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I am 27 years old, and I have been wrestling since I was 15. I finished third at the Louisiana state tournament my senior year of high school, and I didn't feel satisfied with my career. I wanted to continue by wrestling in college, so I packed up and moved to Kansas where I attended Colby Community College. I wrestled at Colby for a couple of years, but I began to feel as though folkstyle, the college style of wrestling, wasn't a good fit for me. After attending Colby, Jim Ravannack (the Gator Wrestling Club coach and one of my biggest supporters) told me about the United States Olympic Education Center on the campus of Northern Michigan University. At the USOEC, you can wrestle Greco-Roman and attend college. This program was just what I was looking for -- a place were I could finish up my college education and also train in Greco. I trained at the USOEC for several years and also earned my degree in Political Science. The USOEC gave me a great foundation to become the smarter and more competative wrestler I am today. I went on to become a University National Champion in 2003 and made the U.S National team with a third place finish at 60kg at the U.S World team trials in 2005. In 2006, I had a very serious neck injury and couldn't compete at the U.S Nationals or World team trials. I made a move to the USOTC where I had surgery and went through rehab. In March I stepped back on the mat for the first time in 12 months. I was very hungry to get back in to competition so I entered the U.S Nationals with a month of training. I quickly found out that I wasn't the same wrestler I was 12 months ago. I finished with a 1-2 record. About a month later I won the Northern Plains Regional which qualified me for the World team trails. I went to the trials and came out with a 3rd place finish. It felt great to take 3rd after all I have been through. I still have alot of work ahead of me to get to where I need to be. I am blessed for the opportunity to come back from a neck injury and be able to do what I love to do. I would like to thank the OTC coaching staff, Ivan Ivanov, Rob Herman, Jim Ravannack and family, Coach Sara and the whole Louisiana wrestling community for not just helping me become a better wrestler but molding me into a man. Biography - Willie Madison
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My
home town is Metairie, Louisiana. My parents are Willie and Carol
Madison, and I am the only boy in my family.