European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - April 29, 1986, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Wres Roc Corner club in utrecht Winon byjoe Mapother staff writer Many in the crowd of wives Girlfriend Sand neighbourhood buddies were on their feet. An angry Fred Rosbash stalked Thering complaining about head Butts by his opponent that started the trickle of blood flowing from his left ear. Fred s father a former dutch olympic team wrestler watched intently from the timekeeper s table. Saturday night in the Netherlands in a Blue Collar neighbourhood of utrecht Means ring action at the Corner club Olympia utrecht. Founded nearly 85 years ago club officials say it is the oldest among 20 clubs that specialize in Amateur wrestling in the Netherlands. The card games family snapshot swapping and quaffing of draft Beer Stop and bodies press against the Glass panes that separate the card players from the 50 or 60 serious wrestling fans packed around the ring that dominates the inner Sanctum of the club. Bernie Alivio a 26-year-old air Force staff sergeant who is the first american in memory to wrestle with the team watches the action with three friends from the 32nd tac fighter so based nearby at Camp new Amsterdam. Alivio would normally be awaiting his opponent in the 125-Pound class but a shoulder injury at Safe s Continental sports conference wrestling finals kept him out of this confrontation at Olympia utrecht. The first time i walked in Here Alivio said it kind of reminded me of the old neighbourhood hangout like something you would see in a Rocky Marciano  crammed trophy cases and faded pictures of past wrestling greats line the Walls. Thick aromatic Clouds of White smoke fed by numerous hand rolled cigarettes of dark dutch tobacco dominate a front room of plastic topped tables and wooden chairs. Through Glass doors that Lead into a larger room a brightly lit red ring Marks the bulls Eye upon which All eyes Are focused. There cigarette smoke gives Way to the stench of stale sweat. Lord and master of this Back room is Hovorka Ivo a former three time czechoslovakian National Champion who fled his Prague Home after the russians and their Warsaw pact allies put an end to the Prague Spring governmental Reform in 1968. The russians have 2 million wrestlers Ivo said in a rough illustration of the differences Between wrestling in Eastern Europe and the sport As practice in the Netherlands. Here in Holland we have 1,000  for the past year Bernie Alivio has been the Only american training and competing with the club As he says to keep in shape and profit from the local expertise. As the unpaid Trainer of Olympia utrecht Ivo leaves his Job As a plumber to devote a couple of evening hours is photos by l Emmett Lewis or. Window partition separates pub from training in the adjacent gym. Willem Meering president of Olympia utrecht watches Young wrestlers weigh in. Coach Hovorka Ivo bandages wrestler Paul Kastelein s hand. Bernie Alivio Rene Van Der Werf Hans Van Dyk at club s trophy Case. Paul Kastelein presses an opponent during a match at twice a week to coach wrestlers As Young As 7 and As old As 40. On saturdays he coaches the club s two Junior teams and its senior team. Sundays Are devoted to the weekly swim that is a popular Way for club members to relax and socialize at the end of the week. Bernie Alivio was a Good freestyle wrestler when he walked through the portals of Olympia utrecht Ivo said. But to compete in the dutch Amateur league the american Serviceman had to learn the Greco roman style a classic form that emphasizes upper body strength and frowns on the crowd pleasing body slamming allowed in freestyle. Both freestyle and Greco roman matches Are required from each wrestler who splits his season Ila Olympia utrecht three of Hollands s 20 Amateur wrestling teams Are at Home in the City of utrecht. Between the two forms. I never even touched Greco roman until i got Over Here Alivio said. He Learned Well enough in the nearly one year he has been at Olympia utrecht to take secs find place in Greco roman at the Csc finals in Hahn. Alivio s next goal is to make that knowledge earn him a spot on the Csc team going to England for the Safe tournament. The 5-foot-4-Inch, f-15 Crew chief is popular among the children at Olympia utrecht some of whom show Promise of giving Alivio a Tough match in a few years. Michel Henneveld for example is a 14-year-old who already has seven years of club wrestling experience under his Belt. Competing in the youth division he has been National Champion four times in both freestyle and Greco roman wrestling. In a couple of years he is expected to crack the senior team lineup in the 105 Pound class. At 32 years of age it has been a Long time since Kees Willekes entered the senior division. During his 16 years with the club Willekes has been a dutch National Champion three times. He wrestles in the 220-Pound division and works during the Day cutting Down and pruning Trees. When not working out or working for pay Willekes said he spends time hustling local sport shops for the training equipment that is about the Only material Benefit he has gained from Amateur wrestling. We must pay for everything ourselves said teammate Paul Kastelein. Hotels Are out and sleeping on the bus is in when the team travels to matches. Watching the team in its final training session for the season finale Olympia utrecht s president Willem Meering reflected "26 years ago the ring was  membership was up from the present 70 members and the bouts totalled 20 minutes instead of the 6 minute matches of today he said. Twenty six years ago Meering was also in the ring on saturday nights. But utrecht remains a Center of dutch Amateur wrestling said Meering. Three of the Twenty Amateur clubs make their Home in the City he said. Also watching the workout was albertus Rosbash member of the dutch team at the 1960 olympic games in Rome. Now 45, Rosbash said he began wrestling at the club when he was eight years old. His father wrestled for the club and his 20-year-old son is carrying on the tradition. It took a pin in the last minute of the match for Rosbash son Fred to stave off his opponent s late match surge that nearly evened the Point total. But he won the match and Olympia utrecht won the meet. The cigarette papers and tobacco pouches emerged from Side pockets while club treasurer Hendrik Van Der Velden feverishly worked the Beer tap. Spectators streamed Back through the Glass doors and the card games began anew. American fellow wrestler Jim Simon 21 years old and a newcomer to the club slowly made his Way through the crowd to the door with Bernie Alivio. There is a Good Chance one of the air Force men will be wrestling at 125-lbs. For Olympia utrecht next year. Page 14 the stars and stripes tuesday april 29, 1986 the stars and stripes Page 15