Of all the sports in the Bluewater Athletic Association, the one that likely gets the least publicity is wrestling.
Truth be known, I didn’t even know there was wrestling in Bluewater Athletics, until Kaelyn Coghill of Walkerton District Secondary School won a Gold Medal at the OFSAA Championships in Peterborough this year.
Wrestling in the 95 kilogram division, Coghill was the champion in a field of more than 30 competitors.
The route to OFSAA wasn’t easy for Coghill, but in fairness, it wasn’t loaded with roadblocks either.
There’s only one other competitor in his weight category at Walkerton, so it’s not like there’s a variety of opponents at the grassroots.
Even at the District level on the road to CWOSSA, he waited all day for his match and finished the contest in just 11 seconds.
Coghill’s participation in the sport is no surprise. He relates both of his parents competed in the sport, and a connection still exists through a parent that might take him to the University of Guelph. Or not.
There are lots of options for Kaelyn Coghill in wrestling, including dropping down a weight category to experience a larger competitive field.
What stands out on the near horizon is the National Championships next month at Fredericton, New Brunswick, definitely the biggest challenge he’ll face to this point in the calendar year.
I’m Fred Wallace