Takedown Report

Lander coach LaHaye hopes camp inspires youth wrestlers

R .C. LaHaye looked forward to the opportunity to introduce wrestling to local kids in Greenwood this week. The first-year Lander wrestling coach said it’s important to him to have children participating in the sport at an early age in order to get them interested in wrestling. LaHaye accomplished that goal with a beginners’ wrestling camp that took place Monday and Tuesday at Finis Horne Arena. “Historically in Greenwood, kids don’t start wrestling until they’re freshmen in high school,” LaHaye said. “So being able to introduce these kids to wrestling at four, five, six, seven and eight years old, is awesome. It exposes them to the sport. But at the end of the day, we just want them to have fun.”

The kids received instructions, participated in matches and learned wrestling techniques from LaHaye and incoming freshman Chandler Smalley, who was a four-time state champion at Abbeville High. He signed with Lander in February. “I’m glad he was able to assist,” LaHaye said. “He’s local, and a lot of the kids already know of Chandler, and they look up to him. It’s nice that he was able to help out and really be a motivational figure for these kids.” Smalley is part of the inaugural Lander class, which will participate in the Bearcats’ first wrestling season in 2019-20. Rest of the story at https://www.indexjournal.com/sports/lander-coach-lahaye-hopes-camp-inspires-youth-wrestlers/article_13831cb3-8ff0-50a9-8e4f-658c6af704e4.html?mc_cid=8880af0d10&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

July 31, 2019 - Posted by The TakeDown Report | Uncategorized