Chalk Talk: Wrestling tourney a win-win

It's cliche but Saturday's junior high wrestling tournament was a win-win for all involved.

Well, almost. I guess not all of the competitors feel the same way.

Seventeen champions were crowned at the Yuma High School Jr. High Wrestling Invitational inside the Palace on Prison Hill. I'd list them all but full names were not available, sorry.

The tournament was run - as it has been for the past 10 years - by Criminals wrestling coach Jeff Welsing. It serves as a substantial fundraiser for the Yuma High Criminal wrestling program.

"It is a good chance for the kids in the area and the outlying areas to get some exposure," Welsing said, adding that the tournament has been a staple in the community for some time.

Medals were awarded to first through third place. Wrestlers were guaranteed at least two matches.

Participation was up just slightly from last year.

"Pretty steady, 125 this year," Welsing said. "I think 117 last year. Two years ago about 110."

The tournament is the only event of its kind - open middle school wrestling tourney - in Yuma and serves as a tune-up for the middle school city championship on Sept. 29 and 30.

"For a lot of these kids it's a good chance to see who they might wrestle at city," said Woodard wrestling coach Thomas Ogilvie. "And it's always good for a kid to go home with a piece of hardware from something they have worked really hard at."

Woodard is one of the few schools fortunate enough to have three knowledgeable wrestling coaches. Some schools don't have any or rely solely on volunteers or in some cases high school athletes.

Yuma Catholic senior and standout wrestler Alyosha Sandigo was in the coaching corner when for his brother's matches. Cibola students were helping out with San Luis Middle School.

"Something I can give back," Sandigo said. "Help them out and share my knowledge. It's really fun. It's cool to see other kids my age helping out.

"There are some California kids here so it is pretty cool. When I wrestled in this in eighth grade there weren't any schools from California."

Schools were being represented but for moments in time what mattered more was the athlete.

"It's more for the kids than anything else, so if they need a coach I am going to jump in and help them out," Ogilvie said. "Just like I expect anybody else to jump in and help my kids if I needed it."

It's this all-for-the-betterment-of-the-athlete mindset that reverberated throughout the afternoon. Definitely, count me as a cliched winner for having attended.

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Brian Williams can be reached at bwilliams@yumasun.com or 539-6880.