Multiple generations of wrestlers have come together at the North Shore Wrestling Club, which opened its doors at the beginning of March.
The club was founded by Chris Thom, president of the B.C. Wrestling Association and a former Carson Graham Secondary wrestler. He felt that the sport was under-supported outside the high school level, and wanted to find a way to bring it to a larger group of people. With many clubs shutting down due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Thom wanted to fill the void left behind since the pandemic broke out.
“Wrestling is a sport that has done a lot for a lot of people, and so we're just trying to give back," said Thom. "It's a really inclusive place, for a lot of kids who don't fit in with other sports, to find a home and be active and work on their physical literacy development.”
With support from former Olympic athletes, the club is off to a quick start, with some names drawing attention from the wrestling community. Justin Abdou, a former Canadian Olympic wrestler and the head coach of the SFU wrestling team, said that he grew up in clubs like the North Shore Wrestling Club, and is excited to bring his son there, noting the opportunities that wrestling can offer through scholarships in post-secondary education.
“I just think that there are endless possibilities. I grew up in a small club in Moose Jaw, Sask., a small town, and we've had four Olympians come out of that club because in our community wrestling was an important thing,” said Abdou.
Another significant figure who has been helping out at the club is former Iranian national wrestling coach Monsour Barzegar, an Olympic silver medallist and world champion, who has been bringing his grandson in for coaching. Wrestling is the national sport of Iran, and holds great significance in the Iranian Canadian community, with Barzegar carrying status amongst the wrestling community.
“When I wrestled on the national team for Canada, he was the head coach of Iran," said Abdou. "So I used to wrestle against his top wrestlers. He's a wrestling legend. It'd be exciting for me just to be around him and maybe pick up some things for my own team. Abdou compared Barzegar to hockey greats such as Bobby Orr, Gordie Howe, and Wayne Gretzky, adding that his presence could possibly increase the number of Iranian-Canadians that want to come out and put their kids in wrestling in Canada.
Speaking to the North Shore News through a translator, his son Manziar, Monsour Barzegar expressed the importance of a good coach and talked about how important wrestling is to him and his children.
“My father believes that he should guide the new generation to the right way to find their purpose and be a good member of their community,” said Manziar. Both Barzegars expressed how wrestling isn't just a sport for them, it’s something that holds great importance to their family and community, and that they were excited to share it with the people at the club.
The North Shore Wrestling Club runs programs for elementary-aged children, high school students, and adult classes, and offers a place for wrestlers on the North Shore to train in the off-season, as it runs all year long. Thom also mentioned that there have been no reported COVID cases associated with wrestlers in B.C.
“You don't need to wrestle yourself to bring your kid there. Your kid doesn't need to fit a certain mould, body type or background or skill set. It’s really a space for anybody,” said Thom. "Wrestling is often a sport where people end up that just don't fit in anywhere else. We've got an open door for those people.”
The club operates out of Gloria Dei Lutheran Church at 1110 Gladwin Drive in North Vancouver. Visit the club's website for more information or for registration details.
