Photo By Michael Strasser | Members of the Fort Drum Mountaineer Wrestling Team completed the winter season March...... read more read more
FORT DRUM, N.Y. (March 26, 2026) -- The Fort Drum Mountaineer Wrestling Team finished its 2026 season on March 24, celebrating strong performances in practice and in competition at the state and local level.
Joshua Herzig, Fort Drum Child and Youth Services Sports assistant director, said this was one of the best teams he has coached since the program began in 2009.
“We’ve always had success with our teams in the past,” he said. “This year we had a lot of experienced wrestlers return, everyone worked hard during practices, and we did extra well at tournaments. I think that made for a really successful season.”
Herzig congratulated all the wrestlers for demonstrating commitment, discipline, and determination throughout the season.
“I could talk all day long about this entire team – just their positive attitudes and their work ethic, and how they came to every practice and worked hard,” he said. “They gave everything they had, and I couldn’t have asked for more.”
The team is divided into two ages groups – five to seven and eight to 13 – with practices held twice a week since January.
“With the older group, we start out with the basics but then we move to more advanced instruction,” Herzig said. “As the season progresses, we teach to their level of capability. The younger kids are usually brand new to the sport, so we are just teaching the basics. The focus is just having fun and learning a few moves.”
Herzig said that participating in tournaments is optional, and it is up to the individual wrestler to determine when they are ready to compete.
“Our overall goal with the wrestling program is just to keep the kids in the sport, keep them practicing, and then keep them competing,” he said. “If by the end of the season, you have the same numbers you started with – or close to it – then I think you’ve done your job as a coach.”
Six Fort Drum grapplers competed in the New York Wrestling Association for Youth State Tournament, March 14-15, to test their skills against athletes from across the state. Kimber Swanson earned fifth place in the girls’ division with a 2-2 record, and Charles Casas finished with a 4-2 record in the tournament.
“We had six state qualifiers, which is the most I’ve ever had in one season,” Herzig said. “Charles had never wrestled a day in his life before this season. Just to watch him come along from January to now, he really picked up on the sport right away and learned a lot in a short time.”
Kimber, 13, started wrestling nearly three years ago when she joined the CYS Sports program.
“When my family and I first arrived here, my mom wanted my siblings and I to do a sport,” she said. “Wrestling was something my older sister had done in the past, so I decided to try and see if wrestling was for me.”
Kimber said that wrestling has taught her how to set goals and giving her the mental and physical drive to see them through.
“What I will remember most from this season is how I pushed myself farther and harder than I thought I could at the Girls State Wrestling tournament,” she said. “My highlight was receiving first place for the first time ever at a different tournament.”
Wrestling also taught Kimber that perseverance matters more than accolades.
“It doesn’t matter what place I get, as long as I do my best and leave it all on the mat,” she said.
Earlier in March, Kimber’s brother Colten received the quick pin award in his age group after pinning an opponent in just seven seconds during the Gouverneur Youth Tournament. He also won the aggregate pin award for the most pins in the least amount of time and took first place in his weight class, alongside six other Fort Drum wrestlers.
“That was the first time in my entire time coaching wrestling here that we had seven first place finishes in a tournament,” Herzig said. “That’s pretty outstanding. “At our final tournament in Lowville, as a club team we ended up taking second place overall. For a group of kids that haven’t been wrestling together for very long, that was great.”
Tim Spickard, 10, has been wrestling for two years at Fort Drum.
“I wanted to learn this because it puts good thoughts in your head, and it is fun to do,” he said.
Tim said his season highlight was winning a match at the state tournament. In fact, participating in tournaments is what he enjoys most about wrestling.
“There’s nothing better than the feeling of getting your hand raised,” he said. Herzig also commended CYS Sports staff member John Zielinski, and volunteer coaches Rashadric Jones and John Swanson, for their support throughout the season.
“John Swanson has been with me for two years and he has a lot of wrestling experience,” he said. “He is a very good motivator to the kids and just a very positive coach. Coach Rashadric was brand new this year, but he was a positive influence on the team.”
To see some of the highlights from the past wrestling season, visit https://www.facebook.com/FortDrumYouthSports/.
Registration for the next wrestling season begins in October, and Herzig encourages any interested child to register.
“It doesn’t matter if you haven’t wrestled before or if you have three or five years’ experience,” Herzig said. “We invite everybody to come. I think wrestling is a sport that every kid needs to at least try. You learn a lot about independence, and you learn the value of hard work – giving 100 percent every single day.”
“You can do it,” said Tim. “It will be hard, but you can do it. You just have to work hard and have fun.”
Kimber also recommends wrestling to anyone willing to test their physical and mental fortitude. Her advice:
“Be true to yourself and others. But most of all, do your best and never quit.”
The Fort Drum Youth Sports and Fitness Program is located in Bldg. 10790 on Chapel Drive. Fort Drum community members can learn more about CYS Sports at https://drum.armymwr.com/programs/youth-sports-and-fitness.
| Date Taken: | 03.26.2026 |
| Date Posted: | 03.26.2026 10:31 |
| Story ID: | 561346 |
| Location: | FORT DRUM, NEW YORK, US |
| Web Views: | 27 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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