Big Wrestling Event Returns

WAITSBURG - A wrestling tournament that brought about 2,000 people into Waitsburg last March has been scheduled at the last minute to take place again March 17 at Waitsburg High School.

Travis Newman, the head coach of the Waitsburg Mat Birds Club, said the big tournament for the Washington State Little Guy Wrestling Association, an organization that has 70 clubs statewide, was supposed to be held in Zillah March 17. Unfortunately, Newman said somehow Zillah lost the use of its facility where the tournament would have been held and the Waitsburg Club was called on to host last minute.

"We got such a good support staff," Newman said of the Mat Birds supporters and members. "Everything is pretty much falling into place."

The weigh-in for the tournament will be at 7 a.m. and wrestling matches begin at 10 a.m.

The tournament will register about 300 wrestlers, ages 5 to 14, who will compete for gold, silver and bronze medals in their age brackets. This is the fifth year of the Mat Birds Club in Waitsburg.

Newman has 51 registered wrestlers, girls and boys, and about 35 Mat Birds competed last weekend at a tournament near Yakima.

"Wrestling is a sport that anybody can do," Newman said, referring to both genders and because it costs less than other sports.

It will cost wrestlers just $5 to compete in the tournament March 17.

When the leader of the Little Guys Wrestling Association called Newman to step up and host again, Newman said he agreed and quickly got on the phone with all sorts of Waitsburg organizations and made about 100 calls to make it all happen.

One call was to Waitsburg School District Superintendent Dr. Carol Clarke to see if the team could host the tournament again at the Waitsburg High School gym.

"We're always supportive of activities for our young people in the community," Clarke said.

Newman said Clarke was a huge help with securing the venue and managed to get things done in a couple of weeks that took months the previous year.

Newman is organizing where people will park, who will sell food and called the teams who will be competing to give them a heads up as to the location change. The Pomeroy Little Guys wrestling team changed its plans for the weekend and will also be in Waitsburg helping out.

"We have so appreciated the support," Newman said. "Without having a community like we do - it's impossible."

He said he's trying to get all of the local organizations involved because the event is only beneficial for the wrestling club. Last year, he said the FFA Trap Shoot team at the high school made $1,800 selling food at the tournament.

Newman has also been contacting local businesses to let them know March 17 will be a very busy day with a couple extra visitors in town.

"Bringing a couple thousand people in town is good for business," he added.

And that money doesn't only benefit local groups and businesses, but the Mat Birds themselves. Newman said his primary goal is in two years, all local kids, from Dayton to Prescott, who want to wrestle will be able to do so free for their families.

"We'll hopefully be the only team in the league where it doesn't cost to wrestle," he said.