The Northern Marianas Wrestling Federation (NMWF) has reached a key milestone in its mission to expand the sport across the CNMI, securing a dedicated training space at the Gilbert C. Ada Gymnasium and hosting an open house Saturday afternoon, with sessions for both youth and older divisions.
The federation is moving quickly to formalize its program, starting with the open house, which served as an organizational meeting outlining the federation’s mission, vision, and long-term goals with interested athletes and parents.
The NMWF is developing a formal practice schedule for its two key age groups: 12 and under, and 13 and older. The event aimed to generate interest and gather essential paperwork, such as liability forms, to ensure a structured program going forward.
In recent weeks, the federation has made use of its new space at the Ada Gymnasium. A full-sized mat—generously donated by the Belau Wrestling Federation—marks an exciting new phase for the NMWF and its athletes.
Rick Bauer, vice president of the NMWF and head coach of the national team, expressed his excitement about the progress, noting the development followed years of groundwork with Federation President Jason Tarkong. Bauer acknowledged support from the Northern Marianas Sports Association (NMSA), whose board approved the NMWF’s use of the space. “It is kind of coming together quickly and beautifully, so it is really exciting,” Bauer said.
At the open house, 15 children participated in the 5-12 age group session. “The main goal was not necessarily teaching wrestling but getting the information out—hopefully sparking interest. It’s really about sharing our intention to grow the sport,” Bauer said. He continued, stating they hope to integrate wrestling into PSS sports programs, like interscholastic wrestling. “I want to get six, seven, eight-year-olds, so when they get to 25, they will become warriors and they’re going out and medaling all the time.”
Currently, the NMWF is hosting informal practices, with national team wrestlers from the recent Pacific Mini Games, as well as new athletes, learning and training together.
Adding to the program’s momentum, Coach Bauer recently achieved a personal milestone: earning his United World Wrestling (UWW) Level II Coaching Certification at the UWW Oceania Regional Educational Development Program held last month in Sydney. This advanced credential ensures the youth programs and national team will continue to benefit from world-class instruction, further strengthening the foundation of wrestling development in the NMI.
