Down to Throwback

One Year Later: From an Idea to Something Bigger Than We Imagined

Almost exactly one year ago, Down to Wrestle was first acknowledged by the Saskatoon StarPhoenix (read the article here). At the time, we had no idea what the program would become. We had a vision, but we were stepping into territory we did not understand. I had never coached a youth sports team before. And although Dan has is an award wining coach, his experience with youth was limited.

Could a structured roughhousing environment work for kids with Down syndrome? Would it teach bad behavior? If so, could we correct it? Would the kids listen? Would student-athlete volunteers be engaged? Would parents feel comfortable? Would the university continue to support it? And, perhaps most importantly—would the kids even like it?

In those early days, I leaned heavily on the expertise of Huskie Wrestling Head Coach Dan Olver. He had one simple but powerful benchmark for success: "We’ll know it’s working if the kids don’t want to leave at the end of practice." And, boy, did they not want to leave. From the very first session, it became clear that this program wasn’t just filling a gap—it was giving these kids something they truly loved.

Looking back, it’s incredible to see how far we’ve come in just one year. But even more exciting is the realization of how far we could go. The success of Down to Wrestle has shown us that this is just the beginning. With a structured curriculum in development, growing interest from new demographics, and the potential to expand beyond Saskatoon, Dan and I are more excited than ever for what’s ahead. One year ago, we had questions. Today, we have momentum. And the future? It’s looking bright.