- James Chico Hernandez
James "Chico" Hernandez (born 14 April 1954 in
Chicago, Illinois ) is an accomplished athlete in the sport of Sombo wrestling and a five-time member of the Team USA National Team.ombo and wrestling activities and achievements
Hernandez competed for
Reavis High School inBurbank, Illinois . After graduation from Reavis in 1972, Hernandez began wrestling in a city-sponsored park wrestling program when he won the City ofChicago Park District Championships. In 1975 he attendedChicago State University where he was awarded a wrestling scholarship. He took second place at the 1976National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics District #20 Championships and qualified for theNAIA National Wrestling Championships held atEdinboro University inEdinboro, Pennsylvania . He transferred to theUniversity of Maine at Presque Isle where he won theUniversity of New Brunswick Canadian Open,Acadia University ,Nova Scotia Open and was a 3 time NAIA All-New England wrestler. Hernandez is a brother ofKappa Delta Phi NationalFraternity . He graduated in 1979 with a Bachelor Arts Degree in Social Science.Hernandez was named head wrestling coach at University of Maine at Presque Isle for the 1980-81 season. He left coaching and joined the Army where he won three
Fort Riley ,Kansas and threeU.S. 1st Infantry Division Championships. He was selected to the All-Army Wrestling team in 1983.In 1987 he won the
Amateur Athletic Union National Sombo Championship and was named Outstanding Wrestler atHoward University inWashington, D.C. . He earned a Silver Medal at the 1989 Amateur Athletic Union National Free-Style Wrestling Championships held at theKellogg Arena inBattle Creek ,Michigan . Two years later; he won a Gold Medal and was named Outstanding Wrestler at the 1991 Amateur Athletic Union National Masters Free-Style Wrestling Championships held at the Kellogg Arena in Battle Creek, Michigan.In 1995 he took fifth place at the
FILA World VeteransFreestyle Wrestling Championships held at the Universiade Hall inSofia , Bulgaria. Hernandez returned to Sombo and continued to have success by winning AAU National titles in 1997, [ [http://image.aausports.org/sports/wrestling/results/Grand_Nationals/1997_gn.pdf wade6MONTHJOB.xls ] ] held atRabobank Arena inBakersfield ,California , in 1999, held atMCB Quantico ,Virginia and in 2000, held atDisney's Wide World of Sports Complex in Orlando,Florida . Hernandez also won the Federation International Association West Sombo Pan-American Bronze 1999, andFIAS West Pan-American Silver in 2000.In 2000 he won a pair of World FIAS West Bronze medals at the Federation International Association Sombo World Championships; one in Sport Sombo and the other in Combat Sombo. Hernandez also won the World FIAS West Masters Championship held at the
Hara Arena inDayton, Ohio . Later that year; Hernandez was selected by the United States Sombo Association to represent the United States at the FIAS World Cup of Sombo Wrestling held inNice ,France and won a silver medal losing to defending World Champion Vanio Toderov ofBulgaria . [ [http://worldcup.sambofrance.org/tatami/ Tatami ] ] In 2001 Hernandez was selected again to represent the United States at the FIAS World Cup of Sombo held in Nice, France and placed fifth.He won the World
AAU Iron Man Wrestling Championships in 2003 inKnoxville, Tennessee . [ [http://image.aausports.org/sports/wrestling/results/2003/ironman.htm 2003 AAU Elementary National Duals - Results ] ] Hernandez is a 31-time National AAUAll-American in Sombo, Freestyle, Greco-Roman and American Folkstyle Wrestling and he is an AAU National Champion in all four styles.In 2004; he won the British Sombo Open Silver Medal at the FIAS East British Sombo Championships held at the Swallows Leisure Centre,
Sittingbourne ,Kent ,England . In 2005; Hernandez won the Silver again losing to FIAS East World Sombo Medalist Paul Sawyer ofBournemouth, England 2-0 at the FIAS East British Sombo Championships held in Sittingbourne, Kent, England. [ [http://www.sittingbourne.org/BritishSomboFederation/2004_british_open.htm 2004 BRITISH OPEN ] ]In 2006 he won the Silver at the
North American Grappling Association New England Championships and later that year; a Gold and Silver in the No-Gi & Gi competition at the North American Grappling Association Championships held atSacred Heart University William H. Pitt Center inFairfield, Connecticut .In 2007 Hernandez took the Silver Medal and was defeated by FIAS East World Sombo Medalist and World Cornish Wrestling Champion Darrin Richardson,
Gosport , England, 2-0, in the finals of the FIAS East British Sombo Open Championships held in Sittingbourne, Kent, England. [ [http://www.ultimategrapplingmag.com/content/view/538/56/ James Chico Hernandez wins silver and broze at Sambo Championships ] ]Hernandez, won a pair of world titles April 5, 2008 at the North American Grappling Association's World Championships at
Essex County College inNewark ,New Jersey . He won a Bronze and Silver Medals in the No-Gi & Gi competition. Despite his age at 54, Hernandez continues to compete internationally in sombo, wrestling andsubmission wrestling events. He processes a total of 11 World Titles in Submission Grappling, Sombo and Wrestling.Honors and awards
Hernandez was featured on a box of
Wheaties Energy Crunch in December 2001. Hernandez was welcomed into the Wheaties Family byOlympic Champion Mary Lou Retton andTiger Woods inMadison Square Garden ,New York City ,New York . [ [http://www.dmswire.com/EnergyCrunch.htm Wheaties Energy Crunch ] ] "Being on the Wheaties box was one of the biggest thrills of my wrestling career, and I'm honored!"Hernandez is the First Sombo Wrestler to be on a Box the Breakfast of Champions Wheaties. Over 15 million boxes were produced and sold all over the world from December 2001 until January 2005.
Hernandez also said that he received one of the greatest honors that has ever been bestowed on him, one he'll never forget.“I received a letter of congratulations from the US Army Reserve's Command Sergeant Major Alex Lackey," Hernandez said. "He told me that I am the Everyday Champion and I represent over 205,000 Reservists all over the world". "I never received that kind of letter or acknowledgement from anybody in my entire military career! I was deeply honored". [ [http://web.archive.org/web/20020812173838/http://www.army.mil/usar/news/2002/05may/chico.html newsstory ] ]
He was also featured in "
Sports Illustrated "'s "Faces in the Crowd " andCNN/SI "Faces in the Crowd .". [ [http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/features/1997/weekly/faces/1027/index.html CNN/SI - Faces in the Crowd ] ] Hernandez is the First Sambo Wrestler to appear in CNN/SI “Faces In the Crowd”.On June 4, 2006; he was inducted with All-Star Shortstop
Mike Bordick into the Maine Sports Hall of Fame. The Master of Ceremonies Dick Costello; Athletic Director at theUniversity of Southern Maine introduced Hernandez as "The State of Maine's Most Decorated Wrestler ever". He also rec'd Congratulations from Maine GovernorJohn E. Baldacci . [ [http://www.maine.gov/tools/whatsnew/index.php?topic=Gov+News&id=17444&v=Article Governor Baldacci: News: Full Story ] ]Hernandez has been inducted into these athletic Halls of Fame:
*University of Maine at Presque Isle Athletic Hall of Fame [ [http://www.umpi.maine.edu/info/lib/stawaszl/fame.htm Hall of Fame Room ] ]
*Illinois Wrestlers Hall of Fame
*Latin American World Wide Martial Arts Hall of Fame [ [http://www.geocities.com/latin_americanma/hfame2002.html Hall of Fame 2002 Inductees ] ]
* Diversified League Of Martial Artists Hall of FameHernandez has been presented by Maine Governor
Angus King with the State of Maine Legislative Sentiment Awards for his work in Wrestling and Sombo. He has been Awarded a total of fourteen State of Maine Legislative Sentiment Awards by both the Houses of theMaine State Legislature . [ [http://janus.state.me.us/house/hcal/050413.htm The House Calendar ] ]He was selected to serve as the Grand
Marshall of the Washburn August Festival Parade in 2002. Hernandez threw out the first pitch at the4th of July 2003Portland Sea Dogs Baseball Game atHadlock Field inPortland, Maine .In 2006, the American Sombo Association has awarded Hernandez with a National Honorable Mention Certificate of Nomination for being a Pioneer in the development of American Sombo. The winner was
UFC Fighter and Movie StarOleg Taktarov .Professional life
Hernandez works as a licensed
social worker at the Maine State Prison, and serves as the Self Defense Instructor for the Maine Department of Corrections. He is a 10th Degree Black Belt Sport Sombo,San Juan, Puerto Rico , 9th. Degree Black Belt Wrestling, Martial Arts Academy of America, 3rd Degree Black Belt Military Combat Sombo; USMCQuantico, Virginia , 2nd Degree Black Belt Submission Fighting, Metro Fight ClubDetroit, Michigan , 1st Degree Black Belt Hybrid Wrestling,Modesto, California , 1st Degree Black Belt Sombo, British Sombo Federation,Sittingbourne Kent England , 1st. Degree Black Belt Sombo, Bulgarian Sports Ministry,Varna, Bulgaria .He volunteers in local schools to warn children of the dangers of drugs and crime. He also donates his time by helping out with town recreational activities, sports and martial arts.
Hernandez was a
First Sergeant (1SG) and has served as aCombat Basic Training Instructor at theUnited States Military Academy atWest Point, New York ,Fort Leonard Wood ,Missouri ,Fort Bragg ,North Carolina ,Fort Lewis ,Washington andFort Indiantown Gap ,Pennsylvania in theUnited States Army Reserves from 1990-2005. [ [http://web.archive.org/web/20020812173838/http://www.army.mil/usar/news/2002/05may/chico.html newsstory ] ] He is also a Master Fitness Trainer and is a Graduate of Premier Class fromFort Benjamin Harrison ,Indiana in 1983. Hernandez during his military career earned a total 26Physical Fitness Badge of Excellence.Prior to his military career; Hernandez was also aDJ forCBS Radio FM 101-WOZI and known as "Chico The Midnight Rambler" from 1980 to 1982.Hernandez resides in
Washburn, Maine .References
[http://worldcup.sambofrance.org/tatami/]
[http://image.aausports.org/sports/wrestling/results/2003/ironman.htm]
[http://www.sittingbourne.org/BritishSomboFederation/2004_british_open.htm]
[http://www.ultimategrapplingmag.com/content/view/538/56/]
[http://www.dmswire.com/EnergyCrunch.htm]
[http://web.archive.org/web/20020812173838/http://www.army.mil/usar/news/2002/05may/chico.html]
[http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/features/1997/weekly/faces/1027/index.html]
[http://www.maine.gov/tools/whatsnew/index.php?topic=Gov+News&id=17444&v=Article]
[http://www.umpi.maine.edu/info/lib/stawaszl/fame.htm ]
[http://www.geocities.com/latin_americanma/hfame2002.html ]
[http://janus.state.me.us/house/hcal/050413.htm]
[http://image.aausports.org/sports/wrestling/results/Grand_Nationals/1997_gn.pdf ]
[http://web.archive.org/web/20020812173838/http://www.army.mil/usar/news/2002/05may/chico.html]
External links
*http://www.ussambo.com/press_article_june_06.html
*http://lutte-wrestling.ifrance.com/
*http://www.ultimategrapplingmag.com/content/view/538/56/
*http://www.britishsombo.co.uk/chico_hernandez.htmPersondata
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