Wrestling at Wittenberg University has been nonexistent since the 1989-1990 school year, when the team went 1-11 in dual meets. Prior to that year, wrestling had been a varsity sport at Wittenberg, since the 1960-1961 academic year. The team was abolished in the 90s due to Title IX requirements, which made opportunities equal for men and women at the collegiate level. Though it could be argued that women can wrestle too, wrestling is predominantly a male sport.
On Wednesday, Feb. 20, there was an information session for students interested in wrestling and/or being a statistician for a wrestling club. Sophomore Ben Roshon has decided to head the process of there being a Wrestling Club or team on campus. The organization would be called “Wittenberg Wrestling Club” or WWC for short. As of right now, the group is in the process of becoming a club. After being legitimized, Roshon hopes to work in the direction of becoming a varsity sport on campus. They are currently looking for people interested in wrestling, as there were a total of nine men that showed up to the meeting.
Once the WWC has been made an official organization by Student Senate, the club will be looking for sponsors for funding. The funds will purchase singlets and a new mat for the club.
The faculty advisor for the club is currently Robert L. Davis, an English professor, though the club is currently on the hunt for a coach.
If the WWC gets legitimized by Student Senate, it will be a part of the Great Lakes Conference, where there is the probability of the team wrestling club teams from all over the country. That includes the club teams from Auburn University, Penn State and Kent State University.
Providing that things go well, the club is hoping to begin practice in October of 2018, so that they can be ready for the 2018-2019 season. The WWC would be the first Division III team in the National Collegiate Wrestling Association (NCWA), which would be an interesting opportunity for the club.
Roshon’s goal is “to make this a team, to build up comradery on campus”.
He and his buddies came up with the idea at football practice, and it has been in the back of their minds since. There have been bylaws written for the club, and important positions set in place such as: captain, co-captain, statistician, treasurer and secretary. The captain and the co-captain will serve as president and vice president of the club, as there will be elections for those positions, and the others, when the club has been legitimized.
Roshon is hoping to have WWC meetings on Thursdays, when the club gets up and running. Eventually, it will be the day that the team has meetings before their meets on Saturdays, so that they can be prepared for the weekend.
The club will know whether or not they are legitimate once they receive the Student Senate seal of approval, so look out for flyers with that information.
