By TOM FOX - tfox@lockhaven.com

POSTED: November 7, 2008

LOCK HAVEN - The names read like a Who's Who list in wrestling.

Cael Sanderson.

Mark Manning.

Mark Perry.

Troy Letters.

National champions. All-Americans. Conference titlists. Wrestlers with resumes that most athletes dream of.

Those are just some of the few clinicians that have arrived in Clinton County during the past few weeks to hold guest clinics through the Mat-Town U.S.A. Wrestling Club.

Others that have held sessions included Bucknell's Dan Wirnsberger and Dave Hoffman, former NCAA champion John Fritz and former two-time All-American Dave Hart.

"It's been fantastic to surround our club and wrestlers with outstanding people like that," said Carl Poff, board member for Mat-Town. "Those are people who have helped our student-athletes and have helped Central Pennsylvania wrestling."

There's no denying the excitement and passion this area has for its wrestling programs.

With the success of Central Mountain wrestling, and its preseason No. 11 ranking in the nation by one wrestling outlet, the talk is now louder than ever.

"We can provided a year-round experience for people," Poff said. "Yet, the coaching staff -like Doug Buckwalter - encourages people to play multiple sports, and I respect that. At the same time, the kids that choose not to can get a wrestling experience year round. The kids that want it have the opportunity."

The opportunity of wrestling year-round and getting guest training from people like Sanderson, Manning and Perry have helped boost local athletes into the spotlight.

Last season, Bald Eagle Area's Quentin Wright - a regular at Mat-Town - was one of the most sought-after recruits in the country.

The process also continues today as Central Mountain's junior twin sensations, Andrew and Dylan Alton, are also prize recruits every college coach would love to see grace their campus.

"It's great because the training is for all ages. Everyone is benefiting," Poff said. "It's especially big when you can bring in people like Cael Sanderson free of charge. That's been coach (Neil) Turner's philosophy that we'll do it as long as we can. We have some fundraising to cover the expenses, and that's why we ran the golf tournament - for things like this. We try to bring in people of this caliber to help improve our kids."

While training continues each week, the club will continue to bring guest clinicians in as much as possible.

That's where fundraisers and the club's golf tournament comes into play.

"This year, we decided to do something different with the golf tournament," Poff said. "Instead of putting the bulk of the money into Troy Turner and Chris Poff Memorial Scholarships, we put the money into Mat-Town so we could afford to do things like this. The money from the golf outing will help our kids go to tournaments and summer camps. We can continue to bring in world-class clinicians.

"I think Central Pennsylvania is so good in wrestling that we can continue to get people locally to help our kids. If it continues to be a hot bed for recruiting, coaches are going to want to come back and see what's in our club."

With winter sports starting officially on Nov. 17 with the first day of practice, wrestling will have everyone's full attention.

A loaded schedule for Central Mountain - the Ironman Tournament, King of the Mountain, Escape the Rock, among others - will showcase top-notch grapplers to local students.

And it's the skills taught and developed from the guests that have frequented Clinton County that Poff hopes put the athletes over the edge.

"I think it's so neat in Central Pennsylvania that wrestling is so important in our area and with coach Turner coming back here and starting a club, it's been fantastic," he said. "It's really coincided with our high school program to a large degree. It's been a good mix of everyone involved. Doug Buckwalter has done a good job at the high school, coach Turner has done a great job with the club. Those things have gone hand-in-hand to put our school program where it is today."