An Okotoks wrestler has been letter-perfect so far in her rookie high school wrestling season.
However, it might have been Cassidy Barnett’s work with letters that has most helped the Okotoks Wrestling Club.
Cassidy Barnert, a Grade 10 wrestler at Foothills Composite High School, hasn’t lost a match this season winning gold at a Wetaskiwin meet and at the Stu Hart Elite tourney at 65kg earlier this season.
She also won gold at 65kg at the Bow-Ho-Ho meet at Bowness High School on Saturday.
However, her biggest victory might be her recruiting of new wrestlers by plastering posters around the school.
She did it in part for selfish reasons, Cassidy wants to share in the same success her brothers had at Foothills Comp.
“All of my brothers did well in high school,” Barnert said. “I just felt that I have to follow in their footsteps… But back then they (Foothills) had a big team…. I’m trying to build up a team. I don’t expect to win a team banner this year, but maybe in my Grade 12 year we can win a banner.”
Her brothers Shane, Jeremiah, Wes and Blake all medaled at the high school level and her father Mark helps coach the Okotoks club.
Barnert promoted the club through school announcements and the use of posters. Grade 12 student Cortney Slessor saw one of the posters and signed up quicker than a marine-recruit looking at an Uncle Sam poster.
“I saw the poster and I thought I would try it,” Slessor said. “It is a lot of fun. It’s a good way to get exercise.”
She is a quick learner. Of course, she is helped by being the wrestling partner of the team’s top recruiter, Cassidy.
Slessor won a bronze medal in Wetaskiwin and at the Stu Hart Elite tourney on Dec. 4 she won the bronze at 65kg. Cassidy won the gold. Slessor was pinned by Barnert at the Stu Hart tourney.
“It’s different to have to wrestle someone on your own team,” Slessor said. “The first thing that comes to my head is I’m going to lose, but then I settle down and just try to do my best.”
Barnert has been wrestling for six years, so she has more experience than her wrestling partner.
“I treat her like any other match,” Barnert said. “I don’t like to know who I am wrestling.”
Barnert said she is impressed with Slessor’s wrestling ability.
“She is really strong and she knows her defence,” Barnert said. “She doesn’t just stand there and let her opponents get on her. She doesn’t give up in a match.
“She just needs to work on her technique.”
Slessor does have one regret about wrestling.
“I wish I would have gotten into it earlier,” she said.
Club wrestling coach Doug Watkins said he is also impressed with Slessor.
“She is so new at the sport that the only strategy we give her is try to throw your opponent on her back and don’t get thrown on her back. To just have fun,” he said. “She has great potential. She likes to get in there to fight, often new wrestlers don’t like to mix it up.”
He admitted it’s frustrating to get a new wrestler with so much potential just starting in their Grade 12 year.
“It always is when we get a new wrestler who is in Grade 12,” Watkins said. “It would be great to develop them for a couple of years.”
The wrestling club practices on Tuesdays and Thursdays starting at 5:30 p.m. at Foothills Composite High School. Members can range from elementary school aged to high school. For more information call Watkins at 403-938-2676.
High School wrestlers are members of the club, but represent their respective schools at high school meets.
Results for the Okotoks Wrestling Club at the Bow-Ho-Ho tournament in Bowness Saturday:
