Pandemic and lockdown leave club heartbroken

The Elsburg Wrestling Club has been a firm-standing sports club within the Elsburg community for more than 60 years, having opened its doors in 1955.

The club, founded in Mare Street, has always aimed to hone and nurture young wrestling talent.

The club’s year started off well.

Not only did they host a successful friendly tournament, but also competed at the Eastern Gauteng Open Championships at Carnival City.

ALSO READ: Elsburg wrestlers shine at championships

Wrestlers who performed well were Ugue Kabesa (gold medal in freestyle), Daniella Pio (gold medal in freestyle), Bronwen Smit (silver medal in Greco-Roman), Letoya Mbena (bronze medal in freestyle), Keith Downward (bronze medal in freestyle) and Tobie Alberts Jnr (bronze medal in Greco-Roman).

However, the Covid-19 pandemic and subsequent lockdown left the club and its members heartbroken as they were forced to close their doors and stop training.

“We have been on lockdown for several months now,” said Melissa Cilliers, secretary and coach for Elsburg Wrestling Club.

“It left us heartbroken as some of our young members didn’t understand why there was no practise.”

Teaching and learning may have come to a stop throughout lockdown, but the club’s coaches and staff have promoted fitness.

“We did not do online training sessions as not even the coaches were allowed to have contact. Remember wrestling is a contact sport,” said Cilliers.

“But we did encourage our young members to workout at home in their own time and space.

“We did do some fun activities like the upside down T-shirt challenge, during which we asked our children and coaches to send the videos to the club’s WhatsApp group.”

The club hopes to get the green light soon to wrestle once again in order to do what they love.

ALSO READ: Wrestlers hone their skills in first tournament of the year

“We want to get back to training soon and get our members fit and ready for the tournaments that lie ahead,” said Cilliers.

Further to this, Elsburg Wrestling Club hopes to grow their membership and are calling on all interested parties to visit the club in Mare Street.

For more information call Joep Joubert, the club’s media liaison, on 082 557 9240.

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Contact the newsroom by emailing: Melissa Hart (Editor) germistoncitynews@caxton.co.za, Leigh Hodgson (News Editor) leighh@caxton.co.za or Busi Vilakazi (Journalist) busiv@caxton.co.za.

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