One of the last interactions Jadon Johnson had with his father, Bryn, was a text message.
Jadon told his father of 10 that he was on a mission to do everything he can to make the Skyline wrestling program as good as he possibly could leading up to his first year at the helm of the Coyotes.
Bryn died Oct. 9, 2020.
One year to the date, his loving son is holding the first Bryn Johnson Memorial Wrestling Tournament at Skyline on Saturday.
“He was a huge supporter of wrestling,” Jadon said. “He donated to wrestling programs, supported me and my brothers and my nephews until the very end. He never competed in wrestling but once my older brother (Jeremy) started after hearing about it on the announcements my Dad was completely dedicated to us and the support.”
The younger Johnson feels blessed to be in the position to honor his dad this way after taking over the Skyline program last year.
“This means everything to me,” Johnson said. “My entire life goal was to be a head coach someday. He believed in me from the very start, and I felt like it was a terrific way to honor him.”
It’s also great way to hold true to his final words to his Dad. One of the most important aspects to improving in wrestling is getting mat time and competing during the offseason.
In order for Skyline to reach the level Johnson told his Dad he’d strive to get the program to there has to be a commitment to working in the offseason.
This tournament is a preseason USA Wrestling sanction tournament, and it is a chance for competitors to get after it one more time before the high school season starts.
It is a cash only event and registration ($15) is the day of the event at Skyline, which is located at 845 S. Crismon Rd. in Mesa.
The weight classes are USA Wrestling and competitors must have a USA wrestling card with the top four wrestlers winning an award. It is a 6U through juniors event with weigh-ins and starting times being staggered:
* 6U-10U weigh-in from 7:30 a.m. to 8 a.m. with wrestling starting at 8:30 a.m.
* 12U-14U weight in from 9 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. with wrestling at 10:30 a.m.
* 16U and juniors weight in at 11:30 a.m. until noon with wrestling at 12:30 a.m.
Johnson hopes to make it an annual event and continue to honor his Dad with the tournament and the Bryn Johnson Memorial Tournament t-shirts.
“He was around the sport since the late 1980s supporting everyone,” Johnson said. “I wanted to honor him somehow and figured this would be one way to do it.”
