September 1, 2013


Dear Parents, Coaches & Wrestlers,


The Ohio All-Star Wrestling Team is now accepting applications for its 2014 summer tour. Interested wrestlers must currently be enrolled in the 6th-9th grade, have at least a 2.5 G.P.A. (B-/C+ average) and have an estimated summer weight of 65-145 pounds. NON OHIO WRESTLERS MAY APPLY and more than 500 wrestlers, representing 23 states (see list at end), have participated since the team began in 1983. (Note: Among the Ohio team members, the past two years, have been: Dylan D'Emilio, Kaleb Romero, Matthew Steer, Gabe Tagg, Julian Tagg, Conor Beard, Jaret Lester, Brakan Mead, Ronnie Pietro, Alex Rhine, Jacoby Ward, Jordan Ward, Jakob Ottaway, Mason Brainard, Brad Trescott, Justin Mitchell and Michael May).
---To request an application, please send your request to: [email protected]
***Current plans are for the 2014 tour to be the final major traveling tour for the team. While the team may continue in the future, it will most likely be done on a much smaller scale.***
Already, we have received a great deal of interest in next summer’s team and several applications, via mail and e-mail, have already been reviewed by our Committee. From the initial look of things, next summer’s team might well be one of our strongest ever.
As the applications are received, wrestling accomplishments are verified and references are contacted. The Committee then makes a recommendation as to whether accept the application, deny it, or request additional information be obtained.
Also, we will be selecting the team in a different fashion this time. Plans are to announce a new team member every three days, beginning in early September, with the final few members announced once the application deadline has occured. We will post this information on a few wrestling forums, but you can also check for the announcements on our team Facebook page: 2014 Ohio All-Star Wrestling Team.
This past summer marked the team’s 31st anniversary and wrestlers from 10 states participated. The team finished 12-1 in dual meets, losing only a Greco Roman match in Colorado Springs. In all, the team wrestled in 8 states and Canada.
Besides the wrestling, the team also experienced a great number of fun things along the way, including: Alpine Slide, Blue Man Group, Kayaking at Lake Tahoe, Grand Teton National Park, Huntington Beach, Seattle Mariners game, Oldies Show, seeing the Broadway shows “Wicked” and “Rock of Ages,” Cirque du Soliel, Hollywood, Disneyland, Rose Bowl, hiking up Rendezvous Mountain, Space Needle, white water rafting, tubing and much more.
If you are interested in applying for the 2014 team, an application is attached. If you have any additional questions, please feel free to contact me at 614-507-1653. You may also contact any of the parents listed below, as they will be able to provide first hand information as to how the trip benefitted their child.


Yours in Wrestling,


Bart Freidenberg
Ohio All-Star Wrestling Team
[email protected]
614-507-1653




2013 Team


Kevin & Bronnie Cabezas - Metheun, MA (son, Matt, was 13 and a 6th grader) 781-883-5239
Josh Gelvin - Greenville, PA (son, Aarron, was 14 and a 7th grader) 814-720-3420
John & Pam Nash - Triadelphia, WV (son, John, was13 and a 7th grader) 304-547-9613
Kelly Hicks - Springboro, OH (son, Jakob, was 15 and a 9th grader) 937-885-7685
Chris & Mary Reichert - Mechanicsburg, PA (son, Cade, was 13 and a 6th grader) 717-525-1759
Note: Another son, Cal, toured with the team in 2012, as a 7th grader
Tammy Saylor - Easton, PA (son, Jimmy, was 15 and a 9th grader) 610-392-7952
Dean Walendzak - Bloomington, IN (son, Lukasz, was 13 and a 7th grader) 419-348-2593
Note: Lukasz also was a member of the 2012 Ohio All-Star Team
Beth Ward - Goshen, OH (son, Jordan, was 13 and a 7th grader) 419-236-1556
Note: Jordan was the third brother to tour with the team (Joey, 5th grade & Jacoby 8th grade)
James & Deborah Wilson - Quarryville, PA (son, A.J., was 13 and a 7th grader) 717-629-1737


2012 Team


Marsha Coleman - Pittsgrove, NJ (son, George, was a 6th grader) 856-205-1980
Dom D’Emilio - Curtice, OH (son, Dylan, was a 6th grader) 419-836-6416
Mark & Amanda Adams - Eaton, OH (son, Michael May, was a 9th grader) 937-533-1771
Patrick & Mindy Romero - Mechanicsburg, OH (son, Kaleb, was a 7th grader) 937-869-0547
Bob & Mindy Steer - Salem, OH (son, Matt, was a 7th grader) 330-537-9939

OHIO ALL-STAR WRESTLING TEAM MEMBERS (by state):


OH: 355 - most recent 2013
PA: 61 - most recent 2013
NJ: 26 0- most recent 2012
MD: 13 - most recent 2006
MI: 10 - most recent 2001
NY: 10 - msot recent 2003
MA: 10 - most recent 2013
WV: 9 most recent 2013
DE: 7 - most recent 2007
IN: 5 - most recent 2013
CT: 3 - most recent 2008
RI: 3 - most recent 2013
IL: 3 - most recent 2013
NC: 3 - most recent 2012
VA: 2 - most recent 2001
NH: 2 - most recent 2004
CA: 1 - most recent 1985
CO: 1 - most recent 2004
VT: 1 - most recent 2006
WY: 1 - most recent 2007
KA: 1 - most recent 2013
KY: 1 - most recent 2013
WI: 1 - most recent 2013

2013 Quotes


“I think the trip was honestly one of the best things that I have ever done. This trip has taught me so much. It teaches you how to deal with other kids, how to manage money and many other things. Personally, I think the experience was fantastic. More than half of the stuff we did, I will never have the chance to do again. At the end of the trip, you have 20 new brothers. The wrestling was fantastic and I learned so much. I’ll never forget this trip and I’ll have memories that will last a lifetime.” Matt Cabezas (MA), 2013 Ohio TofC-7th place


&#8220icking Aarron up last night was a little bittersweet. While his whole family was excited to see him, we couldn’t help but feel a bit sad that this trip was over for him and his family of brothers. He talked almost nonstop on the 3.5 hour car ride home. Stories being told, questions being answered, showing us all the shirts he got and souvenirs he brought home. Finally seeing him after 40+ long day and nights, only reassured us that we made the right decision when deciding to raise the money and send him on this trip of a lifetime. Most kids this age don’t get experience’s like our boys were given. The memories and friendships made are priceless and well worth the &#8220rice of admission”. We know that Aarron got more than he bargained for on this trip. In addition to growing and developing in wrestling, this trip was quite the eye opener and learning experience for him. Just in the very short time we have had him back home we can see a change. Sent away a young boy, come back a young man – lol!. He got what this trip was about and we feel he took every experience for what it was worth, whether it was his favorite or not – it was something to appreciate!” Josh Gelvin (PA) (son Aarron) took 6th at the 2013 PJW’s.


“The OASWT trip is a once in a lifetime opportunity. For those of you who don’t think this trip has enough wrestling, you are definitely wrong. Don’t let the cultural part of the trip fool you. This trip has a lot to offer, competitively, for anyone trying to excel in wrestling.” Jakob Ottaway (OH), 2013 High School District Qualifier


&#8220rior to this trip, I was nervous that I wouldn’t b able to deal with the younger and smaller kids. Being an only child, this trip really did help me to not only include others, but I also learned to get along with my smaller teammates, as they were my own “little brothers.” Now, looking back on the trip, I realize all the things I have now done and probably never get to do again. This was definitely a once in a lifetime experience and I am so glad I was able to spend it with such a great team.” Jimmy Saylor (PA), 2012 Ohio TofC Champion








2012 Quotes


“The trip was an awesome experience for me. I have learned so much in just a short period of time. I learned how to do laundry, new wrestling moves, how to work together as a team and also learned more responsibility. One thing that I love is that this is a once in a lifetime opportunity. I will remember this my whole life.” Kaleb Romero (OH), 6X OAC State Champion and 4X Ohio TofC Champion.


“The trip was a tremendous experience for my son and our family. Through Facebook, text messages, and phone calls, my wife and I felt like we were experiencing the trip with our son. He saw and did more on the trip than most have experienced in a lifetime. Through the trip, I believe has built a lifetime of friendships, developed life skills, improved his wrestling, and improved on the mental aspects of wrestling. The boys are already plotting to get together at national wrestling tournaments. It’s a trip he will always remember and cherish.” Dom D’Emilio (son Dylan), 2012 OAC State Champion - [email protected]


“This trip meant the world to me. When I got the letter in the mail that said I was accepted on this trip, I was ecstatic. This trip was truly a life changing experience. This trip opened my eyes and really made me appreciate my parents a lot more than I already do. How much money they spend on me is ridiculous. I had no idea how much a burger and some fries cost at a fast food restaurant.
“I can’t even begin to explain how much this trip change my life. It really hit me when we were literally above the clouds at Rendezvous Mountain. That’s when I said “I will never do anything like this ever again in my life.” This trip was the most fun/challenging thing of my life. There was not one boring part of this trip.
“If I could do this trip again, there would be no hesitation. You make so many new friends on this trip and the fun part about it is that we all have different stories, different backgrounds that you learn about 26 different people and it’s an amazing experience. As soon as you get on that plane, you are bonding and making new friends.
“I will never forget landing in Denver and literally out the airport windows, at the airport, you could see mountains and I’ve never seen mountains before and it was an awesome feeling. You go from seeing cornfields all day to all of a sudden these gigantic mountains. It’s just an amazing trip. It’s truly life changing.” Michael May (OH), 2011 OAC State Champion & 2012 6th in OHSAA State Championships

Wrestler #1: Elijah Perkins, 125 pound 9th grader, from Miamisburg, OH. Elijah was 25-0 during his 2013 Junior High Season; 2nd at the 2013 Ohio TofC and placed 6th at the OAC States