SAMMAMISH — Young wrestlers from the Eastside had the chance to learn from, as Skyline coach Gus Kiss put it, one of the Michael Jordans of wrestling.
Olympic silver medalist and former world champion Sammie Henson, 34, headed a five-day camp for 35 wrestlers, ranging from sixth-graders to high school seniors at Skyline High.
Henson’s approach centers on giving his pupils a system that can be reinforced over the years. Seven years ago, he began working with the Sedro Woolley program, which has won the last four 3A state team titles, and he’s been back every year since to work with coach Jay Breckenridge.
“It’s the same principles,” Henson said. “We refresh him, plus it kick-starts the kids. Basically he has a system in place, and that’s what we want to do here. Kids need something to grasp onto. Even if the system isn’t perfect, they have a system and that’s what you try to establish.”
It was a rare opportunity, because Henson only is running four camps this summer.
And it’s events like these that Kiss hopes will help raise the profile of Kingco wrestling. The conference has produced a pair of three-time state champions in recent years– Aaron Pedeferri of Cedarcrest and Mikey Sewell of Inglemoor — but isn’t considered one of the strongest areas in the state.
“We as a wrestling community in general have to start creating more opportunities for kids to be successful,” Kiss said. “We’re very pleased to have these kids involved. Whether they’ll be successful at Skyline, Eastlake, Mount Si, Liberty or wherever, we just want the sport to blossom here over time.”
Kiss said former Issaquah wrestler Kip Hauser has set up a freestyle program at Skyline that’s open to wrestlers from any of the area high schools. Anything which can be done to draw kids into a physically and mentally demanding sport is a positive for Kiss.
One of the obstacles Henson sees to the growth of area wrestling is the fewer opportunities to wrestle in college, especially in Washington. The state doesn’t have a four-year college that offers wrestling as a varsity sport. The closest Division I program is at the University of Oregon.
“There’s great wrestling everywhere,” said Henson, who grew up in St. Louis and attended both the University of Missouri and Clemson. “Probably a lot of kids are passed up and have the talent level, but we’re just missing them because we’re in the Midwest or wherever. You tend to recruit where you’re at. You’ll go far if you know for sure, but it’s hard to get to every state meet and see every kid.”
But he said, in general, the sport is growing in high schools even as the number of collegiate teams is cut back.
On a national level, Henson and clinic partner Danny Felix have been part of an effort to help popularize the sport through the Real Pro Wrestling — a league of teams comprised of top-level wrestlers. The league puts together a mix of Greco-Roman, freestyle and collegiate rules to create a sort of hybrid that places a premium on dominating the middle of the ring. This king-of-the-mat style is designed to encourage more action and eliminate stalling tactics that are used in other forms of the sport.
Wrestlers have prize money riding on each match, which also can include a bonus period and instant replay challenges on pins. Henson said that early in his career, when he was preparing for the Sydney Olympics, he wouldn’t have had much interest in the spiced-up league. But with a sport that is rarely televised, he sees the benefits in concocting something that may appeal more to the casual fan.
“We’re our own worst enemy in some ways when it comes to getting airtime on TV and other things,” Henson said. “We need to be more accessible. If it’s for the fans, I’m all for it.”
The league ran from February to May and was broadcast on the PAX network. Henson said they are working on a deal to be broadcast on ESPN. And Real Pro Wrestling has brought other benefits for Henson, who competes for the Pennsylvania Hammer.
“I’ve wrestled in the Olympics and I’ve wrestled in the world championships, but I’m more known from that pro wrestling stint,” he said with a laugh. “People come up to me and say `You’re that Real Pro Wrestler.”’
But until next season, Henson will be running and helping with camps from New York to California and he’ll be training himself as well. He said that his group plans to come back to Skyline to put on the same clinic next year. He also said he enjoyed his first visit.
“I’m impressed with the kids, their enthusiasm, their energy level and how they’ve stayed focused for four or five days,” he said. “I think they’re going to do a hell of a job.”
Reporter Brandon Cossell can be reached at 425-453-4253 or [email protected].
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