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High School wrestlers win kids over on the mat


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High school wrestlers win kids over on mat

BY RON COOPER SPECIAL TO THE COURIER-JOURNAL APRIL 1, 2009

 

http://www.courier-journal.com/article/20090401/ZONE11/904010353

 

 

Each March for the past three years, Coty Hendrick, 16, has returned to his alma mater, Maple Elementary in Jeffersonville, to train students in the basic techniques of wrestling.

During the two-week clinics, Coty helps them learn the right stance and how to pin an opponent. He said he gets a great deal of pleasure from being the students' wrestling mentor.

"I was trained in the same way when I was a student at Maple," said Coty, a trainer in the Jeffersonville Elementary Wrestling League. "We get the kids interested in the sport early. It gives them time to work on their skills."

With help from Coty and his fellow wrestlers at Jeffersonville High School, 275 boys and girls in grades three through five in the Greater Clark school district competed in the league this year, said Danny Struck, their coach.

"This year was our most successful clinic to date" for the 7-year-old program, he said. "We also had more parents come watch than ever before."

Parkwood Elementary, the defending champion, won the overall league competition March 18, its third victory in the last four years. The competition was held at Jeffersonville High.

Lori Gavin, Parkwood's physical education instructor, said about 55 students from the school participated in the clinic this year.

"The kids love the program," Gavin said. "They respond well to the high school trainers. We want the kids to have fun and to learn new skills. And being able to hang the tournament championship banner in the gymnasium is a definite motivator."

Struck said the elementary league has spawned many good wrestlers for his high school team. During the seven years since he was named coach, the team has won two sectionals and one Hoosier Hills conference title.

The team also has produced four academic all-staters and sent wrestlers to compete in Japan, Turkey and Poland.

Struck said the league has the support of physical education instructors and principals throughout Greater Clark's elementary school  system. Among those is Doug Chinn, principal of Utica Elementary.

"Wrestling builds a lot of character in our young students, teaching them respect for their teammates and opponents alike," said Chinn, who was a wrestler at Jeffersonville High School in the late 1960s and early 1970s.

"Our students take away with them lifelong values," Chinn said. "I encourage our young people to participate. They really look forward to it."

Caleb Visser, 18, a Jeff High wrestler who has trained students at Riverside Elementary for the past three years, said he also looks forward to the clinics.

"We're getting the students involved in wrestling from the bottom up," he said. "In that way, we're helping to benefit the middle school and high school wrestling programs. They seem to really enjoy it."

 

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