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Nov. 9, 2007: The Wrestling Mall

Jordan Junior Wrestling Digs Into New Season

(Sandy, Utah) Nov. 8, 2007 - Jordan Junior Wrestling digs into the 2007-2008 junior high/middle school wrestling season with its second year under coach Bill Kilpack (III), a national AAU wrestling champion and alternate for the Greco-Roman Pan-Am team; his father, Bill Kilpack (Jr.), one of the original coaches of the much lauded Sundance Wrestling Club; Derek Jensen, a two-time member of the All-Marine wrestling team; Jake Ribald, a New Mexico high school state champion; and Toby Orton, a varsity wrestler from Fidalgo Island, Wash. Officially joining the coaching staff this year is Mike Johnson, a former youth wrestler who successfully coaches kids in a number of sports.

"I'm very excited for this season," Kilpack said. "We made some great strides as a team last year, and will continue that with this new season."

Last season, the team finished sixth in the Middle School Division at the 4A/5A Junior High State Championships, with only 11 scoring wrestlers competing. "We had a very young team last year, most fifth and sixth graders, but the thing that hurt us most at state was the flu." He said, "We had 14 wrestlers who I think would've placed at state, but couldn't even compete, because a nasty flu bug ripped through the squad. And those who wrestled anyway were also affected, some of them not having any soup to get through the third round, when they were usually better conditioned than anyone else they faced."

Practices are slated to begin on Nov. 12 at Jordan High School, and will be held three days a week from 7-8:30 p.m. With the Middle School and Junior High Divisions now available, athletes from fifth to ninth grades (so long as they are not wrestling on a high-school wrestling team) are eligible.

This year's coaching staff has a long and successful wrestling history.

Kilpack (III) of West Jordan was an original member of the Sundance Wrestling Club, arguably the finest freestyle/Greco-Roman wrestling team in Utah history. As a competitor, he garnered an AAU national championship, seven national silver medals, seven more national medals, and was a member of the Pan-Am team in Greco-Roman wrestling holding an alternate position. In addition, he was named All-American 15 times by AAU, the US Wrestling Federation or USA Wrestling in freestyle and Greco-Roman wrestling; was a seven-time Zone/Western Regional champion; and a six-time state champion in freestyle and Greco-Roman wrestling. He is the head coach of Mountain Top Wrestling Club which, in 2007, was the Team State Champion in both freestyle and Greco-Roman wrestling.

Kilpack (Jr.) of West Jordan was one of the two original coaches of the Sundance Wrestling Club, and a member of the University of Utah wrestling team. Sundance was arguably the finest freestyle/Greco-Roman wrestling team in Utah history, producing the first two world champions from Utah, and dozens of other international and national honors. He was also a member of the University of Utah wrestling team.

Ribald of West Jordan wrestled in junior high and high school, starting in Kent, Wash., where he was a varsity wrestler at Kent Meridian High School, and finished third in state as a sophomore. He then moved to New Mexico, where he attended Mayfield High in Las Cruces, and took second in state as a junior and was a state champion his senior year. While in college, he pursued Kempo karate in earnest, achieving a first-degree black belt, and competed in full-contact karate and kickboxing. As an adult, he has coached community sports such as wrestling, football and soccer, as well as instructing in Kempo.

Jensen of West Valley City was a varsity letterman all three years of high school at Hunter High School, was a Utah Summer Games champion, a Region champion, a two-time freestyle state champ, and competed at nationals as a senior in high school. Following high school, he was a member of the wrestling team at Palo Mar College in California before joining the military, where he was twice named to the All-Marine Wrestling Team.

Orton of West Jordan was a varsity wrestler at Anacortes High School in Fidalgo Island, Washington. It was during this time that he came to appreciate the competitive nature of wrestling and other sports. As an adult, he has coached community sports such as wrestling, soccer and a championship baseball team.

Johnson of Draper wrestled as a child, but had to choose between wrestling and basketball. As a result, he was a varsity letterman in both basketball and football all three years of high school, and a member of the All-Regional All-Star team in basketball. His love of the sport and passion for helping kids as a coach now continues through several sports.

Jordan Junior Wrestling is a folkstyle wrestling program offered through Salt Lake County Recreation, operating out or Jordan High School in Sandy. For more information, go to http://members.aol.com/jordanjuniors/ or email jordanjuniors@aol.com.