Wrestling in the little leagues

Ronald Coleman Jr. hopes the little wrestlers obtain a love for the sport.

The young athletes include his 3-year-old son Ronald "Tripp" Coleman III, one of a few dozen who took part in this year's Cape Girardeau Little League Wrestling program.

"Because if you love the sport, then it's so much you can gain from it," Coleman, Cape Central High School wrestling team assistant coach and a little league coach, said.

"It's become almost like a tradition," he said about his family. "But you start them while they're young, because right now he's just having fun, but he doesn't know that he's learning yet. You know so to him it's fun, but to me all it is is teachable moments."

Central High School wrestling head coach Aaron Ross, who is also a team coach and organizer for the little league, said about 40 wrestlers were in this year's league, up from about 31 or 32 last year.

Holden Covington of Cape Girardeau, 8, executes an exercise while practicing with Cape Girardeau Little League Wrestling on March 7 at Central High School.

He said although the group advertises for wrestlers from 5 years old to sixth grade, there are some younger kids. He said the reason for getting started at a young age is to learn the fundamentals of the sport.

Meeting on Tuesdays and Thursdays at the high school, the athletes had practice some weeks, but also had meets where wrestlers from within the league faced off with each other. Ross said the program ran about six weeks. It concluded the second week of April.

Ross said athletes from the high school wrestling team volunteer their time to help out with the league.

"I would say that we're teaching them to be responsible human beings," Cape Central junior wrestler and little league teacher and coach Joshua Pulle said.

He said he doesn't want the little leaguers to just get a knowledge of wrestling, but also "to learn that it takes you to put all your effort into doing something to get a better outcome."

Maddox Reed of Cape Girardeau, 6, (left) and Jeremiah Sloan of Cape Girardeau, 8, exercise during practice Thursday, March 7, 2019, at Cape Central High School.Jacob Wiegand

"They're really mentors for our younger kids," Coleman said about the high school athletes.

"The main thing is we want the kids to have some fun and just get a wrestling background," Coleman said. "Our mentality is to not only change the community, but to change our program. ... It's through, you know, the kids that we could have a successful junior high and high school program."

Coleman said a coach can show things to high school wrestlers a bit faster, but more patience is needed when working with the younger kids.

"But I believe the same level of intensity and toughness you need to be on them. That way when they get to junior high or high school they'll be used to it," he said.

"It's a good time. You know it's way different than the high school," Ross said with a laugh.

Ronald "Tripp" Coleman III, 3, puts his hand in with others in the Wolfpack team during a match at Cape Central High School.