The Orcas Island Wrestling Club has rolled up the mats for its sixth season and is now anxiously waiting to roll them out again in the first part of October to begin the seventh season.

The club has been building and the core group of wrestlers has increased with the team making it to four tournaments during the season. The athletes were able to bring home three first-place, eight second-place and a handful of third-place medals.

The Orcas Island Wrestling Club was able to attend these tournaments through fundraising efforts. With a couple of bake sales put on by the parents and athletes and our annual Super Duper Raffle, in which local businesses graciously donated items, services and certificates to help the club out. The club has also this past season become a non-profit under the umbrella of Island Stewards, making it possible to receive donations and better record them. The OIWC thanks and appreciates these efforts and considerations that make it possible to teach the sport of wrestling to our youth.

The Orcas Island Wrestling Club will be starting again the first part of October. Dates will be determined in the future. The practices will be on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 5–7 p.m. at Camp Orkila in the Tracy Strong Lodge. The club accepts athletes five years of age and up. The club tries hard to make sure that athletes compete with others of similar age, weight and experience so the more athletes involved the better. For more information, you may call either Coach Jason Dean at (360) 376-2816 or Coach Rob Harvey at (360) 317-6050.

The Orcas Island Wrestling Club is hoping to continue building and growing over the coming years. The club’s goals for next year include building a larger core group of wrestlers, participating in more tournaments, and above all teaching sportsmanship, discipline, mental toughness and camaraderie to all.