Wrestlers from 13 Georgia schools wrestled outside on Tuesday on 10 mats in a local collegiate football stadium. (Photo courtesy Ken DeStefanis)
VALDOSTA, Ga., Nov. 24, 2020 – Thirteen Georgia high school wrestling teams competed Tuesday in the 2020 Grapple on the Gridiron wrestling tournament on the artificial turf surface at Valdosta High School.
It’s the third consecutive year that the tournament has been held outside. Competition was held on 10 mats. Wrestlers are challenged when competing on hot mats in the bright sun or on slippery mats once the sun goes down due to condensation from the earth.
Why are we mentioning this? Ken DeStefanis, the Hall of Fame wrestling coach at Central Connecticut State, runs Competitive Edge, a wrestling clothing and merchandise business. DeStefanis was in Georgia on Tuesday selling gear at the tournament.
A Massachusetts state wrestling official also floated the idea that Bay State high school teams might hold wrestling matches outside if competition is allowed this spring. Massachusetts pushed wrestling to the spring season that begins in late April.
Mats on the field at Valdosta State University on Tuesday. (Photo courtesy Ken DeStefanis)
Before the action begun in Georgia on Tuesday. (Photo courtesy Ken DeStefanis)
High School
State girls ranked in top 30 national rankings
High School
State girls ranked in top 30 national rankings
