Drooke Posted June 6, 2009 Share Posted June 6, 2009 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- During the gold-medal finals of the World Team Trials in Council Bluffs, Iowa on May 30, USA Wrestling made a major announcement that has the Olympic sports community buzzing. A new program, the Living the Dream Medal Fund, has been established which will substantially increase the financial rewards for U.S. wrestlers who win Olympic and World medals during the next four-year Olympic cycle. Any U.S. wrestler who wins a gold medal at the 2012 Olympic Games in London, England will receive a quarter-million dollars. Silver medalists in London will earn $50,000 and bronze medalists in London will receive $25,000 The payout for a World Championships medal in 2009, 2010 and 2011 will be $50,000 for a gold, $25,000 for a silver and $15,000 for a bronze. The Fund will be maintained as a restricted and segregated fund by USA Wrestling.* It will be overseen by a board that includes representatives of USA Wrestling as well as the group of stewards who have helped establish the Fund and will assist in financially underwriting it. In addition to the support of the stewards, the funding will also come from a public fundraising program as well as from existing support from USA Wrestling and the U.S. Olympic Committee. Contributions to this Fund will only go directly to pay the awards to each athlete that achieves a spot on a World or Olympic podium. Included among the stewards are all three Team Leaders for the U.S. wrestling programs: Mike Novogratz (freestyle), Dave Barry (Greco-Roman) and the family of Kim Martori-Wickey (women). Other initial stewards in the program include Rich Tavoso, Stan Dziedzic and Joe Alpert. "This fund has the soul purpose of increasing the stipends our athletes get for winning a medal, for making it to the podium at the World Championships or Olympic Games," said Mike Novogratz during the announcement in Council Bluffs. "We thought about this as a way of showing our appreciation, and the wrestling community's appreciation, for the hard work, sacrifice and dedication that these young men and women go through." USA Wrestling has set up a website for the Living the Dream Medal Fund, where wrestling supporters can make donations to the project. People have been asked to give donations from $5 to $5,000 to the fund. from TWT Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smooth34 Posted June 6, 2009 Share Posted June 6, 2009 Awesome news Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MattM Posted June 7, 2009 Share Posted June 7, 2009 Glad to see we are starting to put a big foot forward to reward the athletes for the sacrafices they have made to reach such an accomplishment. Though I would like to see more emphasis put on more stipens for placing in (or at least winning) other international events and making the World/Olympic Team. Yes many people do help support the athletes already, but I still think more can be done in that reguard. Seems to me we are still placing a huge prize for winning the Olympics or World Championships, but do not give the athletes as much support on training or preparing for those events. It take a large time and money commitment to be at the elite level come the World Championships and the Olympics. To me supporting the commitment to train and compete in other international events will go a lot more to help our athletes make the podium at these events. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drooke Posted June 15, 2009 Author Share Posted June 15, 2009 Hey folks, here is the website where you can donate some money for the cause. http://www.living-the-dream-medal-fund.com/ Check out the "donors" section. Only 32 to date. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drooke Posted June 24, 2009 Author Share Posted June 24, 2009 85 as of June 22nd. I thought it would've had a bigger initial reaction then it has. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JakeandBreighton Posted June 24, 2009 Share Posted June 24, 2009 85 as of June 22nd. I thought it would've had a bigger initial reaction then it has. I think the fast rise in MMA is the major reason this was done. Should have been more a long time ago, imho. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JMTuc Posted June 24, 2009 Share Posted June 24, 2009 Seems like the UFC would contribute to this. They have plenty of money! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JakeandBreighton Posted June 24, 2009 Share Posted June 24, 2009 Seems like the UFC would contribute to this. They have plenty of money! Thats more than they pay thier top fighters for one fight. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drooke Posted September 2, 2009 Author Share Posted September 2, 2009 I received a phone call tonight from one of the wrestlers at the OTC thanking me for my donation. I was in the middle of something and the phone call took me by surprise so I wasn't able to truly appreciate how genuine, personable, and thankful the young lady was. Upon a bit of reflection it was very cool and I wish that I had the moment back. They had already sent me a package in the mail with several thank you letters and memoribilia included about a month ago. This was just a follow-up phone call. What a great cause. Donate if you can.....it can be the equivalent of taking your family out to supper one time at a fast food joint. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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