Wrestling Notebook | Eiter hits Worlds stage

Penn wrestling coach Rob Eiter is making a move into the spotlight on Tuesday — in Budapest, Hungary of all places.

That’s where Eiter will coach Team USA in the 2010 FILA World Junior Championships, which conclude July 25. While the former Olympian called wrestling in America “a hidden sport,” this international event will garner plenty of attention.

“Wrestling’s a very well-respected sport overseas,” said Eiter, who has typically taken one trip overseas per year since he was 18. “You feel proud to be over there representing the U.S. in the World Championships. Walking around, people know who you are and they really admire you as a coach or an athlete.”

This will mark the fifth time Eiter has coached for USA Wrestling in some capacity. He led the women’s team to its first and only first-place finish at the 1999 Women’s World Championships, and also took first place with the women’s team at the 2001 Pan-American Games. Most recently, he served as head coach of the U.S. Junior Women’s team in 2007 and 2008.

Beginning Tuesday, the Quakers’ head man will lead a team of men 20 years-old and younger — one high-schooler, two rising college freshmen and five current NCAA grapplers.

The wrestlers will have to adjust to new techniques and rules that are “completely different” from those seen in the U.S., Eiter said. Olympic styles Greco-Roman, which forbids holds below the waist, and freestyle are used in international competition.

“We’re a very aggressive country when we compete at the college level and that transitions over to the international style,” Eiter explained. “But right now, the European style is very different; it’s a very relaxed style.”

With new rules in place that split matches into three two-minute periods rather than one long five-minute run, Americans can no longer wear international opponents out with aggressive attacks.

But despite seeing a different style overseas, Eiter is keeping his job at Penn in mind.

“I get to go over and watch some of the best coaches in the world, the Russians and the Iranians,” he said. “You always want to be learning new things and it’s just an opportunity for me to do that and bring it back to Penn and the guys on the Penn team.”

“Even if it’s one little technique, it’s well-worth the trip,” he added.

Philly state of mind. When the 2010-11 schedule was released a week ago, a welcome sight greeted Eiter and the Penn wrestling team: the 2011 NCAA Championships will be held at the Wachovia Center in Philadelphia for the first time ever.

“It’s huge. Everybody is looking at Philly and everybody relates Penn to Philly,” Eiter said. “We’re gonna have a lot of alumni come back that normally wouldn’t come back since it’s a special event.”

With the collegiate and high school wrestling communities focused on Philadelphia for three days, March 17-19, Eiter believes the Quakers need to seize the rare opportunity.

“It’s important that we go out and continue to do well and continue to put guys up on that podium,” he said (Penn sent six wrestlers to the national championships this past year), “and kind of re-energize some of our alumni and hopefully garner some more fans.”

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