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Brisco Brothers Help Wrestling's Amateur Youth Grow

Posted: Nov 3rd 2008 By: CMBurnham

The Brisco Brothers, longtime Tampa residents, have been involved with the Guardian Wrestling Club for kids, ages 6-14, and the proceeds will help defray travel costs for AAU and USA Wrestling tournaments in Florida and Georgia.

Jack and Jerry, two standout amateur wrestlers from Oklahoma State University, also made a name for themselves in singles and tag team wrestling on the professional level. They've been working with kids, training them since the 1960s through the late, great WWE Hall of Famer Eddie Graham, who ran Championship Wrestling from Florida. Graham usually sent the Briscos to work with high school kids in the Tampa area.

Through their contacts with some stellar collegiate wrestling programs (Missouri, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State), they've helped kids earn wrestling scholarships including amateur standout Glenn Goodman of Tampa.

''It's really a thrill for me to work with the wrestling club, and there are really good wrestlers, kids in our area,'' said Jerry Brisco, who works behind the scenes for World Wrestling Entertainment. ``This is my stress release, and this is one of my favorite parts of life. The kids appreciate it, and they want to learn.''

Known for football, baseball and basketball, Florida does not have any collegiate wrestling programs. There is good wrestling talent in the state, but they must go elsewhere if they want to pursue collegiate wrestling.

''That is the biggest disappointment of living in Florida,'' Jerry Brisco said. ``In the 1980s, we had a fundraiser for the University of Florida to start its new wrestling program. We raised $10,000 for a mat, equipment and other things for the program. Just six months later the school dropped the program.''

Guardian Wrestling Club placed fifth of 65 teams at a tournament in Naples.

The FCW fundraising event on Nov. 8 includes a 20-man battle royal, a FCW title match, a FCW tag team title match, diva action and more. Tickets as low as $10. Visit FCWwrestling.com.