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2015 Ohio Tournament of Champions


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2015 OHIO TOURNAMENT OF CHAMPIONS INFO

For additional information, contact: Bart Freidenberg at bdbop@aol.com

February 2, 2015

Recently named one of the Top 4 youth wrestling tournaments to win in the United States, this year's Ohio Tournament of Champions will be held on April 18, at the Columbus Convention Center, in downtown Columbus, OH.

Now entering it's 23rd year, the Ohio TofC consistently draws between 2500-3000 wrestlers per year and boasts a number of outstanding former participants. From current megastars like Kyle Dake (1X Champion), Logan Stieber (6X Champion), David Taylor (2X Champion and Jason Tsirtsis (1X Champion) to the new young bloods like Cade Olivas (7X Champion), Luke Pletcher (9X Champion), Mark Hall (6X Champion) and Kaleb Romero (5X Champion). The record for most titles is ten owned by 2011 NCAA titlist Jon Reader, who called the Ohio TofC his "favorite event to compete at."

To see if you qualify for this year's event, you can go to the Official Tournament Website (www.ohiotofc.com) and click on Qualifying Events. Ways to qualify are numerous and include placing at any national or state level event, any high school wrestler, placing top three at any TofC qualifying event, placing first at any event or garnering 10 or more wins during the current wrestling season. For additional tournament information, such as ages/weights, time schedule, hotel info, click on Tournament Information, on the main page.

In 2009, the Tournament added an Open Division, for wrestlers that have graduated high school. This Open Division requires no pre-qualification and has grown steadily, reaching close to 125 competitors last year.

The Ohio TofC is the largest one day amateur wrestling tournament in the country and In order to finish the event in one day uses a unique modified folkstyle scoring system. All matches are one three minute period in length and there is no referees position used. Should there be a lack of mat activity, or should the wrestlers go out of bounds, they will restart in the neutral position. In addition, they use a 10 point tech fall and the overtime is unlimited.

"We've had matches go about 10-15 minutes of overtime, before someone has scored," Freidenberg said, adding that it does help if a wrestler is good on their feet. "For the most part, we are a cross between freestyle and folkstyle rules. The matches are pretty much run like freestyle, but the scoring is high school rules."
 
As in the past, the TofC continues to offer group discounts, for teams of eight or more, when registering together and also continues their FREE Spectator Admission policy and not requiring any Coaches Passes, to coach matside.

Also, after a one year relocation to another part of the facility, which saw wrestling taking place  both upstairs and downstairs, this year's event returns to their normal location,  "We had no control over last year," Freidenberg said. "We either had to do our best with what the Convention Center had available, or move the entire tournament to another location."

For Ohio and Pennsylvania wrestlers, the Ohio TofC is partnering with Defense Soap (www.defensesoap.com) to recognize those wrestlers that place at both the Ohio Tournament of Champions and also at the OAC/PJW or OHSAA/PIAA. "We're still working on exactly how to recognize these individuals," Freidenberg said, "but it will be based on how they do at both events - Champion, top 3, top 8 or even State Qualifier and top 8 at TofC. Hopefully we can expand this to other states in the future."

As for being named one of the country's premier events, Freidenberg said, "We're proud to be named one of the Elite wrestling events in the country. To be put in a category with other outstanding tournaments like the Tulsa Nationals, USA Folkstyle Nationals and Super 32 is a tremendous honor and is a direct correlation to our great staff of officials and other tournament personnel." 

 
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