic years, two of those coaches are picked for the Olympic team," Sheldon said.
"I'll go into a pool and they'll pick from that.
"I'd love to be the head coach," he said.
Trials for the Greco-Roman team that will compete in China will be in June, Sheldon said, although a site hasn't been set.
They'll pick seven wrestlers (there are only seven weight divisions in Greco-Roman) and five alternates.
The national championships are in April in Las Vegas and that will establish the seeding for the world team trials, Sheldon said.
In addition the Greco-Roman team, the U.S. will send a men's free style and a women's free style team to China.
The three-team U.S. contingent will include about 66 people including coaches, wrestlers and trainers.
The competition will draw teams from 32 countries.
"Hopefully we can come home with some medals," said Sheldon.
