Pewaukee Youth Wrestling

Sign up for the 2009 season will be held Wednesday, December 3rd 7-8 p.m. in the high school cafeteria. Fees are $85.00 for the USA card and membership. Practices will be held on Mondays and Wednesdays from 5:45pm to 7:30pm, January 5th - the end of March.

For more information:
Manager Kris Owens: 548-9250
Coach Ed Kurth: 695-2536 work 691-2100 ext 6205

About the youth program:
The benefits of boys joining wrestling goes far beyond the simple experience of competition. In this sport there is very rarely a boy who is successful as soon as he walks onto the mat. Every participant must go though the pain of accepting that nothing will come easy without hard work. There will be no luck involved or teammate to rely on when facing an opponent one on one. Experience and concentration on the coaches' directions will be the only way to winning, much like in academics and paying attention in class. When the young man finally starts to understand these things, he begins to succeed, not just in matches but in life. He has learned the lesson that so many never grasp until it is too late: You only get what you earn and nothing comes easy.

The sport of wrestling teaches this to boys better than any other activity. Some boys will claim they do not like wrestling. A practice can seem boring when they need to actually be learning how to win instead of just playing. Others are afraid of the challenge of competing or the feeling of losing with no one else to shoulder the blame. Once again, these are all lessons that area valuable to a young man's development.

Wrestling and Other Sports
The greatest football player in Pewaukee History was Chris McIntosh. He was also a State Wrestling Champion and credits his wrestling background and the mindset he learned in the sport for his success in football. After achieving all-state honors at Pewaukee High School as a lineman, Chris became a member of the University of Wisconsin Badgers D1 football team. After his team won the Outback Bowl in his sophomore year, Chris gave a speech to the team. He said he came to Madison to win Rose Bowls, not Outback Bowls. In the following years, Chris was named Team Captain and led his team to two Rose Bowl victories. Along with graduating with Honors, he also set a school record for most consecutive games played. Ironically, after signing with the NFL Seattle Seahawks, a neck injury forced him to retire from football.

Matt Brown was perhaps the greatest soccer player to ever play at Pewaukee High School. He was named All-State and Conference Player of the Year in his senior season of 2000 when he led his team to the Parkland Conference Title. Matt also credits his success to wrestling, where he gained an advantage in one on one soccer situations by learning the necessary combative mentality to come away with the ball. As a wrestler, Matt competed often in youth wrestling tournaments and became only the second sophomore in school history to reach the State Wrestling Tournament. In his senior season, Matt set school records in wins and pins as he finished 3rd in the state tournament after narrowly missing the State Finals in overtime. He was named Conference Player of the Year in wrestling as well and set another school record with 4 consecutive Conference Titles.

Unlike most sports, there is no size advantage. Small boys compete against small boys and large boys compete against large boys. Athletic ability can be an advantage, but will always be surpassed by those who focus on technique and hard work.

The Youth Program has grown by over 200% in the last 3 seasons with members ranging from first grade to eighth. Just as important has been our overwhelming attendance at area youth tournaments. With up to 25 wrestlers competing at these events, Pewaukee families are ensuring that their community will continue to build its reputation as a wrestling powerhouse. In the last three seasons, the Pewaukee High School wrestling team managed to win 3 straight Conference Titles and 2 Regional Titles despite having only 2 wrestlers who competed in previous youth tournaments. With such an increase in youth participation, Pewaukee may eventually reach its goal of competing with some of the top teams in the state.

Throughout Wisconsin, wrestling is typically dominated by rural communities where boys learn a strong work ethic and develop a toughness not often seen in more financially advantaged suburbs. While Pewaukee continues to grow economically from its modest beginnings years ago, it is out to prove that it still does possess the kind of boys that have the desire and tough mentality to earn the greatest of rewards on the mat and in life.

"I wrestled from middle school through high school, but it did not come easily to me at first. Yet the lessons I learned through losses and my growing desire to improve helped me overcome obstacles throughout the rest of my life."

"Dealing with the one-on-one competition as I stood on the mat facing my opponent all by myself was something that gave me the courage and perseverance to attack opposing linemen in college. Wrestling also gave me the balance and quickness no other sport could and instilled in me a work ethic few non-wrestlers could match. While many of those athletes took the winter off, away from competition, I enhanced my drive and determination with three months of battling."

About the Youth Program Coaches:
Mike Brown has coached the youth program since 1992 and this year will serve as a High School assistant coach as well. Both of his sons wrestled in the youth program and, as a result, medaled at the State Tournament in High School. Matt has also become the only person in Pewaukee history to win four Conference Titles and last season was named the Parkland Conference Wrestler of the Year. Coach Brown is also a former State Qualifier and two-time Conference Champion for Milwaukee Madison.

Ed Kurth is a former graduate of Pewaukee High School where he won MVP and All-Conference awards in both football and wrestling. After coaching the Pewaukee Youth program in 1991, he assisted at Milwaukee Pulaski from 1992 to 1995. In 1996, Ed became Pulaski's head coach and has won Conference Titles every year since. His teams reached the State Tournament in 1998 and 1999 and were ranked in the Wisconsin's Top 10 for three straight years, going undefeated in 2000. He has produced 17 State Qualifiers in just 4 years and was nominated for Wisconsin Coach of the Year trough 2000, winning the award in 1998 and earning runner-up honors in 1999. In 2001-2002 season, Ed guided Pewaukee to the Regional Championship as well as second straight Conference Title. Ed currently has a career Conference record of 37-1-1.

Coach Brown and Coach Kurth are a unique pair of coaches due to their shared commitment to the same philosophies on basic moves and techniques. Their expertise will enable your son to enjoy a fabulous High School athletic career as he gradually moves ahead of the wrestlers in the state.