In the first year, the Battlefield Wrestling Club won awards with wrestlers Ernie Sena and Lawrence Hill winning state champions. The team won Rookie Team of the Year.
The 501c3 began last year and was organized "to provide young people with opportunities to develop physical, mental and social skills through the sport of wrestling. To promote values such as sportsmanship, discipline and teamwork while providing a safe and supportive environment for participants to learn and grow. To persuade the high school to embrace both boys and girls wrestling as part of their sports program," said John Nessmith, president of the board of directors.
Board members are Nessmith, vice president Cody Keene, treasurer Debbie Street, secretary Taylor Emde and Brian Bastian.
Logan Sondrup said he moved to Pea Ridge in June 2022 and found there was no wrestling organization. He said he posted on social media to gauge interest and then he and Street worked to get the paper work filed.
"I'm really passionate about coaching," Sondrup said. "I recently resigned as president to focus on coaching."
"My daughter has joined the wrestling team. She loves it. She's learning life fundamentals," Keene said. "For kids, attitude adjustments, getting the energy out, this club is incredible."
"We're at the ground floor of what this club can do," Keene said, commending Nessmith who he said, has a heart for kids and desires to make sure everyone is getting someone out of it. "He's got a really good vision for what the future can look like."
Anyone from 5 to 17 years of age may join. Practices for 6 and under and 10 and under are from 6 to 7 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays and for 12 and under to 17 from 7 to 8:30 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays. The cost to join is $60 a month.
The team is currently practicing in the cafeteria at the junior high school, but said it is negotiating for a new location that will provide more space and room for more mats.
"We hope to expand the number of days for practice as we train new coaches," Nessmith said.
Students working out Thursday, March 16, included Coty Tenney, 7, son of Jack and Cassie Tenney; Chevvi Ross, 6, son of Ryan and Brittany Ross; Sawyer Emde, 8, and Sebastian Emde, 6, sons of Brian and Taylor Emde; Ezekiel , 8, and Arturo, 10, Delgado, sons of Rena and Anna Delgado; and Grayson Wade, 10, son of Terri Thomas and Jeremy Wade.
Jack Tenney said he wrestled when he was young.
"We started the sport this year, I thought he would enjoy it and it would be good for him and teach him character," Tenney said.
Cassie Tenney said, "Our club has done amazing. We got seven medals ... started in November and took first at state in novice."
"It will help build character and help build a little muscle," Ryan Ross said.
There are competitions in the winter, from October to February. This past year, the new club had 18 to 20 youth competing at any one time, he said, adding that tournaments were held almost every weekend.
"We are currently in the off season, so competitions have slowed down to about once a month," he said.
"The aim of our practice is to instill in children the values that wrestling promotes, such as mental toughness, hard work, and teamwork," Nessmith said. "These lessons extend beyond wrestling and have practical applications in everyday life. Last season, we had 46 kids participating in practice, with only 18 to 20 competing. While competitions are enjoyable, wrestling encompasses much more than just winning or losing."
"I grew up wrestling in Utah. I wrestled in college in Wyoming," Sondrup said. "I've been a part of the sport a long time. It really changed my life when I was a kid."
Sondrup said he felt like he "didn't fit in anywhere" as a teen and found wrestling to build his confidence. "It completely changed my mindset on a lot of things.
"The goal is to give kids an opportunity to compete in a sport that they can't really can't make excuses for anybody but themselves," Sondrup said. "They can build confidence and character, to be accountable to a team and themselves -- to change these kids lives."
To learn more about the club, find Battlefield Wrestling Club on Facebook or email [email protected].
Courtesy photograph
Annette Beard/Pea Ridge TIMES
Learning and practicing wrestling techniques twice a week is part of the process for members of the Battlefield Wrestling Club, a new organization in town. Coaches John Nessmith, left, and Logan Sondrup, center, watch and advise students wrestling. For more photographs, go to the PRT gallery at https://tnebc.nwaonline.com/photos/.
Annette Beard/Pea Ridge TIMES
Learning and practicing wrestling techniques twice a week is part of the process for members of the Battlefield Wrestling Club, a new organization in town. Coach Logan Sondrup, standing, observes techniques. For more photographs, go to the PRT gallery at https://tnebc.nwaonline.com/photos/.
Annette Beard/Pea Ridge TIMES
Learning and practicing wrestling techniques twice a week is part of the process for members of the Battlefield Wrestling Club, a new organization in town. For more photographs, go to the PRT gallery at https://tnebc.nwaonline.com/photos/.
Annette Beard/Pea Ridge TIMES
Learning and practicing wrestling techniques twice a week is part of the process for members of the Battlefield Wrestling Club, a new organization in town. For more photographs, go to the PRT gallery at https://tnebc.nwaonline.com/photos/.
Annette Beard/Pea Ridge TIMES
Learning and practicing wrestling techniques twice a week is part of the process for members of the Battlefield Wrestling Club, a new organization in town. For more photographs, go to the PRT gallery at https://tnebc.nwaonline.com/photos/.
Annette Beard/Pea Ridge TIMES
Learning and practicing wrestling techniques twice a week is part of the process for members of the Battlefield Wrestling Club, a new organization in town. For more photographs, go to the PRT gallery at https://tnebc.nwaonline.com/photos/.
Annette Beard/Pea Ridge TIMES
Keegan Perryman, 13, takes down opponent Ernie Sena, 13. For more photographs, go to the PRT gallery at https://tnebc.nwaonline.com/photos/.
Annette Beard/Pea Ridge TIMES
Learning and practicing wrestling techniques twice a week is part of the process for members of the Battlefield Wrestling Club, a new organization in town. For more photographs, go to the PRT gallery at https://tnebc.nwaonline.com/photos/.