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Wrestling returns to Chilliwack Secondary with Freaky Friday meet

The sport is experiencing a revival in Chilliwack, with a school district hub running out of CSS
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Grade 9 Chilliwack Secondary student Ewan England in blue/yellow, wrestling against a Grade 11 student from Abbotsford. (Eric J. Welsh/ Chilliwack Progress)

A wrestling revival continues in Chilliwack.

Chilliwack Secondary (CSS) hosted a meet last week, welcoming 82 middle and high school athletes. Though CSS has had wrestling programs in the past, it was the first time anyone can remember the school hosting a tournament.

The tourney was dubbed ‘Freaky Friday’ because it was held on Friday the 13th, and coach Sarah Lee was thrilled to see the gymnasium stands packed with students taking in the action.

“It’s awesome to be hosting this event and bringing this kind of energy to this school,” Lee said as a CSS wrestler earned a point and the stands erupted in cheers. “The big moves are exciting. When you see one kid send another kid flying through the air, it gets exciting.

“Wrestling tournaments have awesome energy and that’s been missing from Chilliwack.”

Dormant for several years, wrestling experienced a rebirth in 2019 when former University of Alberta wrestler Bill Brooks launched the Chilliwack Grapplers. Students were able to train with the community club and represent their school at events.

This year, the Chilliwack School District took over, creating a ‘hub’ at CSS.

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“We have 12 to 15 high schoolers who come out, plus 25 middle schoolers from various places, and it’s been amazing,” said Lee. “The kids are super enthusiastic and we like the opportunity that wrestling provides because it’s such a low-barrier sport.”

Lee is a CSS alumni, and so is her sister, Jenna McLatchy. A former Simon Fraser University athlete, McLatchy won gold representing Canada at the 2011 Junior Pan-Am Games in Brazil and she’s on board as the head coach for the high schoolers. Steven King, who works across the street at Chilliwack Middle School (CMS), is coaching the younger age group with Lee and CSS teacher Matthew Ferris helping out where needed.

“In the long run our plan is that Jenna will look after our high schoolers and our elite experienced kids,” Lee said.

The school district bought one large wrestling mat from Langley Secondary when that school’s program shut down. Another mat is on loan from the Chilliwack Wrestling Club (formerly the Grapplers).

“The district has been really supportive helping us get off the ground, and we’re looking for a big sponsor to help us get two of our own rings, hopefully by next season,” Lee said.

Lee and McLatchy went to CSS in the first decade of the 2000s, and Lee was sad when the wrestling program faded into nothingness a few years later.

Bringing it back now is great, but sustainability will be the key. Whatever they do, they want the program not just surviving, but thriving for years to come.

“That’s the big one, and we’re hoping our senior wrestlers will go on to do awesome things and then come back to give back to the program like Jenna has,” Lee said. “I think Jenna and I are well suited to bring it back because we are CSS alumni and I work in the school district. She’s committed and as long as we get kids to come out, we’ll continue to train them up so hopefully they go on to more. But even if they don’t, hopefully we give them an experience they’ll remember forever.”

l Ten locals earned podium placements at the Freaky Friday tourney.

Mt. Slesse Middle School’s Ryder Emery was first in division B.

Javon Knowles (CSS) was first in division F and Ewan England (CSS) was first in division H.

A CSS sweep in division G saw Diego Penate, Kolton Durie and Corbin King finish 1-2-3.

AD Rundle’s Talon Madden was second in division K and Adaillia Degroot (CMS) was second in division DD. Third place finishes went to Darien Devries (CSS) in division I and Presley Cannon (CSS) in division CC.


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eric.welsh@theprogress.com

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Eric Welsh

About the Author: Eric Welsh

I joined the Chilliwack Progress in 2007, originally hired as a sports reporter.
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