Some of you may remember seeing a little news brief in the newspaper a few weeks ago about Curt Lantz being announced as Nebraska USA Wrestling’s Club Coach of the Year.
This past weekend, Curt was presented with the award at the annual banquet and convention for Nebraska USA Wrestling.
This is the first time Curt has won Club Coach of the Year. Before being presented the award, representatives from the association talked about some of things that Lantz has done for youth wrestling in the state of Nebraska.
One of those things was bringing Greco-Roman and freestyle wrestling to Nebraska.
“All the kids in this area that do the freestyle and Greco style wrestling come to Wisner and train with us,” Lantz saod. “Kids from Wayne, Norfolk, Winside, Bancroft…they all train here.”
The type of wrestling that most people see in America is what is called folk-style wrestling, but at the international level and Olympic level, that is where you will see Greco-Roman and freestyle wrestling the most.
Until about six years ago, there was no Greco-Roman or freestyle wrestling tournaments in Nebraska.
There was just the state tournament and that was it. Curt helped bring those two styles of wrestling to Nebraska so the youth wrestlers can get some experience in it.
Some former Wisner wrestlers have been state champions in Greco-Roman or freestyle wrestling over the years.
“Throughout the years we’ve had nine kids win state,” Lantz said.
