Jamey Ketler, who coaches the club and Wiregrass Ranch High team, is focusing on indoctrinating newcomers to the sport and helping the more seasoned members hone their skills on the mat. He attributes the growth, in part, to a wrestling tourney held by the club last summer.

“That was a huge moment, not for just our club but for the Wesley Chapel area in general,” Ketler said. “That really brought wrestling to the forefront in this area.”

While some club members are returners, such as Wiregrass Ranch High’s trio of Donovan Eary, Micaiah Deim and his brother Josiah Keim, there were a handful of newcomers at a recent practice. That group included several brothers and sisters — Layla and Ayden Sollars, along with siblings Mike, Alex and Haley Davis.

“They do online schooling, so this is there activity,” said Autumn Sollars, their mother.

Among the returners is 9-year-old Demyan Leschar, whose father Andrii is a former wrestler from the Ukraine.

“This is the best sport,” Andrii said. “It’s very hard. He’s taking everything slow.”

The high school trio, who will take a break from the year-round club program during their winter season, are always eager to help the others.

“We encourage them,” said Micaiah Keim, a junior.

Donavan added that it is important to teach the youngsters about “perseverance and to give 100 percent all the time.”