Celebrating the Achievements of GKNS Wrestlers
GKNS wrestlers made a statement at the BC Provincial Championships this year. Owen Ismay and Lucy McRae both received silver medals in their respective weight categories. Other match winners were Austin Beachy who won two matches and Bevan Nicol, Sophia Dormand and Payden Ismay each winning a single match.
Building a wrestling program from the ground up on Haida Gwaii has not been easy. Coach Gaëtan Hallé identified two major challenges: starting a team from scratch and limited tournament opportunities.
“Wrestling isn’t a super well-known sport in general, so building interest and recruiting has been a challenge,” Hallé said. “That being said, in the first year we had three wrestlers, and this year we had 12-16 regulars at practice, so it’s been a slow steady build.”
Another difficulty is the high ratio of practice time to competition time.
“Even for a wrestler in the city, they spend a lot of time in the practice room compared to time competing on the mat at tournaments. On Haida Gwaii, our remoteness exacerbates that because we don’t have access to very many tournaments. But the kids are working really hard and are having great success already, especially when you consider limited competition time.”
Despite these obstacles, the team has grown significantly over four years. Two original members are still on the team, helping to set an example for younger wrestlers and build a strong team culture.
“In the next few years, one of the goals for the team would be to continue that momentum and have the older wrestlers help out with coaching, possibly expanding to an elementary school program,” Hallé explained. “The more mat time the kids have early on, the more fun and success they’ll have later on in their wrestling careers.”
The team also wants to provide more opportunities for youth to pursue sports outside of basketball, which has traditionally been the dominant sport in the community.
“Wrestling gives kids who might not fit the basketball mold a chance to excel in sport and develop character and confidence within themselves by pushing themselves physically, emotionally, and mentally,” he said. “The last of our goals would be to start a club for the wrestlers who want to continue training through the off-season of the regular high school sports season. That’s in the works as we speak.”
While wrestling is still new to GKNS, the program has already developed traditions. Before tournaments, coaches give a pep talk to remind athletes to give their best effort and enjoy the experience. The team then unites for a cheer before heading into competition.
One of the most memorable moments in team history happened in its first year at provincials. Austin Beachy won a match by default when his opponent didn’t show up. When he raised his arm for the official victory, the moment was streamed live to his classmates back home. It became known as the ‘Beachy Arm’ and is still a funny memory for the team.
“Other memorable moments are the first victories for each wrestler at zones or provincials,” Hallé added. “They’ve each overcome big odds and big obstacles to make it there, and to win a match (or multiple matches) is a big deal. Seeing the pride from each of them as they find success and confidence is really special to witness.”
The success at provincials this year shows that GKNS Wrestling is on the rise. With continued growth, dedicated athletes, and strong leadership, the future of wrestling looks bright.