Ben Haley sizes up his opponent at the start of his first match in Corvallis, Mont. Feb. 26. Haley won with a pin.
Haley has his opponent pinned and waits for the referee to put his hand down for the win at the tournament in Corvallis.
Ben Haley preparing to flip his opponent at the tournament in Corvallis, Mont. Feb. 26.
SEELEY LAKE - Seeley Lake Elementary fifth-grader Ben Haley has been wrestling since he was seven-years-old. He just completed his third season with the Bonner Wrestling Club. He thinks the sport has a lot of personality, said it has made him better at other sports and has taught him discipline and to work hard.
Wrestling has been a family sport for the Haleys. Ben is following in the footsteps of his grandfather, father and older brother Jacob.
"I tried it and liked it so I stuck with it," said Ben who competes in the Little Guy Program for first through eighth-graders.
Josh and Cari Sessums founded the Bonner Wrestling Club in 2009. Josh, currently the head wrestling coach at Hellgate High School, said he was looking to start a feeder program to build the high school team. They started with 14 participants and have grown every year.
"I wanted to give back to the community," said Josh. "The sport of wrestling has taught me a lot of discipline, self confidence, hard work, good work ethic, not to take no for an answer and to fight for it if you want it. I love working with the kids themselves and being able to have an influence on them."
This year the Little Guy Program drew 45 youth from Clinton, Drummond, the Clearwater and Blackfoot Valleys, Target Range and into Missoula. They participated in six tournaments during their six-week season competing against more than 30 teams in the Western Montana Little Guy League.
"There is a weight class for every body [size] and everyone competes," said Josh. "Everyone has just as much opportunity. I've seen smiles on kids who haven't experienced a lot of athletic success before."
Ben wrestles in the 70-pound weight class. He practices three times a week in Bonner and participates in tournaments on the weekends across western Montana from mid-February through the end of March. Practice is the most challenging part for Ben because he said, "Our coaches tell us we win our matches at practice. They push us as hard as we can to be better and win."
Ben has earned eight medals and eight ribbons in his wrestling career. He has qualified for the state tournament every year but this year. Ben said that he could have wrestled better at the qualifying match but, he said, "I was kind of out of it" and was battling a cold.
Ben said standing on the podium and getting his awards makes him really happy but also said that "Even when I lose it motivates me to try harder."
Josh said the Bonner Wrestling Club has gained a lot of respect around western Montana, "When people see the green singlets [wrestling outfit], they know they better be prepared because we are serious."
Josh enjoys having Ben on the team. "Ben is a great kid with great parents that back him. He is a joy to have on the team and to be around. He always has a smile on his face, always works hard, will do anything we ask him to do and leads by example to others his own age." Josh continued, "Ben is a hard worker, very talented and there is no ceiling for him. He can go as far as he wants to in wrestling."
The Bonner Wrestling Club hosts open mat sessions in January to allow anyone to try the sport before committing to the season. Anyone interested in the program is invited to contact Josh at bonnerwrestling@gmail.com or visit their Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/BonnerWrestlingClub/?fref=ts
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