Led by head coach Logan Purk, Junior Panther Wrestling started their season off Nov. 12, and with three hour practices twice a week they hope to be prepared for their December tournaments.

    This program lets children experience wrestling no matter their background in the sport. It will also allow interested wrestlers develop their skill level so they can qualify for high school wrestling.

    “We are taking kids from no experience to little experience and coaching them up and eventually turning them over to Coach Bauer in the high school level,” said Purk.

    The league’s practices and tournaments run through March coinciding with the Missouri USA Districts and Sectional Wrestling Tournaments which will be at end their season.

    “We’ll have tournaments throughout the season; I anticipate they will start picking up in December and run through February or March,” said Purk.

    During practices wrestlers warm up and do drills like sprinting, push-ups, crab and bear walks. No matter age or experience, they are all working out together.

    “I like how physical wrestling is,” said 14-year-old John Groves.

    This is Groves’ first year wrestling compared to 14-year-old Spencer Schmidt who has been in the sport for three years.

    “I’m excited for the wrestling meets coming up because I like contact most,” said Schmidt.

    After warm-ups the wrestlers play contact games like trying to take their opponents sock off while using the new skills they have learned.

    This league of wrestlers prepare for their competitions in fun and productive ways that will benefit them at their meets, and help them get ready for high school level wrestling.