Cochrane Cowboys wrestlers are set to continue their winning ways in 2019 with their eyes set on pinning down medals in major events ranging from the local to the international.
Though the team has a smaller core of wrestlers at the high school level due to them graduating out of the program last year, coach Vern McNeice said his team of 60 to 70 strong is not to be taken lightly.
"Some of
our kids are a bit younger and they are just tasting elite competition and they are medalling and winning," said McNeice, of his team, which is 75 per cent elementary and middle school wrestlers.
He added that with many of his athletes earning scholarships to university, the legacy of Cochrane's wrestling success continues to extend well beyond the Cowboys' mats.
He pointed to Elijah Springer and Connor Pointen as examples of team members who are contenders for university scholarships. Both have medalled at the national level and have international experience under their belts.
"Many of our kids medalling at nationals have university scholarships lined up," said McNeice. "We're strong. Most of our kids are always here with a strong work ethic."
In fact, as an interesting point, he said the Cowboys wrestling program puts more athletes into the university ranks than Cochrane's successful football programs do.
He attributes that success to the close-knit, hardworking and dedicated culture of the club, which McNeice said is uncompromising.
"We h
old our own with with a bunch of the stronger clubs in Canada," he said, pointing to cities such as Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver where clubs have a much deeper pool to cast a net for wrestling talent.
The family atmosphere that extends to alumni and the community itself has always been invaluable to the Cowboys organization, he added.
"A lot of our alumni come back on Sundays and help coach," McNeice said, comparing the day to Sunday dinner when mama cooks up a bowl of spaghetti.
"We also get lots of community support," he added, saying finding funds to help wrestlers compete has never been too challenging.
This year, fundraising is going to get a major boost when the Cowboys hold their first casino lined up later in the year. McNeice, who has had two sons wrestle at high levels, knows the cost – up to $30,000 a year – that can come with elite competition.
The Cowboys and the club's alumni have a busy schedule ahead of them, though they received a bit of an extended break when a tournament in Medicine Hat last week was cancelled.
Aside from the school, provincial and national championships, the club's own Western Canadian Youth Wrestling Invitational is March 2 at the sports centre. The event attracts 500 to 600 wrestlers.
This year Calgary is also hosting the USports Championship on Feb. 22, which McNeice said only happens once every 10 years, and six Cowboy's wrestling alumni are on the card.
"We're excited to see our alumni compete," he said.
