WRESTLING CLUB PREPARES FOR JACKSON TOURNEY

Cody Rouse, 10, (front) and Derrick Biri, 10, both of Jackson work on wrestling moves during practice.

Jackson AAU/USA Wrestling Club worked hard during practice.

The Jackson AAU/USA Wrestling Club is preparing to host a home meet to raise money for the high school and youth wrestling programs on Jan. 12.

This is the sixth year for the club. Coach Mike Rouse said he expects between 200 and 300 wrestlers to compete in the invitational tournament.

Wrestling competitors between the ages of 5-15 will convene on the Jackson High School Gym beginning Sunday morning, Jan. 12, at 9 a.m.

The championship round is expected to start around 2 or 3 p.m., according to Rouse.

The tournament should draw wrestlers from Fox, Herculaneum, Windsor, Pacific Wrestling Club (west of St. Louis), Poplar Bluff, Sikeston, North County, Ste. Genevieve, Mineral Area and possibly some from Southern Illinois.

The weight classes will be divided up into increments of five pounds.

The Jackson AAU(Amateur Athletic Union)/USA Wrestling Club started with five kids. This year there are 36 kids in the program.

Some have traveled out of state to competitions. Cody Rouse of Jackson placed 10th out of 36 kids at the Tulsa, Okla., Nationals.

Tommy Stidham of Chaffee and Blake Ulrich of Jackson placed in the top six at the Des Moines, Iowa AAU Nationals.

Several wrestlers in the youth group go on to become wrestlers in high school.

Lance Schlick, former youth wrestler, placed fifth in the state as a freshman, according to Rouse.

Kyle Watson, former youth wrestler, was a state qualifier, as well.

Rouse said he got interested in coaching the sport because it has always been in the family.

And when he visited a brother in St. Louis, his then five-year-old son Cody expressed interest in the sport.

His brother was coaching a wrestling club and Rouse decided that the kids of Jackson might want something like that.

He was coaching intramurals at the time and made the switch to the Jackson AAU/USA Wrestling Club coach.

The club gives kids the opportunity to wrestle with other kids their age across the region and possibly the nation.

"The kids work pretty hard at it," Rouse said.

They practice two nights a week for four months out of the year.

The wrestlers are working on speed drills, different wrestling positions, different escape moves, take downs and pinning combinations to get ready for the meet.

After the Jackson Invitational Tournament the Jackson AAU/USA Wrestling Club will go to the St. Louis metro area to compete in the Ozark Tournament on Jan. 24-25.

They will then go on to compete in the AAU State Tournament at Forrest Park Community College in February.

In March, they will compete in the USA districts and region. If anyone qualifies they will go on to the state tournament.

The AAU Nationals will be held in St. Louis over Easter Weekend, according to Rouse.

The tournament in Jackson is to give the kids some more experience in a competitive environment before the AAU and USA tournaments begin.

Spectators can see wrestling techniques used by high school and college wrestlers in younger wrestlers, Rouse said.

"This tournament has the potential to draw some real good competition," Rouse added.

The top six place winners will receive medals and the overall winner will get the bracket sheet and a medal.