Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, July 8, 1990 TAG: 9007080119
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B8 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: bob teitlebaum sportswriter
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
The Manassas teen-ager was one of 429 entrants Saturday in the Virginia CorEast State Games wrestling tournament at the LancerLot in Vinton. The wrestlers ranged in age from 4-year-old Keith Watson of Grundy to 45-year-old James Lee of Norfolk.
Few of the entrants figure to have a future as bright as Blade, who is one of those rare wrestlers to try all three styles of the sport. Saturday's competition was the conventional folkstyle of high school and college wrestling. The other disciplines are Greco Roman and freestyle, in which Blade finished second after winning his national title.
In folkstyle, wrestlers try for takedowns on the legs or by using the upper body. In Greco Roman, competitors can't touch the legs and must throw the wrestlers to the mat by using upper-body strength. In freestyle, a brief touch of the legs is permitted, but the wrestler must get on top of his opponent and expose his back to score points.
"Wrestling in all three styles helps you in each one," Blade said. "In freestyle, I get help with balance; in Greco Roman, I learn how to use the upper part of my body; and folkstyle ties in with everything else."
Blade said he has been in folkstyle wrestling since he was a second-grader. Two years ago he tried the other two styles, which makes it remarkable that he is a national Greco Roman champion. He won the cadet division for 14- and 15-year-olds at 160 pounds.
"I prefer folkstyle because I've been brought up in it," Blade said.
In high school, he is a two-time Northwestern Region champion from Stonewall Jackson. He did not place in the Group AAA meet as a freshman or a sophomore, despite finishing with a 34-2 record this past winter, and he did not place Saturday at the State Games. But he says he is aiming for a college scholarship in wrestling and is hoping to make the Olympics.
Marc's father, Bob, makes all the trips with his son. Another son, Neal, will be a senior at Stonewall Jackson and also is a wrestler.
Bob Blade, who retired from the military and works for a computer company while following the careers of his two youngest sons, says the schedule is hectic.
"I have a 3-year-old car with 140,000 miles," he said. "We flew to Indianapolis. Marc wanted to fly down here and I said, `Come on, get serious.' "
Bob Blade videotapes his sons' matches. At home, he has put a mat in the basement. Since Marc and Neal are similar in weight, they often work out against each other.
Marc practices six hours a day during wrestling season. He trains for two hours before school, joins the team after school, takes a break, does his homework and comes back for two more hours. His father says he carries a 3.0 grade-point average on a 4.0 scale.
The national title isn't without its consequences. Already, young Blade says there is pressure.
"Everybody is looking at you. You have pressure as it is when you're wrestling. When you win the nationals, it's a lot more pressure," he said.
by CNB