Three Standout Members of Wrestling Community Awarded Dan Gable 'America Needs Wrestling' Award

3/31/2013 1:12:56 PM
Kacie Albert - ELSM
MANHEIM, PA - The NWCA is pleased to announce Christian Holiday, Barry Burtnett and Laurie Cannon as the 2013 recipients of the Dan Gable 'America Needs Wrestling Award' for their continued influential contributions to the sport of wrestling.
This annual award is presented to individuals who have given significant time and effort to the sport of wrestling and have subsequently had a significant impact on the preservation or promotion of the sport.
Christian Holiday was more than appreciative to receive the award.
'It means a lot to be recognized by the wrestling community and especially the NWCA who is such a force in building and supporting wrestling,' said Holiday.  'Without the NWCA only God knows were college and high school wrestling would be right now.'
Holiday, CEO of Global Media Marketing, Inc. and the Academy of Wrestling, wrestled while enrolled in high school in Oregon, college at California State-Fullerton and internationally in places such as Ecuador and Japan. One of Holiday's most noted wrestling achievements came when he was a 1996 finalist at the Olympic Trials.
However, once Holiday stopped wrestling, his contributions to the sport did not. Holiday's company, Global Media Marketing, serves as a premier television production firm that creates both short and long form programming.
Through his company, Holiday produced approximately 20, two hour programs covering wrestling competition in 2012. Through these programs Holiday wants to expose as many people as possible to the positive effects that can be had from viewing collegiate wrestling.
Holiday also owns Academy of Wrestling, a wrestling gym that offers classes for both youth and UFC and professional athletes. The gym opened in 2012 in Orange County California and has since become the most popular gym for collegiate and Olympic wrestling and training.
Holiday plans to continue contributing to the promotion of wrestling in whatever manner possible.
'My goal is to find more and more outlets to get wrestling on TV and in turn provide commercial opportunities to those that do support wrestling - make it a real win-win,' said Holiday.  'I want little kids to watch and say ‘Wow!  That was an awesome match!' and go wrestle in their back yard acting like they are Kyle Dake or David Taylor instead of picking up a video game.'
Barry Burtnett, the second recipient of the award, emphasized how grateful he was to have received the award.
 'Dan Gable was and still is a legend in the sport of wrestling, and I am extremely humbled to be a recipient of his award ˜America Needs Wrestling',' said Burtnett.
Burtnett has been active in the sport of wrestling since the early 1960's officiating and coaching in FL, NJ and PA.
In addition to functioning as a coach and official, Burtnett worked to promote the sport amongst youth establishing a YMCA wrestling program in 1970 and the Hamilton NJ PAL Wrestling program in 1990.
Burtnett has also served as the as the director for both the East Coast Conference Wrestling Championships and the NCAA Championships. He further worked to establish the NJ chapter of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame, of which he was inducted into in 2006. 
Burtnett hopes to continue advancing the sport of wrestling by continuing to work with youth.
'I would like to be a state representative for the NWCA in the state of Florida; to mentor, guide and develop wrestling skills for today's  youth and coaches,' said Burtnett.
Laurie Cannon received the award for her actions in increasing media visibility for the sport of wrestling through promoting the sport at the collegiate level. 
Cannon has worked for the NCAA wrestling division for the past five years, including time spent serving as the Assistant Director of Championships.
'This award means a lot to me, not only does wrestling have a passionate fan base, but it also has a very passionate group of media that covers the sport,' said Cannon.  'I just feel honored to have been in the position to help facilitate the coverage and promotion of the sport over the last six years.' 
Cannon has worked to create an NCAA selection show for wrestling in addition to a pre-tournament press conference for student-athletes who participate in wrestling in order to better promote the sport.  
Cannon, even though she is leaving her position with the NCAA in April, hopes to continue to impact wrestling.
'I would love to stay involved in the future by helping out at any tournaments that may need it,' said Cannon. 'The wrestling community has certainly gained a fan and proponent of the sport in me.'
All three recipients received their award at the NCAA Wrestling Championships that took place in Des Moines, Iowa on March 21-23.
The award is named for Dan Gable, who wrestled and coached with great success collegiately and on the Olympic stage. Gable, while retired from coaching both at the Olympic and collegiate level, still continues to influence the wrestling community through his motivational speeches.
For more information on this award and others like it visit theNWCA Nomination page at nwcaonline.com.
About the National Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA)
The National Wrestling Coaches Association, established in 1928, is a non-profit organization for the advancement of all levels of the sport of wrestling with primary emphasis on developing coaches who work in academic environments.   The membership embraces all people interested in amateur wrestling.  The three core competencies of the NWCA are: coaching development, student-athlete welfare, and promotion.