Historical Timeline:
Kinzua Wrestling Club/Kinzua Youth Development Center
2021
- June 8
Organizational meeting headed by Adam Miller and Keith Kophazy - June 10
Official name approved to be Kinzua Wrestling Club-with no association to the Warren Wrestling Boosters - June 14
Club meeting: coach requirements finalized (need USA card); kids during summer need USA card; If not vaccinated for COVID, must wear a mask - June 21
- Club meeting: finalized open house date for Friday July 16. Coach on mat must have USA card.
- Clarified distinction from KWC and Warren Wrestling Club
- July 6
Club meeting & open house was the focus - July 16
OPEN HOUSE AT MARKET STREET SITE (number attending 100/ish?) - Monday July 26
Opening Event: Ken Chertow-PSU all American & former Olympian Clinic (12-4PM) 60 attended?? - September 15
Articles of Incorporation submitted - October 4, 2021
First Actual Meeting of the Kinzua Wrestling Club (KWC)- Officers elected: Glenn Baldensperger Pres, Tim Holter VP, Dennis Johnson-Sec, Adam Miller-Tr; BOD-Toby Williams, Joe Letko Jr., Steve Siliano, Barry Johnson, & Lincoln Sokolsky
- Bylaws distributed; schedule for in-season practice during COVID year as follows: Sun – MSHS, W-all youth, T-Tr Ike Elementary, MF-WAHS elementary
- October 18
KWC bylaws passed by email vote of BOD
2022
- January 6
BOD Meeting: attendance #’s/week-35 youth (MF), 20 youth (W), 30 (TR), 6-8 (SUN); begin investigation to purchase Riverside Bowling Alley (Sili & Glenn) - January 13
Ex Committee met with WCCBI, City of Warren, and Warren County Commissioners to discuss our mission and explore a permanent location, and potential funding opportunities. - April 13
BOD Meeting: Site visit to Bowling Alley with Sept 1 timeline to open; life skills to be the focus; mat layout discussed (early estimate & $40-50K). - April 27
BOD Meeting: coaching clearances, removal of alleys, bids for wrestling mats, summer schedule to feature Legends of the Near Fall on Wednesdays:- Featured: Joe Glotz (ike/PSU, the Fehlmans (Y’ville/Clarion), Terry Schrader (SAHS), Logan & Gannon Jaquay (IKE/Edinboro) , Thad Turner (Brookville/WVU), Ethan Finch (SAHS/Pitt), Greg Elinsky (PSU), Jack Bell (Kane/SRU), Owen Balas (WAHS/Gannon), Red & Glenn (WAHS/Lock Haven), Blankenship’s (Kane), Alec English (Kane/Duke), Dave Meyers (Yvelle), Austin Morris (Yvelle/college), Cale/Kris Black (Ike/Lock Haven), Joey Arnold (WAHS/Boro), Tim Holter (Blooksburg), Mike Rogers (W)/Austin Sweeney (K), and Jack Rice (SAHS/Cranberry)
- June
Strategic Plan Completed for 2022-24 - August 4
BOD Meeting: Glen informed group he returns as HC of the Dragons; building renovations and mat purchases discussed; Lincoln/Whiley to pay $75K for mats; A list of potential donors is to be created by board members-no contacts at this point; Practice for winter established-novice TTR, W-all county youth, Sunday MS_HS,- BOD expanded to 13 & include -Kim Nelson, Andrea Shene, Dick Balas, & Red Childress
- August 29
BOD Meeting: Board accepted Don Hellsion’s TPSR model for youth development and released white paper for talking points; SWOT analysis underway with strategic plan to come; Decided that kids needed a USA Wrestling card during the Spring/summer months; Fall practices discussed; Alleys out & floors to be power washed; Club logo adopted; mats to be ordered; committees & chairs assigned-youth development (Barry & Dennis), Dir of Operations (Adam), Building & grounds (Sili), finance (Glen & Lincoln)- Official Logo:
- November 22
Coach Development Seminar (15 attended)
2023
- January 3
KWC sponsored the Cancer White Out match, WAHS v IKE netted over $1,200 for the Cancer Center in Warren - February 3
501 (c) (3) Approved-effective date of exemption June 24, 2022 - February 12
Barry Van Ord Officials Clinic for high school students (4 attended) as PIAA will now license high school students to referee junior high matches. - February 23
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEETING: Upcoming spring/summer practice schedule and competition events; IRS paperwork for non-profit completed; donations of $125K from Lincoln and Bladys; Insurance complete and includes $1 million for child/sexual abuse; Balas & Elms completing ADA drawings; Edwards brothers completing construction; donor banners discussed as was big $ donor presentation planned - March
BOD approved rent agreement for building with Baldinski Inc @ $1K/month - March 6
Hosted first youth dual meet with Kane utilizing the newly trained youth referees; 25 matches and over 100 spectators in attendance - March 18
Virtual meeting to approve amended Article of Incorporation-passed unanimously - April 20
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEETING (Upcoming):- Transformation HS to Adulthood seminars (4/24, 5/1, & 6/5) with library, college, YMCA set
- College Wrestling Coaches Series set for May-June (DI-Boro & Clarion, DII Gannon, DIII-Theil & PSU-Behrend, and NJCAA-Jamestown)
- Summer practice T=TR HS with lowery & Pascuzzi, youth on Wed
- Summer camps-educational gymnastics & YMCA wrestling camp
- Donor presentation set for May 22; we are in Warren Gives (after Lincoln begged)
- April 20
EXECUTIVE BOARD MEETING:- Set pay for college coaches (depending on division I-$200, II-$150, III/JC-$100 and their athletes $75 0r $50);
- agreed on pay for Lowery/Pascuzzi,
- Arnold & Madigan (gymnastic camp)/$125;
- set May 22 for donor presentation
- May 4
BOD meeting: Approved summer camps and Nickel city duals
May 15
Garnered $13,000 in the Warren Gives campaign - May 30
Community Foundation Grant Application for $75,000 submitted (grant received) - June
DeFrees Family Memorial Fund for $50K – unfunded - June 10
Nickle City Duals 1st ever team competition in Buffalo NY - July 14
EMAIL Update to Board: Mats arrived.- Nickel City Duals-first team competition place 6th/30teams.
- Tucker Lindell is the first KWC member to qualify for Fargo;
- Branding for KWC with T-shirts & mugs;
- Completed 3 sessions of mental skills training completed for WAHS VB team
- July
Bad Karma -4-hour Leg Clinic by Mark Stein (50 attendees???) - July 31
Northwest Charitable Foundation grant application for $5K-funded - August 27
PSU and Carter Strocci Clinic-completed 6-hour camp with over 100 kids in attendance - November 2
Special Electronic BOD Meeting: to vote on a proposal brought forward by the Executive Committee to purchase the building (bowling alley) for $170K-passed unanimously- Board Update: KWC made $13K on Warren Gives; building renovation continues; mats coming soon;
- October 2
BOD Meeting: Elected same slate of officers; added Lincoln Sokolski to ex comm; overview of donor activities; set up preseason media night; discussed scan in system; begin looking to hire a coach;
2024
- February 26, 2024
BOD officially purchased the center building from Baldinski Inc. for $170K - April 24
BOD Meeting:- Name change made official: we are now the Kinzua Youth Development Center – Home to the Kinzua Wrestling Club (must get name listed as DOB to maintain our status); Million $ grant submitted; Warren Gives goal $80K; Media night update-ok only war-Ike participated; summer camps & workouts set; Cael Black will coach for Nickel City Duals; Mark Evans did a mini soccer workout for kid at Grace Church
- May 9
Sanshiro Abe (PSU All-American/Japanese Olympian) Clinic (45 attendees) - May 15
Warren Gives-KYDC led all donations with nearly $80K - June 8
Nickel City Duals – Boys and Girls teams entered (first time for the KWC girls team)-boys finished 6th - June 18
Grant submitted for COVID-19 ARPA Capital Projects Fund Multi-Purpose Community Facilities Program; $956,195.00 REJECTED-NOT FUNDED - 24-Summer schedule
HS/MS on T/R & youth on W - July 1
BOD meeting: Melissa Johnson added to board in ex officio position as assistant treasurer; club has $160k mortgage; loan for $150; renovations to be complete to host Dean Johnson tournament at end of month; 2 grant proposals have been submitted ($900K & 200K); coaches clinic set; wrestling camp complete, upcoming-gymnastic camp, & girls try it camp; strategic plan evaluated; KWC will offer free physicals for county athletes; revised bylaws approved for presentation to members in October’s annual meeting - July 9
Coaches Clinic- Matt Burlingame (Ike/Indiana), Michael LaBella (NYC/Long Island… & Dan Mclaughlin (Wingate University, NC) were clinicians for
- 28 local wrestling coaches attended
- Matt Burlingame (Ike/Indiana), Michael LaBella (NYC/Long Island… & Dan Mclaughlin (Wingate University, NC) were clinicians for
- Summer/June
- Educational Gymnastic Camp for U10 (25 attending)
- YMCA Wrestling camp (25 attending)
- Girls Try-It camp (12 attended)
- July 24
Neighborhood Assistance Program (DECD) grant submitted for $157,816; Unfunded - August 12
Hired Ms. Asha Waterstreet as executive director for the KYDC - September 1
Enrolled Asha Watterstreet in the Warren Leadership program - October 7
BOD Meeting- Asha Waterstreet introduced & gave updates on meet youth development agencies in county; Applied for fictitious name, increased board number to 14 adding Ryan Betts and Tony Fera
- Annual Meeting was scheduled and held (no attendees)
- November 1
Submitted $75K Grant to Community Foundation of Warren (Funded) - December 3
Media Night for Warren & Ike Wrestling Teams - Wednesday January 22nd
Whiteout Cancer Meet (War v Ike) netted $800 for Warren Cancer Center - December
Neighborhood Grant Request for $86,199.77 Submitted (Approved for $53,675.75 in April of 2025
2025
- January
Defrees Grant Submitted for $75K) Unfunded - January 6
BOD Meeting: special projects committee (kim Nelson) - April 7
BOD Meeting- Agreed to pay college wrestler at practice
- Voted to sponsor the Warren County Senior Volleyball Classic
- Rejected request from WC Democrats to use facility on election day
- May 2, 2025
Hi Ed Seminar “Leadership Through Positive Actions” (14 middle school participants) - April/May
- GLOW Program (12 girls)
- Sponsored the Warren County Senior Volleyball Classic (WAHS-champ, IKE, YOUNGSVILLE-3rd, SHEFFIELD)
- April 7
Defrees Grant for $70K Submitted (funded $50K in May-$25K in June) - May/June
Seed program with Master Gardeners for middle school students (10 kids) - Summer (June/July)
- YMCA Wrestling Camp (U11)
- Athlete Training Camp (U11)
- Captains Training Seminar (high school sport captains)
- Long Term Athletic Development Seminar (youth sport coaches and parents)
- Pickleball Camp