|
The Ascension Wrestling Club was founded in 1999 by Rodney Hernandez and Phil Bode. The club was chartered as a USA Wrestling Club and trained wrestlers from age 5 through 18 in Ascension Parish. The club also sponsored the effort to bring wrestling to St. Amant High School in 2000, and has been instrumental in the early training and preparation that led to forming high school teams at East Ascension in 2001 and Dutchtown in 2002. Past presidents include Rodney Hernandez, Ronnie Harper Ph.d, and current president Kathleen Eunice. The head coach from inception has been Phil Bode, who also served as assistant to St. Amant High School wrestling from 2000-2005. In 2006, the club adopted The TITANS as their mascot and image.
The club functions with both charter and bylaws. All member families share in the voting for club changes and policies. The club is registered as a
501-c3 nonprofit sports organization.
Ascension Wrestling Club hosted the State USA Kids Wrestling Championships in 2000 at East Ascension High School with great success. The primary sponsor for the tournament was Eatel, who provided initial funding and other support for the tournament. Over 500 wrestlers from around the state of Louisiana and southern Mississippi competed in the tournament which conducted nearly 800 matches in just under 8 hours. The success of the tournament and the format used became the standard for subsequent state tournaments, held each year in March. Since 2000, the Ascension Wrestling Club has been awarded a tournament date each year and has brought kids wrestling to the parish on an annual basis. Even in 2006, with New Orleans clubs scattered by the hurricanes, over 400 wrestlers came to Dutchtown High School to compete in the Titan Invitational. The club has been awarded the USA Kids State Tournament for 2007, which will be held at East Ascension High School Gyms on March 24, 2007. Since its beginnings, the club has had the same member fee with few exceptions. The annual fee for each wrestler is $60.00, of which $30.00 is sent to the National USA Wrestling organization for insurance and competition identification card. The balance has been used to provide competition uniforms for the wrestlers. As a 501-c3 nonprofit organization, the club also provides support funding for members to travel and compete in national competitions. There are no administration or coaching fees or salaries, as all forms of support are donated.
National competition support began in 2004, when the club sponsored wrestlers to the Liberty Nationals in Kansas City, Missouri and to Fargo, North Dakota for the Junior National Championships. In 2006, the club sponsored members to the Liberty Nationals, the Kids Nationals in Cedar Falls, Iowa, the Schoolboy Nationals in Greenville, South Carolina, and to Fargo for the Cadet and Junior National Tournament.
Current coaches for the club include head coach Phil Bode, assistant coaches Cody Hesser, Steven Thomas, Mike Bernard, and Stan Eunice. The club operates a website, www.wrestleup.org, which contains additional information about the club, upcoming events, and pictures of the athletes. |
