Some of Kelowna91裸聊视频檚 most passionate wrestlers are heading to the championships starting Feb. 17. The students, who come from various schools in Kelowna, have been working hard with wrestling coach Al McAvena to get ready for the championships.
McAvena said there91裸聊视频檚 a lot of excitement coming from this group of wrestlers.
91裸聊视频淚n this junior group, there91裸聊视频檚 some kids that are in their third year, and they just can91裸聊视频檛 wait to get up here,91裸聊视频� said McAvena.
Wrestling may not be the most popular high school or club group sport in Kelowna, but the Central Okanagan Wrestling Association is still seeing consistent numbers from local students looking to get involved in the sport.
91裸聊视频淲restling91裸聊视频檚 quite a physically demanding sport, and it can be difficult when at times there91裸聊视频檚 no one in my weight class (at practice),91裸聊视频� said Bryson Burgess, who fights in the 45 kilogram weight class (around 100 pounds). 91裸聊视频淚91裸聊视频檓 pretty excited, but also very nervous at the same time (for the championships). And it91裸聊视频檚 cool we get to travel a lot of places for wrestling.91裸聊视频�
McAvena said the wrestlers in the smaller weight classes, like Burgess,91裸聊视频� are perfect for wrestling and developing as the wrestlers fight in weight class groups, and not in age/grade groups.
Some of the increasing difficulties McAvena has seen for students getting into the sport, as wrestling can be very physically demanding, is that they may not be initially in as good as shape as kids from 20 years ago. With 45 years of coaching and wrestling experience, he credits the copious amount of screen-time for the decline in some levels of fitness, but said it still has affected the amount of young students looking to get involved.
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Jacob Wall, a KSS student and wrestler, appreciates the team aspects of his smaller junior team.
91裸聊视频淚t91裸聊视频檚 a whole lot of fun. Although wrestling isn91裸聊视频檛 an actual team base sport, our team to me, is one of the most interconnected teams I91裸聊视频檝e ever played on, and I91裸聊视频檝e done basketball, baseball and soccer,91裸聊视频� said Wall. 91裸聊视频淲e go to a bunch of tournaments, have a really good time and try our best, sometimes we win, sometimes we lose, and no one gets down on you for it. It91裸聊视频檚 a tough sport, and you need to try your hardest at practice and in matches.91裸聊视频�
While the team trains with one another despite their differences in weight classes, the lone girl in the group, Amanda Epp, doesn91裸聊视频檛 let that stop her.
91裸聊视频淚t91裸聊视频檚 lots of fun. It can be difficult to learn what it91裸聊视频檚 like to wrestle with girls at tournaments, but it91裸聊视频檚 a lot of fun to prove that I can still do whatever I set my mind to,91裸聊视频� said Epp. 91裸聊视频淚 never really like the team based sports, so I find wrestling was really fun and I feel really confident after I win a match. We91裸聊视频檙e a small team, but we all have a lot of fun.91裸聊视频�
The tight-knit team of wrestlers head to Langley for the championships, and will no doubt face some stiff competition in all of their weight classes, but they will also, without any doubt, have a lot of fun.
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