Having produced three state titles in the last three years, the Washington wrestling program has been steadily on the rise and Pam Pack coach Daniel Riggs is doing everything he can to ensure his team continues to pin down success.
This summer Riggs will be will be holding his first wrestling camp at Washington High School and is hoping that the clinic will boost interest in the sport.
“This will be the first time we are doing this,” Riggs said. “A lot of kids don’t start wrestling until they reach the seventh or eighth grade, so I’m trying to get more interest from the younger guys.”
The camp runs from July 16-20, from 8 a.m. until noon and is open to athletes that range from kindergarten to 12th grade. The registration fee is $70 (checks can be mailed to: 400 Slatestone Rd, Washington, N.C. 27889) and the deadline to register is June 25.
Riggs said the camp is open to wrestlers of all sizes and ability.
“What we are going to do is break the guys up into groups by skill level and they will be learning new moves while the more advanced guys will be refining techniques,” Riggs said. “Then, at the end of the camp we will do a mini-tournament and have the guys wrestle against each other and the parents are invited to come and watch.”
Aside from Riggs, the camp instructors include legendary Pack wrestlers like two-time state champ Marquin Hill and Justin “Weasel” Moore, who also won state glory.
“We are going to have some good guys helping like Charles Blumell, who is an assistant coach at Cardinal Gibbons now but used to be my assistant,” Riggs said. “Marquin will be back along with Weasel Moore and Brandon Lietz, who won a state championship with Rose, will also be there.”
Riggs said he was thrilled to have a roster full of powerhouse wrestlers to help teach the camp.
“It means a lot,” Riggs said. “They see those guys in the paper and know their names and a lot of kids look up to guys like Marquin, Weasel and Brandon and hope that some day they can be as a good as they are on the wrestling mat or whatever sport they pursue.”