Inaugural Stew Train Camp has successful week
Steward brings in experienced coaches, Olympian to help campers improve
Sonoraville High wrestling coach Randy Steward said one of his biggest goals is to grow the sport of wrestling in the northwest Georgia area, and the summer training camp he held this week is a big step in doing that.
The Stew Train North Georgia Wrestling Training Camp was held this week at the Sonoraville Rec, and a large group of young wrestlers got the chance to learn new techniques and improve on their current skills through drills and instruction led by Steward and other experienced clinicians in the sport.
Steward said for it to be the first time for the camp, it was overall a successful and fun week.
“It’s the first time we’ve done this, and I originally wanted to give our own kids at Sonoraville a good camp experience but we’ve had kids from different places in the area come as well,” said Steward on Thursday. “We had both Adairsville and Southeast Whitfield’s team here and a lot of individual kids. In total, we had 65 kids this week. Our goal is to get to 100 in the future.
“I pulled in a lot of favors and got a lot of guys that I knew to come in as clinicians for camp. We had three Iowa guys, which is where I grew up. I wanted to give these kids that experience. It’s really good for them to hear from somebody else, and as a group, all the kids have been great all week. We’ve gone for four days, and they are a little tired today but it’s been a really positive camp.”
The camp went from Monday through Thursday and hosted wrestlers from sixth up through the 12th grade. The campers checked in before 9 a.m. each day and a technique session was then held from 9:30-11:15 a.m. Following a lunch break, group/team competitions were held from 1-1:30 p.m. followed by another technique session from 1:45-3 p.m. Live wrestling wrapped up each day from 3:15-4 p.m.
Among the guest instructors were former NCAA champ at the University of Iowa and Assumption High coach Pete Bush, Iowa Western Community College head coach and three-time high school state champ Josh Watts, Loras College assistant coach and former NCAA All- American Rick Healey and threetime NCAA All-American and Eye on the Prize Club head coach Cliff Thompson.
On the final day of camp on Thursday, 2016 USA Olympic Team wrestler Daniel Dennis was the featured instructor. Dennis is a former wrestler at the University of Iowa before going on to wrestle in the Olympics last summer in Brazil in the 57 kilo (125.6 pounds) weight class. Dennis said he was excited to be able to help Steward at the camp and give some of pointers to the young wrestlers.
“I met Coach Steward through a friend, and I love to come to areas and work with coaches that are committed to wrestling,” said Dennis. “Anything to help develop the sport that we love, and working with someone like Coach Steward, I’m always happy to do that.
“I don’t think the kids are going to be dramatically better just by me being here for one day today, but if myself or one of these other clinicians are able to give them one or two things that they are able to practice and implement, it’s worth it. Wrestling is a sport that you have to work at constantly, and I just want to show them a couple things that can make them better. If it helps just one of these kids, it was worth my time.”
Steward said being able to bring in an Olympian on the last day of camp was a great way to wrap up a successful week.
“We want to help our kids get better and get people excited about wrestling around here,” said Steward. “Bringing in a guy that has wrestled in the Olympics is a pretty cool thing for the kids.
Steward added that getting in offseason work is crucial to helping wrestlers develop and get better and camps like these are essential mat time for wrestlers.