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54 | NATIONAL WRESTLING HALL OF FAME & MUSEUM LATINO WRESTLING EXPERIENCE Shane Valdez was a very exciting wrestler to watch at Calvary Chapel High School in Costa Mesa, Calif. Although a small, faith-based school, Calvary Chapel's wrestling team competed at the California state championships along with the other much larger public schools which have many more athletes from which to choose. Not only was Calvary Chapel much smaller, but the wrestling program was still in its infancy when Shane attended. Today, the school is a nationally- known powerhouse. In a state recognized for the excellence of its wrestling programs that have sent their share of talented wrestlers to the college and university ranks, Shane was a big winner and a pioneer for tiny Calvary Chapel. Twice a runner-up at the California high school state championships, in 1994, Shane won the state title at 112 pounds. All of his years of hard work on the mat paid off when Shane then received a very well-deserved wrestling scholarship from the University of Oklahoma. At OU, Shane's lightning quick speed and solid wrestling technique at both 118 and 125 pounds earned him immediate success. He was a three-time All-American who qualified all four years while at OU for the NCAA championships. He finished eighth at 118 pounds at the 1996 NCAA tournament and sixth at the same weight in 1997. In 1999, he was ranked as high as third in the nation at 125 pounds and earned Oustanding Wrestler honors at the Big 12 tournament after upsetting NCAA champion Teague Moore. With the win, the Sooners won their first conference championship in more than 12 years. Shane ended his collegiate career with a total of 115 victories on the mat and a fourth-place finish in the NCAA. Dane Valdez, Shane's twin brother, was an outstanding wrestler in his own right who was also known for his blazing speed and faultless technique. Dane won a state title in 1993 while wrestling for Calvary Chapel High School. During his junior and senior years, Dane put together an incredible 101-1 record. At the same time, he came in second at the High School National Championships. Dane was also a three time Junior Freestyle All-American. Together Dane and Shane's remarkable performances on the mat created California's well-respected wrestling juggernaut in the 1990s known as the "Church Boyz". Dane Valdez qualified three times for the NCAA championships as a Sooner, earning All-America honors in 1997 with a seventh- place finish at 126 pounds. As a senior, his career was hampered by a knee injury, but he always excelled in the classroom as evidenced by his three Academic All-America honors. Dane went on to train for two years in freestyle at the Olympic Training Center for the 2004 Olympics. Today, Dane Valdez coaches at Valdez Wrestling Training Gym in Santa Ana, while Shane Valdez coaches at Oklahoma Elite Wrestling Club. 1996, 1997, 1999 118lbs // 125lbs University of Oklahoma 1997 126lbs University of Oklahoma DANE VALDEZ SHANE VALDEZ DANE VALDEZ SHANE VALDEZ