Matt Clark continues making a name for himself in the national and international junior wrestling ranks.
Over the last seven years, Clark has coached the Minnesota USA Greco-Roman and freestyle teams, leading the team to a national dual championship and coaching more than 70 All Americans and a dozen national champions during that time.
This summer, Clark and Eric Wetzel from Chicago were chosen to coach the United States team at the Pan American Junior Championships, which was held July 2-4 at Sao Paulo, Brazil.
In the past, Clark has coached international teams in tournaments in Guatemala, Canada, France, Italy, Switzerland and Bulgaria. But coaching the United States to team titles in both Greco-Roman and freestyle at the Pan American Junior Championships has been the main highlight of Clark's international coaching career so far.
"Every fall, USA Wrestling chooses coaches to help out with various tournaments and tours. I put my name in the hat and over the years I have been selected to help out with various Cadet and Junior events," said Clark, who serves as Park Rapids' head wrestling coach. "For most wrestling coaches, March is the end of another season. For me, it is an end of my high school season and the beginning of my spring and summer season. It is tough being on the road for a lot of the spring and summer, but it is in my blood. The pay is not very good, but the experiences have been unbelievable. I have had the honor to coach a few international teams, but winning dual titles at the Junior Pan Ams was my highlight so far."
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Tyler Lehmann from Fargo won the title at 211.5 pounds and Nikola Bogojevic from Superior, WI, won the title at 264.5 pounds as the USA won the Greco-Roman team title with 68 points. Brazil was second in this 13-team tournament with 49 points.
Jake Bellis from Bloomington, IL (at 110 pounds) and Code Hummer from Amazonia, MO (at 121 pounds) claimed runner-up honors while Justin Lavalle from Burnsville (at 145.5 pounds), Kalvin York from New Glarus, WI (at 163 pounds) and Caleb Smith from Pakota, IN (at 185 pounds) finished third. Aaron Engle from Kansas City finished fifth at 132.
The freestyle tournament went down to the wire as the USA used titles from Bellis, Lavalle, Lehmann and Bogojevic to edge Canada for the team title. York and Smith finished third, Hummer tied for fifth and Engle finished eighth as the USA compiled 65 points. Canada was second with 62 points.
"Any time the USA sends a wrestling team overseas the wrestlers are expected to perform. This team did just that," said Clark. "I knew we had a strong Greco-Roman team. We won the Greco-Roman tournament handily, but I knew the freestyle tournament was going to be a lot closer and it was. But in the final round we pulled it out."
After guiding the USA to two titles in Brazil, Clark should be chosen for more international coaching assignments in the future.
"Like everything, you have to start at the bottom and move up. The first international tour I coached wrestlers with a low level of wrestling ability, but as I progress in the program I get better assignments with wrestlers that have higher levels of wrestling ability," said Clark. "I am excited to go to London next summer for the Olympics. I will only be a spectator and not a coach, but it should still be a blast. I would also love to work a world team. Hopefully I can continue to do a good job and keep moving up the coaching ranks."
