Email tamaradze12.JPGAbbas Tamaradze, front, wrestles teammate Ibraim Usmanov. The Republican/Dave Roback CHICOPEE – The distance from Uzbekistan to the United States is 6,212 miles. Hampden County Charter School senior Abbas Tamaradze traveled that distance as a 12-year-old when his family immigrated to make a better life for themselves. Tamaradze has taken full advantage of the opportunity. Despite the fact that he had only two years of eligibility as a high school wrestler, Tamaradze is on a 38-match undefeated streak and is headed to the ASCIS/Vaughan Junior Nationals for the second straight season. Tamaradze heads to Fargo, N.D., Friday for an eight-day tournament that hosts the top two qualifiers in each weight class from every state. Even with only two seasons of organized wrestling under his belt, the senior says he is not nervous about facing some of the top high school grapplers in the country. “No, I’m ready to wrestle,” Tamaradze said. He said he has learned from his mistakes during last year’s competition and is eager to prove himself. All this confidence comes from an 18-year-old who, according to coach Rodney Smith, didn’t have the best technique coming into his first season in 2012. Athletes are usually taught to block out distractions while they are in competition. That’s why, Tamaradze said, the hardest part when he started was listening to Smith’s direction during a match. However, with another 135-pound wrestler trying to drive you onto your back, it’s understandable why Tamaradze had trouble listening to Smith’s instruction. Smith’s words carry a lot of weight. The Springfield native won a bronze medal for the United States at the 1992 Olympics and has coached other Olympians. That’s the same goal that he has set for Tamaradze. First, though, Tamaradze needs to make university nationals and either win or finish in the top seven at senior nationals. Smith believes that Tamaradze will make the Olympic qualifiers. He sees a lot of himself in the youngster. “It’s good to see somebody that I can pass the torch on to,” Smith said. “It’s good to be able to coach somebody that wants to be coached and understands what it’s going to take to get to that Olympic level. It makes me feel good because every day I see Abbas train, I see a little bit of me in him. Not the physicalness, but that burning desire in his eyes. I see that cold stare I used to give opponents. I see that same flame in Abbas’ eyes.” Humble by nature, the senior answered with little emotion but complete sincerity when asked how he felt about competing for the country he calls home as a naturalized citizen. “It’s great,” he said. “I represent my school, coach, family and everything, I love it.” Tamaradze, a consistent A student, has the talent to get into college on either an athletic or academic scholarship. Ziad Salloum, his trigonometry teacher, says Tamaradze displays the same tenacity in the classroom as he does on the wrestling mat. “He has great leadership,” Salloum said. “He’s very productive, he doesn’t waste his time and he asks a lot of questions. And, if he understands the lesson, he takes the initiative to help others who don’t. That’s what makes you feel proud to have a student like Abbas. “He’s a diamond in the rough. Coming from a different country, to achieve what he has
Posted on: Sat, 13 Jul 2013 04:32:48 +0000
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