W4P and SportsLife Host Groundbreaking Camp in Greece
In the sweltering summer heat of Athens, Greece, Wrestling for Peace (W4P) and SportsLife came together this July to host a powerful Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and Olympic Wrestling Camp — setting the tone for the U17 Men’s Freestyle World Championships.
The week-long camp brought together 80 athletes from across Greece, engaging the heart of the combat sports community through elite-level training, mentorship, and life-changing conversations about leadership, purpose, and peace.
This camp was more than preparation — it was a connection point, aimed at building bridges and investing in lives through the unifying power of sport. Athletes trained under a world-class lineup of coaches, including:
Nate Marquardt – UFC legend, offering elite MMA training and mindset coaching
David Dimopoulos Said – Fourth degree Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Black Belt pioneer, now in Greece to help shape the future of martial arts in his homeland
Tim Hess – Team USA Wrestling life coach, equipping athletes with mental resilience and purpose-driven leadership
Léo Vieira – Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu icon and multiple-time world champion, sharing innovation and legacy
Dan Russell – Executive Director of Wrestling for Peace, an Olympic coach and 4x NCAA Champion, bringing the heart of the W4P message
Steven Jude – SportsLife Director of Field Operations, emphasizing global transformation through sport
This event marked the first phase of the W4P 2025 Global Campaign. As the USA U17 Men’s Freestyle Team arrives in Athens, they will join with Wrestling for Peace Ambassadors, NGOs, Diplomats, and the Greek Wrestling Federation to visit a children’s hospital and a youth center in one of the poorest neighborhoods of Athens. In partnership, W4P and USA Wrestling hope to bring encouragement and connection, offering inspiration in the “wrestling match of life.”
“Athens was the starting point, not the finish line,” says Dan Russell. “This is about more than competition — it’s about being present, building relationships, and seeing wrestling change lives.” As the world turns its focus to the U17 World Championships, W4P remains committed to bringing purpose to the podium — empowering athletes to lead both on and off the mat. This is more than sport. It’s a movement.
Follow the journey at wrestlingforpeace.org and be part of the mission to transform lives through the power of peace, and wrestling.