Bear Paw Wrestling Camp keeps traditions

With the retirement of former Havre High head wrestling coach Scott Filius, local wrestling has a different feel to it. However, many of the same traditions are still holding firm, such as the Bear Paw Wrestling Camp.

The camp, which is held out at Camp Kiwanis, in Beaver Creek Park, was run by Filius and the Havre High wrestling staff for a long time. Now, things have changed a little bit. There is still a strong Havre wrestling presence at the camp, but it's now being run by a former Filius disciple and current CMR head coach Aaron Jensen, along with Great Falls High head coach Scott Komac and the Havre Wrestling Club under the direction of Bobby Mantle.

"It's been a really good tradition that has gone on the past 10 years," Jensen said. "I know the kids from Great Falls and all the kids from the surrounding areas definitely look forward to it. So we just wanted to keep that tradition alive. A lot of kids look forward to it; families come out and camp, so it's just a fun time."

While the camp may have a slightly different feel without Filius, many of the events will stay the same and there will still be plenty of wrestling, with multiple two-hour periods of mat time each day.

"Things might run a little smoother in some ways," Jensen joked about Filius no longer being involved. "But yeah it will be little different without him. But for the most part, we are going to be running it the same way. It's been a great camp, so there is no real need to reinvent the wheel. It's handy that Steve (Komac) and I have been here since it started and the Havre wrestling community has been great in supporting it, also."

Mantle and the Havre Wrestling Club have been a big part of keeping the camp going. The former NAIA All-American will also help coach along with new Havre High head wrestling coach Beau LaSalle.

"It's an opportunity to have fun and be at a camp," Mantle said. "And learn wrestling at the same time.

"The kids get to be outdoors too," he added. "It's beautiful out here and they can do some different things, go fishing in the creek, and just to be around different people makes it a good experience for all of them."

The camp, which started Wednesday and runs through Saturday, will feature a lot of wrestling, including the annual take-down tournament which will be Friday night at 7:30. Beyond that, the wrestlers have a chance to experience nature, camp outdoors and take part in other nonwrestling activities.

As fun as the experience can be, though, at the end of the day, the Bear Paw Wrestling Camp is about wrestling and in that aspect, with Jensen, LaSalle, Mantle, Komac and Montana State University-Northern head coach Tyson Thivierge all in attendance as coaches, the instruction is high quality, too.

"I think, one, you are going to be surrounded by great coaches that have been doing this stuff for a long time," Jensen said. "Secondly, you are going to get a very unique atmosphere. You really are going camping. They will get to go fishing and swimming and they will get to play some games. You don't really get that any other place so I think that and the fact that families come up and camp also just helps give it that unique experience."