By Brendan Ulmer
Ulmer Uninterrupted
Hutchinson Kids Wrestling Club has $10,000 less than it should have, and its former director has been charged with theft.
This was a significant amount of their operating budget, and the absence of this money is an existential threat to the club.
Few things are nearer and dearer to me than the sport of wrestling. I did it, my dad did it, and his dad has an achievement plaque in the hall of fame for it. On my mom’s side of the family, her brother wrestled, his son Grayson did as well, and actually went on to become the head coach for Hutchinson Kids Wrestling Club.
Wrestling is a sport that naturally builds a community around it. I believe it is because the sport itself, in training and in matches, feels like pure, concentrated strain drawn out over the course of a few months. So when you’re sitting in a gym with your teammates and opponents, youre sitting around people who have had the same unique experiences you have, who you’ve sweat and bled with, and no matter what differences you may have with them, there will always be a certain level of respect there.
The youth athletes on Hutchinson Kids Wrestling Club deserve to be part of this community. Furthermore, they deserve to be part of a financially stable club, where they don’t have to worry about its long-term or short-term viability.
As fate would have it, the wrestling club will actually be hosting a tournament, Salt City Rumble, starting at 8:30 on Sunday, Jan. 25, at the Salthawk Activity Center.
Tickets to the event are a reasonable $3 a piece, and those interested in volunteering or donating can reach out to the organization at hkwcsalthawks@gmail.com.
From what they have told me, they are pretty much starting from the ground up, so I want to see butts in seats that day. Do you have a distant relative who’s competing? I want to see you there. Has your neighbor’s kid signed up for the tournament? Come out and build some community bonds.
In his statement to me about the situation. Hutchinson Kids Wrestling Club President, Andrew Frieze, listed some of the sponsors who stepped up in this time of uncertainty. While I wasn’t able to find a place in the news story to include a list of sponsors, I think some recognition is deserved, given the circumstances.
The sponsors Frieze listed were: Big Iron Realty, Bubba’s Burgers, C & C Home Improvement, Jose Garcia, HTeaO, Mi Tierra, idrive autos, Conklin Automotive Group, Ty Contracting, Gonzalez Construction, Frieze Family LLC, Jacam Catalyst, Sugar Sweet Bounce House Rentals, D & D Towing, Sutton-Kauffman Transmission, Pelkey Trucking, Superior Boiler Works, Hutchinson High School, Dane Edwards, Kyle Campbell, Finchers Findings and 37 Print Co.
I plan to be at Salt City Rumble on Jan. 25, cheering on my cousin’s kids, and I hope to see you there.
Brendan Ulmer is a reporter for The Hutchinson Tribune. He can be reached at: brendan@hutchtribune.com.