Campers in the Newtown Youth Wrestling Summer Camp - which ran from August 15, to August 19, at NYA Sports & Fitness - spent roughly half the week learning wrestling lessons and life tips from former Olympian Rulon Gardner, who earned a gold medal in wrestling at the 2000 Olympic Games and a bronze at the 2004 Olympic Games.

As the morning began on August 18, campers made their way onto the wrestling mat. After double checking sneaker laces, campers followed Gardner's warm-up lead. They were instructed to jog, skip, and do other movements, including a backward roll into a handstand, before Gardner and Newtown Youth Wrestling Head Coach Curtis Urbina demonstrated some moves.

On the evening of August 17, Urbina said, Gardner spoke at a community gathering at Treadwell Park, sharing his story and speaking about what it takes to be an Olympic champion.

Gardner said the gathering drew young wrestlers and football players alike.  The Utah resident travels around the country to clinics, and said his time here was fun.

"When you get a group of wrestlers at this age, it's a special group," Gardner said.

While Gardner said the wrestlers in the Newtown Youth Wrestling Summer Camp were young, he noted they were already, "pretty skilled."

According to an announcement for the camp, it was designed for students to learn and practice, skills, drills, and live wrestling.

Newtown Youth Wrestling Association President Tony Gioffre said the camp had a wonderful turnout. It was also excellent, Gioffre said, to have a former Olympian visiting with campers while the 2016 Olympic Games were underway in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Gardner, Gioffre said, is an amazing teacher with the charisma to help the young wrestlers achieve their goals.

Newtown Youth Wrestling Association Vice-President Michael Daoust agreed, saying he hopes the campers take Gardner's lessons to heart. Roughly 80 percent of what Gardner spoke to the campers about while in Newtown, Daoust said, focused on work, struggle, and perseverance.

"Most of what he talks about is about what it takes to get there," said Daoust, adding that wrestling as a sport is a great metaphor for life.

While Daoust and Gioffre looked on, campers huddled together to watch as Gardner and Urbina demonstrated an underhook. It was the final day Gardner was in the area, and the campers picked up the lesson quickly, working in pairs to attempt the move.