The Hubs wrestling program is coming off one of its most successful seasons in recent history, and both coaches and athletes are already hard at work grooming the next wave of young talent.
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ROCHELLE — The Hubs wrestling program is coming off one of its most successful seasons in recent history, and both coaches and athletes are already hard at work grooming the next wave of young talent.
Roughly 30 wrestlers from grade school through high school honed their techniques during the second day of Rochelle’s youth wrestling camp on Tuesday, with cradles and live wrestling exercises highlighting the afternoon action inside the auxiliary gym at Rochelle Township High School. Hubs head coach Rich Harvey praised the excitement the young competitors display, and he also said their willingness to learn is one of his favorite things about leading the camp.
“They want to learn new things so it’s fun watching them pick them up and use them as they wrestle,” Harvey said. “Our younger kids look up to our high school kids and it’s unique, especially when they interact and work with one another. It creates a tradition and the younger kids will do the same thing when they get to be older.”
Camp action began on Monday, and Rochelle wrestlers faced off against a handful of local schools including Freeport during exhibition bouts on Wednesday before the camp wrapped up on Thursday. Hub assistant coaches Kyle Bridgeman, Jason Fore and Carl Harvey worked alongside DeKalb coaches Sam and Max Hiatt on Tuesday, and former Wisconsin-Whitewater head coach and RTHS wrestling standout Tim Fader joined the campers on Wednesday.
“I’ve encouraged them to show the kids some different things so that the kids can pick them up and use them in their matches next year,” Harvey said. “Most of these kids have the fundamentals down, but if there’s something unique they can pick up and be successful with, then we want them to use that.”
The camp may only run one week, but Harvey is hoping this year’s campers will take their new skills and use them during the upcoming wrestling season. Many of the young athletes compete for the Rochelle Wrestling Club or Rochelle Middle School, while others will represent the Hubs in the winter.
“I want them to enjoy wrestling and I want them to enjoy each other,” Harvey said. “Their techniques will come, but the camp gives the kids time to wrestle more so it stays fresh in their minds.”
