James Chico Hernandez

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James "Chico" Hernandez

James "Chico" Hernandez (born April 14 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.

Sombo and wrestling activities and achievements

Hernandez competed for Reavis High School in Burbank, Illinois. After graduation from Reavis in 1972, Hernandez began wrestling in a city-sponsored park wrestling program when he won the City of Chicago Park District Championships. In 1975 he attended Chicago State University where he took second place at the 1976 National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics District #20 Championships. He transferred to the University of Maine at Presque Isle where he was a three time NAIA All-District #5 wrestler. He graduated in 1979 with a Bachelor Arts Degree in Social Science. Hernandez was named head wrestling coach at UM – Presque Isle for the 1980-81 seasons. He left coaching, joined the Army and won three Fort Riley, Kansas and three U.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 at Howard University in Washington, D.C. In 1995 he took fifth place at the FILA World Veterans Freestyle Wrestling Championships held in Sofia, Bulgaria. Hernandez returned to Sombo and continued to have success by winning AAU National titles in 1997, 1999, 2000, the Federation International Association Sombo Pan-American Bronze 1999, and FIAS Pan-American Silver in 2000.

In 2000 he won a pair of World FIAS 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 Masters Championship in Dayton, 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 in Nice, France and won a silver medal losing to defending World Champion Vanio Toderov of Bulgaria. 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 in Knoxville, Tennessee. Hernandez is a 31-time National AAU All-American in Sombo, Freestyle, Greco-Roman and American Folkstyle Wrestling and he is an AAU National Champion in all four styles.

Despite his age at 53, Hernandez continues to compete internationally in sombo, wrestling and submission wrestling events. In 2004 and 2005; he won the title British Sombo Open Silver Medalist at the FIAS British Sombo Championships held in Sittingbourne, Kent, England. In 2006 he is the North American Grappling Association New England Vice-Champion and North American Vice-Champion at the North American Grappling Association Championships. In 2007 he won the FIAS British Sombo Open Silver Medal held in Sittingbourne, Kent, England.

Honors and awards

Hernandez was featured on a box of Wheaties Energy Crunch in December 2001. Hernandez was welcomed into the Wheaties Family by Olympic Champion Mary Lou Retton and Tiger Woods in Madison Square Garden, New York City, New York.

"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".

He was also featured in Sports Illustrated's "Faces in the Crowd" and CNN/SI "Faces in the Crowd.". Hernandez is the First Sambo Wrestler to appear in CNN/SI “Faces In the Crowd”. He has been featured in Grappling, Black Belt Magazine, Inside Ku-Fu, Army Reserves Magazine and other magazines and websites.

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 the University of Southern Maine introduced Hernandez as "The State of Maine's Most Decorated Wrestler ever". He also rec'd Congratulations from Maine Governor John E. Baldacci.

Hernandez has been inducted into these athletic Halls of Fame:

• University of Maine at Presque Isle Athletic Hall of Fame
• Illinois Wrestlers Hall of Fame
• Latin American World Wide Martial Arts Hall of Fame
• Diversified League Of Martial Artists Hall of Fame

Hernandez 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 thirteen State of Maine Legislative Sentiment Awards by both the Houses of the Maine State Legislature.

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 Star Oleg Taktarov.

Hernandez was selected to serve as the Grand Marshall of the Washburn August Festival Parade in 2002.

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; USMC Quantico, Virginia, 2nd Degree Black Belt Submission Fighting, Metro Fight Club Detroit, 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 a Combat Basic Training Instructor at the United States Military Academy at West Point, New York, Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri, Fort Bragg, North Carolina, Fort Lewis, Washington and Fort Indiantown Gap, Pennsylvania in the United States Army Reserves from 1990-2005. He is also a Master Fitness Trainer and is a Graduate of Premier Class from Fort Benjamin Harrison, Indiana in 1983. Hernandez during his military career earned a total 26 Physical Fitness Badge of Excellence.

Hernandez resides in Washburn, Maine.

Trivia

• Hernandez is a brother of Kappa Delta Phi National Fraternity.
• Hernandez led Oak Hockey in 1974 to win its first Illinois Amateur Hockey Association Jr. C State Ice Hockey Championship.
• Hernandez worked as a DJ at CBS Radio affiliate FM-101 WOZI Presque Isle, Maine as "Chico The Midnight Rambler" in 1981.
• Hernandez scored his first NCAA ice hockey goal against Northern Illinois University in 1975.
• Hernandez scored his first NCAA wrestling victory against Beloit College in 1975.