NA grad to coach U.S. freestyle team
Tri-State Sports & News Service
Teague Moore will be spending Thanksgiving in Poland.
Moore, a North Allegheny and Oklahoma State graduate, has been selected to coach a United States freestyle team that will compete at the 2017 Under-23 World Championships, which will be held in Bydgoszcz, Poland, Nov. 21-26 during Thanksgivingweek.
“I’m very excited and grateful for this opportunity,” said Moore, now in his seventh season as head coach at American University. “Anytime you can be a part of a World Championship team or be a part of the development for our national program it brings out a passion for the sport.”
The U-23 World Championships come at a break in American University’s competitionschedule as the team is off for the Thanksgiving holiday.
“United World Wrestling [the governing body for international wrestling] added this tournament to aid in the development of its young wrestlers,” Moore said. “It’s at an odd time of the year. Most of international competition takes place in August and September, before the college season begins. This tournament fits into my schedule since it comes during our Thanksgiving break.”
This is not Moore’s first stint as a coach for USA Wrestling.
“I served as a coach in 2005 at the Maccabi Games in Israel,” said Moore, who holds a seat on USA Wrestling’s Board of Directors as aliaison for NCAA coaches.
“I also served as a coach on international tours to Bulgaria and Ukraine in 2006 and 2007. I was a college assistant coach at the time, so it was a little easier to fit those trips into my schedule.”
The competition has eight weight classes: 57 kilos (125 pounds), 61 kilos (134), 65 kilos (143), 70 kilos (154), 74 kilos (163), 86 kilos (189), 97 kilos (213) and 125 kilos (275).
“Seven of our eight entries are currently wrestling in college,” Moore said. “All of them are solid world teamers. The most noteworthy entries are Illinois senior Isaiah Martinez, a two-time NCAA champion, and Oklahoma State freshman Daton Fix, who won two world championships in lower age groups.”
Moore and his squad leave for Poland Monday andreturn Nov. 27.
“Weigh-ins and the competitionschedule are on staggered starts,” Moore said. “Some of the weigh-ins are on Thanksgiving. It will be a little strange to be celebrating Thanksgiving in another country. Wrestling USA will have something for us, but the wrestlers may not be able to eat much since they haveto weigh in.”
Moore began his wrestling career at North Allegheny. He won three WPIAL titles and one PIAA crown and finished his career with a 140-9-1 record. At Oklahoma State, Moore was a three-time NCAA Division I All-American who won the 118-pound title in 1998. He posted a 118-25 collegiate record.
Moore continued his wrestling career at the international level and placed thirdat the 2000 and 2004 U.S. Olympic Team Trials. He won titles at the 2000 University World Tournament and 2002 U.S. Open National Tournament.
He was a three-time member of the U.S. National Team, earning a silver medal at the 2003 World Cup and placing second at the 2002 World Team Trials. He also took third place at the 2003 World Team Trials, 2003 U.S. Open National Championships and 2004 U.S. Open National Championships.
Prior to being named coach at American, he served as coach at Clarion University for five years.
“I’m very pleased with the progress we’ve made here at American,” Moore said. “We’ve had three All-Americans and 13 NWCA All-AcademicTeam honorees.
His current squad has three WPIAL wrestlers: North Hills graduate Gage Curry is starting at 125, North Allegheny grad Eric Hong is competing at 157 and Mt. Lebanon grad Turner Grayis redshirting.