News Page

Wrestlers bring home medals

BY SCOTT HADDOW
scott@northernlife.ca

Rayside Wrestling Club coaches Paul Berthiaume and Andy Lalonde put their charges through gruelling training in order to prepare them for competing and beating the best in Canada.

Their dedication to earning wins the old-fashioned way has recently resulted in two wrestlers from the club achieving tremendous success at the national level.

The wrestlers don’t mind the grind from their coaches because it’s helping them realize their dreams.

Jenna Howard won the gold medal in the 38-kilograms division at the Canadian national wrestling championships in Edmonton, Alta.

Howard then won the FILA Team Canada trials for her weight category and qualified for Team Canada.

Dylan Byrnes won bronze in the 100-kg division.

Howard was quiet on her actual national win, as it came very easily, but was really proud of making Team Canada.

“For nationals, my competition didn’t show up, so I weighed in and won,” said the 16-year-old. “I wrestled a lot all year long and people said I earned it. I redeemed myself at the FILA trials though. Winning something, that is considered so elite, really feels good.”

Howard stomped all over the competition at the FILA challenge to win. Howard, who typically wrestles heavier opponents all year in training and at events, had no problems with her challenger in the final.

“It wasn’t hard at all considering my opponent was my size,” said the Chelmsford Valley District Composite School student. “It was actually easy. For training and tournaments, I always wrestled heavier opponents. At one tournament, I went up to 47.5-kg to compete. Having somebody my own size
was a nice change.”

By making Team Canada, Howard has left the door to her own opportunities wide open.

She can now either do one of two things: stay with Team Canada for the Canada Cup in Guelph, followed by a training camp in Jasper, Alta., or join
Team Ontario for the Commonwealth championships and travel to Scotland for two tournaments and two training camps.

Howard is leaning towards finding out what it’s like to wear a kilt.

“I’m thinking of going with Team Ontario to Scotland because I get to experience more and do more,” said Howard. “Being on Team Canada will just be an amazing experience for me overall. I will learn from the best of the best in the country.”

Byrnes was thrilled with his results (bronze at nationals), especially after a difficult first year in wrestling last season.

“Last year, I just wasn’t a good wrestler,” said the 16-year-old. “I worked hard over the summer. My goal at nationals was to make the Top 3, and I did. It means a lot to me. I worked hard for this all year and it shows hard work pays off in the end. It will give me a big confidence boost for next year as I go into a different age group.”

Byrnes lost in the semifinals to the reigning champion, but won all his matches on the consolation side to take bronze.

Going tooth-and-nail with Canada’s best wasn’t the hardest part of his victory, it was the training.

“The training was the toughest part,” said the Chelmsford Valley District School student. “It was always intense, but it got me ready for nationals.”

Howard echoed Brynes’ thoughts on the training.

“If we didn’t have Paul or Andy pushing us, there’s no way we would even get to these tournaments,” said Howard. “They’re with us all the time,
working us hard.”

Overall, Sudbury had good results, including Rayside club members Diana Ford (52-kg) taking fourth and Spencer Burton (63-kg) earning sixth.

James Williams from the Sudbury Golden Eagles Wrestling Club took silver in the 130-kg division.

Rayside coach Berthiaume was impressed with his team’s performance at nationals, especially since they were young.

“It was a young, inexperienced team beating more experienced wrestlers,” said Berthiaume. “For a rebuilding year, the region of Sudbury did better than expected and looks forward to more medals next season.”

One wrestler, Burton, who finished sixth in the 63-kg class, really made an impression on Berthiaume for his gutsy competitiveness.

“He placed sixth, in the biggest category, after breaking his wrist going into the bronze medal match and he’s only in Grade 8, wrestling Grade 9 and
10 wrestlers. We look forward to having him on the high school team (in Chelmsford) next season.”

----------------------------------------------------------------------

PHOTO: Canuck champs

5/2/06

Girls wrestlers from the Guelph Wrestling Club earned the national title for Juvenile Women at the Cadet/Juvenile National Wrestling Competition in Edmonton. Pictured are members of the club who attended. Front row: Emma Brightwell, John Medeiros, Kevin Chen, Danielle Tremaine. Middle row: Nick Sampogna, Stephanie Devries, Allison Leslie, coach Wayne Brightwell. Back: Cody Airdrie. Missing from photo: Malissa Bryant.

---------------------------------------------------------------