Let's meet DCC students Marley (5th grade) and Louie (3rd grade) Dixon - siblings getting ready to compete in Wrestling State Championships.
Pennsylvania has two State Championships for youth wrestling. The original PJW State Championships organization decided not to hold tournaments during Covid, so a new organization emerged to offer a State tournament. The new organization was called Keystone. When PJW returned, Keystone also continued which resulted in two opportunities to hold State titles. Wrestlers can qualify and compete in both.
Keystone State Championships will be held the weekend of March 15th. In this particular championship, girls do not have to qualify, rather they sign-up to compete. Keystone believes this approach will grow the girl's overall participation. On the Keystone roster will be DCC student Marley Dixon who will compete in the Girls 10u 68 lb Bracket. In contrast, boys must qualify for Keystone. Louie Dixon, who will compete in the Boys 8u 50lb Bracket qualified at the Central regional tournament.
PJW State Championships will take place in the coming weeks, and both girls and boys must qualify at their area tournament. Marley and Louie qualified a few weeks ago at the Area V Championship. Marley will be competing in the Girls 10u 70 lb division and Louie will be competing in the Boys 8u 50 lb division at this championship.
Marley and Louie have worked hard this year, practicing five days a week and competing almost every weekend. Both have been Champions at numerous youth tournaments this year. They train at Mat Hog Wrestling Club in Punxsutawney and Bad Karma Wrestling Club in Grove City and Clarion. Marley attends many camps at Young Guns Wrestling Club in Ebensburg throughout the summer.
Marley traveled to Fort Wayne, Indiana in January and placed third at the USA Wrestling Kids Nationals. Her only loss was to the overall Champion of her bracket. She is traveling to Spokane, Washington in April to compete at the USA Women's Nationals and World Team trials. To date, this is the largest event she will have competed in.