Newtown’s Youth Wrestling Program Experiencing Success

By Andy Hutchison

Wrestling, for elementary school and middle school children in Newtown, was just something they got in trouble for doing in their living rooms until a couple of years ago. The start-up of the town’s youth program, now in its second full season, has given young enthusiasts the chance to practice and compete at a sport they once had wait to try until they reached high school.

A couple of years of practice and learning the basics, as well as some advanced techniques, and the time the program has had to grow, has resulted in success on the mats in the growing number of participants.

Newtown’s two teams compete in the Western Connecticut Elementary and Middle School Leagues and recently capped off a fulfilling session with impressive results at the championship meets, held within the past couple of weekends. The elementary team sent 17 wrestlers to their championship in Danbury and 11 of them earned top-three honors to bring home medals. And four more middle schoolers medaled in their big match, held in Ridgefield.

Longer-established teams from neighboring and nearby towns, including Bethel, New Fairfield, New Milford, Ridgefield, Danbury and Stamford, also participated. Newtown’s Parks and Recreation-sponsored program is the newest in the league and continues to grow.

There were a total of 25 wrestlers a year ago and that number increased to 31 this year. “We’d love to have 50 or 60,” Chris Bray, one of the coaches, said.

The young and improving grapplers hit the mats at Newtown High for practice two or three times a week and compete on weekends.

Bray added that, ideally, there will be enough participants that they will be split up for separate practice times. As it is now, the elementary and middle school wrestlers all practice together. Because they are all, for the most part, on the same level in terms of experience and ability, it works out that joint practices are held. Bray and other coaches, including Steve Ford, provide individualized attention as needed. As in with any athletic activity, some of these competitors are further along than others.

Ford initiated the program and, along with Bray, got the ball rolling. The coaches put in a lot of effort to provide the time and instruction these up-and-coming wrestlers need in order to improve. Without the parents devoting their time and energy, however, the program would not be a success, Bray said.

“We have a great group of parents who are very supportive — which, in reality, is probably the most important ingredient of this program,” Bray said.

And, of course, the wrestlers themselves are a key ingredient.

“We have a great group of kids who are eager to learn and excited to compete,” Bray added.

They compete in local competitions every weekend and occasional travel tournaments are optional, but those who participate have an extra chance to test their skills and gain experience against opponents (called live wrestling).

“I like the live competitions,” said 10-year-old Luca Crudo, who earned second place at the elementary meet. His signature move is called “the scissors,” Crudo said.

Fellow grappler Edward Lovely, who is 8, also enjoys competing in meets and adds, “My favorite move is the cross face cradle.” Lovely placed third at the meet.

Practice makes perfect and for a group of wrestlers who were new to the sport only a couple of years ago, they have come a long way.

“I feel like I’ve progressed a lot since last year. I’m doing better in tournaments,” said 14-year-old Cory Fisher, who placed third in his weight class in the middle school tourney.

As the youth program improves, the town’s high school program also stands to get better in years to come. After all, soon enough freshmen will have years of wrestling experience under their belts. Instead of starting from scratch with basic techniques with an overall inexperienced group of wrestlers, the high school coaches will inherit wrestlers who have had two, three, four — and soon enough even more — years of training on the mats.

“They’re going to have kids who know how to wrestle,” Bray said.

Young prospective wrestlers who want to give it try may join the league, which recently began a new session of practices and meets. Registration is through the Newtown Parks and Recreation Department, 270-4340.