CARLISLE Wrestling Club is encouraging new members to feel the benefits of the sport as it kicks off its new winter programme. 

The club, which meets at Low Hesket Village Hall kicked off its 2024/25 winter programme of sessions on Wednesday, October 23, and will be running training sessions and competitions until March.

The wrestling which is aimed at children aged from six up to 16 and 17 promotes a number of benefits such as discipline, respect, and acceptance as well as championing friendly competition.

(Image: Euan Myles) Ahead of the launch of Carlisle Wrestling Club's 2024/25 winter programme, Linda Scott was on hand to encourage new starters to get involved.

She said: "It's a great social thing for the kids and it is manic when you go down there.

"It's a good atmosphere and a lot of parents just a bit of a get together whilst the kids are training and it's a really nice community gathering.

"It's fun, it is healthy and it is a clean sport, that is one of the things I like about wrestling."

(Image: Euan Myles) For Linda, the benefits of wrestling are wide-ranging from teamwork, discipline, and respect and she explained how these values and more are the focus of every session at the club. 

She said: "It is a great thing for discipline and it is also a great thing for manners and respect.

"Before we start any of the wrestling bout, whether they are training or in a competition, they have to shake hands with their opponent, and then when the bout is over they shake hands again.

(Image: Euan Myles) "What is also great to see is that a lot of our younger members are good at accepting defeat and patting their opponent on the back when they have been beaten.

"It teaches them all sorts of things and it gives them skills for later life - you have got to turn up on time, listen, and gives them a good start in life."

Although Carlisle Wrestling Club takes pride in its approachability and social atmosphere, it also boasts a strong competitive side which has seen its wrestlers compete on the international stage.

(Image: Euan Myles) She said: "We train all the way through the winter and once the summer comes the shows and the events start and we have around 50 events throughout the summer including the famous ones such as Grasmere Sports and Ambleside Sports. 

"It is great because it gets people traveling, sharing cars, and making new friends.

"As well at the national competitions, we compete internationally and we will be taking our wrestlers over to Brittany for a competition.

"Within the international association, there are competitors from Austria, England, Scotland, Brittany, Spain, Hungary, and Iceland."