The Okotoks Wrestling Club proved last year it can do big things for the athletes’ respective schools with just a handful of wrestlers.
The Holy Trinity Academy (HTA) Knights won the 3A provincial boys championship on the gold medal points earned by Christian Nori at 50kg and Reid Watkins at 76kg at the meet held at Foothills Composite High School last March.
“If we can get enough guys out, we can win a banner — we did it last year when Christian and Reid got gold,” Okotoks Wrestling Club coach Doug Watkins said.
The club has wrestlers from HTA and Foothills Composite High School (FCHS) practicing and working together, but
competing for their respective schools when they compete at school meets — including the Alberta high school provincial championships.
One of the more promising wrestlers is Grade 10 HTA student Jaskaran Singh. As a Grade 9 student at John Paul II Collegiate Singh was fifth at the Alberta Open as a cadet at 66kg last year.
Cody Thompson, who won a bronze medal at 76kg, will lead the Foothills Falcons boys contingent of the club.
“I am hoping he will be the guy to beat this year at 76kg,” Watkins said. “He got third last year and the two guys who finished ahead of him have both graduated.”
Thompson, who spent the fall mashing the opposition as an outside linebacker for the Falcons’ football team, admitted his role on the club has changed with the graduation of three-time Canadian champion Reid Watkins.
“I guess,” Thompson said with a smile when asked if he now a team leader. “I will just try and lead by example.”
Thompson said his goal is to try his best on the mat and let the chips — and the wrestlers — fall where they may.
“I guess winning gold (at high school provincials) is realistic, if I keep my mind on it,” Thompson said. “Right now, I just want to work hard and try my best.”
Watkins said, so far, he believes Thompson’s wrestling has matured during the young season.
“We will see after the first couple of tournaments but it looks like he has matured quite a bit,” Watkins said. “Last year, he got himself in dangerous situations but was able to get out of it because of his strength.
“This year, he has to work at getting the points he can get and not putting himself in a bad situation.”
Nori is back for his Grade 11 year and he said he hopes he can wrestle again at 50kg for provincials.
He may wrestle at a heavier weight class for some tournaments.
Nori, who was a defensive back for the Knights, added he is trying to convince some members of the Knights’ football team to come out for wrestling.
Cassidy Barnert’s goal is to win gold at provincials in her final year of high school.
“I feel now that I am in Grade 12 I am more of a leader,” said Barnert, a FCHS student. “Absolutely, my goal is to win gold again.”
Barnert won the gold medal at 61kg last year, the same weight class she will likely wrestle at this year.
She has also tried her hand at recruiting more wrestlers.
“I’ve been trying to encourage more girls to come out,” she said.
Abi Watkins, a Grade 11 student at HTA, is back on the mat as well.
She hopes to medal for the second consecutive year after winning the bronze medal at 57kg at the high school provincials last year.
The club lost her older brother, Reid, a three-time national champion, to graduation.
He is now wrestling for the Simon Fraser University Clan in Burnaby.
The Okotoks Wrestling Club meets Tuesdays and Thursdays at Foothills Composite High School in Okotoks from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Junior high school-age wrestlers are also welcome to join the club.
The club’s first meet is in early December when it travels to Wetaskiwin.
Anyone wanting more information about the club may call Doug Watkins at 938-2676 or coach Mark Barnert at 938-3099.
