In addition to beating opponents on the mats, wrestler Brighton Karvoski put in quite a bit of effort to help St Jude Children’s Hospital try to beat cancer this summer.

The 10-year-old Newtown Wrestling Association grappler competed in the Pin Cancer Nationals in Easton, Penn., earlier in August. He raised more than $1,000 for St Jude Children’s Research Hospital by reaching out to family and friends for donations, and went on to place first, winning a national title in the event that included 450 participants.

“I did it for a good cause, to help St Jude’s Hospital. I wrestled to cure cancer and for my grandparents because they died of cancer,” Karvoski said.

Karvoski, a six-time national champ, is a sixth-grader at Reed Intermediate School and in his fourth year wrestling in Newtown’s youth program.

He spent the better part of the summer traveling to various wrestling events around the country. Karvoski competed in the Rhode Island Revolution Championships in Kingston, R.I., where he picked up championships in the folkstyle and freestyle competitions in late June. He earned first in his weight class in the freestyle event at the Grand River Rumble Championships in Lansing, Mich., competing among 3,000 grapplers in the July event.

Karvoski attended the Summer Nationals Wrestling event in Atlantic City, N.J., in late July, another event featuring 3,000 participants, and won championships in folkstyle and freestyle classes. He earned the Top Gun Award for most pins and quickest pins, earning six pins in 5:22.

On top of all of this, Karvoski earned All-American status 11 times this summer, bringing his total to 27 for his career.

“Winning, having fun, and the people,” are what Karvoski says he enjoys best about competing, adding that he gains from losses when they occur.

Quoting coaches and parents involved in the program, Karvoski said: “There is no losing, only learning.”