Cozart excited about Olympic Wrestling Trials
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June 11, 2008

Cozart excited about Olympic Wrestling Trials

When you stop and think for a moment about all that longtime Brandon wrestling coach Russ Cozart has accomplished, you can't help but be amazed. Consider this:

Usawlogo_events-His program has won eight straight state titles.
-Before losing to South Dade last season, the Eagles had won 459 straight dual-matches.
-Countless Brandon wrestlers have earned college scholarships.

Cozart has been so good for so long, one might be surprised to know there is one thing he hasn't yet achieved as a coach. None of his athletes have ever competed in the Olympics.

"That's one of our goals from the Brandon Wrestling Club," Cozart said. "It's stated in the Brandon Wrestling Club code that one day we'd like to develop an Olympic wrestler."

That day might come soon. On Friday, Brandon standout Eric Grajales, a rising senior, will compete at the U.S. Olympic Wrestling Trials in Las Vegas in the 121-pound Greco-Roman division (You can follow the action HERE). The winner will represent the U.S. later this year at the Olympics in China.

"It's a very exciting time," Cozart said.

Cozart won't be able to attend the trials, but said he'll be following the action with the help of a cell phone.

--KEITH NIEBUHR

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