It doesn’t matter whether it’s language arts, math or wrestling, junior high school definitely prepares a student for high school.
Cody Thompson is enjoying success in his first year of high school wrestling, despite the fact he is going up against Grade 11 and 12 students in the large and competitive 76kg weight class.
“I have been wrestling since I was in junior high (Okotoks Junior High School),” said Thompson, a Grade 10 student at Foothills Composite High School. “It (junior high) was pretty important for me because it helped me build my base for wrestling. If you start young, it’s easier.”
He recommended young wrestlers start before reaching Grade 10 because at the high school level the majority of Thompson’s opponents from Calgary or Edmonton have wrestled at the junior high level.
“In Okotoks, there’s not a lot of junior high wrestlers,” Thompson said. “It’s just sort of whoever shows up. In Grade 7 and 8, I struggled, but in Grade 9 I did fairly well.”
All wrestlers should struggle as much as Thompson. He won the silver medal at the Alberta Winter Games at 60kg as a Grade 8. He has moved into high school wrestling easier than he expected. He got fifth in the elite bracket at the Wetaskiwin meet in November at 76kg and recently won the silver medal at the Cadet level (15-16 years old) at the Western Canada Age Group championships in Kamloops, B.C.
Thompson credited wrestling with helping him tackle another sport. He was recently named the Big Rock Football League Rookie of the Year. Thompson was a hard-hitting middle linebacker for the Foothills Falcons. He knows how to wrap up a ball carrier thanks to hauling down opponents on the mat.
“Football is more momentum, there is more physicality to it with the hitting,” Thompson said. “But wrestling takes more energy out of you so you have to be more fit… I think my success is because I cross train with rugby, football and wrestling.
“Wrestling really helped me with my tackling and I was one of the best tacklers on the team. That’s why I got to play in the middle.”
He added weightlifting instruction from Falcon head football coach Greg Macleod has also helped. Thompson has made the Falcons’ 600-pound club, which is earned by lifting the combined weight of 600 pounds in his bench press, squat and clean lift.
Thompson’s goal is to wrestle at the provincial high school championships, which are being hosted by his home school, Foothills Composite March 9-10.
Wrestling is all about work and determination because there are no byes to the provincial for Foothills wrestlers because it is the host school. Thompson will have to earn a spot to provincials by finishing in the top five at rural provincials in Bonnyville Feb. 24-25.
Okotoks Wrestling Club coach Mark Barnert said he expects Thompson to finish in the top five at rurals.
“He is in tough against the Grade 12s, but Cody is not far behind,” Barnert said. “It’s a tough weight class but he should make it through rurals… He’s a good kid who works hard. He’s in great shape — wrestling shape, not football shape. You have to be in better shape to wrestle.”
Thompson added wrestling can be a humbling sport.
“It teaches you respect in sport,” Thompson said. “No matter whether you win or lose, you have to shake the hand of your opponent and his coach. It’s not like football when you can rely on the 11 other guys. It’s bitter when you lose but when you win, it’s a good feeling because you don’t have to rely on anyone else.”
The Okotoks Wrestling Club consists of wrestlers from throughout the foothills. However, when the wrestlers compete at school meets, they represent their school.
Anyone interested in joining the Okotoks Wrestling Club may call coach Doug Watkins at 403-899-8671.
