Surprise WCRF grant helps local youth wrestlers get to the mat

WASHINGTON — Thanks to a surprise $10,000 grant announced Monday, Oct. 20, by the Washington County Riverboat Foundation, young wrestlers from southeast Iowa will have better opportunities to train with the Hawkeye Wrestling Academy in Iowa City.

The Hawkeye Wrestling Academy is a nonprofit founded by the University of Iowa’s four-time All-American and Big Ten Champion Alex Marinelli and provides one-on-one coaching for youth, middle school and high school wrestlers in the University of Iowa Wrestling facilities.

In addition to serving young athletes through camps and wrestling practices year-round, the Hawkeye Wrestling Academy also transports participants to various wrestling events.

With approximately 250 athletes ranging in age from four years old through high school, transportation is not always easy, and can actually create a barrier for many participants, such as those from Washington and Louisa counties. With the recently announced $10,000 grant specifically earmarked for transportation costs, however, some of that burden will be lifted.

“Often kids are not able to provide their own transportation, it has excluded them from being able to attend if they can’t catch a ride with somebody,” WCRF board member Todd Patterson said. “They have Tulsa Nationals coming up in November and they are trying to get as many kids out to that as possible, so there are a significant number of underserved kids that are a part of his academy.”

Comments: AnnaMarie.Kruse@southeastiowaunion.com