SOUTHERN MARYLAND JUNIOR WRESTLING LEAGUE

 

Purpose

The Southern Maryland Junior Wrestling League (SMJWL) provides boys and girls the opportunity to enjoy the challenges of wrestling.  The program is designed to enable participants to develop their athletic skills, learn the art of wrestling, be prepared for wrestling competition at the secondary school level, and learn lessons of good sportsmanship, teamwork, discipline and self-control.

Status

The SMJWL is sanctioned by USA Wrestling, the premier amateur wrestling organization in the United States, and supported by the participating club.  All wrestlers and at least two coaches from each club are registered with USA Wrestling. During the 2005 season, the league had 12 teams with more than 360 wrestlers competing in 32 age/weight classes. The wrestlers range in age from 5 to 14 years and from 40 to 180 pounds.

History

1974       SMJWL began as the Bowie Intramural Wrestling League.  Bruce Bowser served as the first League Commissioner.  The Bowie Mat Rats, coached by James Clift, won the first league title.

1975       The name of the league was changed to the Intramural Wrestling League.  Teams from Kettering and South Bowie joined, and the Bowie Mat Rats repeated as champions.

1976       Kettering’s Doug Jones became League Commissioner.  Teams from Upper Marlboro and Crofton joined the league.  Jones coached Kettering to the title.

1977       The Gambrills-Odenton Recreational Center team joined the league.  Tom Hogan coached Kettering to the championship.

1978       The name of the league was changed to the Interleague.  Upper Marlboro, Kettering, and Bowie each had two teams in the league, and Kettering repeated as champion.

1979       Bradbury Heights joined the league, and Kettering repeated as champion.

1980       College Park joined the league, and Kettering repeated as champion.

1981       The league changed its name to SMJWL, and New Carrollton joined.  John Kelly became League Commissioner.  Kettering repeated as champion.

1982       Paradise Manor joined the league, but Upper Marlboro left when it lost coach John Malach.  Kettering fielded two teams and took the league title.

1983       Kettering won the league championship for the eighth consecutive year.

1984       A good year for wrestling—if you know what happened in SMJWL, let us know.

1985       Waldorf joined the league.  South Bowie and Bowie formed Bowie teams I and II.  Tino Seppi coached Bowie to its first league title since 1975.

1986       Bowie repeated as league champion.

1987       Tino Seppi became League Commissioner.  Bradbury Heights left the league, and Bowie won the championship.

1988       St. Mary’s and St. Albans joined the league, and Kettering left.  The Bowie area teams combined to form one South Bowie team, which won the championship.

1989       Calvert, Northern Calvert, Western Charles and Upper Marlboro joined and St. Albans left the league, which had a total of nine teams.  South Bowie repeated as league champion.

1990       Mike Alexander of HMB became League Commissioner.  The league expanded to 12 teams.  South Bowie won the championship in Tino Seppi’s last year as coach.

1991       Waldorf changed its name to St. Charles, and New Carrollton left the league.  St. Mary’s, coached by Vincent Antonioli, won the league championship.

1992       St. Mary’s repeated as league champion.

1993       St. Charles, coached by Bill Fullaway, won the league championship.

1994       Merrill Hathaway became League Commissioner.  St. Charles repeated as league champion under coach Steve Dilley.

1995       Western Charles, coached by Don Myers, won the league championship with a perfect dual meet record.  Laurel, coached by Mike Miller, joined the league.

1996       Bowie rejoined the league, Coach by Billy Harless.  Western Charles repeated as league champion.

1997       The league grew to 13 teams. Bowie , coached by Billy Harless, won the dual meet championship with a 12-1 record. Calvert coached by Doug Bancroft places second with a 11-2 record. Calvert wins the SMJWL tournament championship. 

1998       The league expanded to 14 teams.  Calvert , coached by Doug Bancroft, wins the dual meet championship with a 13-0 record. Bowie coached by Billy Harless, places second with a 12-1 record. Bowie wins the SMJWL tournament championship with 63 team points, setting a SMJWL record for the most points ever scored in the tournament.

1999       Calvert, coached by Doug Bancroft wins both the dual meet championship and tournament championship.

2000          The league expanded to 16 teams.  New Carrollton, coached by Antwon Johnson, rejoins the league.  Patuxent, coached by Bob Slaughter, and Westlake, coached by Joe Clegg, join the league.  HMB leaves, and La Plata, coached by Patrick Dunn, becomes a member.  Calvert  repeats as league champion.

2001          Merrill Hathaway steps down as league commissioner.   Mike Kane was elected as the new commissioner.  SMJWL is on the web at http://www.smjwl.org.  More than 420 wrestlers from 18 teams participate in the dual meet season.  A lack of facilities and time prevents all teams from wrestling each other.  Calvert  repeats as dual meet champs, closely followed by Marlboro and La Plata.  Calvert repeats as tournament champs closely followed by Northern Calvert.

2002          SMJWL holds the tournament championship at Bowie State University. Eight mats in one gym with lots of seating makes for a nice tournament. Bowie wins the tournament championship coached by Tim Tharp. Calvert wins the dual meet championship for the fifth consecutive season under Coach Doug Bancroft.

2003          Billy Harless is elected league commissioner. SMJWL changes wrestling format from dual meet style to mini tournaments The new format gives wrestlers more mat time. The first ever SMJWL Dual Meet team tournament is held at Patuxent High School and is won by Bowie under coach Billy Harless. Westlake, coached by Joe Clegg places second. The SMJWL championship tournament is held at Lackey High School and is won by Bowie.

2004          SMJWL celebrates its 30th anniversary! Laurel and Clinton drop out of the league. South Bowie re-joins the league, coached by Ken Tatklowski. The second annual SMJWL Dual Meet tournament is held at Patuxent  High School and is won by Bowie under coach Billy Harless. LaPlata, coached by Todd Sharp places second. Northern Calvert, coached by David Rice wins the SMJWL tournament championship, Bowie places second.

2005          St Charles drops out of the league due to losing their practice facilties. Progressive Christian Academy from Camp Springs, MD joins the league. Coach David Rice and Northern Calvert wins the third annual SMJWL Dual Meet tournament held at PCA. Bowie places second under Coach Billy Harless. Northern Calvert coached by David Rice wins the SMJWL tournament championship with 69 team points, breaking a league record of 62 team points previously set by Bowie in 1998 under Coach Billy Harless. LaPlata places second under coach Todd Sharp.

2006          Northern Calvert under Coach David Rice win the 4th Annual SMJWL Dual Meet tournament. Bowie under Coach Billy Harless places second….