Army athlete headed to Olympic trials trains Sacramento high schoolers
SACRAMENTO — A world-class mentoring program is pairing Army athletes with high schoolers.
By 8 a.m., these high schoolers are already hard at work. Their skills are put to the test at the Tim Brown Memorial Wrestling Tournament in Sacramento, named in honor of a fallen Marine from Foothill High.
The military, especially the Army, is a big supporter of the tournament and the athletes competing there, director Michael Lowman said.
"They help us set up the mats. They gave a donation to us as well," Lowman said of the Army.
Army specialist Jess Thielke has been working with some of these athletes as he trains for the Olympic trials. He is part of the WCAP team, or U.S. Army World Class Athlete Program. This is his fourth year.
"We have 10 Olympic sports, and basically, by being an Olympian and a world team member before I got qualified so I got recruited to join," said Thielke. "Our job, 9 to 5 every day, is to train for the Olympics. Our mission statement is to put soldier athletes on the Olympic team so that's what we do."
He competed in the Olympics in 2016 and over the years has traveled to 40 countries coaching youth.
"Connecting them with info, seeing what's out there, especially the young men and women at this level prepping to be young adults," Thielke said. "Helping them and guiding them the way people were there for me."
Giving back is what it is all about, Lowman said, as they work with the next generation of wrestlers.
"I loved what my coaches did for me," he said. "They were a great influence on my life being in the Sacramento area, and that did drive me into education and coaching."
The goal is to teach and train them about how to grapple with what life throws at them.
The Tim Brown Memorial Wrestling Tournament continues Saturday at the Sacramento Memorial Auditorium.