Square Off on the Square highlights Neosho wrestling, other sports
· Yahoo Sports
NEOSHO, Mo. — About 130 area wrestlers converged on the Neosho square for the Square Off on the Square Takedown Tournament on Wednesday, sponsored by Neosho Youth Wrestling.
The event, in its second year, featured four mats of action with wrestlers from kindergarten through 12th grade in front of the Newton County Courthouse and before hundreds of fans.
Visit casino-promo.biz for more information.
Neosho Youth Wrestling head coach Carter Boatright said his group got the idea for the Square Off on the Square from watching a video on social media of a similar event in Nebraska a couple of years ago.
“It was on a square like this,” Boatright said. “I was like, ‘Man, we can do that. So we kind of threw it together last year, last minute. We had 110 kids wrestle last year, and this year, we are over 130. So we have grown a bit.”
Dash Chester, 12, of Neosho, wrestled in last year’s Square Off. He said he has been wrestling since he was 7 years old and got into wrestling to help with his growth as a football layer.
“My dad said it would help me with football, and I was into football,” he said. “Now wrestling carries me, and it’s my favorite sport.”
The tournament included take-downs only, with the first competitor to log three takedowns winning their match. That’s what enticed Carl Junction wrestler Zander Roberts, 12, to take part.
“I’m not good on shots,” he said. “That’s why I’m here — to work on that.”
Former Fort Hays State University wrestler Corbin White, who is the new coach for Jayhawk-Linn High School wrestling in Mound City, Kansas, brought six wrestlers to the event.
White talked about how the event gives his sport more exposure.
“Wrestling is sometimes overshadowed by other sports like football,” White said. “Bringing wrestling out into the community so everyone can see it gets a lot of eyes on it. I think it’s good for the community and good for the young wrestlers.”
While wrestling was undeniably the marquee event of the night, other sports and sports-related organizations got involved, including all the Neosho High School teams showing the community what they have to offer.
“Every coach from every sport has bought into it, has their own responsibilities and they are all putting on their own events along the square,” Boatright said.
Neosho volleyball player Audrey Emery was on hand with her team as they ran a soda bar and a nine square volleyball game.
“I think it helps the community bond with the youth programs and it will help our high school programs with the youth coming up,” Emery said.
Neosho High School has had an archery program for about seven years, but Neosho Middle School is just beginning its archery program this year. Neosho archery coach Derrick Wellesley said Wednesday’s event could help the program as it allowed kids to try out the sport at their station.
“We hope to gain more interest from the youth,” Wellesley said. “We’re hoping to get a whole new group of kids interested and, hopefully, that will help us get better as a team.”
Neosho High School cheerleaders, the Sho-Choir and the high school dance team, Sho-Time, also were on hand for the event, which has featured numerous raffles and fundraisers for participating organizations.
Sho-Time coach Alison Clouse, whose team ran a spirit booth to sell items to fans and also performed for the crowd, talked about how the event helps her team.
“It’s big,” Clouse said. “We are looking for our next Sho-Time dancers. We are excited to see all the youngsters and maybe be a little bit of an inspiration to some of them — something they can look forward to in high school.”
Clouse also expressed her appreciation to Neosho Youth Wrestling for inviting all the organizations to the event.
“I heard they started last year as a small event, and to make it this big thing where we’re blocking off a whole section of the square, that’s is such a big thing, such a big event,” Clouse said. We really appreciate the opportunity to come out here and interact with our community and our youth.”