03/03/2026
I just want to take a moment to say how incredibly proud I am of our wrestlers and this entire team this year.
What they’ve accomplished didn’t happen by accident. It’s the result of early mornings, late nights, discipline, sacrifice, and heart. Wrestling isn’t an easy sport — it demands toughness, humility, and resilience. And these athletes showed all of that and more.
But a season like this doesn’t happen because of the wrestlers alone. There are a LOT of people who helped get them to this point.
Coach Klessig who pours in countless hours behind the scenes breaking down film, running practices, pushing these athletes to grow not just as wrestlers but as young men and women. Coach Pekarske who brings his experience and upbeat personality. Coach Keilah Clark who went out on a limb and dove in face first to be Valders’ first ever female wrestling coach. The officials who show up and do a thankless job to keep the sport fair and moving forward. The parents and families who drive the miles, pay the fees, sit through the long tournaments, and support their kids every step of the way. The volunteers and supporters who believe in the program. It take every single person.
Wrestling gave me so much growing up — structure, purpose, grit, and belief in myself. Seeing this team thrive reminds me why it’s so important to give back to the sport that gives so much.
Proud is an understatement.
Thank you to everyone who played a part in this season. The foundation you’re building matters more than you know.
LIVE FREE OR DIE
CLARK