BUTTE – Earlier today the Butte Cyclops hosted their yearly invitational tournament at the Butte Civic Center.
The event had over 1,000 wrestlers on the mats today, a huge increase from the first invitational back in 2004. Wrestlers from ages four and up from all over Montana, Idaho, and even Canada hit the mats in one of the largest turnouts in event history. The yearly invitational was put together in memory of Don Tamietti who served a huge role in the development of youth wrestling in butte. It gives those wrestlers a chance to experience their first tournament in a big venue.
“I think just being out there on a bigger stage, they’re on full size mats. It’s like what they see with the high school kids at the state tournament shrunk down a little bit. It gives them an opportunity to be in a big venue, and nice mats, nice clocks and a big stage,” said Butte wrestling president Brandon Queer. I think they get pretty excited for it, and I know a lot of kids in our club it’s their first tournament too, so it’s a big day for families here so it’s a pretty neat experience.”
