About Mat Sports

By Bruce Meadows

Special to the Advance

Wednesday, December 17, 2008 2:39 PM PST

When Emmanuel Boyd moved from Fresno to Novato ten years ago, he was surprised to find amateur wrestling was not only on the back burner in this area, it was barely on the stove.  “Coming from a place (Fresno) that was so involved in wrestling, I found it hard to imagine there was no youth feeder programs here for the high schools,” said the 47-year-old Boyd.  So he decided to change that, creating the Mat Sports Youth Wrestling Club, also known as Predator Wrestling.

“At first it was just my daughter (Samantha, now 9) and me,” said Boyd, a Coast Guard veteran and now manager of a pediatric dental clinic at University of Pacific School of Dentistry in San Francisco.  The club has gradually grown “ a few wrestlers the first year, 8-10 the second year and now more than 25 “ but the goal remains the same.  “We want to prepare kids, teach them about the sport of wrestling so they will not only enjoy it at the club level, but also be ready to compete when they get to high school,” said Boyd, who answers to the name of Sam or Emmanuel.  He was a promising prep wrestler in Fresno, but seriously injured his shoulder his senior year. Colleges who had shown an interest in him backed away.  But he still has a passion for the sport and with an effort to promote wrestling in the Novato area “and all Marin County,” explained Boyd, he hopes to create a middle school league involving the dozen or so county middle schools.  “We would have meets with three or four schools to keep (travel) costs down,” he said, adding that because the start-up costs (mats mainly, which can cost up to $6,000) might be prohibitive for some middle schools, multi-school meets might be held at nearby high schools.  For instance, Mat Sports YWC put on three tournaments this season at San Marin High and Marin Catholic, because the mats were already set up from their Tournaments.  “We have talked to various middle and elementary schools, but what we need is somebody with a wrestling background to step up and be a part of new programs,” said Boyd. “We know we have to be creative as far as an avenue to outfit and equip these programs.”  There is actually a NorCal Tournament of Champions in March for middle-school wrestlers for which kids from a middle-school league could qualify.  To participate in Boyd’s club runs about $45 per month, with an initial cost for shoes (about $40) and a uniform (singlet cost $30-$40). There is also an annual AAU and USAW fee of $46 and additional costs if youngsters take part in out-of-the-area tournaments. The club tries to provide headgear and knee pads.  Kids competing in high school are not allowed to wrestle with the club during their season, return in the offseason for freestyle and Greco-Roman competition.  The club meets two days a week, with a third practice optional, at Marin Christian Academy, 1370 South Novato Boulevard and soon Novato High. Those interested can click on the club Web site, www.matsport.org or call the club at 235-4094.  “We have makeshift mats,” explained Boyd, who puts 10x10 mats together to make enough space for practice matches. “The idea is to give as many kids as possible time on the mats in a safe environment.”  Boyd hasn’t used fund-raisers, primarily because he feels kids and parents are inundated with such efforts by other youth sports, but he does have a link to a surface and fabric antimicrobial company that provides a modicum of financial support in exchange for the club utilizing the company’s preventive uniform treatments. 

As area coaches point out, Boyd has pretty much shouldered the financial load “ not to mention a great deal of time “ to get the Mat Sports Club up and running.  “I have been told there was a time wrestling was really big in this area,” said Boyd. “Our goal is to get the sport back to that level again and start sending more kids to the state meet.”  He said the key is preparing youngsters so they can step in and be competitive when they get to high school. Right now, kids are signing up for wrestling with a significant lack of skills and experience.  “Kids in our club can have as many as 40 matches in a year,” said Boyd. “Our plan is to make as many of them as possible ready for high school wrestling.”

If you share Boyd’s passion, he’d love to hear from you.

www.matsport.org / 415-235-4094 or email coach@matsport.org