Lincoln Loggers wrestlers prepares for competition as season gets underway

A young group of grapplers took to the new red Lincoln Loggers mats at the Lincoln Community Hall Tuesday, Dec. 7 to get a handle on the basics of wrestling as the new season got underway last week.

The club received the new mats, emblazoned with the team logo, through donations from throughout the community Something Schwalm and the team are thankful for.They replaced the worn second-hand mats they had been using since the wrestling club was formed by the late Bob Zadick in 2016.

"We didn't really get to use them last year," Schwalm said. "By the time we got the logistics worked out they ended up showing up after the season. This is the first year we're using them."

Schwalm said they have 15 kids in the Little Guy Wrestling program so far this season, and he said they're a young group, with a lot of first timers.

"We lost some of the veterans for various reasons," Schwalm said. "Some of them just got a little too old for what we're doing right now."

Schwalm's been looking into tournaments for older kids, if any of them want to get involved, but so far hasn't had any interest.

He said they currently have five regular season state tournaments and two Montana Open tournaments on the schedule for this season.

For any kids still interested in taking part, the club practices every Tuesday and Thursday at the Hall at 4:30 p.m. under the tutelage of Schwalm and assistant coaches Nick Hessler and Mike Romines.