Sequim Gazette staff

Sequim’s up-and-coming wrestling phenoms finished their season last month.

The wrestling camp Sequim Mat Rats for youths ages 5-12 was a success, said instructor Charles Drabek.

“We are training future wrestlers and opening up the world of wrestling that I hope will stay with them for the rest of their lives,” Drabek said.

“We are teaching them skills that will enable them to compete for the middle school and high school teams in the future and allow them to have the confidence to succeed at those levels.”

Wrestlers learned the basics of wrestling in neutral, top-and-bottom position along with basic pinning combinations with the half-nelson the most popular, Drabek said.

For a takedown, wrestlers learned the sequence of the five L’s — Lunge, Lock, Lift, Lean and Look.

Drabek said for Mat Rats in 2014, the team will include more moves and possibly add another week to training.

For more information on next year’s program, call Charles Drabek at 477-7501 or Erik Wiker at Sequim High School, 582-3623.