COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – Former Arizona State coach and Sun Devil All-American Shawn Charles has been selected to lead the U.S. Junior World Freestyle squad this month at the 2019 Junior World Championships in Estonia.
Currently the coach of the Power Inferno Wrestling Academy in the Valley, Charles brings a breadth of wrestling expertise to the staff having led programs from the junior level to the international level across his decorated career.
Heading the U.S. staff at this year's Junior Championships will be Charles' second-straight year coaching an American squad. Last year, Charles coached Team USA at the World U23 Championships in Romania.
He has coached Pan American Championships teams at the cadet, junior and senior levels, and has been on the staff at two Olympic Games, and coached a number of U.S. international tour teams.
Along with guiding the Sun Devils to a top-10 finish with two individual champions from 2009-2014, Charles spent a year in charge at Fresno State and worked as an assistant at Missouri, Brown University, Nebraska, Central Michigan, Oklahoma and Phoenix College.
While a student-athlete in Tempe, Charles was a four-time All-American and two-time NCAA finalist. His wrestling career saw him earn multiple roster spots in international competition and multiple medals. He was the runner-up at a World Team Trials, an Espoir world medalist and a U.S. Open and Pan American champion.
Charles and Team USA will compete in Tallinn, Estonia, from August 12-18.
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