Goodman, appointed as Head Coach, brings many years of Wrestling knowledge both as an athlete and coach to Team USA.  His Wrestling accomplishments began at a young age in Florida when he won the 16 and under, now called Cadet Nationals, and went on to be the world champion in that age group.  In high school he won four state titles while compiling a record of 111-0 and was selected the first team All-American as a senior.  His athletic accomplishments continued at the University of Oklahoma and through the Senior Open level where he was the number two ranked Wrestler in the nation in 1990-91.  Goodman has also coached on the collegiate level at Clemson University and has coached multiple state and national champions in his hometown of Clearwater, FL. He represented the United States Open Wrestling team at the 11^th, 12^th, and 14^th World Maccabiah Games where he brought home several gold, silver, and bronze medals.  Goodman coaches some of the top wrestlers in the nation at his Florida Pride Wrestling Camp in Clearwater, Florida.

Meltzer, the Assistant Coach, represented Team USA at the 17^th World Maccabiah Games where he received both a Gold and Silver medal for his Wrestling achievements.  He posted a 181-16 record in high school and continued at Harvard where he was named 1^st Team All-Ivy League from 2005 through 2007 during his Sophomore, Junior, and Senior years and qualified for Division I NCAA's each of those years.  He was named Captain for his final two seasons and capped off his career with an All-American finish by placing 8^th at the 2007 NCAA's.  Meltzer continues to be involved in the wrestling community with the Beat the Streets Wrestling program which works to expand and develop the sport in the New York City Metropolitan area and to provide opportunities for boys and girls to build lifelong skills.

Both Goodman and Meltzer are thrilled to be appointed to coach the Open Wrestling team.  When asked how it feels being appointed to represent the USA Maccabiah Team, Goodman replied, "I feel very excited about the opportunity to coach for Team USA in this world-class competition. This will be an unbelievable experience for all involved."  Meltzer added, "After competing as an athlete for Team USA, I am thrilled to now take on a coaching position.  My experience at the 2005 Games is something I will never forget; I was able to connect to Israel, my heritage, and Judaism in a unique way.  The athletic aspect was the perfect compliment to an incredible experience!"  Goodman and Meltzer both share the same goals for their team: to be competitive, work hard, create lifelong friendships, and to bring home the top medals.

Interested athletes should visit the Maccabi USA website at http://www.maccabiusa.com/ to learn more about eligibility and apply for the team.

About the organization:

Maccabi USA/Sports for Israel (MUSA) has an extensive history of enriching Jewish lives through athletic, cultural and educational programs.  The organization is the official sponsor of the United States Team to the World Maccabiah Games, the Pan American Maccabi Games and the Maccabi competitions in Europe and Australia, as well as a co-founder of the JCC Maccabi Games for teens in North American.  As the official Maccabi representative in the U.S., Maccabi USA supports Jewish athletic endeavors, enhanced by cultural and educational activities in the United States, Israel and throughout the Diaspora.

MUSA develops, promotes and supports international, national and regional athletic-based activities and facilities.  We strive to provide Jewish athletes the world over the opportunity to share their heritage and customs in competitive athletic settings.  We support programs that embody the Maccabi ideals of Jewish continuity, Zionism and excellence in sport. 

The World Maccabiah Games are a quadrennial event that takes place in Israel.  The 18^th World Maccabiah Games, scheduled for July 13 - 23, 2009 will be the world's third largest international athletic competition.  Over 9000 of the world's best Jewish athletes from over 60 countries will compete at the Games.

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