Madera Wrestling Club Facility-Wrestling Mats

Hello Everyone,

My name is Sal Gonzalez I am the head coach/president of the Madera Wrestling Club in the Madera, California. I have coached youth wrestling in Madera for the past 8 years and have been coaching the sport of wrestling for over 15 years from a youth level to a collegiate level. First, I would like to THANK YOU for supporting youth wrestling in Madera. Our youth wrestling club was founded in 2015 as Stallion Wrestling Club, then renamed to Toros Wrestling Club in 2020 and now currently named Madera Wrestling Club in 2021. Madera Wrestling Club is a non-profit bi-partisan youth wrestling club to serve individuals in the sport of wrestling. Our mission statement is 1 team (Madera Wrestling Club), 1 community (Madera, California) and 1 goal (Opportunities in Wrestling). Currently, we have an opportunity to have our own wrestling facility in the community of Madera. We need financial support in purchasing wrestling mats and wall mats for our new wrestling facility. Any financial support is greatly appreciated.

Personally, this sport has provided many opportunities for myself and numerous individuals in the sport of wrestling. I am an example of an individual that has benefited from the sport of wrestling. My wrestling career began at Rivera Middle School in Merced, California under Dan Church. With his guidance, I was able to learn and grow as an individual in the sport. In the winter of 1996 Head Coach of Merced High School, Rick Mckinney took notice of an 85lb individual at the Merced Junior High School City Championships and took a chance to allow me to wrestle in high school. During my troubled adolescent years, Coach McKinney gave me a stable environment along with numerous coaches Alfonso Barajas, Salvador Barajas and Clayton Schneider and the constant support of Merced High School and the community of Merced. During my high school career, I flourished into a phenomenal wrestler and grew as an individual.

The sport of wrestling gave me a chance to be the first one in my family to graduate high school and graduate college with Bachelors's and Masters's degrees. After high school, I continued my education at an NCAA Division III college in Oskaloosa, Iowa at William Penn University, then complete my wrestling career at an NCAA Division I college at Fresno State University under Coach Dennis Deliddo. After completing my wrestling career and graduating from Fresno State University. I began my coaching career at Fresno City College with Paul Keysaw for 6 years. From 2012-2015, I took an opportunity to coach wrestling for men's and women's at Northwest Kansas Techincal College in Goodland, Kansas under Athletic Director Rex Branum and Coach Paul Gomez. In the spring of 2014, my wife and I decided to move back to her hometown of Madera, California and began raising a family in the community of Madera.

Under Coach Mckinney, Coach Deliddo, Coach Keysaw, AD Branum and Coach Gomez I was able to develop my love and passion to coach and give back to the sport of wrestling. I found an understanding of coaching all individuals no matter which school they came from and giving back to the sport that has given me every opportunity to excel in my life. The sport of wrestling saved my life and I make it a life goal to continue to be involved in the sport and help grow the sport, not only in our community and outside our community. Without the numerous coaches, teammates, family and friends, I would not be where I am today. The world needs more wrestlers and Madera Wrestling Club will continue to be here and help individuals excel on the mat and off.

I want everyone to know your financial support will continue to give local kids opportunities to grow in the sport after a REMARKABLE 2023 spring season of winning 2 age group state titles and a team national title.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT!

-Coach Sal-