To Whom It May Concern:

RE: Roy Pittman

This letter of recommendation is being written on behalf of the Peninsula Wrestling Club and Head Coach Roy Pittman. As the National Coaches Education Program Coordinator for USA Wrestling, I have had the distinct pleasure of working with Roy, his athletes on our Senior National Teams, and his club directly for the past four years. During this same time frame, due to my job responsibilities, I have had the opportunity to study the most successful coaches and wrestling programs in the nation. I mention this due to the fact that Roy Pittman and the Peninsula Wrestling Club are easily among the top 10 Wrestling programs in the World.

This letter is in support of Roy Pittman. As Chief of Police for the Portland Police Bureau, the largest law enforcement agency in the State of Oregon, I have met numerous individuals who have dedicated their lives to helping youth and their community. However, tehre are few that stand out above the rest, and Mr. Roy Pittman is one of those individuals.

Roy founded Peninsula Wrestling Club (PWC) in the early 1970s. Roy's love of wrestling, athletics and youth became intertwined in a community project that has undoubtedly affected thousands of children in our community. The discipline, integrity and hard work that wrestling requires challenges young people to dig down deep in their souls, while they build their self esteem. As Roy says, "Every kid has the opportunity to find the hero in themselves."

As a community leader, Roy's assistance with the Portland Police Bureau and furthering our community policing goals has been invaluable. We have relied on Roy to be a part of the Chief's Forum (a public advisory group to the Chief of Police), the Blue Ribbon Committee on Racial Profiling, the African American Advisory Council and many other community/police partnerships. He has given countless hours assisting us in building trust and relationships in the community, even going so far as attending our multi-week Police Citizens Academy.

Law enforcement officers rely heavily on strong leaders in the community to assist us in our community policing efforts. I firmly believe that impacting today's youth plays a significant role in our community policing efforts, and Roy's integrity, support and enthusiasm is invaluable to our community.

Should you have any additional questions regarding Mr. Roy Pittman, do not hesitate to contact me through my Adjutant, Officer Catherine Kent at (503) 823-0830.

Sincerely,

Derrick Foxworth
Chief of Police
Portland, Oregon

Whom it May Concern,

1. I wish to express my appreciations for, and congratulate the Peninsula Wrestling Club (PWC), Coach Roy Pittman and the other club coaches for their superior support of and contributions to amateur wrestling. The PWC includes wrestlers from the developmental age Their program includes both the interscholastic/intercollegiate styles as well as the international/Olympic styles of wrestling. The PWC has consistently produced winners/champions in every style at every age level including the United States' most recent (1997) World Champion, Les Gutches.
   
   
2. More important than the PWC's wrestling successes however, is the club's very positive role in the personal development of the quality individuals the club produces. The United States Air group/kids programs through the elite World Championship/Olympic levels of competition. Force Academy (USAFA) is a very selective, demanding institution with extremely high standards for both admission and to succeed. USAFA students represent the best of the best from every state as well as numerous foreign countries. There are for PWC members (C1C Jake Sherer, C2C Luke Bindreiff, C4C Shawn Finnicum and C4C Vince Sherer) on the intercollegiate wrestling team here, and all four have an excellent change of making one of the ten varsity weight class starting positions. These individuals are most representative of the "Whole Man Concept" and "Commitment to Excellence" the USAFA seeks out and the PWC turns out. PWC student/athletes are winners both on and off the mat and are successful both in wrestling and in life.
   
   
3. The PWC is the premiere club of its kind in the entire United States. The service it provides young athletes encompasses far more than wrestling and extends beyond the community to include the entire state of Oregon and parts of Washington. Coach Roy Pittman and the PWC staff are class individuals who run a First Class Program! I wish them continued success in their great program and in generating the support necessary to become even more successful.

Wayne Baughman
Wrestling Coach
USAF Academy CO

To Whom it may concern:

This letter of recommendation is being written on behalf of the Peninsula Wrestling Club and Head Coach Roy Pittman. As the National Coaches Education Program Coordinator for USA Wrestling, I have had the distinct pleasure of working with Roy, his athletes on our Senior National Teams, and his club directly for the past four years. During this same time frame, due to my job responsibilities, I have had the opportunity to study the most successful coaches and wrestling programs in the nation. I mention this due to the fact that Roy Pittman and the Peninsula Wrestling Club are easily among the top 10 Wrestling programs in the World.

In all of my research I have found several factors that separate the best from the rest and am willing to share these with you for they epitomize Roy Pittman and the Peninsula Wrestling Club:

1. INTEGRITY - The success of any organization will ultimately be determined by the leader of it. In my experiences and study regarding this, there is a clear difference between the illusion of integrity and the reality of it. Roy Pittman has and will continue to "walk the talk" unlike few men I have ever known.
   
   
2. PASSION - The greatest coaches of all time exhibited this trait in blatant quantity. It only takes 10 seconds being around Roy and his athletes to understand how important this quality is and how much a part of his program this entails.
   
   
3. COMMITMENT - Roy's commitment to this athletes on and off the mat, during their stay in the club and later in their adult life is truly remarkable. All one has to do is ask the participants of the club and they will tell you all you need to know.
   
   
4. LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT - All successful programs can be measured by the number and quality of leaders that come out of it as a result of being a part of it. The Peninsula Wrestling Club under the leadership of Roy Pittman has developed innumerable highly successful athletes, coaches, and most importantly quality adult citizens.
   
   
5. SUCCESS - The bottom line in our competitive society is that the strong will survive. Roy has developed not only Olympians on a wrestling mat, but Olympian character young adults. Through we understand the importance of this on a long term basis, he has also developed an incredible group of children who are equipped with the tools to succeed in anything they do.

\ In closing I would just like to say how highly regarded Roy is in every area of his life. His attitude, enthusiasm, love, compassion, character and many other like terms do little justice in explaining the depth of their truest meaning about this man. There are many other administrators, coaches, athletes, and people that would support this statement. I offer myself as a willing party to not only speak to you regarding these facts, but I will also lead you to several experts in the field to validate my opinion. I highly recommend that you research and call as many references as you deem necessary.

Once again, it is with incredible pleasure that I give my highest recommendation for Roy Pittman and the Peninsula Wrestling Club.

Sincerely,

Brett Penager
NCEP Coordinator
USA Wrestling

I am writing in endorsement of the Peninsula Wrestling Club in Portland, Oregon. My relationship with Roy Pittman and the Peninsula Wrestling Club began when I became the Head Wrestling Coach at Oregon State University in 1990.

I learned quickly of the great impact that Roy had in the sport of wrestling in the state of Oregon, and across the country. Not only is Roy an outstanding coach, he is a tremendous leader of young people who has taken a genuine interest in their lives. Roy is as positive a person as I have ever met, and his morals and values are of the highest regard. I have had the sincere pleasure of coaching several of Roy's Club members, and his influence and character is something that is evident in each of them. Every Peninsula athlete I have had has nothing by respect and admiration for Mr. Pittman, because of the positive effect he has had on their lives.

I would recommend Mr. Pittman and the Peninsula Wrestling Club to any young person, at any skill level, who is interested in the sport of wrestling. My recommendation goes well beyond the teaching of wrestling skills as well. I firmly believe Roy is a great leader and has such a positive impact on young people that anyone would do well to interact with him.

It would be my pleasure to speak with anyone who has questions in regard to the benefits of becoming a member of the Peninsula Wrestling Club.

Sincerely,

Mark Johnson
Head Wrestling Coach
University of Illinois

Dear Coach Pittman,

Thank you for your hospitality during my recent visit to Portland. On behalf of the United States Military Academy at West Point, I would like to commend you and thank you for your efforts as coordinator and coach of the Peninsula Park Wrestling program.

Your efforts have produced some fantastic young athletes and truly great people. Some of the young men your program has produced have attended USMA and performed well in every aspect of Cadet life. We are looking forward to recruiting future high school graduates that emerge from your program.

Continued success in your endeavors and if I or USMA can help in any way, please do not hesitate to contact me at your convenience.

Sincerely,

Tod L. Giles
Assistant Wrestling Coach
1996-97 Greco-Roman National Team

Dear Roy,

I want to commend you on the outstanding job you have done with the Peninsula Wrestling Club.

We at USA Wrestling are so impressed with your club that I have asked our staff to tailor a nationwide program called "Beat the Streets" after the Peninsula Wrestling Club.

If USA Wrestling follows what you have created, out "Beat the Streets" program will benefit thousands of America's youth in the coming years.

Again, congratulations on the success you have experienced with the Peninsula Wrestling Club. Also, thank you for providing your expertise in helping us in the creation and implementations of "Beat the Streets."

Sincerely,

Jim Scherr
Executive Director
USA Wrestling

To Whom it May Concern:

I have known Roy Pittman and the Peninsula Wrestling Club for six years. During this time I have experienced first hand what the Peninsula Wrestling Club does for young people in the Portland area.

Five former Peninsula Club wrestlers have wrestled for me at Brown University. These young men are not only great student athletes but outstanding human beings.

They can always be counted on to help teammates, coaches, and friends no matter what the situation. I feel their association with Peninsula has helped instill their values. The common bond between all these athletes is they are always looking to better themselves in all aspects of their lives.

The young men praise the Peninsula Wrestling Club for helping them at a time they could have gone astray. The club does not just teach wrestling, but helps teach values that will stay with them forever.

It is my opinion that without the Peninsula Wrestling Club these five young men would never have had the opportunity to attend Brown University. If there were more places like Peninsula the young people in this country would be better off.

Sincerely,

Dave Amato
Head Wrestling Coach Brown University