Takedown Report

Rockingham County wrestling great David Barker inducted into National Wrestling Hall of Fame N.C. Chapter

EDEN — A tournament founder and acclaimed wrestler with a reputation that reaches back to his high school days at Morehead High School here, David Barker was recently inducted into the National Wrestling Hall of Fame North Carolina Chapter.

The longtime and storied coach with the Rockingham County Schools received the honor May 21 at the Friday Conference Center in Chapel Hill.

Barker is the youngest inductee to ever receive the Lifetime Service Award for the National Wrestling Hall State Chapter of North Carolina.

While a student at Morehead, the athletically versatile Barker wrestled, played baseball and ran track.

After college, Barker, 45, returned to Morehead to become a member of the wrestling coaching staff.

He went on to coach MHS Panther teams that won state dual titles in 1998, 1999, 2002, 2003, 2006, 2014, and 2016 and state tournament titles in 1998, 1999, 2006, 2014, and 2015. … rest of story at Greensboro.com/rockingham-county-wrestling-great-david-barker-inducted-into-national-wrestling-hall-of-fame

June 5, 2023 Posted by The TakeDown Report | Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Newport News will expand middle school sports next year: Soccer, wrestling, football and cheer

TDR Editor’s Notes; Great, encouraging news as a large neighboring school district, just north of many wrestling programs in the northeastern corner of North Carolina, will be increasing wrestling opportunities for middle school students. Middle schoolers need and deserve the benefits that can be gained in interscholastic sports and activities. Yes, it will help some prepare to better compete while in high school, but more importantly it will help a much larger number to grow and mature as students!
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By NOUR HABIB | nour.habib@virginiamedia.com | Staff writer
PUBLISHED: June 4, 2023 at 11:39 a.m. | UPDATED: June 4, 2023 at 1:27 p.m.

NEWPORT NEWS — Soccer, wrestling, football and cheer will be offered at all Newport News middle schools starting next school year. The school division is spending about $1.3 million to expand its middle school sports program, which already had offered basketball, volleyball and track. The money is going toward field development, equipment and uniforms, storage sheds and scoreboards.

“We believe this is a much-needed investment in our city’s youth,” said Director of Student Athletics Lee Martin. “We believe organized sports teaches values of sportsmanship and promotes fitness. We also know that being a member of a valued team teaches responsibility, teamwork and improves self-esteem.”

Development of practice and game fields began last month and scoreboards will be installed over the summer. Sports equipment and uniforms have been ordered. Lee said there is plenty of excitement from the community. During a School Board meeting last month, member Marvin Harris applauded the administration and staff for their work, saying that sports at the middle school level is influential.

“It cuts down on a lot of discipline issues,” Harris said. (TDR Editor’s boldfacing this quote)

The division is developing game fields at Achievable Dream, Crittenden and Ella Fitzgerald schools. Practice fields will be in place at Booker T. Washington, Gildersleeve and Passage. Huntington Middle School students, who are currently on the Heritage High School campus, will use Heritage facilities. And alternate plans are being made for Hines Middle School, which does not have space for a practice field. Schools that do not have game fields will have their games at a high school campus or share with another middle school. … rest of story at Pilotonline.com/2023/06/04/newport-news-will-expand-middle-school-sports-next-year-soccer-wrestling-football

June 5, 2023 Posted by The TakeDown Report | Uncategorized | Leave a comment