After having a successful inaugural season, the Charles Hays Secondary School’s wrestling team is introducing its program to some of Prince Rupert’s younger athletes.
On April 7, the team hosted a series of clinics for the city’s elementary and middle school students where they introduced concepts of grappling to the students.
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Members of the Charles Hays wrestling team got on the mat with some of the participants to show them the basics, and get them more comfortable with the sport should they choose to pursue it later on.
Dane Waldal, the team’s head coach, said approximately 18 students aged 8-13 participated in the clinics over the weekend, and he was excited to see their enthusiasm as they rolled on the mats.
“It’s really great to see,” he said. “I think they really took to it well and enjoyed themselves.”
Waldal said there weren’t many concerns from parents who brought their children to the clinics even though wrestling is a contact sport.
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“I think generally, if they’re bringing them to the clinics then they have somewhat of an open mind to it,” he said.
Waldal added he was particularly excited about the number of girls who expressed interest, and said he hopes to see a Rainmaker’s girls wrestling team some time in the future.
“It would be great to have something like that for the girls,” he said. “Competing against the guys is great, but to have their own specific team would really be good for them.”
Waldal said the team plans to hold more clinics over the next few months.
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