The Williams Lake Wrestling Club was back on the mat March 15 for the BC Open in Abbotsford, a high school and elementary combined tournament.
“This one is brand new on the agenda this year,” said Sonia Conrod, head coach and president of the WLWC. “It was a high school club tournament with elementary added so this was great news as we brought three elementary athletes and one high school athlete down to compete.”
Grade 6 Tyleen Scaiano, her brother and Grade 3 grappler, Kalob Scaiano, Grade 2 Klay Pare and Grade 10 Braden Conrod represented the black ‘n’ blue at the tourney.
In the schoolgirl division Tyleen went undefeated, weighing in at 38 kilograms, to bring home the gold medal.
Kalob, meanwhile, at 24 kilograms, secured the bronze medal after battling through his first double-knockout tournament.
Klay, in the 23-kilogram division, also won a gold medal.
“She may be our smallest wrestler but she has the heart of a lion,” Sonia said. “Small, but mighty.”
Braden, at the Grade 10 level, moved up a weight class to 63 kilograms.
“He wrestled very well, winning three straight and then losing in the final to bring home the silver medal,” she said.
Following the tournament from March 16-18 was a Provincial Spring Break Training Camp hosted at W.J. Mouat secondary in Abbotsford.
“There were many clinicians there to help with the camp including former Olympians Lindsay Belile and Justin Abdou,” Sonia said. “Also, top coaches in Canada Dave Mackay and John Pineda were there to teach the athletes.”
On day one the elementary grapplers got a chance to train with Belile, while her Simon Fraser University wrestlers hosted a mini camp for the young wrestlers.
Braden, meanwhile, attended a three-day training camp in preparation for the upcoming Canadian wrestling nationals in April.
“All in all it was a great way to end the season,” Sonia said.
