By Darren Lum

Published Nov. 15 2016

It’s easy to be confident when the core of your team is returning.
Red Hawks wrestling coach Paul Klose said a year after the young women wrestlers won Kawartha he is aiming to repeat and surpass it.
“We’d like to look at COSSA [Central Ontario Secondary School Athletics] as well. Lots of time invested with these athletes … this will be a good year I think” he said.
Most of that group is returning and will bring not just excellence to the mat but leadership and experience to the younger wrestlers he said. Among them include Rebecca Hamilton and Sonya Flatman.

In contrast the young men on the team are quite young with the exception of Grade 11 Matt Manning and returning Grade 10 Aiden Coles.

Part of the team’s preparation will be to compete in tournaments outside the region Klose said.
It’s still too early to say now which events and if there will be an event held here he said.
The numbers for the team with close to 20 is similar to last year but again well short of the team’s historical high when it was close to 40 members.
Also on the coaching staff is Dan Fockler who has been with the team from the beginning.
New wrestler Hunter Armstrong has impressed Klose with her willingness to learn.
Grade 9 sisters Karissa Riopelle and Hannah Riopelle look like they will be wrestling in the lightest weight category of 41 kilograms.
“In order for us to win championships we need to cover the weight class” he said.  “I’m really excited and the girls are ready to do well” he said.