Rotary Information Contact

Publicity Chair – Terry Stark

Craig Tefft –Oxford Wrestling Coach             [email protected]          843-2025-ext 1263

Terry Stark – Oxford Rotary                           [email protected]     843-9414

Clyde Cole Wrestling Tournament

Set for December 6th and December 7th

The 57th annual Clyde Cole Wrestling tournament, cosponsored by the Oxford Rotary Club and Oxford Academy & Central School, will be held at the high school gym on Friday, Decemberr 6 and Saturday, December 7th.

The tournament will host 14 teams including several local teams being challenged by teams from other parts of the state.  This year's local field includes Oxford-Greene, Norwich, Sherburne-Earlville Bainbridge-Guilford-Afton-Harpursville, and Sidney. Other regional teams include Maine-Endwell ,Groton and Spencer-VanEtten. Strong returning contenders from outside the area include Averill Park, Carthage, Elder-Liberty-Sullivan West (ELS) and perennial powerhouses Queensbury and Shenendehowa. It appears this year's tournament can again be expected to be one of the strongest in the area and provide a high level of competition very early in the season.

More than 8,000 wrestlers have participated in the Clyde Cole Tournament over the years, including more than 50 Section IV and State Champions.  The tournament has also produced three NCAA Division I Wrestling Champions:

Kyle Dake             Lansing          Cornell  University -    NCAA Title  2010-2012 

J.P. O’Connor            Oxford             Harvard University      NCAA Title  2010

Brad Penrith                Windsor,          Iowa University           NCAA Title  1986

The Wrestling schedule is as follows:

Friday, December 6th, 2019

3:30 - 4:30                       Weigh-ins

5:00 - 7:00                       Preliminary matches (three mats)

7:30 - 9:30                       Quarterfinal matches (three mats)

Saturday, December 7th, 2019

8:00          -      9:00          Weigh-ins

8:30                 9:30          Breakfast

9:30          -      11:00        Semi-finals & First Round Wrestle backs

9:30                 5:00          Wrestle backs, Consolation Matches

11:00        -      12:00        Lunch

5:00                 9:00          Tournament Finals

Prior to Finals                Tournament Dedication

9:00                                  Special Awards

***** Saturday’s wrestling schedule may be moved ahead if wrestling allows*****

Finals will not start any earlier than 5PM if this happens

Awards this year include a Team Championship trophy, a runner-up team trophy, Olympic style Medals and jackets for all first-place finishers and Olympic style medals for 2nd and 3rd place finishers.  Other awards include an Outstanding Wrestler Plaque (Voted by Coaches and referees), a Pin Plaque (most pins in the shortest time), Director's Plaque (Champion with least amount of points scored against), and a Sportsmanship Plaque (wrestler who displays the best qualities of sportsmanship).

Oxford Rotary will again provide candy, beverage, and food including pizza, chili, and hot dogs.  The Club, which co-sponsors the tournament, uses the proceeds to support Community Service projects, especially projects for the youth of the community.  Such projects include Parks maintenance and development, Public Library contributions, village and town beautification, Rotary International Student Exchange program, student scholarships and the Oxford Wrestling Team.  Oxford Rotary is always seeking community-minded people to join Rotary.  Anyone Interested in joining Rotary should contact Rotarian Terry Stark at 843-9414.

Beyond the Wrestling and the reinvestment of the proceeds back into the community, the tournament has become a vehicle to establish long-term friendships with other schools, coaches, wrestlers, and the community.  Oxford area residents annually opened their homes during the weekend to house wrestlers and coaches from out-of-the-area-teams.  Also, numerous volunteers from the community and school participate in the tournament operations.   Because of this cooperation from the community, school, and Rotary the tournament continues to flourish.

There is also a tournament Pass, which can be purchased Friday night at the door for $10.00 for Adults. This includes all sessions, tournament program and a $.50 food coupon for use in the cafeteria during the tournament. Student weekend pass is $6.00 and allows admission to all sessions.

OXFORD WRESTLING HISTORY

During the 1930's and 1940's, the wrestling teams from Oxford Academy were renown throughout New York State. In those years, under the guidance of Rotarian Clyde Cole, the sport flourished. In 1947 wrestling was dropped from the Oxford Athletic Program for a variety of reasons.

Through the 1950's, the pros and cons of reinstituting the sport at Oxford were discussed. During the summer of 1962 a new 36' x 36' Resolite Wrestling Mat was purchased and at the end of the fall sports season of that year a call was put out for any boys interested in wrestling. A total of 23 young men responded to the challenge and wrestling was on the road back.

Progress was slow, and problems were many. With the new schools still a dream, a practice site was a necessity. Mr. Don Hackett, a former wrestler under Mr. Cole, offered the use of his paint shop on Route 12 and his offer was accepted. Athletic Director & Rotarian Al Doyle became the coach, and he was ably assisted by Don Hackett and Edwin Winner another former wrestling great of Mr. Cole's era.  Uniforms were fashioned of "long johns" dyed black and gym shorts. A schedule was made, with the "Blackhawks" competing against J.V. teams from the area. Through the winter of 1962, the new grapplers trekked through the snow and cold from the school to the paint shop and back nightly. On weekends, the mats were tucked to the gym-auditorium on a Briggs Lumber truck donated graciously by former Norwich wrestler & Rotarian Harry Charles, and the die was cast.

The idea of an Oxford Holiday Tournament began to take shape and became a reality in December of 1963. Under the leadership of Coach Gary Hill, the Oxford Academy and Central School "Blackhawks" won the first annual Clyde Cole Tourney. The rest of the history can be seen on the pages of this year's program.

Through the efforts of many, and most of all through the interest and hard work of the young men of the school, wrestling has regained its rightful place in the Oxford Athletic Program.