New wrestling program looks to boost Jefferson High

The next generation of Panther wrestlers is here, after a winter spent grappling in the Clancy Elementary School cafeteria.

Montana City resident Dan Johnson and Boulder’s Dan Payne created The Berserker Wrestling Club last year. Both were high school wrestlers, and Payne went on to a successful college coaching career. The duo saw a need for a club program to fill the gap between Little Guy Wrestling, which focuses on growth and sportsmanship for mostly younger wrestlers, and Jefferson High’s varsity squad.

“We saw there was a big void between kids who just want to try it out and kids who want to be more advanced,” said Johnson, who is also Little Guy president. He and Payne recruited Taylor Kampbell and Hunter Johnson, both former Jefferson wrestlers, and Brian Hays as coaches and started with 18 kids, from third grade through high school.