Austin Standridge, right, of Kubasaki gets the upper hand on Richard Castillo of Zama American during Tuesday's 148-pound consolation bout in the 34th Far East High School Wrestling Tournament at Super Gym, Camp Humphreys, South Korea. Standridge decisioned Castillo 2-1 (0-2, 3-2, 3-3 big point). (Sophia Fair/Special to Stars and Stripes)
Austin Standridge, right, of Kubasaki gets the upper hand on Richard Castillo of Zama American during Tuesday's 148-pound consolation bout in the 34th Far East High School Wrestling Tournament at Super Gym, Camp Humphreys, South Korea. Standridge decisioned Castillo 2-1 (0-2, 3-2, 3-3 big point). (Sophia Fair/Special to Stars and Stripes)
Seoul American's Matt Choi grimaces as Nile C. Kinnick's David de los Santos gains the advantage during Tuesday's 215-pound quarterfinal bout in the 34th Far East High School Wrestling Tournament at Super Gym, Camp Humphreys, South Korea. De los Santos decisioned Choi 2-0 (3-0, 7-4). (Dave Ornauer/Stars and Stripes)
Zama American's Michael Spencer lifts Father Duenas Memorial's Davin Cepeda into the air during Tuesday's 215-pound quarterfinal bout in the 34th Far East High School Wrestling Tournament at Super Gym, Camp Humphreys, South Korea. Two-time reigning Far East gold medalist Spencer pinned Cepeda in 3 minutes, 11 seconds. (Dave Ornauer/Stars and Stripes)
Robert D. Edgren's Keith Johnson locks in a head-in-arm hold on Seoul American's Robert Rhea during Tuesday's 129-pound quarterfinal bout in the 34th Far East High School Wrestling Tournament at Super Gym, Camp Humphreys, South Korea. Johnson pinned Rhea in 3 minutes, 28 seconds. (Dave Ornauer/Stars and Stripes)
St. Mary's International's JP Kwak puts a reverse cradle on Kubasaki's Kevin Orr during Tuesday's 129-pound quarterfinal bout in the 34th Far East High School Wrestling Tournament at Super Gym, Camp Humphreys, South Korea. Kwak pinned Orr in 2 minutes, 57 seconds. (Dave Ornauer/Stars and Stripes)
Kadena's Gabe Ahner chest-presses the shoulders of Robert D. Edgren's Jordan Cotts to the mat during Tuesday's heavyweight quarterfinal bout in the 34th Far East High School Wrestling Tournament at Super Gym, Camp Humphreys, South Korea. Ahner pinned Cotts in 1 minute, 20 seconds. (Dave Ornauer/Stars and Stripes)
Nile C. Kinnick's Marcus Boehler locks in a double-chicken wing hold on E.J. King's Ernesto Garcia during Tuesday's 122-pound quarterfinal bout in the 34th Far East High School Wrestling Tournament at Super Gym, Camp Humphreys, South Korea. Two-time reigning Far East gold medalist Boehler pinned Garcia in 38 seconds. (Dave Ornauer/Stars and Stripes)
CAMP HUMPHREYS, South Korea — They spent six years on the outside looking in while Far East High School Wrestling Tournaments were limited to just DODDS Pacific teams.
Now that they’re back, they say they’re relishing every second of what one coach called an “amazing” experience.
“It’s a huge benefit,” said coach Ian Harlow of St. Mary’s International, one of four non-DODDS teams in the Far East field this week. The others are American School in Japan, Christian Academy Japan and Father Duenas Memorial of Guam.
His wrestlers “get to participate, and have something to look forward to next year,” Harlow said.
Without Far East, “our season would have ended two weeks early and we wouldn’t have had a chance to compete against Korea and Guam teams. These guys have never been a part. Now, we get more wrestling and they get a chance to see it and what they’ll experience next year.”
In September 2004, DODDS Pacific decided to limit Far East tournaments in individual disciplines — tennis, cross country and wrestling— to DODDS schools. At the time, DODDS said it was due to billeting and athletic facility availability concerns.
But last May the Far East Activities Council recommended allowing international schools to participate again, and DODDS Pacific director Diana Ohman approved the recommendation.
“This is an amazing experience,” Christian Academy Japan coach Adam Carlson said. “It’s the crown jewel of the season. The guys have worked hard for it. We’re honored to be here.”
DODDS coaches and officials said the Far East wrestling offers a “true” state-championship feel with the international schools present.
“This is as close to it as we’re going to get,” said Seoul American coach Julian Harden, who’s coached in Far East tournaments with and without international schools in his 18 years as coach.
To Harden, they give the transient DODDS teams a look at how more sedentary international programs operate. They, for the most part, keep the same coaches and the same wrestlers from the seventh grade, plus DODDS wrestlers learn about cultural diversity from athletes who live overseas all their lives.
“We actually get to see that,” Harden said. “And some of the guys who I saw wrestle are now back as coaches.”
One of them is three-time Far East champion Shu Yabui, now a St. Mary’s assistant coach.
“It feels great,” said Yabui, 26, of Tokyo. “It’s a lot more exciting for us and I hope for the other schools.”
The restriction prevented former teammates, such as Mark Striegl, from becoming a four-time Far East champ, Yabui said.
He and others were “disappointed” when the change was announced. “We kind of lost our goal. Our goal became Kanto, which used to be a step toward Far East,” Yabui said of the Kanto Plain Association of Secondary Schools league title.
“I didn’t know how to motivate the kids. Now these guys know and they’ll pass it on to the new guys next year.”
Wrestlers said they appreciate the variety that the international schools bring to the table.
“Sometimes, you face the same person so many times, it gets old,” said E.J. King junior 180-pounder Darnell Vinson. “I like it open like this. There’s more of a variety of opponents whom I can face. More of a challenge. I like that challenge. And they get to experience the same things we experience.”
