As anyone with kids or siblings knows, it’s never too early to start wrestling. The same goes for the Marconi Station Wrestling Club.

Headed by Marion resident Bob Marcolini and now in its third season, the Marion Recreation program introduces kids in grades kindergarten through eighth grade to wrestling.

“It’s not the WWE,” said Marcolini. “Nobody’s jumping off the top rope.”

Instead, he and assistant coaches Tom Walsh and Jason Zutaut teach their students the more traditional form of wrestling.

Marcolini, a physician assistant, began wrestling 25 years ago as a sophomore at Carver High School when the team was just starting out.

“There were a whole bunch of kids who’d never wrestled before,” he said. But quickly, “it became quite a dynasty.”

The coach hopes that will one day be a reality for Old Rochester Regional High School. Marcolini, who’s 6-year-old son is one of about 30 kids in the club, says the sport is scarce in high schools along the South Coast. Youth wrestling, however, is seeing a popularity spike with competitions for kids across the state.

It's a good sport for kids, said Marcolini, since almost everyone can participate and see improvement with practice.

Sixth grader Dylan Flannery is proof of how much improvement a beginner can make in a short time.

“He’s not the most athletic kid in the world, but he’s become a very smart wrestler. He’s catching up to kids who a couple of years ago who would get the best of him,” said Marcolini of his most improved athlete.

Eighth grader Declan McAfee of Wareham is the team captain, and he said wrestling has more to do with hard work than natural talent.

“If you have skill and don’t practice, you’re just going to be OK. If you have no skill but you practice all the time, you’re just going to get better and better,” he said.

Since joining the wrestling program last year, McAfee has become a varsity wrestler on the Wareham-Carver team.

“I went into it thinking it would be a fun sport, and now I wrestle for high school and for this team, and it’s my favorite sport,” he said. “I like the feeling of accomplishment you get on the mat, the adrenaline pumping.”

Wrestling has merit for other sports as well.

“I tell all the football people that wrestling will make you a better football player,” said Marcolini, adding that many NFL players were also high school wrestlers.

Unlike some sports, the only two things needed are a pair of shorts and a pair of shoes. Beyond the low expense, it can also be a good alternative to more dangerous sports.

“For a contact sport, you see very few injuries. It’s close contact. It’s not collisions,” he explained. “The sport encourages speed and strength and knowledge.”

Wrestling comes down to two players on the mat.

“Wrestling is the ultimate merit oriented sport. When you do compete, it’s you and you can’t blame anybody else if you lose,” said the coach.

As his students graduate out of the program, Marcolini hopes it will help build momentum for a high school team at ORR, though that is likely still a few years down the road. For now, he’s focused on getting more kids involved in the club team, which runs from November to March.

After this season, the coaches would like to have a free two-week introductory class for interested kids. Enrollment is also rolling and girls and boys are welcome to join at any time.

For more information, contact Marion Recreation at www.marionrecreation.com or 774-217-8355.