Thunder Mountain Middle School will host its first-ever Southeast Middle School Regional Wrestling Tournament beginning Friday and continuing through Saturday inside the TMMS gymnasium with over 230 wrestlers from 11 communities attending.

“I love having the competition,” TMMS wrestling coach Ken Brown said. “It’s great seeing kids from Southeast embracing the sport I love. Jack Carney from Wrangell always has a tough program, Mike Callahan from Sitka has a great team loaded with tough eighth graders, Schoenbar coach is Max Collins…I coached against Max when he wrestled, son of Rick Collins who coached Ketchikan High and Schoenbar for years. Levi Mills from Hoonah always has a few tough kids to throw into the mix. Jake Mason from Haines is a former JDHS wrestler and he has some great wrestlers every year. It’s just great to see the sport starting to flourish and with such great coaches.”

Friday wrestling begins at 4 p.m. and tournament director Chris Heidemann, a Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé teacher, is planning to have wrestlers complete early rounds through to the semifinals.

Saturday wrestling will start at 9 a.m. with an hour lunch break at noon. The championship finals are scheduled for 6 p.m.

“Our community doesn’t get to host many home wrestling tournaments,” TMMS co-coach Jason Hass said. “When we do have the opportunity, we like to be the best hosts we can to all the athletes, coaches, and fans.”

Thunder Mountain Middle School wrestler Koltin Vick attempts a pin against schoolmate Tyson Foster during the inaugural Thunder Mountain Mayhem Team Duels Wrestling Tournament on Feb. 1. (Klas Stolpe / Juneau Empire)

When school is in session the Juneau Youth Wrestling Club will have their Juneau Wrestling Center open to let visiting teams practice, mentally prepare and do homework.

On Saturday morning wrestling community coaches will be making breakfast to feed all the visitors and the team’s newly formed Inner Circle Wrestling Booster Club has provided a stocked hospitality room, organized tournament volunteers and set up a livestream of the tournament action.

“But without the wrestlers none of this would be possible,” Hass said. “Our wrestling participation continues to grow with an astounding upward trajectory. This season’s TMMS team is a shining example of that. My favorite part of this is that as our participation grows, so does our team’s diversity. Along with our longtime JYWC wrestlers, we have many middle schoolers trying wrestling for the first time. They have backgrounds in basketball, hockey, soccer, judo and alpine ski racing. These well-rounded athletes are finding success on the mat and realizing the benefits that wrestling is building in their other activities too. Wrestling is a sport that knows no socioeconomic or physical boundaries. Everyone is needed and everyone is welcome. I love the fact that everyone in town now knows somebody that is a wrestler.”

During a Monday practice this week TMMS co-coach Gideon Monette announced the team’s thought of the week is to “be courageous in your convictions.”

Said coach Hass, “There are a lot of goals that these young men and women have set for themselves. They are tirelessly and courageously striving to achieve them. For some, their goal is to win their first match this weekend. For others, this weekend is a stepping stone en route to the Tanana Middle School State Tournament in two weeks. Regardless of what the goal is, 4 p.m. this Friday is marching closer and closer. Be courageous.”

This weekend Sitka’s Blatchley Wolves will bring 27 middle school grapplers to the TMMS mats, the Craig Panthers 16, Haines Glacier Bears 19, Hoonah Braves 15, Kake Thunderbirds five, Ketchikan’s Charter school 13 and Ketchikan’s Schoenbar Knights 28, Klawock Chieftains nine, Petersburg’s Mitkof Vikings 14, Wrangell’s Stikine Wolves 24, Thorne Bay Wolverines six and the host Thunder Mountain Falcons 52.

• Contact Klas Stolpe at klas.stolpe@juneauempire.com.