This is a printer-friendly version of an article from Zip06.com.
04/03/2024 08:30 AMKate Schumann was never much of a wrestling fan while growing up. However, when the Sled Dog Wrestling Club needed a coach this year, Kate stepped up and made sure that both the club and kids can continue to thrive.
The Sled Dog Wrestling Club is a co-ed wrestling club open to kids from age 5 through the 8th grade.
“It’s open to any kid, not just Clinton kids. We practice in the Joel School cafeteria, and the club runs from mid-November to March,” Kate explains.
Kate and her husband first started the club about five years ago.
“My husband grew up wrestling and hadn’t been involved for a few years. But in your heart, you’re always a wrestler,” Kate says with a laugh.
After COVID-19 caused a small hiccup in operation, the club returned and has continued to be a draw for kids in Clinton and beyond.
Initially, Kate was content to stick with the administrative work of running the club.
“I didn’t grow up wrestling and wanted nothing to do with it,” Kate says with a chuckle.
However, with Kate’s husband having time commitments this year, things changed for her.
“I’ve always done more of the administrative stuff, but this year, I really stepped up into more of a coaching role,” says Kate.
The move has proved incredibly rewarding for Kate.
“I’m not an athletic person, for the most part,” Kate jokes. “Now, I really enjoy wrestling. I’m really into it and a diehard wrestling mom. “
Kate proudly notes that the club has grown in membership with every year. While there were only 10 kids the first year, there were 35 for this season.
“One of my favorite things is we have a few kids who started with us, but now are on the team at The Morgan School,” Kate observes. “The parents really seem to love what we’re doing. We don’t allow bullying and teach the kids sportsmanship and emphasize being a team and sticking up for one another. It’s all things they can carry with them outside of wrestling.”
For Kate, the best part of the club is watching the kids grow.
“Seeing them enjoy themselves is great. The kids have parents who say they’re quieter and shyer, but they step up and get out on the mat and become a different animal,” says Kate. “We have kids who don’t even want to wrestle in a match, but they love showing up to practice and have a big smile on their face just being on a team.”
Another one of Kate’s favorite aspects is witnessing how the team has been growing with girls in the area. Kate points out that women’s wrestling is a growing sport with many colleges adding women’s wrestling teams to their athletic departments.
“Every year, we’re getting one or two more girls joining, and I really like that,” Kate says. “They love it, too, because they come and don’t think they can compete with the boys, but most of the time, they usually win.”
When she isn’t running the wrestling club, Kate keeps busy with her job as a veterinary technician.
“I remember when I was a kid, I’d draw animals. I’ve always wanted to work with animals,” Kate recalls.
In addition to her job, Kate also has been a frequent volunteer at Branford’s Dan Cosgrove Animal Shelter, where she provides veterinary care.
“I love teaming up with them and supporting them. I think they do some of the best work in Connecticut. I’ve adopted my own pets from them,” Kate says.
Kate has spent her life along the Connecticut shoreline, first in her hometown of Madison, later East Haven, and now Clinton. Kate and her family moved to Clinton due to the proximity of family and the affordability of the town.
“Between school and sports, I love the majority of the families I’ve met here. It’s just nice group of people here that I’ve become close with,” Kate says of Clinton. “It’s close to the water and nearby where I grew up. It just feels so comfortable here.”