OLDS — The big test facing four members of the École Olds High School wrestling team -- provincials March 13 and 14 in Calgary -- has been indefinitely postponed.
Ethan Dalke, J.D. Harper, Emily Prevost and Amanda Grant all qualified for that tournament during rural provincials, held Feb. 28-29 in Lethbridge. Rural provincials are for all teams outside Calgary or Edmonton.
Yesterday, Alberta Schools' Athletic Association (ASAA) anounced the wrestling provincials have been postponed indefinitely due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
"Recognizing that information is rapidly changing, the ASAA will continue to consult with public health officials and will reassess the feasibility of running the event at a future date yet to be determined," the association said in a statement.
The top five wrestlers in each weight division from Calgary and Edmonton plus the qualifiers in the rural provincials were to battle each other for the gold.
Two Spartans — Dalke in the 120 kilogram (kg) category and Harper in the 90 kg category — won bronze in Lethbridge.
Prevost (70 kg) and Grant (65 kg) also qualified for the Calgary meet after they each placed fifth in their weight classes.
Two junior high wrestlers (Grade 9s) Caris Adams and Tyson Prevost, won bronze during junior high provincial championships last month in Edson.
“They did an awesome job,” head coach George Grant said during an interview.
Spartan wrestlers were to have two more opportunities to test themselves against the best — the Alberta Open in Edmonton March 23-24 and the nationals, also in Edmonton April 3-5. It is not clear whther those competitions will be held.
Coach Grant figured about 10 athletes could compete in nationals.
“I know the competition there is always tough; the best of the best are there,” he said.
“It’s been a while since we’ve had anybody make the national team, but we keep working hard and – you know, if we get a little lucky and get a few breaks along the way, who knows?”
Coach Grant said it wasn’t easy to succeed in the rural provincials.
“It was tough,” he said. “The competition was good. Rural provincials in 2019 had 86 competitors in total. This year it was 120, so our numbers grew.
“It also meant the competition got a lot better. To be good, you have to have some luck and to have some luck, you’ve got to be a little bit good too, so it’s a little bit of a combination.”
Coach Grant is pleased with the commitment his wrestlers have demonstrated.
“Our kids have been working hard all season,” he said.
“I love the effort that these kids are putting in – you know, three times a week, 6:30 in the morning till 8.
“It’s a tough time slot to be in. So it is the fact that they can just get themselves up and be active, we take that as a big win.
"So us coaches are really impressed with what we have been seeing and we’re really excited to see what they can show when we get to the big tournament.”
Coach Grant said a big factor in being successful is mental toughness; to keep working hard when things may not be going your way.
“We’ve had kids that have taken losses but they go, ‘I felt great out there. I did everything I could.’
“And that’s all we’re asking. We’d love to have them all win. We’d love to have gold medals around each and every one of those kids’ necks, but we know that the reality is some of the kids are new to the sport; they’re first-years, and others are into their second or third year,” he added.
“So it’s growing pains and we just keep working at it, practice by practice, and try and get a little better each day.”
