Rayder Schemmel (left) advises advanced wrestlers Thursday on turning techniques.

TIFTON — Nearly the entire hardwood at the Eighth Street Middle School gymnasium was a sea of blue mats for three days last week. The floor was fixed up for the Rogue Wrestling camp, which invited kids in grades 3-9 to hone their skills.

Coaches Billy King, Zac Martin and Britt Wilson teamed up with Blue Devils alumnus Rayder Schemmel to teach the kids. For most drills, the attendees were divided into beginning and advanced groups.

King said many of the beginners had never wrestled before. The goal, he said, is to build up a program and “become a feeder program for our middle schools.” This is the first year of the Rogue camp.

Martin added they are “trying to focus on middle school-age kids.”

“We are trying to compete with the big dogs,” said King. That applies to the area and state.

Though the majority of wrestlers are Tift Countians, Rogue appealed to others as well. King mentioned there were attendees from Lanier and Cook counties as well.

Drills Thursday evening included games of minnows and sharks, where the wrestlers crawl on hands and knees and try to take down other wrestlers. They also worked on specific techniques, such as turning and leg riding.

Kids were scheduled to have matches Friday.

Sponsors for the Rogue Wrestling camp were Premier Home Care and Patrick Farms.