Catholic High's annual wrestling camp stirs up interest

One-day camp introduces sport to prospective students and disadvantaged kids

Published: September 29, 2012

Dwain Hebda

Campers at Catholic High School's summer wrestling camp tangle under the watchful eye of CHS freshman Richard Buzzitta Aug. 4. The camp was attended by public and parochial students as well as disadvantaged boys served by Abba House.

Dwain Hebda

More than 20 aspiring grapplers, age 4 to 14, attended Catholic High School's summer wrestling camp in Little Rock Aug. 4.

The event, now in its fifth year, was staffed by the school's wrestling coaches and members of the 2012-2013 squad.

In addition to athletes from local public and parochial schools, this year's event also served included a number of the boys recruited from Abba House, a home for unwed mothers in Little Rock operated by the Missionaries of Charity. Head Coach Paul Mammarelli, who volunteered at a summer camp held at Abba House earlier this year, saw an opportunity to give some of the kids there an exposure to positive sports activity through the camp.

The event covered the rules and scoring of competitive wrestling, as well as gave campers instruction on basic holds and moves. The camp has been an instrumental building block for the CHS Rocket program, Mammarelli said.

Two of this year's varsity wrestlers got their first exposure to the sport at the one-day event when they were in middle school.

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