Junior Horns Wrestling taught through games

By Lethbridge Herald on September 11, 2025.

Herald Photo by Justin Seward Friends Weston Anderson and Mason Marcer practice a balance game as Junior Pronghorns Wrestling Program coach Shawn Daye-Finley looks on at U of L on Thursday.

By Justin Seward

Lethbridge Herald

The Junior Pronghorns Wrestling Program kickstarted for another year this week and young participants learn the sport through game-based learning.

“We’re trying to play a lot of games that are wrestling-type games where the kids get acquainted with contact with another person,” said Shawn Daye-Finley, program coach and University of Lethbridge’s wrestling coach.

“Those games are all wrestling related in that there’s lessons within the game on how to approach an opponent, take the opponent down and turn the opponent.”

Kids are taught skills  in the program and  that in turn will help in them winning games.

“By the end of the program, you can just start a clock and kids are wrestling and they already have certain techniques to take people down and how to turn them to their back,” said Daye-Finley.

Daye-Finley spoke about how games are an effective way to help kids out in wrestling.

“There’s a lot of benefits to rough and tumble play,” said Daye-Finley.

“Some kids get roughed up and they have to self sooth; they have to learn some resilience (and) they even learn how to be empathetic to their peers when they get hurt.”

There 32 participants so far and more are welcome.

The fall sessions run from Sept.8- Dec. 11 and the winter sessions are from Jan.11-April 23, 2026 and are on Mondays from 5- 6 p.m. and on Thursdays from 6-7 p.m. in University of Lethbridge’s  PE 110 room.

Registration  is for youth ages six to 12 and has been left open and can be done at  http://www.cognitoforms.com/LethbridgeAmateurWrestlingAssociation/_2025JrPronghornWrestlingRegistration.

With files from Justin Seward, Lethbridge Herald