AUBURN - For many years, John Alberici has conducted a mid-winter wrestling clinic geared towards younger children eager to get their start on the mats.
Alberici said that the Pee-Wee program has been going strong for a number of years now, but this year, working in conjunction with the YMCA, the program has taken a big leap forward.
“We've always done a four week program around March,#” Alberici said. #”But this year we decided to start in January and expand it to an eight week program.”
After talking with Skaneateles' Pee-Wee coach, Alberici also decided to incorporate an idea that Skaneateles has instituted for its younger grapplers, by getting involved in what Alberici called fun tournaments.
Starting today, the kids in the program will have the opportunity to do more than just hone their skills in the Auburn high School wrestling room, they will be able to put their skills in action against other up-and-coming wrestlers.
The mini-tournaments will be hosted at various locations including Marcellus and West Genesee.
“I thought it would be a good idea,” Alberici said. “It gives the kids a chance to wrestle against other kids their own age and get introduced to competition and have some fun with what they are learning.”
More than anything, Alberici said that the focus of these meets is on fun.
“The idea is to match up kids of equal skill,” Alberici said. “And give everybody a taste of what it is like to be successful and see what it is like to compete in something like this.”
In the meantime, Alberici has a group of 10 to12 young wrestler from third to sixth grade, who meet at Auburn high twice a week to work on their skills on the mats.
“It's all about the fundamentals,” Alberici said. “And the key word in fundamentals is fun. We just try to keep it fun for all of them and let them see what wrestling is all about and get them interested in the sport.”
With the help of former Auburn wrestlers like Robbie Byrd, Alberici is able to give the kids a good solid introduction into what wrestling is all about.
“We try to teach them a couple different things,” Byrd said. “A couple takedowns, a couple moves from their feet, some from the top, some from the bottom. We just try to give them the chance to learn some good skills.”
Gavin Kirby, 10, is making his debut this year, and already he is making progress with his skills.
“I thought it would be fun,” Kirby said. “I really like wrestling and I just wanted to try it out and learn a little more about it. It has been a lot of fun and I think I've learned a lot, like headlocks and take downs and stuff like that.”
Alberici said that thus far the Pee-Wee program has been fairly small, but with the introduction of the tournaments this year, he hopes that things will start to pick up and that the program will help develop wrestlers for the modified and ultimately the varsity program.
“I think this is something a little different this year,” Alberici said. “I think it will help give these kids a better idea of what the sport is all about and hopefully it will help keep them interested and they will continue on with it and we'll see some of these kids on the varsity team one of these days and help build up our whole wrestling program.”
Alberici also hopes to give kids some insight into the over all benefits of wrestling.
“With the younger guys we work on a lot of balance,” Alberici said. “Wrestling can help a lot with other sports. It can help make you a better athlete with strength training, coordination, balance, things you can use with any other sport.”
Some, like Jeff Thurston, 11, can't wait for the tournaments to get started.
“I've been here for six years,” Thurston said. “I think I've learned a lot. I love tournaments and things like that. I think they are a lot of fun and I can't wait to get to wrestle in them.”
Alberici said that he plans to run another four week session in March after this eight week program concludes and to be able to incorporate some tournaments into that schedule as well.
Room is still available to get registered for this session.
For more information, contact the Auburn YMCA at 253-5304.
“We've always done a four week program around March,#” Alberici said. #”But this year we decided to start in January and expand it to an eight week program.”
After talking with Skaneateles' Pee-Wee coach, Alberici also decided to incorporate an idea that Skaneateles has instituted for its younger grapplers, by getting involved in what Alberici called fun tournaments.
Starting today, the kids in the program will have the opportunity to do more than just hone their skills in the Auburn high School wrestling room, they will be able to put their skills in action against other up-and-coming wrestlers.
The mini-tournaments will be hosted at various locations including Marcellus and West Genesee.
“I thought it would be a good idea,” Alberici said. “It gives the kids a chance to wrestle against other kids their own age and get introduced to competition and have some fun with what they are learning.”
More than anything, Alberici said that the focus of these meets is on fun.
“The idea is to match up kids of equal skill,” Alberici said. “And give everybody a taste of what it is like to be successful and see what it is like to compete in something like this.”
In the meantime, Alberici has a group of 10 to12 young wrestler from third to sixth grade, who meet at Auburn high twice a week to work on their skills on the mats.
“It's all about the fundamentals,” Alberici said. “And the key word in fundamentals is fun. We just try to keep it fun for all of them and let them see what wrestling is all about and get them interested in the sport.”
With the help of former Auburn wrestlers like Robbie Byrd, Alberici is able to give the kids a good solid introduction into what wrestling is all about.
“We try to teach them a couple different things,” Byrd said. “A couple takedowns, a couple moves from their feet, some from the top, some from the bottom. We just try to give them the chance to learn some good skills.”
Gavin Kirby, 10, is making his debut this year, and already he is making progress with his skills.
“I thought it would be fun,” Kirby said. “I really like wrestling and I just wanted to try it out and learn a little more about it. It has been a lot of fun and I think I've learned a lot, like headlocks and take downs and stuff like that.”
Alberici said that thus far the Pee-Wee program has been fairly small, but with the introduction of the tournaments this year, he hopes that things will start to pick up and that the program will help develop wrestlers for the modified and ultimately the varsity program.
“I think this is something a little different this year,” Alberici said. “I think it will help give these kids a better idea of what the sport is all about and hopefully it will help keep them interested and they will continue on with it and we'll see some of these kids on the varsity team one of these days and help build up our whole wrestling program.”
Alberici also hopes to give kids some insight into the over all benefits of wrestling.
“With the younger guys we work on a lot of balance,” Alberici said. “Wrestling can help a lot with other sports. It can help make you a better athlete with strength training, coordination, balance, things you can use with any other sport.”
Some, like Jeff Thurston, 11, can't wait for the tournaments to get started.
“I've been here for six years,” Thurston said. “I think I've learned a lot. I love tournaments and things like that. I think they are a lot of fun and I can't wait to get to wrestle in them.”
Alberici said that he plans to run another four week session in March after this eight week program concludes and to be able to incorporate some tournaments into that schedule as well.
Room is still available to get registered for this session.
For more information, contact the Auburn YMCA at 253-5304.
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