Gallatin USA Kids Wrestling Club

Members of the Gallatin USA Kids Wrestling Club have competed in eight wrestling tournaments since Dec. 16. The tournaments include Lawson, Excelsior Springs, Trenton, Benton, Kearney, St. Joe and Maysville. Place winners so far are: 1st — 24; 2nd — 18; 3rd — 13; and 4th — 16.

There are 39 members in the club and each is a member of Missouri USA Wrestling Association. Head coaches are Charlie Eaton and Larry Rhoades. Other coaches include Bill Wright Jr., Tina Esbeck, Randy Eaton, Jeff Taul, Earnie Horvatin and Barron Gann.

The children practice Tuesday and Wednesday evenings. Districts will be held March 10 at Lexington. Sectionals are March 17 at Winnetonka. State will be March 24-25 at the Hearnes Center in Columbia.

“The purpose of the club is to prepare the kids for high school athletics, and above all promote sportsmanship,” according to head coach Charlie Eaton. “We appreciate the support we have had from the community and the support and cooperation from our parents.”

The parents are a very active part of the practices and tournaments. They assist the coaches in hands on training at practices and help the coaches at tournaments with the kids as far as preparation and mat side.

Current members hail from Gallatin, Hamilton, Trenton, Kingston and Kidder. Members are: six and under — Kevin Vaughn, Garrett McNeely, Justin Taul and Matthew Schieber; seven and eight — Colten Selby, Brad Denten, Britton Wright, Brandon Hunt, Riley Vanatta, John First, Dakota Goll, Tyler Grooms; nine and ten — Robert Rhoades, Nathan Tague, Kyle Adkison, Tyler Anderson, Matt Pottorff, Billy Kerns, Kyle Croy, Casey Alden, Derrick Feigly, Stephen Wood, Cody Selby, Andrew Pierce, Derrick Teel, Vince Wiley; eleven and twelve — Dennette Rhoades, Riley Rains, Chase Hunt, Derrick Eaton, Logan Corwin, Clayton Baker and Brandon Meseberg, fourteen and up — Klint Kloepping, Daniel Horvatin, Levi Rainey, Andrew Rainey, Adam Strein, and Zachery Sipple.