Supporters step up to fund wrestling program at A-J

At a regular meeting of the Anna-Jonesboro Community High School District No. 81 Board of Education, the high school wrestling team received two checks that will serve as the team’s primary funds for the 2013-2014 season.  

Rollie Hawk presented a check for $500 from the A-J Junior Wildcats Wrestling Club and Grover Mays presented a check for $5,000 from Grover Mays Construction.

“I don’t envy the school board in the budgetary decisions they have to make each year,” said A-J Junior Wildcats club president Rollie Hawk before presenting his club’s check.

“When you are faced with funding issues and a sport has a drop in numbers, we certainly understand that tough decisions have to be made,” Hawk said in a news release.

While the school district is not funding the wrestling team for the current year, these donations, paired with other cost-saving measures, should carry the team through the next year, those involved with the program said.

“Thanks to this very generous donation by Grover Mays Construction, our club and hopefully more to come, we’ll be able to carry the team through some lean years, both in terms of numbers and dollars,” Hawk said.

“Rather than receiving the typical coaching stipends, Coach Massey and his staff will be donating their time. The team will also have to look at carpooling rather than taking a school vehicle to events. It will be tight but they should be able to make it through this season.”

With strong numbers in the A-J Junior Wildcats Wrestling Club, head coach Grover Mays said he is confident that the high school numbers on the wrestling team will increase in the years to come.

Mays said he is hopeful that the school board will eventually reconsider funding the team once the numbers justify it.

“We’re a little short on eighth graders so we may not be sending many to the high school team next year but after that we should be sending six or seven experienced wrestlers to the high school team every year,” Mays said.

“Most of them will have at least three or four years experience wrestling.”

High school head wrestling coach Eric Massey said he was overjoyed by the generous donation and showered praise on Grover Mays Construction for stepping up in his teams time of need.

“Without their support we do not have a wrestling season, plain and simple,” Massey said upon receipt of the check. “If you know the Mays family you know they are some of the very best.”