Three Weeks of Wrestling in Spokane: The Clubs, Camps & Community We Found

When we found out we were going to be in Spokane for three weeks, we decided to make wrestling our focus—and I’m so glad we did.

Even though we visited during the summer, there were quite a few wrestling clubs still holding practices, along with a couple of camps that the girls were able to attend. What started as an opportunity to get in some extra mat time turned into one of the most memorable wrestling experiences we’ve had while traveling.

The wrestling was great, but honestly, it was the people and the relationships we made that stood out the most.

Where We Trained in the Spokane Area

During our three weeks in Spokane, we packed in as much wrestling as we could. The girls trained at two local wrestling clubs and attended two different wrestling camps, giving them the opportunity to experience several different coaching styles and train with some really talented wrestlers.

Our overall experience: Spokane surprised us with the amount of wrestling we were able to find during the summer. Between the quality of the training, competitive partners, camps, and the people who welcomed our family, this is absolutely an area where we would return specifically to wrestle.

Spokane Wrestling

The kids started out training at Spokane Wrestling with Coach Mike Pursel, who was incredibly friendly and welcoming from the beginning. All three of our kids were able to participate in practices, and even though attendance was a little lighter than what you might normally see during the fall wrestling season, there was still a good group of kids showing up and putting in the work.

The gym itself was really nice and opened up to a large outdoor area in the back, which was especially convenient for our family because our youngest could play outside when he wasn’t wrestling while the girls trained.

I really liked the wrestling techniques Coach Mike taught, but what impressed me most was everything he was doing beyond wrestling.

Coach Mike focuses on developing kids not only as wrestlers, but as people. He teaches responsibility, work ethic, respect, and how to treat others. In my opinion, he’s as much a community leader and mentor as he is a wrestling coach.

While we were there, he was organizing a Mexican burrito bowl fundraiser where the wrestlers would help prepare and sell food to the parents. The kids were learning how to cook, use knives safely, serve others, and take responsibility.

He was also putting together an oil-changing clinic where the kids could work on different vehicles and actually learn how to change the oil themselves.

These are the kinds of things that really stood out to me.

After wrestling practice, Coach Mike would pray over the kids. He talked to them about respecting their parents, making their beds, working hard, and taking responsibility for themselves.

He is a really good Christian man who is using wrestling as a way to teach kids lessons that will carry far beyond the mat.

Coach Mike also puts on Backyard Brawls, giving local wrestlers more opportunities to compete, and while we were there, he helped organize the JJ Howland wrestling camp that our girls attended.

I went into Spokane Wrestling looking for a place for our kids to get some extra mat time. We left incredibly impressed by what Coach Mike is building for kids and families in his community.

Spokane Spartans Wrestling

The second club we trained with was Spokane Spartans.

We actually heard about the Spartans from a mom we met at Spokane Wrestling. She told us they had some really talented, competitive young girls in their program. Because our girls are smaller competitive wrestlers, I’m always looking for opportunities to put them in a room with other girls who can really challenge them.

So, of course, I reached out.

Coach Tom Cahill welcomed us without hesitation and was incredibly kind to our family from the beginning.

And those little girls were no joke.

They were talented, competitive, hard-working wrestlers who came into the room ready to train. It was exactly the kind of environment I had been hoping to find for our girls.

Coach Tom runs a very competitive program, but what stood out just as much was how family-oriented the entire group was. The wrestlers and parents seemed genuinely connected, and many of the families shared a similar philosophy when it came to competitive youth sports: they wanted their kids to work hard, be challenged, and reach their potential.

We felt very comfortable there.

For our last night with the Spartans, Coach Tom organized a laser tag night for the team. He paid for all of the kids, the adults joined in, and everyone just had a great time together.

It was one of those experiences that showed us why this group is so close.

Coach Tom makes team-building and relationships a priority, and somehow, even though we were only there for a few weeks, he welcomed our family into that.

That’s one of the things I love most about traveling.

It’s incredible that you can show up somewhere knowing absolutely no one, walk into a wrestling room, and just a few weeks later leave with relationships that genuinely mean something to you.

Those connections are a huge part of what makes this lifestyle worth it for me.

The JJ Howland Wrestling Camp

While we were in the area, the girls also had the opportunity to attend a one-day camp with JJ Howland. Coach Tom and the Spokane Spartans sponsored the girls so they could attend, which was incredibly kind.

The camp lasted all day and was a great experience.

JJ had a very direct, no-nonsense coaching style. He expected the kids to pay attention, work hard, and show respect.

But one of the most impactful parts came when he shared his personal story with the wrestlers.

He talked about overcoming addiction and homelessness and recognizing that the life he was living wasn’t where he wanted to stay. He was able to turn his life in a completely different direction and now travels around the country running wrestling camps and sharing what he’s learned with young athletes.

I think there’s something powerful about kids hearing directly from someone who has gone through incredibly difficult circumstances and made the decision to change the direction of his life.

If JJ Howland ever comes to your area and your wrestler has the opportunity to attend one of his camps, I would highly recommend it.

Lakeland High School Wrestling Camp

The girls also attended a four-day wrestling camp put on by Lakeland High School and run by Coach Cameron Edelblute.

Each day featured accomplished wrestlers and coaches, including Anthony Echenendia, Chase Trussell, Evan Bockman, and Darion Johnson.

It was four full days of wrestling, and it was a lot of work.

But the girls loved it.

Having the opportunity to learn from so many accomplished athletes was incredibly valuable because each coach brought something different to the room. The girls weren’t just learning wrestling techniques—they were also hearing about the routines, eating habits, mindset, and discipline that helped these athletes reach such a high level.

One thing I especially appreciated was hearing about the role faith played in their wrestling journeys and how it helped guide them through both the successes and challenges they faced along the way.

It was a challenging four days, but the girls walked away having learned so much from each coach.

Lakeland also has a youth wrestling club ran by Coach Cameron with a lot of the same kids that attended the camp. We didn’t get to attend one of the club practices but we would totally get more training from Coach Cameron if ever back in the Spokane area. He is a great wrestling coach and we really appreciated the training the girls received from him.