Travis Cowan pins Colby Annandale during a session at the Cowichan Valley Wrestling Club’s annual camp to kick off the New Year. (Kevin Rothbauer/Citizen)

Nearly 40 young athletes took to the mats at Queen of Angels School on Jan. 4 and 5, kicking off the New Year at the Cowichan Valley Wrestling Club’s annual two-day camp.

The bulk of the wrestlers, who ranged in age from seven to 18, came from the host club and the Q of A team, but there were some from Victoria and the Mainland, as well as a handful of local kids who may have wrestled before but aren’t currently part of a club or school team.

“They all gave it their best effort,” CVWC head coach Nick Zuback said. “I couldn’t have asked for a better camp.”

In addition to Zuback, instructors included former local standouts Dane Frost and Maegan Kuruvita.

Frost, a former Q of A student, now lives on the Mainland and has spent the last four years coaching over there, but returns regularly to help Zuback with the camp.

“It’s nice for him to share his knowledge and passion with the kids,” Zuback said. “Just like life, it’s a lot of work, but if you put effort into it, it pays off.”

Kuruvita is a former Q of A student and Cowichan Secondary grad who won a national championship, competed internationally, and wrestled for Simon Fraser University. Now back in the Cowichan Valley, she’s giving back to the program that gave her a start.

“It’s great to have someone like her around, a local athlete who has accomplished a lot in the sport,” Zuback said. “We don’t get to have a lot of female coaches in.”

This weekend, the CVWC will send a contingent to a meet in Abbotsford hosted by Miri Piri Wrestling Club. They sent a team to Cowichan’s meet in December, and Cowichan is returning the favour. Next weekend, the club will head back to Abbotsford for the B.C. Age Class championships, a big meet with wrestlers from all over B.C. that often attracts competitors from Alberta and Saskatchewan.

“It will be a good indicator of where our kids stand at their age levels,” Zuback explained. “It will give us a good idea about the kids who could be going to the national championships in April.”

The CVWC will host the Island championships on the weekend of Feb. 17.