CALDWELL, Idaho — The 10th annual Cradle for the Cure tournament, where the sound of competition is also the sound of a community coming together for something much bigger than wrestling.
WATCH | See these young athletes raise funds for cancer—
Hosted by the Caldwell Wrestling Club, the annual event draws thousands of youth wrestlers and their families from more than a dozen western states. In addition to competition, the tournament raises funds and awareness for St. Luke’s Cancer Institute.
The tournament was founded under deeply personal circumstances 10 years ago. Club Director Adam Freeman’s mother was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer, while longtime coaches Juan Pena and Steven Bidleman had just lost their mothers to the disease. Facing these challenges together, they created an event to support others navigating similar hardships.
"It's actually my mom's 10 year anniversary from her battle with leukemia... and we just decided to raise awareness but also help local families here with needs," Juan Pena said.
In recognition of the tournament's 10th anniversary, this year’s event specifically highlights awareness for blood cancers.
What began as a response to tragedy has grown into one of Idaho’s premier youth wrestling events. Over the past nine years, total donations have approached $250,000, with $37,110 raised just last year alone.
All of the funds support the St. Luke’s Patient Assistance Program, which provides direct help to local families facing the financial burden of cancer treatment, covering costs like travel and everyday expenses.
"There's a lot of clubs that do raffles and then donate it as a club to us. The more money that stays in the Treasure Valley... they know where it goes," Pena said.
Wrestler Sierra Andersen is among the athletes participating in the tournament.
"It's pretty cool, I get to help people who are going through what my grandma did," Sierra Andersen said.
Growing up on the mat, former Caldwell High wrestler Draven Johns has watched the tournament grow. He emphasized that without wrestling, he would not be the man he is today.
"Making an actual impact to our community... that's been really nice to see," Draven Johns said.
"It's not just the wins and the losses... I'm coming here, I'm participating... I'm growing the sport, and I'm raising money for people that need it more than I do," Johns said.
The Caldwell Wrestling Club is proud to host an event that promotes youth athletics while strengthening the local community. Pena plans to continue this tournament for years to come, to raise more money each year to support local neighbors facing cancer.
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