By Michael Letendre

BRISTOL – The Bristol Gladiators have been holding wrestling clinics at the Bristol Boys & Girls Club over the summer months.

“Learn-2-Wrestle Saturday” at the club has brought several youngsters together to learn more about the sport – one of the many sports programs that the global pandemic put behind the eight ball in terms of numbers, participation, and competitions.

These free clinics have seen several current and former grapplers from the Mum City – and beyond – show a new generation of athletes the uniqueness of the sport.

And former Bristol Eastern coach and mentor, Bryant Lishness, has brought in talent from all of the country down to the club to teach the sport.

A couple of grapplers from the West Coast were on hand at the most recent clinic in Bristol.

“We hosted two NCAA Division One All-Americans at the club for a clinic,” said Lishness. “They were from Arizona State.”

Brandon Courtney, a senior standout at 125 pounds, and Jacori Teemer – a 157 pound junior from Long Beach, New York – were on hand from ASU as several youngsters from the local area are getting some expert teaching and coaching from experienced grapplers.

Of course, plenty of local talent was also on hand for those clinics.

Aaron Morocho, Luke Mangiafico, Tommy Nichols and Jo-Jo Gonzalez from American International College, Kareem Hoe and Ella Nichols from Western New England, Ryder’s Ethan Titus, Lander’s Will Hamilton and Springfield’s David Robinson have all given of their time to help out.

That grouping includes a tremendous showing of former Bristol Central and Bristol Eastern grapplers who have achieved at the scholastic level in terms of individual and team championships.

“We are trying to bring in high level clinicians,” said Lishness. 

There was plenty of fun being had on the mats as well this past summer, but Lishness won’t be putting the mats away when school rolls into session in Bristol.

There’s more to come in terms of clinics as the fall rolls around which will include sessions at local elementary schools.

“This fall we are running a whole bunch of things,” said Lishness. “[We’re going to host] clinics around Bristol in the schools. Mountain View and Northeast Middle School are scheduled already. We have a fall tournament at the club on September 24. We also have our in-house league for K-8 wrestlers.”

That means there’s going to be a host of wrestling action from the club and other venues around the Mum City. 

And Lishness and his crew will continue to bring in some big named talent to Bristol as newcomers to the sport of wrestling in Bristol can learn from top-tier NCAA talent.

“This fall we will have Pat Glory (NCAA Division I finalist from Princeton), Brian Realbuto (three-time All American from Cornell), Steven Rodriguez (AA from Illinois) and maybe even Jordan Oliver (US World Team member and two-time D1 National Champ from Oklahoma State),” said Lishness.  

COVID-19 has not helped the sport of wrestling in the least and in Bristol, these programs are attempting to attract new athletes that might want to give wrestling a try.

And as we’ve seen from grapplers from Bristol Central and Bristol Eastern over the years, wrestling is just not a winter program as participation in the sport can be a year-round venture.

“[We’re] trying to grow wrestling anyway we can,” said Lishness.

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