The ILLINI Wrestling Camp: In Pictures

It seems that the ILLINI Wrestling Camp was a major success. There was a lot of love posted on social media, and people noticed, like ILLINI legend Jordan Blanton:

But you don't have to believe Jordan Blanton or me, as you can see it from the players* and their coaches in the pictures that were posted. I used the word "players" above for any new UCLA Bruin or USC Trojan fans who are reading this board. That's what NOT to do! Wrestlers aren't ******* playing. They're wrestling. That's why they're called "wrestlers," you smelly hippies! By the way, welcome to the Big Ten Conference. Get a wrestling program. Now. 

With that out of the way, let's enjoy some of the photographs, starting with Coach, of course:

During the Summer Coach Poeta lives in a Winnebago, and the entire back half of that Winnebago is filled with workout clothes, wrestling shoes and Army-style Meals Ready to Eat (MREs). Like Flo from Progressive, but in a good way, the Dude is everywhere! 

And so is Coaches Ruth, Hunter and Medlin! They get shout outs from across the state. This is a shout out from another state, a New York kid who idolizes Coach Ruth:

After seeing these pictures, I have put "Go to ILLINI Wrestling Camp" on my bucket list. I can tell the campers how, back in the long ago, we used to wear leotards, Coaches would interrupt you in Algebra class to make you do pushups while yelling about quadratic equations, and once practice was over, you had to do a shift in the mine. No, really. 

But, I digress, check out this tweet and these pictures from the Elgin wrestling team:

I had to enlarge these pictures because they were so good. 

That is an amazing photograph. 

Lucas Byrd and Kevon Davenport with some hungry wolves. The atmosphere there is incredible. You just want to be there. I love that place! 

The Elgin team looks especially vicious here. 

I love everything about this picture except for one thing. Can you guess what that is? Dagnabit! Justin Cardani needs to be in the weight room and not in a sling. It's not like I should talk, as I know for a fact that Cardani can lift more than I could as a 191-pound college heavyweight. I've seen him lifting. Still. Damn. 

It's cool that he was there, though, and that he got to lift the arm of that young stud. 

This is a cool way to present your pictures, South Elgin High School Wrestling! The middle, right image is blurred because it is actually video on Instagram. Excellent formatting deserves big compliments. Great job!

I don't think this young lady was at an ILLINOIS Wrestling camp. Looks like it was a tournament. But while you're here, if you know her parents, let them know that I'd love to do an interview. What a Warrior Princess! 

Remember this, my friends, whether you're a deer hunter, a crypto bro, a stinky hippie, a stockbroker, or a farmer, the way we grow this sport is in tandem with women's wrestling. And MMA. So, besides being cool, it's also a good kind of selfish to support the ladies. 

Lyons Township High School is in the house! 

And your team champions in the dual tournament. 

Congratulations! 

A Brawlnagel explaining proper Noogie technique. Hint: The key is to control the head. 

Coach Medlin explaining how Paper covers Rock. 

As much as Coach Ruth has been hitting the camps, ILLINOIS and the ILLINI will soon be synonymous with cradles. 

From friends_of_illinois_wrestling on Instagram. 

More from our friends, including the best table workers in the country. This is who Track and Flo should hire, but I don't think they could afford them.

... and the friends we make along the way! 

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Photo credits: ILLINOIS Wrestling, Friends_of_ILLINOIS_Wrestling, @MaddoxGarbis, @BeattheStreets, @DrewTorza, @TheElginWrestle, @WrestlingSEHS, @HerseyWrestling, @LT_Wrestling, @pareyouwithme, @aidan_ploski, @BBCHS_Wrestling, @GloudemanJ; "BuILLt Here" logo is from the ILLINOIS Department of Athletics