Alcester Union & Hudsonite Online

Assistant coach Tim Rhead (standing) watches wrestlers' techniques during practice last Monday afternoon at the Cub's new practice facility in the Alcester-Hudson Elementary School. The practice room is the first area designated for wrestling and physical therapy since the school's wrestling program began in the early 1970s. (Photo by Paul Buum, Editor/Publisher)

ALCESTER – For the first time in the program’s history, the Alcester-Hudson wrestling team has a place of their own to practice in, and the student athletes and coaches are excited about the change.

“This is the first time I’ve ever had a dedicated wrestling facility to train in, except for when I went to SDSU,” said head coach Phil Serck, who was also a standout wrestler at Alcester-Hudson. “This room is so new and different from what we’re use to that I’m having trouble figuring out the best way to conduct practices.”

The new wrestling/therapy room is part of the addition completed this summer at the Alcester-Hudson Elementary School. The new addition also includes an auxiliary gymnasium, concessions area, locker rooms and public restrooms.

“For the past couple of years we’ve been practicing in the old high school gym, but this new facility is so much better,” Serck said.

Since the wrestling program began at Alcester High School in the early 1970s, the wrestling team has always had to make due by training in space available. For the first couple of seasons the wrestling team practiced in the basement of the Alcester Community Building.

After the elementary school building was constructed in 1973 the wrestling program moved to the balcony area of the gymnasium there. The problem was that the balcony was never really meant to be a wrestling practice facility. The addition of a weight room and additional bleachers began to put a squeeze on the wrestling practice area.

Because of dwindling space and safety issues at the elementary school, the wrestling team has spent the past couple of seasons practicing at the high school gym, which wasn’t a much better a situation for them.

“We’ve only been practicing here for a couple of weeks now and we’re still trying to get a feel for it,” Serck said. “All I can say is that this new room is a huge boost for the wrestling program.”

During the past few seasons the Alcester-Hudson wrestling program has been one of the more successful athletic programs in the school. The program has produced two state champions over the past two seasons, and placed a number of wrestlers in the state tournament.

The Cubs wrestling season opened Tuesday night with the Early Bird Tournament in Elk Point, and the team travels to Chester on Saturday for the Chester Invitational.

The Cubs wrestlers make their home debut next Thursday, December 6 when they host a Double Dual against Chester and Flandreau at 6:00 p.m. Their only other home meet this season as a Quadrangular on January 10.

The Cubs are lead by seven seniors including state champion Carl Serck. Other returning seniors include Daryl Oberg, who finished 4th in last season’s state tournament, and Alex Merrick, who also qualified for the state tournament. Other seniors include Corey Haisch, Alex Thompson and Jonny Moumy.

Sponsored by: