Youth wrestlers claim titles at Ark-La-Tex meet

Photo By Chuck Cannon | Coach Horne works with Phillip Brown during Fort Polk youth wrestling practice March 12.  

FORT POLK, LOUISIANA, UNITED STATES

03.15.2019

Story by Chuck Cannon 

Fort Johnson Public Affairs Office

By CHUCK CANNON
Guardian editor

FORT POLK, La. — Members of the Fort Polk youth wrestling team made a strong showing at the Ark-La-Tex Classic at Hirsch Memorial Coliseum in Shreveport March 9, bringing home trophies and medals as they prepare for the upcoming Louisiana State Meet in Baton Rouge March 23.
Jordan Ellison, Jaxson Horne and Cody Sigmon each were crowned champion in their weight classes, while several other team members also earned medals for placing second or third place.
The Fort Polk wrestling team is part of the Directorate of Family Morale, Welfare and Recreation’s Child and Youth Service’s Sports Program. Chris Horne, who wrestled in college at Ohio State University before making the Army a career, is the team’s coach.
Horne said the 16 to 18 members of the Fort Polk team have made exceptional strides since the program began in February.
“I’m very proud of our kids because we haven’t had a full season like the other teams,” Horne said. “The other teams started wrestling when school began and some of them have had 30 or 40 meets during the past four or five months, and now we are in the tournament season. Our guys have only been at it a short time and we’re doing well, and we’re winning matches. We’re having fun and working hard.”
Horne said that since the Fort Polk team members haven’t been wrestling long, they’re still working out what weight they might want to compete at.
“Some of them talk about wanting to get bigger, but I remind them that if they get bigger, they’ll have to wrestle against bigger guys, so you’ve got to decide what you want to do,” Horne said.
“You have to balance the power and speed aspects. But, if your technique is good and you’re always giving 100 percent, you’ll be OK.”
Horne said Nate Pommer is one of the wrestler who is still trying to decide at weight he wants to wrestle.
“He wrestles at 170 because he probably walks around at about 165,” Horne said. “He should probably be wrestling at 155. But he’s doing well and he practices hard, so whatever is most comfortable for him is best.”
Pommer, who is 14, said he enjoys wrestling because it lets him compare himself to other kids his age and size.
“I don’t want to feel inadequate,” he said. “I don’t have any brothers or sisters my age so I can’t compare myself at home. That’s why I like going to wrestling meets and either beating or losing to other kids my size.”
After competing in a few meets, Pommer said he’s confident how he stacks up against others his size.
“I think I’m equal; I’m definitely not better than most of them, but I’m equal,” he said. “If I’m good enough I’d like to wrestle in college.”
Horne said the meet in Shreveport was an opportunity for the team to see what it was like competing against top level teams in a large area.
“It was nice for the kids to be able to experience something in a place like that (Hirsch Coliseum),” he said. It resembled a state high school tournament setting so a lot of our younger guys won’t be able to experience something like that until they are older.”
Horne said his team wasn’t intimidated competing against so many teams in such a large venue.
“They went out, had fun and size of the place didn’t affect them at all,” he said.
Horne said that anyone interested in joining the team can give him a call at [phone].
“We have kids from 7 to 17 years old,” he said. “We practice twice a week on Tuesday and Thursdays at 6 p.m. in the Youth Gym.”
With the state tournament looming on the horizon, Horne said the focus is getting his team ready.
“The tournament in Shreveport was big with excellent teams from three different states,” he said. “After seeing how our kids did, I’m confident that eight to 12 of our guys can place at state. They work hard, don’t give up and are aggressive.”

• Date Taken: 03.15.2019
• Date Posted: 03.15.2019 10:35
• Story ID: 314371
• Location: FORT POLK, LOUISIANA, US