One down, two to go.
Two months after winning a title with the Foothills Composite Falcons football team, Grade 12 student Liam Hamlyn has set his sites on winning a pair of high school provincial championships in wrestling.
“I said at the start of the school year I want to get three ASAA (Alberta Schools’ Athletic Association) gold medals, football and two for wrestling — one for rurals and one for provincials,” Hamlyn said. “I got second last year at rurals and then fourth at provincials. I’m hoping to do better and get gold in both.”
He was golden last weekend. Hamlyn took top spot at 120kg at the Winston Churchill Bulldog meet in Calgary on Saturday.
His work on the Falcons defensive line has helped Hamlyn’s golden wrestling quest.
“I think I have expanded on what I learned last year and football always helps,” Hamlyn said. “That double-leg takedown is one of my favourite moves, because it’s like a tackle. I go in there and then I pretend I’m tackling a ballplayer.”
Hamlyn has rested since the Foothills Falcons won the gridiron championship and as he turns his attention to wrestling, he’s got to get back into shape.
“Football ended a while ago but I just wanted to take a break and then that break went a bit longer,” Hamlyn said with a smile. “I started after the Christmas break and then I took more time off for exams. Now I’m back at it.
“Wrestling is definitely more tiring. I have one three-minute round in wrestling and I am tired compared to football, but I have been playing football for 10 or 11 years and this is only my second-year wrestling… Last year, after wrestling I was in the best shape of my life.”
He got off to a respectable start this season finishing fifth at the University of Alberta High School wrestling tournament in Edmonton on Jan. 29-30. There were 14 wrestlers at 120kg.
He’s got a weighty issue at Okotoks Wrestling Club practices. His practice partner is defending provincial champion at 108kg, Holy Trinity Academy Knight Sam Watkins.
“I think we definitely give each other a run for our money,” Hamlyn said with a smile. “It’s definitely fun and we challenge each other.
“I’m about 10kg more so I make him work for the weight and I have to work on other things.”
Watkins said it’s definitely helped his wrestling to have the heavier Hamlyn as a partner.
“It’s hard enough to move a 108kg guy, but when you’re training with a 120kg (after that)it’s not as hard,” said Watkins, who finished second in Edmonton. “He’s rusty right now, but he’s good.”
Okotoks wrestling coach Doug Watkins was singing a familiar tune about the gifted Hamlyn.
The coach would have liked the gift a few years earlier.
“Liam is a fit 120kg – he is fast,” Watkins said. “I wish I would have had him in Grade 10.”
Now he’s got to get Hamlyn and the rest of the Okotoks crew in wrestling shape.
“He’s not fit enough yet at his matches in Edmonton, I don’t think any of them went past the first round, win or lose,” coach Watkins said. “We have changed our practice format to get guys into shape. We’re going 30 to 35 minutes of live wrestling at practice now.”
The hard work is paying off if the Churchill meet is any indication. Holy Trinity Knight Sadie Watkins took home the gold medal in the girls’ 57kg division, besting her brother Sam who was third at 108kg. Foothills Falcons Erick Osberg also picked up the bronze at 59kg.
Foothills’ Dan Kovalchuk continued to impress in his second year of wrestling. He was fourth at 82kg. Cayley’s Josh Skory, a Highwood Mustang and defending provincial high school champion, won gold at 50kg.
The rural provincials are Feb. 26-27 in Lethbridge. The provincial championships are March 11-12 in Edmonton.
