In a rare opportunity, the Clovis Wrestling program will extend it’s reach outside of the state not one, but two times this year in entirely different ways.
First, long-time head coach Steve Tirapelle and son Adam Tirapelle travel to the land of Lincoln to be featured clinicians at the annual
University of Illinois Coach’s Clinic in conjunction with the team’s wrestle-offs. This two-day clinic will feature coaches from throughout the state of Illinois, who will travel to Champaign to hear how the Tirapelles have built the Clovis Wrestling program and what keeps this public school program on top, year after year. The honor is unique in that it is one of the only times a high school coaching duo has presented at the clinic, a spot usually reserved for college wrestlers, college coaches, and private club coaches. Additionally, this will be Adam Tirapelle’s second time as at least one of the featured clinicians, performing the clinic as an NCAA Champion after graduating from the University of Illinois in 2001.
Secondly, in late December, the team will travel to the confines of the best wrestling state in the union for the 42nd Annual POWERade Christmas Classic in Cannonsburg, Pennsylvania. The tournament is rated the 4th best high school competition in the United States with some of the top teams from around the country participating. This will be only the 3rd time a Clovis High School team has wrestled in a nationally ranked Top 5 event. The others came when Clovis attended the POWERade Christmas Classic in 2002 and the Beast of the East Tournament in 2003. This year, the field is headlined by Central Dauphin (PA), the 2007 & 2008 large school division (AAA) Pennsylvania State Champions and early favorite in 2009, Shady Side Academy (PA), the 2008 small school division (AA) Pennsylvania State Champions and returners of 13 of 14 starters from last year’s championship team, and your Clovis High School (CA), the 2008 overall California State Champions and one of the preseason favorites to repeat in 2009. Central Dauphin is ranked #4 in the United States. Shady Side Academy is ranked #19 and Clovis rounds out the Top 40 at #23. The tournament is audio broadcast live on the Internet for the entire two-days, called by Pennsylvania wrestling experts and available to all. Details on the broadcast will be posted in December.
