Taylorville Wrestling

2023 VORTEX WRESTLING CAMP

Camp Details

For: Open to all Central Illinois Wrestlers entering grades k-12. 

Where: North School Annex. Wrestling Room  (North Elementary School, 780 N. Pawnee St. Taylorville, IL. 62568)

Dates Monday, June 12th – Thursday, June 15th, 2023

Time: Session I: Grades (K-4) =  4pm  - 6pm   Session II: Grades (5-12) = 6pm – 8pm

Equipment: T-shirt, Shorts, Wrestling Shoes, head gear (optional), mouth guard (optional)

Cost: All Campers = $50   (All campers receive a camp t-shirt)

What to Expect:  The Vortex Wrestling Camp is designed to benefit your wrestlers in both competition and technique.  It is a great opportunity for Central Illinois Wrestlers to get personalized instruction from various types of coaching styles and sharpen techniques and skills during the summer at a very affordable price.  Our camp is open to ALL WRESTLERS, regardless of their hometown/school.  

Camp Clinicians (Emphasis) and Itinerary:  Each day we will have a guest clinician.  In the past we have had individuals from the highest levels of Collegiate Big 10 wrestling, Hall of Fame H.S. coaches, to multi-time State Champions.  We try to give everyone a different blend of experience, knowledge, and style each day.   

Monday, June 12th, 2023:  Maya Davis- (Wrestler - Grand View University) 2023 NAIA Nationals All-American (3rd), 2023 Heart of America Conference (3rd), 2023 NUWAY Open Champion, 2x IL. State Champion, USA Wrestling Official, Grand View Wrestling Team Member, Grand View Wrestling Club Asst. Coach

Tuesday, June 13th, 2023: Jake McKiernan (Asst. Coach SIU-Edwardsville)- Jake McKiernan returned to the SIUE wrestling program as a graduate assistant coach in August 2022. A former Michigan state champion at Richmond High School, McKiernan started a legacy project at the heavyweight class for the Cougars. McKiernan has been in the mix at heavyweight for every season since the 2014-15 season. McKiernan collected more than 20 wins during the 2015-16 and the 2016-17 season, including 23 with 10 falls during the 2016-17 season. He was ranked in the top 25 nationally in 2016-17 as a heavyweight in the Southern Conference. He collected 66 victories in an SIUE uniform, completing his collegiate career during the 2019-20 season. McKiernan earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration in 2019 and is pursuing a master’s in physical education and coaching pedagogy.

Wednesday, June 14th, 2023: Khris Whelan (Head Coach -Blackburn College)-  Whelan, an alternate of the 1976 Olympic Greco-Roman team at age 15, has begun his tenure as the head coach for the Blackburn men's and women's wrestling teams. Whelan brings exceptional experience to the program. As a wrestler, Khris competed at the University of Missouri, where he was a two-time All-American. Following his experience as an athlete at the University of Missouri, Khris spent his time from 1987-1994 coaching at his alma mater. He coached eight NCAA Division 1 All-Americans, as well as several Big 8 and Big 12 champions.  Whelan was the head coach for the Men's and Women's Freestyle Wrestling team in Great Britain from 1994-1997.

Thursday, June 15th, 2023:  Bradan Birt (Asst. Coach Millikin University)- HS State Champion (Iowa -3A), 5x CCIW Champion, 5x NCAA All American, 4x NWCA Academic All-American, 2x NCAA National Champion (went 42-0 is Senior Year)

Registration form is available here.