The Wrestling Academy was established as a way to give wrestlers a place to expand their wrestling skills from the youth level through high school.
In 2004, Dustin Kawa opened TWA with his childhood friend Francois McDaniel. The duo modeled TWA after Arturo Holmes' training facility in Atlanta, where they honed their wrestling skills as kids.
The Wrestling Academy's initial mission was simple — to make sure the wrestlers were successful right away. And they were, winning the youth state championship with 16 wrestlers in their first season. Since then, TWA has grown to be the most successful wrestling training facility in Georgia.
The original TWA location was in Snellville in a 3,500 square foot wrestling room in a 20,000 square foot multi sports complex at Sports Academy. More than 100 wrestlers trained at the first facility and TWA quickly grew as one of the premier places in Georgia to train. The growth of TWA prompted the move to a larger facility and easily accessible at its current location in Lawrenceville.
TWA has approximately 500 wrestlers training at its facility yearly, ranging from ages 4 to 23. A large member base gives wrestlers a great place to find different levels of competition. In addition, training sessions are set up so that each wrestler receives the appropriate amount of coaching.
Dustin Kawa
Owner / Head Coach
Dustin Kawa is the owner and founder of The Wrestling Academy. Kawa was a very accomplished wrestler from the youth level through college and has been active in the sport for 22 years.
He started wrestling at age 7 at Stone Mountain Youth Wrestling and had immediate success. Kawa won three-straight youth state titles before ever losing a match. He finished his youth career with seven state titles, setting a new Georgia record that still stands. His record was approximately 400-8, which included national tournaments and never lost to a wrestler in his age group or weight class.
Kawa's success continued at Shiloh High School in Snellville where he was a four-time state placer and a three-time state champion. He wrestled for Steve West, a member of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame, and Steve Hassenger. After placing third as a freshman, Kawa won state the next three seasons. He compiled a 154-3 record in high school and led the Generals to top-10 finishes at the state tournament in 1996 and 1999. Kawa was named Georgia Wrestler of the Year in 1999 and became the first Georgian to win the senior national tournament. He received a full scholarship to North Carolina State, a rarity for Georgia wrestlers.
Much like his youth and high school career, Kawa enjoyed a great deal of success at the college level. He was a four-time All-ACC selection and a two-time ACC champion. He qualified for the NCAA national tournament all four years and graduated in 2004 with a degree in communications.
Kawa's son Cameron, 8, is an avid wrestler and won a youth state title his first season wrestling.
Quick Facts
• Won a Georgia record 7 Straight youth state championships
• Two-time AAU national champion
• Three-time high school state champion at Shiloh High School
• Compiled a 154-3 record in high school
• First Georgia to win Senior National Tournament in 1999
• Four-time NCAA qualifier at N.C. State
• Two-time ACC champion
Gary Fischer
General Manager / Trainer / Coach
Gary Fischer is the general manager and head coach for The Wrestling Academy. The California native has nearly 40 years of wrestling experience. Fischer was an accomplished wrestler in high school and college and had success as a Greco-Roman wrestler and college coach. He moved to the Metro Atlanta area two years ago and has elevated the coaching staff at TWA with expertise of the sport.
Fischer was a California high school state champion at Dos Pueblos High School in Santa Barbara in 1976. He was also a freestyle state champion and competed on a California all-star team that wrestled on a 20-day tour in Japan. His success in high school earned him a spot on the Cal Poly wrestling team, a top 25 program in the late 70s, where he was a four-year starter at 118 pounds. As a three-time NCAA qualifier, Fischer earned All-American honors twice. He placed fifth at the NCAA tournament as a sophomore, injured his ankle in the quarterfinals as a junior, and placed fourth as a senior. Cal Poly reached No. 1 in the polls Fischer's senior season and ended No. 1 ranked Iowa's 33 dual meet streak.
Fischer competed in the 1996 Olympic West Regional qualifier where he placed fifth and in 2000 competed in the Dave Schultz Open in Colorado Springs. He placed fourth at the California open state Greco-Roman championships in 2001.
Fischer has 15 years of high school and college coaching experience. He spent five years as an assistant coach at Beyer High School (Calif.) and was a volunteer coach for the Modesto Police Activities League Youth and High School program. Prior to joining The Wrestling Academy, Fischer spent 10 years with the Modesto Junior College wrestling program. He was the head coach for five seasons, leading the team to its highest state placement in more than 20 years in his final season. At MJC, he coached five wrestlers that went to the Division I level, two that qualified for the NCAA tournament and six that went on to become NAIA All-Americans. While at MJC, Fischer helped produce three state champions and 10 Junior College All-Americans.
Quick facts
• State champion at Dos Pueblos High School in Santa Barbara, Calif.
• California freestyle state champion in 1976
• Four-year starter and three-time NCAA qualifier at Cal Poly
• Placed fifth as a sophomore and fourth as a senior to earn NCAA All-American honors
• Placed fifth at 1996 Olympic West Regional qualifier
• Has 15 years of coaching experience at high school and college level
• Coached 10 All-Americans while at Modesto Junior College
Francois McDaniel
Coach
Francois McDaniel (Coach / Head Trainer) and Dustin Kawa (Owner / Head Coach) enter their 20th year in this sport, both as competitors and coaches. They have been together throughout most of their careers. For 7 years, growing up in the Stone Mountain youth club, as training partners in High School, and now as coaches at The Wrestling Academy. Wrestling has provided many opportunities in their lives, and has forged a lasting friendship. In the last 2 years they have tried to provide a similar foundation for The Wrestling Academy athletes and families. Thank you for your support!
- 5X Kids State Champion
- 3X All-American
- 2X High School State Runner Up
- 2X High School State Champion
- HS Record 170-8
Keon Suggs
Trainer / Coach
Keon Suggs, graduated from Berkmar High School in Gwinnett County where he was the wrestler of the year. He went on to wrestler at Western Michigan University and graduated with a business degree. Coach Keon has been involved in the sport for 10 years and has a passion for the wrestling and has a wealth of knowledge to bring to The Wrestling Academy.
Brandon Bentley
Trainer / Coach
Wrestling is a sport that I have been involved with either competing or coaching for 23 years. It is something that I could talk about all day everyday. It is a sport where it is just you and your opponent and all of your preparation and training is showcased, and YOU are either going to win or lose. True wrestling isn’t always about winning or losing but the discipline and self awareness wrestlers gain from their experiences in wrestling can help them for a lifetime. Dan Gable said it best when he said “Once you wrestled everything else in life is easy.” This is true and a wrestling mat is a great equalizer. I have seen kids with mental and physical deficiencies succeed as wrestlers. My favorite part about coaching is seeing that light switch click on, getting that first takedown, that first pin, that first medal, that first gold. Wrestlers are born, but champions are made. Wrestling takes a certain someone to be out on the mat with only verbal support, it teaches humility, confidence and by taking those steps onto the mat and giving 100%, no wrestler will walk off a loser. The week of practice is for the coaches, but the weekend tournaments are for the wrestlers!!
- 5X Kids State Champion
- 2X AAU National Runner-Up
- Georgia Wrestling Hall of Fame Member
- 2X Southeast Regional Champion
- 3-Time Georgia High School State Placer
- State Champion 39-0 (Parkview)
- 1996 and 98 High School All-American
- 141-12 HS record
- College Scholarship to VMI
Ottie Pendleton
Heavyweight Coach
Ottie, graduated from Westminster High School in 1995 where he won an individual State Title and helped lead Westminster to a AAA Team Title (setting a record for team points in AAA State Tournament). He went on to wrestle for four years at Cornell University where he was a two year starter and 2X EIWA place winner. Ottie graduated from Cornell with a degree in Mechanical Engineering and received his MBA from Georgia State University. Coach Pendleton brings almost 18 years of wrestling/coaching (>5 Years at the Granby System of Wrestling) to The Wrestling Academy. Ottie seeks to develop each student's natural ability and to give them the tools necessary to achieve their dreams.
- Georgia H.S. State Champion
- NY State Collegiate Champion
- IVY League Tournament Champion
- Attended Cornell University 1995-1999
