SNHS wrestlers pay it forward coaching elementary wrestlers in Warrior Wrestling Club

Tim Brody - Editor

Thirty-five elementary students in Grades 4-8 took part in this year’s Warrior Wrestling Club, which wrapped up on April 25 at Sioux North High School with the annual Watermelon Wrestling Festival.
For a decade now, the Warrior Wrestling Club and the Watermelon Wrestling Festival have introduced young athletes to the sport of wrestling with the festival giving club participants an opportunity to compete and show off their skills to their families who come out to watch and cheer the young athletes on.
The program runs for six weeks with members of the Sioux North High School wrestling team taking on the role of coaches. 
For Grade 4 home school student Micah Hochstedler, this was his first year taking part in the club.
“My brother (Brennan) did it for maybe four years, and I was like, I might as well try it because this was my first year I was eligible to do it,” he shared.
“It was fun. You had to be tough to do it. I think it’s fun,” Hochstedler said.
Grade 6 Sacred Heart School student Geneva Tamson also participated in the club for the first time this year.
Asked about participating in the sport, she shared, “A little bit hard but it’s easier when you get used to it.”
Grade 8 Sacred Heart School student Jocelyn Hagen was participating in the club for the second time this year.
“It’s just a lot of fun. The coaches are really great. The kids here are all super nice and wrestling’s a really great sport,” she said.
 Grade 7 Sacred Heart School student Theo Carbone said he enjoyed taking part in the club. This was his first year doing so.
“It’s pretty good,” he said, adding, “What I liked is the fact that you get to fight people who are as strong as you and the fact that it’s a fair fight and also the fact that you learn techniques and it’s fun because you’re with other people… I think I’ll continue wrestling.”
SNHS student wrestling coach Diyamante MacLeod said of coaching the younger students, “It’s so much fun and it’s so lovely seeing the younger kids enjoy it so much.” 
She added, “Trying to teach them and encourage them to keep wrestling, it’s really fun, really fulfilling.”
SNHS student wrestling coach Evan Burch, who captained this year’s SNHS wresting team, said, “It feels good as a coach seeing how everyone starts off and progresses throughout the year getting better and better. Some of them, it’s their first year and to see them being able to compete with wrestlers we’ve had come through multiple years, it’s great to see how quickly they get better… Everyone did well at this tournament.”
SNHS wrestling coach Rob Sakamoto supervised the wrestling club and Watermelon Wrestling Festival.
Sakamoto shared, “I think the young women and men coaches/mentors did a fantastic job guiding, teaching and supporting the elementary athletes. They developed leadership skills and were able to experience the gift of giving to community (Which we need more of). The elementary athletes gained confidence, resiliency, positive health outcomes and self-esteem as well as an introduction to the sport of wrestling. I believe the season was a great success!”
Sakamoto thanked Fresh Market Foods for donating 40 watermelons as prizes for the tournament. He also thanked Fair Convenience and parents for their donations, as well as school Principal Holly Szumowski for her ongoing support of the program. He especially wished to thank his student coaches. 
The young wrestlers, under the guidance of their student coaches, will take to the mats once more for a wrestling tournament in Thunder Bay on April 30 at Fort William Gardens.