Josh Schamberger
The President/CEO of Think Iowa City and the Iowa City Area Sports Commission for the past 22 years, Josh Schamberger has had an especially strong impact on the sport of wrestling. He has been the organizer and driving force behind Iowa hosting two USA Wrestling Olympic Team Trials. Schamberger has also been responsible for hosting numerous other USA Wrestling and United World Wrestling events, including U.S. Senior Opens, a World Team Trials Challenge Tournament, Girls Folkstyle Nationals, a National Recruiting Showcase, and the 2018 UWW Freestyle World Cup. He was also organizer for the 2022 UWW Men’s and Women’s Freestyle World Cup, marking the first time in history that men and women competed alongside each other in a World Cup. Schamberger and his team host and coordinate the Dan Gable Donnybrook high school tournament, the 2020 and 2021 Iowa Wrestling Coaches and Officials Association girls state tournaments, the 2020 NWCA Division III Championships, the recent Soldier Salute, and the upcoming Iowa High School Girls Athletic Union high school state tournament and the Girls State Tournament and the Iowa High School Athletic Association boys state dual tournament. In addition to securing and hosting these events in Iowa, Schamberger has also represented USA Wrestling at international tournaments in Cuba, Serbia, France, Estonia, and Italy. He has also been a strong supporter and advocate for the growth of girls wrestling, helping to secure funding for many area high school clubs before girls wrestling was sanctioned. Schamberger was a key partner in helping the University of Iowa establish its women’s wrestling program and serves as the founding board president of the Hawkeye Women’s Wrestling Club.
Awards:
Year
2023
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Award
Russ Smith Community Impact Award
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Chapter/Region
National
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