Lakehead Wrestling Club

Welcome to the 2026/2027 Lakehead Wrestling Club season!!!

Lots of exciting news happening this season…

A new website is up and running with links to register easily accessible in it. A big thank you to one of the club’s Directors and Coaches, Leah, for getting it up and running! Link below

https://lakeheadwrestling.ca/

After very positive parent feedback in regard to using the TeamlinkT App for registrations and payments, we will be once again using it this season. You have lots of payment plan options through it, so the up front cost for programs can be relatively small if you so choose.

Due to increasing demands for more wrestling opportunities, we have expanded our programming to include a FREE pre-season high school program, a FREE Sunday drop-in high school session, a travelling coach option for high school wrestlers who need a qualified coach to attend tournaments with them and an expanded Senior program (young adults).

We have expanded our coaching roster as well, to meet this increasing demand. We have already added 6 additional coaches to our already large roster! We always have room for more though, so if you are a wrestling coach who is looking to join the club, there is a link to do so on the website. We provide financial support for training, travel and give you access to our resources.

Our Wolf Pups (Gr K-2), Intermediate Elementary (Gr 3-5), and Senior Elementary (Gr 6-8) programs will be starting up shortly (dates and times on the website). This year we have divided the Wolf Pups program into 2 sessions (end of Oct – Jan, then end of Jan – April), so if your little ones aren’t too sure about wrestling, your commitment is cut in half.

We are very excited for the season to get underway and see all of you, on the mat!!!

Lakehead Wrestling Club Building champions on and off the mat. Programs for all ages in Thunder Bay.

Hello Thunder Bay wrestling community!

The number of wrestlers and interested youth has steadily been climbing over the years in Thunder Bay. In response, the Lakehead Wrestling Club (LWC) is expanding our programming, in particular with our high school age groups.

To meet this increasing demand, we are reaching out to see interest in community members who would like to join our coaching team. We provide financial coverage for all training costs, certifications and equipment as well as support/mentorship from our established club coaches.

If you have an interest in coaching wrestling but weren't sure how to go about it, or maybe you are an experienced coach who is looking to join Northwestern Ontario's longest running wrestling club... we have the perfect opportunity for you!

Fill out the quick form (link below) and we will be in touch to get the ball rolling.

Looking forward to having you be a part of the team!

https://forms.gle/fwgycSANxSoGaDwx8

Lakehead Wrestling Club
Executive Board

Community Coaching Opportunity - Lakehead Wrestling Club (LWC) Are you an experienced coach looking to further your development? Or maybe your just starting out your coaching path and want to explore what its all about? Lakehead Wrestling Club is looking for individuals who are interested in expanding their coaching development and interested in becoming more i...

Thunder Bay Wrestlers Spend Summer Chasing Excellence Around the Globe

While many students are enjoying a well-earned summer break, some of Thunder Bay’s top young wrestlers are logging thousands of kilometres in pursuit of excellence.

From Brazil and Japan to Hong Kong, Iowa, Missouri, Wisconsin and Ohio, athletes from the Lakehead Wrestling Club and Lakehead University Wrestling program are spending their summer testing themselves against elite competition while gaining invaluable international experience.

The summer began with strong performances at the Canadian Senior and U23 Wrestling Championships in Niagara Falls. Mike Zale battled his way to a fifth-place finish in the Senior Men’s 70-kilogram division, while Owen Dale earned fifth place in the U23 National Championships, continuing the club’s tradition of producing nationally competitive athletes.

One of the summer’s biggest highlights belonged to St. Patrick High School graduate Mylie Baccari. The future Lakehead University nursing student earned the opportunity to represent Canada at the Pan American Wrestling Championships in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, from July 9–11. Wrestling against many of the top athletes in the Western Hemisphere, Baccari finished an impressive fifth overall.

Her summer is only getting busier. On July 25, Baccari departs for Japan to participate in an elite international training camp before continuing on to compete in Hong Kong, providing another valuable opportunity to gain experience against world-class opposition.

Closer to home, another group of Thunder Bay wrestlers has been making its mark across North America.

St. Patrick graduate Mac Mithrush, who will join the Lakehead University Thunderwolves this fall, captured a gold medal at the NUWAY Rumble in Sandusky, Ohio. Following the tournament, Mithrush and Hammarskjold High School’s Merric BeauParlant travelled to Sarnia for the Team Ontario High Performance Camp, hosted by Lambton College and Ontario Amateur Wrestling’s High Performance program.

The camp was led by one of Canada’s most accomplished wrestlers, Gia Sissaouri of Montreal, the 1996 Olympic silver medallist and 2001 World Champion. Training under an athlete of Sissaouri’s calibre provided an exceptional learning opportunity for two of Northwestern Ontario’s brightest young wrestlers.

Earlier this summer, Hammarskjold Vikings standouts Maddy Jose and Corinne Baxter travelled to Iowa City to attend the renowned Hawkeye Wrestling Camp at the University of Iowa. The intensive camp featured instruction from several Olympic and World Championship medallists, exposing athletes to some of the highest-level coaching available anywhere in the sport.

Meanwhile, St. Ignatius Falcons wrestlers Ava Hay and Maddy Blain spent July 8–13 at the prestigious Purler Women’s Wrestling Camp in Moscow Mills, Missouri. The nationally recognized camp brought together elite female wrestlers from across the United States for twice-daily training sessions, advanced technical instruction and countless live wrestling matches.

The summer schedule continues later this month when Lakehead University wrestlers Haley Florell and Jakob Wildscutt travel to River Falls, Wisconsin, for the Victory Wrestling Academy High Performance Camp from July 20–31. They will be joined during the second week by incoming Thunderwolves recruit Mac Mithrush, as well as Merric BeauParlant and Maddy Blain, giving Lakehead wrestlers another opportunity to train alongside elite athletes from across North America.

The remarkable number of athletes competing and training at national and international events speaks to the continued growth of wrestling in Thunder Bay.

Lakehead Wrestling Club, in partnership with Lakehead University Wrestling, has built a development system that encourages athletes to pursue opportunities far beyond Northwestern Ontario. Through the support of internationally and nationally certified coaches, financial assistance from the club, and the tireless efforts of parents and volunteers, local wrestlers continue to gain experiences that prepare them to compete with the very best.

“Our goal has always been to provide athletes with opportunities to grow—not only by competing, but by learning from the best coaches and wrestlers in the world,” said Lakehead Wrestling Club President Rory Thompson. “These experiences expose our athletes to different styles, different cultures and different levels of wrestling that simply can’t be replicated at home. We’re incredibly proud of every athlete who has embraced these opportunities, and equally grateful to our coaching staff, volunteers, parents and supporters who help make these experiences possible.”

As the summer continues, Thunder Bay’s wrestlers will keep representing their community on mats across North America and around the world—bringing home not only medals, but the knowledge and experience that will continue to elevate wrestling in Northwestern Ontario.

We are honoured to be a partner in this endeavour. Thank you to Anishnawbe Mushkiki Rory Nathan Leah Ferguson for organizing and leading this awesome program.

Congratulations to Owen Dale and Mike Zale on their top 5 finishes at the U23(Owen) and senior(Mike) team trials in Niagara this weekend. LWC is so proud of all your efforts and what you do for our community.

https://www.facebook.com/share/1BpZaBEPGF/

Happy Birthday to our fearless leader. El Presidente himself Rory Nathan. In just a couple of years he’s gone from wrestler dad to coach to vice president to now being the ”man with a plan”. LWC has never seen a volunteer work as hard or be as passionate about our sport as this guy right here. We are so excited for our club’s future with you at the helm. We wish you an awesome day.
A huge thank you to Shubha Pandit-Thompson for letting us have so much of his time.

Congrats to our very own Mylie Bacarri!! She has been invited to represent Canada at the U20 Pan American Championships in Rio de Janeiro Brazil July 9-10-11!

This trip is self funded and LWC is supporting her with some of the costs but If you or anyone you know would like to assist her in this trip please send your donation to [email protected].

Or

https://gofund.me/e5f442771