EPHRATA — The Ephrata Tigers Wrestling camp was held June 29 through July 1 where young wrestlers came together to practice and learn more about the sport. Tigers Boys Wrestling Head Coach Joe Knox said he was pleased with how the camp turned out. 

“We had mostly younger boys and then some middle school girls, so we had a good mix of kids, and I thought it went really well,” said Knox. “The kids were really energetic, we had a lot of fun, and we learned a little wrestling along the way.” 

The main goal for Knox at the camp was to teach the young group of kids the fundamentals and focus on the basic skills of wrestling.  

“We weren’t trying to show them 100 different moves in three days. We were trying to show them three different moves and be good at that in three days,” he said. “We tried to get a little better at things that are foundational for wrestling.” 

About six high school wrestlers came to the camp to help with teaching the young participants and get some experience for themselves in helping with coaching at the camp. Knox said having the wrestlers break down the techniques and trying to be coaches on their own helps the wrestlers reflect on their own abilities. 

“Any time you really have to break it down and teach somebody, it really helps you become a better wrester in general because you really have to think about it,” said the coach. “I honestly think that’s the biggest benefit that they get out of it, plus you get that feeling of giving back to your wrestling community and the community where you live.” 

Around 35 young wrestlers showed up to participate in the camp. Knox said those in attendance were not limited to kids from Ephrata, but also included kids from Moses Lake, Royal City, Ellensburg and Nachez Valley. 

During the summer, wrestling coaches all around the Basin host camps that are open to other towns to participate, he said. The ability for Ephrata to provide another avenue for young wrestlers to get into the sport and build the wrestling community is something that he was very proud of. 

“There’s a lot of good coaches in this area doing a lot of good things, and we’re just trying to do our part,” said Knox. 

The coach said events like this provide the opportunity for wrestlers from all around the area to share ideas and experiences that ultimately help the wrestling community grow. 

“I think it’s a benefit to everybody,” said Knox. “We compete against each other on the mat, but when summertime and stuff rolls around, we’re all just trying to help each other get better. I think that’s a really cool deal with the wrestling community in general in the basin.” 

With the camp concluded, the Tigers are going to continue with their summer training. The coach said Ephrata’s wrestling team meets three nights a week, and he will work with whoever is available to train that day. 

From what he has seen over the summer and from the previous wrestling season, Knox said he is confident in what the Tigers’ program can accomplish in the future. 

“I think the Ephrata program in general is on the rise, and I feel really positive about the direction that we’re headed in,” he said. “I think we’re going to continue to see good things out of our wrestlers and they’re going to continue to climb the ladder of success for sure.”

    A group of young wrestlers work on their stance in the Ephrata High School PAC gym.
  

    Ephrata Boys Head Coach Joe Knox oversees the attendees of the wrestling camp during an exercise Tuesday.