Polson ready to host Little Guy tourney

Polson High School wrestling coach Bob Owen began the Little Guy Wrestling during his second year at Polson High School in 1976.

Owen, who saw various things about AAU wrestling he didn’t like, decided to begin the Little Guy Wrestling Program. It has grown into an organization that now includes over 3,000 regional wrestlers from first grade through eight grade that participate throughout Western Montana.

“The most important thing is that they all have fun and our goal is retain as many kids as we can,” Owen said. “If the kids don’t have fun, they aren’t going to do it anymore. We try to minimize the pressure on the kids to make sure they have a good State experience.”

As the Little Guy Wrestling Program has expanded, several area high school coaches have worked with the kids that have shown an interest in the sport of wrestling.

“I guess I would have to say there are some fantastic coaches working with little kids and it is so important at that age to make the sport a good experience,” Owen said. “We had some excellent coaches that were involved in that. We really have tried to protect the kids from getting too much pressure from the parents and to be able to compete and wrestle in high school. That is our biggest goal is to make sure they have fun wrestling when they are little kids.”

Owen said one of his primary objectives in being one of the catalysts that began Little Guy Wrestling was generating more participants in the program. Polson will have an invitational for beginning and novice on March 3 at 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. at Polson High School.

The other tournaments including beginner, novice and middle at Polson High School on March 9-10 at 9 a.m.for beginning, novice at 11:30 a.m. and middle will start at 2 p.m.

“I guess I would say the one thing that I think we’ve done better is not catering to the elite athlete,” Owen said. “The elite athlete usually has to be a special kid and made to go to all of the elite tournaments. Those are special kids that are able to survive it. I think the more participants that you have participating now, the more kids that you will have participating in high school.”

Owen, whose team is one of the most competitive teams in Class A, said his Pirates program, which is one of the most decorated teams in the last two decades, has benefited greatly from the Little Guy program.

“I think the high school programs are the big benefactors from our program here in the west and all of the coaches have really helped the program’s success,” Owen said. “We just hope to make sure that the kids have a good experience and are still successful.”

Owen said he felt the Little Guy Wrestling, because it’s in an individualized sport, offers kids a “life lesson.”

“In a team sport, if you have a lousy night you might have another four teammates in basketball or football and the team could still have a great night,” Owen said. “In the track of individual sport, you could have one of your best games and it could be so close. It could be a life lesson in a way because in life you have to take care of business yourself.”

As the Little Guy Wrestling gets underway, Owen said the teams have had a “great start” to their six-week weekend.

“Our wrestlers have had a lot of fun and they are off to a great start,” Owen said. “They’ve all had good meets. Part of the reason is it’s the first weekend. We’ve started that weekend and we better train them. We had a few more basic practices before we jumped right into the competition.”