Wrestling holds lure for Greyson Clark

July 13, 2017

By Ed Byrne The Brillion News

WRIGHTSTOWN – Tom Clark grew up in Brillion and wrestled at Brillion High School, but his son, Greyson, has already made it to a much bigger stage.

At the end of June, Greyson wrestled at the USA Wrestling Youth Nationals in Georgia. He had been there for the prior two years, but this time he came home with the gold medal in Greco-Roman wrestling in the 77-pound Schoolboy weight class.

He also took fourth place in freestyle wrestling at the same venue.

Greyson, almost 13, is the son of Kelly and Tom Clark. He has an older sister, Maddie, 16, a student at Wrightstown High School.

Greyson will start grade seven at Wrightstown Middle School this fall.

Greyson qualified for nationals by advancing from the state tournament to the regional tournament in Rochester, Minnesota.

There are three styles of wrestling popular in the United States. Most well-known is “folkstyle,” which is unique to the U.S.A.

The rest of the world wrestles Greco-Roman and freestyle – and there are differences among all three styles.

In freestyle, wrestlers get four points for a takedown from feet-to-back, instead of two points. Because takedowns are costly in freestyle, wrestlers fight hard to avoid a takedown.

“You learn to stay on the attack, because in freestyle all it takes is one [takedown to back] to get back in the game,” Greyson explained.

Greco-Roman style is quite a bit different.

“In Greco, you can’t touch the legs at all,” Greyson said.

It demands significant upper-body strength, but leg strength is also important in pushing your body into the other wrestler.

“They reward you for action in freestyle and Greco,” Tom Clark said. “It’s all about action.”

For the fans, those two styles are a better spectator experience than folkstyle, which is the style that is used in high school wrestling nationwide – but not outside of the U.S.A.

Greyson started wrestling when he was in kindergarten.

“I started freestyle and Greco in fourth grade,” Greyson said.

For the last three years, he’s gone to nationals.

“The first year, I took fifth in Greco and eighth in freestyle,” he said. “Last year, I took second in Greco and third in freestyle.”

Please see the complete feature in the July 13, 2017 edition of The Brillion News.