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Future wrestling stars

If the Future Wrestling Stars camp that wrapped up last month is any indication, the sport is in good hands going forward.
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Participants in the Future Wrestling Stars program go through a drill with coach Nick Zuback. (Kevin Rothbauer/Citizen)

If the Future Wrestling Stars camp that wrapped up last month is any indication, the sport is in good hands going forward.

This was the fifth year that Cowichan Valley Wrestling Club head coach Nick Zuback has put on the camp along with young coaches from the club’s senior ranks who serve as mentors and role models. This edition attracted 37 kids between the ages of four and 10 for a series of eight sessions designed to introduce them to the sport.

“During the program, kids learned a number of different tumbling skills, balance skills, wrestling techniques, and participated in a number of wrestling games, activities and matches,” Zuback said. “As well, kids learned the importance of discipline, listening skills, being good partners and pushing themselves to the best that they can be. Many of the students are on there second, third and fourth years of the program. At the end of each practice, it is great to see all the smiling faces on the kids and how much they enjoyed the program.”

Parents appreciated the program as well.

“This is the third year my nine-year-old daughter and five-year-old son have participated,” one parent relayed through Zuback. “They always have a lot of fun and look forward to going every Monday. Last year [my daughter] decided she loved it enough that she joined the Cowichan Valley Wrestling Club and [my son] definitely will be joining the next season too. The kids absolutely love their coach Nick Zuback and love working with the junior coaches that help out.”

Another parent of a junior coach and a camp participant also voiced their appreciation.

“[My daughter] really enjoyed being able to help coach younger kids and [my son] liked the fact that he could be use his strength, which is being stronger and learning through repeating the moves. He really likes the fact that he doesn’t have to wear his hearing aids and is not looked as being different.”