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Variety rules as minor sports make mark

Their heads are dipped and arms outstretched as they circle waiting for the right time to close.

A split second later, the shorter boy slips past and takes his opponent's back, earning shouts of encouragement from his coach.

The coach is Canadian-born Alan Landy and he is teaching children the basics of wrestling in a school gym in Currambine.

Wrestling is a part of everyday life in the US and Canada. But in Perth it is one of a rising number of smaller sports giving children more choice.

Mr Landy, an Australian Commonwealth Games wrestling coach, runs programs at schools and hopes to open a club in Scarborough next year.

"It's part of every primary and high school in the US and Canada," he said. "You either play gridiron, baseball or you wrestle.

"What I've found in training kids over the past 20 years is it instils determination and self-confidence and the best thing is it caters for all body shapes.

"You get strength, speed and flexibility and the by-product is you can take care of yourself if you need to."

City Tri Club coach Julie Catherall at Bayswater Waves with some of her Trystars: Chloe Curwood, left, Mikala Harris, Cooper Bates, Hannah Carlton, Imogen Curwood, Taya Harris, Tahlia Harris, Ruby Curwood and Jessica Laundon. Picture: The West Australian/Nic Ellis


At CrossFit Perth in Joondalup, classes for children aged 7 to 13 are smaller versions of adult classes without the weightlifting.

Coach Jason Pelham said the workouts helped children with discipline and determination as well as fitness.

Those same qualities are epitomised by triathletes and taught to children as young as five at 10 triathlon clubs across WA.

Nicholas Alvaro grabs Jayden Peart-Whelan in a wrestling move as teacher Alan Landy watches. Picture: The West Australian/Sharon Smith


City Tri Club member Vicki Delves said the Trystars program emphasised participation and fun while giving children valuable life skills.

This growing variety of children's sports is embraced by Sport and Recreation Minister Terry Waldron.

He said the Government's KidSport program had now delivered more than 30,000 subsidy vouchers to five-to-18-year-olds, putting the program two years ahead of projections.

"It's so fantastic to see the enthusiasm of kids to get involved, not only in traditional sports but a whole range of different activities," Mr Waldron said.