By CHAT News Today

VIDEO: Hat High to host wrestling provincials in March

Jan 24, 2018 | 3:27 PM

MEDICINE HAT, AB — Medicine Hat High School is preparing to host some of the top wrestlers in the province this spring.

The school is playing host the Alberta School Athletic Association’s wrestling provincials March 9 and 10, with some of the top wrestlers from Grades 10-12 filling the gymnasium, hoping to come away with provincial medals.

Darren Klein, the head coach of the Mohawks wrestling team, says the junior high ages that have seen the most growth, which is helping offset a slight slowdown in high school athletes.

“Junior high numbers are really high, and they have an opportunity to go to (Alberta) Winter Games this year,” he said. “I believe now we’re sending 12 kids from Medicine Hat to go to Fort McMurray to wrestle. That’s the highest numbers ever. I believe a couple of years ago in Banff, we had five kids, so we’ve more than doubled in the last couple of years.”

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Klein says when the club first started eight years ago, they had the most success in the higher weight classes, which he says was a result of many football players on the team.

“Over the last few years, we’ve gotten competitive at the lighter weights, where the finesse wrestlers are,” he said. “Not only have i learned more about wrestling, I think the athletes have become more students of the game, so to speak, and they know more about wrestling than the previous four years.”

Nolan McNaughton, a Grade 11 student, is the current reigning provincial champion for the 43kg category, and is also coming off a strong finish at the national championship last year.

McNaughton is practicing upwards of four times a week after school, and says it’ll take lots of hard work and dedication.

“We work on different types of moves, like ground work or take-downs, and we repeat those, get some hard reps in, and move on to the next one

McNaughton says his goal is to repeat as provincial champion, and then continue on to nationals.

“It makes it a whole lot better if you can do it twice in a row, and help other people do it too,” he said.