The action is intense, fast paced and often very competitive. The matches are held in the gymnasium on three mats and in the Tunkhannock Area high-school cafeteria on another two. More than 200 wrestlers from around the region come here for the Wyoming County Kiwanis tournament every year between Christmas and New Year's.
"We use in the Kiwanis to help promote in the children in the youth of the community. We also use this as a fund-raiser for the wrestling team. We let them run the concession stand to promote the local team," said Frank Wadas.
Frank Wadas is the tournament director. It's his job to coordinate the event and have it run smoothly. He's seen some outstanding wrestlers come here in the last three decades.
"We've had a lot of boy's that went on that we're National Champions. Montrose has had one, a local guy Dick Klef had a team from Neshaminy. One of their wrestlers that won here went on and won an NCAA Championship. We've had East Stroudsburg here when Mungro was there and went on and played pro football," again said Frank.
In 37 years this Kiwanis tournament has grown from 8 teams to 26. This is the first year a team from Cranford New Jersey high-school is here and coming back in Wilkes-Barre Meyers 1988 graduate Kevin Murray with his son Gavin who is a nationally ranked wrestler headed to Purdue and the Big 10 next season.
"We we're good back then a lot of change has happened since then. We had a great team back then with the first undefeated team in 1987 with Tim Casey as state champion that year. Growing up here we know what the tradition is so that's why we decided to come up and challenge our kids this year," said Kevin Murray.
"It's a good tournament. It's a great holiday tournament. I remember ever since I was little coming down here for a long-long time. It's a good tournament. You have good competition-good matches and it's just a great tournament to go to," said Dylan Otis.
