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The most important meets for the Stamford Warriors junior wrestling team come later in the season, with the state and New England tournaments. Its most significant home event, however, occurs Sunday at Westhill High School as it hosts its second Stamford Invitational Classic.
Middle school head coach John Kijek expects more than 50 teams with wrestlers competing at elementary and middle school levels. The wrestling begins at 9 a.m. for elementary wrestlers and middle school wrestlers taking the mat at 11:30.
"All of our kids look forward to this meet,'' Kijek said. "They get to wrestle in front of their grandparents, their brothers and sisters; the whole family is there. When they're in front of their home crowd, they want to bring it to the next level. They want to show what they've learned. It's like a basketball player or a football player that comes back to their hometown. They want do well in front of the home audience."
Teams from Westchester County and Long Island in New York and Rhode Island are expected at the meet.
It's also important financially for the club, Kijek said. "We're a 501(c); a nonprofit. Any profit we make goes right back to the club. It helps provide scholarships for under-privileged kids. One hundred percent goes right back into the kids."
The Warriors have become one of the area's most distinguished youth wrestling programs, developing multiple state champions. The club's success has improved the wrestling programs at Stamford and Westhill High schools, which have established solid programs.
"It's beyond rewarding to watch these kids develop,'' says Kijek, whose team won four gold medals last week at a meet in Danbury. "It's rewarding to see how happy they are when they get a medal in one of these meets."
Have a youth sports event to report? Send information to trenner@mainstreetconnect.us or egendron@mainstreetconnect.us.
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