These young athletes are incredibly gifted, and their level of dedication is astounding, but they need to have access to the equipment that will help them go to the next level to give them an opportunity to create a legacy at our school, to secure scholarships, and have opportunities to compete at the collegiate level.

Our wrestling program has seen a decline in student numbers over the last several years, and we (the coaches) have engaged in a targeted effort to revitalize the program and expand to a level that we can be competitive at the state level as a team. At a time when every dollar of every budget has to be carefully weighed and measured, and when there are new sports entering schools at a brisk rate, the money just keeps getting stretched further and further.

As important as all of our school experiences are, many of us look back most fondly not on the things we learned in the classroom, but the things we learned through our extra-curricular activities. These experiences shape young minds in such a different way from what happens in the classroom that it becomes a completely new learning opportunity. Most importantly it is one of the primary reasons that many students choose to stay in school and have the opportunity to go on to higher education.

Research shows that student-athletes are absent from school 50% less often, have an 11% higher graduation rate, and are four times more likely to attend college.

One of the best ways to get students involved in sports is to show them that they can be successful. While a number of our wrestlers can compete for state titles as individuals, we struggle to be competitive as a team because of declining numbers and outdated equipment. By reinvesting in the team and revitalizing our workout space with modern equipment, we can draw more student-athletes into the sport and help everyone to be more successful.

This equipment is going to allow us to have our wrestlers work to condition their bodies and prepare to wrestle, but the greatest impact will be that they work together as a team through the circuit training, providing motivation from their peers when they don't think they have any more to give. All of our student-athletes have something inside them that won't let them quit. With your donation, you can help them find that something.

Thanks to Dick's Sporting Goods, every donation towards this project will be matched, doubling your contribution to our wrestlers' success! There's no better time than now to help us reach our goal!