Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

Since getting involved with Albert Lea Area girls wrestling three years ago, Benjamin Lares has seen a lot of growth in both the number of athletes participating and in the skills they develop along the way.

Encompassing Pre-K through grade 8, the program just finished their folkstyle wrestling season with 43 girls.

Lares said he originally got involved when his daughter began wrestling, and the head coach, Josh Ignaszewski, asked Lares if he would help.

Since then, Lares has facilitated the program. He said he does his best to provide a positive atmosphere for all the girls who want to try the sport.

The season wrapped up with the final competition, Northland Youth Wrestling Association (NYWA) State Tournament at the beginning of April. Albert Lea took 12 girls to the tournament.

One thing to note about the Albert Lea Area girls wrestling program, Lares said, is that they only had to bring in one person from a different region across all the weight divisions.

Other area teams, he explained, had to combine teams to make a full squad.

“That’s one thing that Albert Lea has to be proud of here in this community is we have a lot of girls in this community that are coming into this program,” he said.

Ignaszewski said when the program began, there were only about five girls participating. One reason he said he thinks the program has seen so much growth recently is the girls have a lot of fun, and they encourage their friends to join as well.

“I think most of the girls probably have more fun going around and cheering each other on and hanging out than actually wrestling,” he said. “They love wrestling, too, but they love cheering each other on.”

He said it is rewarding to see the camaraderie they have built.

Recently, Lares said, the Albert Lea Boosters made it possible for the program to have free registration.

“The Albert Lea Boosters went above and beyond to provide those opportunities for kids in the community,” Lares said. “The community has really rallied around these girls.”

He added he hopes that free registration is something that can eventually extend to other youth sports as well.

When it comes to having a successful season, Lares said, they try to focus more on progress and growth rather than wins and losses.

“It’s more about the process, and the progress and how you’re getting there,” he said. “And making sure that every time you get on the mat, you do your best, you give it your all, you never give up and you have fun.”

Lares added he wants the athletes he works with to be mentally strong while learning the discipline and respect that comes from the sport.

Ignaszewski said it is fun to see girls at the beginning of the season go from barely able to somersault to winning competitions and gaining skills.

The girls are also proud of their progress.

Twelve-year-old Kaylee Fierke said she is excited she got 33 pins this year.

Fourteen-year-old Emilie Troster had similar feelings.

“I’ve definitely [become] more confident having gotten better technique,” she said.

Many of the girls who move on to being on a junior high or varsity team still come back to Albert Lea Area girls wrestling to help out the younger girls and be role models for them.

Lares said he is grateful to the Albert Lea community for their continued support and willingness to donate their time to volunteering and making the program possible.

Girls do not have to live in Albert Lea to participate, said Lares. Any girls from the area are welcome to join.

The new season, freestyle Greco-Roman wrestling, will begin in mid-May.