‘We’re just trying to keep the program alive’: Yelm Wrestling Booster Club fighting for 50 years of tradition

After talks of potential cuts to winter and spring sports, and as uncertainty of Yelm High School athletics overall looms in the balance, the YHS Boys Wrestling Booster Club is fighting to get ahead of the curve by hosting fundraisers in case they need to fund their own season and tournaments during the 2025-26 campaign.

The booster club’s first fundraiser took place from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 28, at Caliber Collision in McKenna, where members of the organization and parents hosted a bake sale — all while head wrestling coach Tim Beaudin, several of his assistant coaches and numerous wrestlers cleaned and washed cars.

“We’re out here doing a car wash to fundraise for our tournaments if we need to,” Beaudin said. “This is a family event. We spend so much time together all year long. We have a great state team coming back, and everyone wants to see Yelm be successful. It’s awesome to see these families out here.”

With a fourth levy attempt set for the Tuesday, Nov. 4, Thurston County general election, the future of sports within YCS remains unclear. During a YCS board meeting on Thursday, Aug. 28, Superintendent Chris Woods said that winter and spring sports, along with other extracurricular activities, could be cut if the upcoming levy measure fails for a fourth consecutive vote.

Despite the uncertainty looming, the YHS Wrestling Booster Club will continue to raise money in order to support a season for boys wrestling — even if it must be 100% self-funded.

“No matter the variables, we will have our season,” Beaudin said. “I’m determined, and so are our coaching staff, parents and kids. This is the expectation. Yelm has been a top-notch wrestling program for 50 years under Hall of Fame coach Gaylord Strand. He set that standard and we’re going to hold to it no matter where the state or levy situation drives us.

“You look, all of these guys coming back into the wrestling room, the stands, help make it what it’s become today,” he continued. “There’s 50-60 years of tradition. Every year, we have many state placers, and there’s life lessons learned in the wrestling room. There’s a lot to wrestling. There’s a lot of dedication and discipline — not only on the mat but with their diets. You can see by the kids who are here that wrestling is a way of life and they’re going to fight for it.”

Senior AJ Erickson, who has wrestled in the YHS boys wrestling program since he was a freshman, reflected on the opportunity to get into the community and fundraise for the team’s upcoming season. He was one of numerous other YHS wrestlers present at the fundraiser on Sunday, Sept. 28.

“I’ve grown up in Yelm my whole life,” Erickson said. “From when I started wrestling at 5, I’ve always wanted to be on the Yelm wrestling team and go to all the duels. Yelm wrestling is a big part of my life because wrestling has always been a big part of my life. Being able to wrestle for Yelm is already a great accomplishment in itself. Everyone is here for each other, and has good hearts and great attitudes.”

He believes the fundraiser is for the greater good of the school’s wrestling team, but also an opportunity for members of the program to fight for something they believe in.

“We’re all coming together, and we’re already a team and family. It’s great to see everyone come together and work together to help each other. We’re just trying to keep the program alive,” Erickson said. “We really love the community’s support. It’s a big thing, and we need it. We’ve had so many accomplishments over the years — 50 years of great wrestling — and we don’t want it to go downhill and end here.”