Wrestlers prep at summer camp

High school wrestling, which is normally a winter sport, had a summer “season” this year in south Pierce County.

Graham-Kapowsin High was the site of a weeklong wrestling camp in July for about 200 wrestlers from throughout western Washington and locally.

Separate camps for male and female wrestlers were staged July 16-22 by Kaizen Intensive Camps. The organization and its camps are headed by current or former college competitors and coaches, including camp director Levi Jones, a former wrestler at Boise State University.

The camp at Graham-Kapowsin focused on training, conditioning and wrestling techniques. Five workout sessions were held each day, accompanied by motivational speeches from coaches, pastors and UFC fighters.

Camp participants and counselors spent their nights at Frontier Middle School, located next to Graham-Kapowsin, where they ate dinner and slept in preparation for the next day’s activities. Breakfast and lunch also were served on-campus daily.

“They pretty much eat, sleep, and wrestle,” coach Brad Perry said of the camp participants.