About Us
Our Charter
Build an outstanding youth program which inspires wrestling excellence.
Our objective is to provide each child in our program with the opportunity to learn new skills and gain a clear understanding of the true pureness of the sport of wrestling. Youth wrestling is a sport that all participants benefit from because unlike many other team sports, wrestling includes every participant. No one sits on the bench and no wrestlers are “cut” from the team. Our club objectives also include:
Make wrestling a fun learning experience for everyone involved child/parent.
Teach the fundamentals of wrestling with an emphasis on individual improvement regardless of experience or skill level.
Teach the value of sportsmanship including the showing of respect for referees, coaches, parents, and fellow athletes while learning how to “Win with Grace” and “Lose with Dignity”.
Wrestling is a sport of building blocks, blocks for a sturdy foundation for teaching lifelong lessons like the value of hard work, the ability to handle adversity, and the importance of a positive mental attitude.
Tahoma Jr. Bears Wrestling is a member of the Pierce County Junior Wrestling League. All our funds help to host several matches and tournaments each year, which generate revenue for our clubs operation. Our generated revenue allows us to avoid the traditional candy sales, magazine sales, and car washes. This organization and its operation are run solely by volunteers! In this regard, parent involvement is vital to our continued success. Your cooperation will be appreciated as we will be volunteering you for various duties throughout the year.
The club is governed by the Pierce County Junior Wrestling League and the Maple Valley Junior Wrestling Association constitution and by-laws.
Our History
Maple Valley’s youth wrestling program started in the spring of 1976 with a handful of kids. Known originally as the “Maple Valley Mat Rats”, the kids competed as an AAU Freestyle club competing with Inglemore, Redmond, and Renton in the Western Washington Kids League. In late 1991, Steve Deutschman crafted the programs founding bylaws, mission statement and board structure. These foundations have been modified slightly over the years but essentially embrace the same core objective, mission and goals for our kids. Steve was the acting President of the Maple Valley Raiders Football program at this time as well.
In early 1996, the club’s president Tim Walsh led the Mat Rats from the defunct W.WA Kids League to the highly competitive independent Pierce County Jr. Wrestling League (PCJWL) from the south. At that time, our clubs mascot and name were changed to the “Maple Valley Wolfpack”. The PCJWL is an unaffiliated collegiate style youth league (Folkstyle) for 5-12 year olds.
In 2005, the Maple Valley Wolfpack program and parents extended the wrestling opportunity in Maple Valley by launching a Freestyle and Greco wrestling program governed by USA Wrestling. This extension of the Wolfpack program competes as Bear Claw USA Wresting for 6-18 year olds.
In 2016, the Maple Valley Wolfpack program rebranded again to align with the Tahoma School District programs as well as other youth sport programs in Maple Valley. Youth wrestling opportunity in Maple Valley continues to thrive due to so many volunteers past and present, coaches, board members, volunteers, and supporters like the Tahoma School District. A perpetual “Thank You!” to all who have contributed and supported this great sport and this great organization.
If any of the information above or below is incorrect, or you have additional details please contact the current organization President or Head Coach so it can be corrected.
Leadership
Presidents
Ruben Powell
Stephen Deutschman
Stephen Deutschman
Bart Kooyman
Steve Zografos
Roger Zander
Jim Weiding
Dan Kagan
Bruce Peterson
Brad Badure
Pam Gabel
Pam Gabel
Andrew Deutschman
Andrew Deutschman
Years
1976-1983
1984-1988
1989-1996
1996-1997
1997-2001
2001-2007
2007-2010
2010-2013
2013-2014
2014-2018
2018-2020
2020-2022
2022-2022
2022-2026
Head Coaches
Bob Kallam
Ralph Bowen
Greg Kuraspediani
Todd Johnson
Todd Johnson
Brad Mjelde
Stan Weeks
Kris Lavinge
Kris Lavinge
Kris Lavigne
Jesse Hollowell
Josh Leavitt
Tim Kuraspediani
Dustin Vance