Can Smith & Brands Co-Exist to aid Team USA? Zeke Jones thinks so, talks to TDR

Posted on | September 1, 2010 | No Comments

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – USA Wrestling, the national governing body for amateur wrestling in the United States, has named John Smith of Stillwater, Okla., and Terry Brands of Iowa City, Iowa as coaches of the 2010 U.S. Freestyle World Team.

They will work with USA Wrestling National Freestyle Coach Zeke Jones of Colorado Springs, Colo., and the USA Wrestling national coaching staff to lead the team that will compete at the 2010 World Wrestling Championships in Moscow, Russia, Sept. 6-12.

Smith and Brands were selected by USA Wrestling’s Freestyle Coach Selection Committee and approved by USA Wrestling’s Executive Committee.

Smith serves as the head wrestling coach at Oklahoma State University, and Brands is the assistant coach at Iowa. Their programs are annually among the most successful in college wrestling with Oklahoma State having won the most NCAA team titles of any other program.

Both have coached past U.S. World and Olympic teams in freestyle wrestling. Smith was the coach of the 2000 U.S. Olympic Team, as well as the 1998, 1999 and 2009 U.S. World Team Coach. Prior to taking the Iowa position, Brands worked as USA Wrestling’s National Freestyle Resident Coach from 2005-2008, and coached with the 2008 U.S. Olympic Team and three U.S. World Teams (2005-07). Both have coached individual World and Olympic champion wrestlers for the United States.

Both are among the greatest freestyle wrestlers in history, and have been elected as Distinguished Members of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame. Smith won two Olympic gold medals (1988, 1992) and four World titles (1987, 1989-91), stringing his six gold medals in consecutive years. Brands was a two-time World champion (1993, 1995) and won an Olympic bronze medal in 2000.

The athletes competing on the 2010 U.S. World Team were determined at the World Team Trials held in Council Bluffs, Iowa, June 11-12.