Connor Dantzler

Connor Dantzler (born 23 February 1994), of Damascus, Maryland, is an accomplished American amateur athlete. Diagnosed with Stribismus as a toddler, Dantzler began judo lessons to help improve his eye-hand coordination. At the age of six, he won his first junior national title. Today, Dantzler has won more than sixty US national championship crowns in judo, jujitsu and powerlifting. An All-America^[1] and Athlete of the Year,^[2] Dantzler received his sports training in half a dozen countries and at national and Olympic training centers around the US.^{[citation needed]}

Dantzler discovered powerlifting as a youth accidentally while searching the internet for other sporting events with his father. A decade later, he has earned World and Pan-American gold medals in the sport.^[3] He appeared in Sports Illustrated's "Faces in the Crowd"^[4] at the age of ten, after winning the AAU World Championships. In 2005, he made a guest appearance on ABC’s The Tony Danza Show.^[5] During 2010 Dantzler earned the Joel Ferrell Memorial Award for Outstanding Performance, “…the most prestigious award that recognizes outstanding athletic accomplishments and sportsmanship at the AAU Junior Olympic Games”.^[6] In 2011, he set an American record at the Collegiate Powerlifting National Championships as a high school student.^[7]

A perrenial US medalist in the Olympic sport of judo,^[8] Dantzler volunteers as an instructor to boys and girls in his hometown. Since debuting as a national judo coach in 2010, his students have earned six individual junior national championship titles. The President’s Council on Fitness, Sports, and Nutrition named Dantzler a recipient of the Community Leadership Award^[9] for mentoring junior athletes. Dantzler’s work in the community is reflected in other notable honors, including the PARADE All-America High School Service Team, Prudential Spirit of Community Awards,^[10] the Good Samaritan Medal, a US Senate commendation and two State of Maryland Governor’s Citations.

Connor Dantzler's articles on the benefits of fitness and sports have appeared in Natural Muscle Magazine, Real Gainz Fitness Magazine, USA Judo Magazine, USJF Judo Magazine and Muscle and Brawn.^[11]

References

1. ^ Singer-Bart, Susan. "Damascus Judo Students to Represent Maryland in Junior National Championship". Gazette.Net, 2010.http://www.gazette.net/stories/08112010/damanew232545_32539.php
2. ^ "State Awards". USJA, 2010.http://www.usja-judo.org/Awards/StateAwds2010.pdf
3. ^ "2010 Joel Ferrell Award Winner for Powerlifting". AAU News, September 09, 2010.http://www.aaunews.org/news/?p=3720
4. ^ "Faces in the Crowd". Sports Illustrated, December 06, 2004.http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1114377/2/index.htm
5. ^ "2010 Joel Ferrell Award Winner for Powerlifting". AAU News, September 09, 2010.http://www.aaunews.org/news/?p=3720
6. ^ "2010 Joel Ferrell Award Winner for Powerlifting". AAU News, September 09, 2010.http://www.aaunews.org/news/?p=3720
7. ^ "Damascus Teen Sets National and State Powerlifting Records". The Baltimore Sun, Varsity Letters, February 09, 2011. http://weblogs.baltimoresun.com/sports/highschool/varsityletters/2011/02/
8. ^ Beekman, Jennifer. "Should Young Athletes Wait on Weights?". Gazette.Net, 2010. http://www.gazette.net/stories/08182010/burtspo103215_32533.php
9. ^ "President's Council Quarterly". President's Council on Fitness, Sports & Nutrition, December 2010.http://www.fitness.gov/news-highlights/newsletters/december-2010.html
10. ^ Cassie, Ron. "Damascus Eighth-Grader Provides the Best Medicine." Frederick News-Post, 2008.http://www.fredericknewspost.com/sections/storyTools/print_archive_story.htm?storyID=82388
11. ^ Dantzler, Connor. "Discovering the Power of Powerlifting".Muscle and Brawn, 2009.http://muscleandbrawn.com/discovering-the-power-of-powerlifting/

Persondata
Name	Dantzler, Connor
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Date of birth	23 February 1994
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