Wrestlers take to the floor
- posted: 13 Nov. 2007
- scrollsports@byui.edu
BYU-Idaho students grappled and pinned each other to the ground while hundreds of onlookers cheered them on. About 59 wrestlers participated in an invitational tournament hosted by BYU-I Sports Activities Nov. 9.
All wrestlers were required to weigh in before the tournament began and were then were sorted according to four weight classes. The experience levels of the participants ranged from beginner to collegiate levels. Event organizers used a tournament format to match those with similar skills against each other.
Philip Crane, sports advisor in the Activities Program, supervised the event. Winter Semester 2008 will begin an organized wrestling program with several tournaments throughout the semester and official standings.
“Tonight is a kind of thing to kick it off and get [the students] excited about next semester and get the interest out there,” Crane said. “We’ve got a lot of good wrestlers, so it’s exciting.”
Similar tournaments from past semesters have had 30 to 40 students in attendance. Crane attributed the higher turnout for this tournament to the incoming freshmen.
“Usually with wrestlers, if you can get them as freshmen, you can keep them,” Crane said.
J.J. Westover, a sophomore studying biology, weighed in at 145 pounds. Westover, who has wrestled since he was 5, placed three times in state high school wrestling tournaments in Washington.
“I like wrestling for the competitiveness,” Westover said.
Students interested in participating in BYU-I’s wrestling program should contact Drew Morgan, student wrestling coordinator, by student e-mail. 
