If you go ...
• What: Green County YMCA Monroe Mat Rats K-8 Youth Wrestling Tournament
• When: 9:30 a.m. Sunday
• Where: Monroe High School
• Admission: $2 for adults
MONROE - About 400 youth wrestlers will pack into the gym at Monroe High School on Sunday with the same goal - win some matches at the Green County YMCA Monroe Mat Rats K-8 Youth Wrestling Tournament.
Monroe Mat Rat coach John Witt said the tournament is a fundraiser for the wrestling program organized by the Green County YMCA. Witt said the target is to raise $5,000 to $8,000.
Wrestling will begin at about 9:30 a.m.
There are 68 wrestlers who are part of the Monroe Mat Rats program, which is 20 more wrestlers than last year, Witt said.
"We would like to outgrow the wrestling room," Witt said. "We would like to have the wrestling program become self sufficient where we don't have to ask so much for registration fees."
The flyer for the event says pre-registration is $15 and registration at the door is $18.
Witt said the next big-ticket item on the program's wish list is a new velcro mat for the middle school.
Witt credits Monroe Middle School wrestling coach Matt Eastlick for growth in the program.
"He's a good recruiter," Witt said. "He's good at getting kids to come out for the first time."
A friend recruited Jaden Clark, 12, a sixth-grader and first-year wrestler.
"I wrestled in middle school and I enjoyed it," Clark said. "My good friend Bodie Minder is a national wrestler. He convinced me to join."
Clark hasn't been disappointed with his decision to join the youth wrestling club.
"I like when you win you have the sense of completing something," Clark said. "When you lose you still are getting the knowledge. If I lose in front of my friends, they will probably make fun of me a little bit. If I win and do well, I will get a sense of accomplishment."
Jack Dubach, 10, a fifth-grader, finished fifth in a national tournament last year in Cedar Falls, Iowa. He's wrestling in the 80-pound weight class Sunday. Dubach has been wrestling for six years and has been to state three times. He finished third at state in 2013.
"I'm hoping to get first place and I'm really hoping we can take first in the team tournament," Dubach said of Sunday's tournament. "Everyone will be there. It just gives me a lot of confidence. It's not about winning and losing. It's about having a good time."
Alex Witt, an eighth-grader at Monroe Middle School, has been wrestling with the Monroe Mat Rats since he was in first grade. He has been competing in tournaments since third grade. Now at 135 pounds, Witt looks forward to the tournament in front of the home crowd.
"I have the mindset to win every tournament I go to," Alex Witt said.
After the middle school season, Witt wrestles in about seven tournaments leading up to the regional.
"I love the sport," he said. "I like spending time with friends and learning how to be in good shape."
He's looking forward to
the Monroe tournament as a tune-up for the rest of the season. Alex Witt has been to state three of the past four years.
"There is pretty good competition," he said. "At regionals and state, that is when it really counts."
Monroe Mat Rat coach John Witt said the tournament is a fundraiser for the wrestling program organized by the Green County YMCA. Witt said the target is to raise $5,000 to $8,000.
Wrestling will begin at about 9:30 a.m.
There are 68 wrestlers who are part of the Monroe Mat Rats program, which is 20 more wrestlers than last year, Witt said.
"We would like to outgrow the wrestling room," Witt said. "We would like to have the wrestling program become self sufficient where we don't have to ask so much for registration fees."
The flyer for the event says pre-registration is $15 and registration at the door is $18.
Witt said the next big-ticket item on the program's wish list is a new velcro mat for the middle school.
Witt credits Monroe Middle School wrestling coach Matt Eastlick for growth in the program.
"He's a good recruiter," Witt said. "He's good at getting kids to come out for the first time."
A friend recruited Jaden Clark, 12, a sixth-grader and first-year wrestler.
"I wrestled in middle school and I enjoyed it," Clark said. "My good friend Bodie Minder is a national wrestler. He convinced me to join."
Clark hasn't been disappointed with his decision to join the youth wrestling club.
"I like when you win you have the sense of completing something," Clark said. "When you lose you still are getting the knowledge. If I lose in front of my friends, they will probably make fun of me a little bit. If I win and do well, I will get a sense of accomplishment."
Jack Dubach, 10, a fifth-grader, finished fifth in a national tournament last year in Cedar Falls, Iowa. He's wrestling in the 80-pound weight class Sunday. Dubach has been wrestling for six years and has been to state three times. He finished third at state in 2013.
"I'm hoping to get first place and I'm really hoping we can take first in the team tournament," Dubach said of Sunday's tournament. "Everyone will be there. It just gives me a lot of confidence. It's not about winning and losing. It's about having a good time."
Alex Witt, an eighth-grader at Monroe Middle School, has been wrestling with the Monroe Mat Rats since he was in first grade. He has been competing in tournaments since third grade. Now at 135 pounds, Witt looks forward to the tournament in front of the home crowd.
"I have the mindset to win every tournament I go to," Alex Witt said.
After the middle school season, Witt wrestles in about seven tournaments leading up to the regional.
"I love the sport," he said. "I like spending time with friends and learning how to be in good shape."
He's looking forward to
the Monroe tournament as a tune-up for the rest of the season. Alex Witt has been to state three of the past four years.
"There is pretty good competition," he said. "At regionals and state, that is when it really counts."
