Hastings Wrestling

Jess Kohner is entering her third year on the Hastings Wrestling Booster Club, now serving as Vice President and High School Coordinator after spending two years as the Youth Club Coordinator. A 2006 Red Wing graduate, Jessica is married to her husband, Matt, of 13 years. They are the proud parents of three children, Carter, Scarlett, and Griffin, who are all actively involved in Hastings Wrestling across the youth, middle school, and high school levels. Jessica joined the booster club out of a desire to stay deeply involved in her children’s athletic pursuit s. She loves how wrestling creates a strong bond among her kids, turning them into each other’s biggest cheerleaders as soon as a match begins. What stands out most to Jessica about Hastings Wrestling is how supportiv e the community is across all age groups. Her high school wrestler frequently volunteers to help at youth events, thriving on the opportunity to mentor younger athletes and share in their excitement for...

Sara Lawler is entering her second year as a volunteer coordinator for the Hastings Wrestling Booster Club. A dedicated member of the Hastings community, where she has lived for nearly ten years with her husband, a volunteer youth coach, and their four children, Sara deeply values the strong sense of family and connection within the program. One of her favorite wrestling memories is watching her son at his first individual tournament when he was four or five years old; as 10 to 15 older wrestlers cheered him on matside, they demonstrated a supportive "big brother" environment that has remained a constant as he has grown. For Sara, the most rewarding part of being involved in the Hastings wrestling community is watching these young athletes grow and succeed both on the mat and in life.

Stephanie Pheneger is entering her first year on the Hastings Wrestling Booster Club, stepping into the role of Youth Club Coordinator. Driven by her two children's shared passion for wrestling, Stephanie was inspired to get deeply involved in the program to help shape and support its future, not just for her own kids, but for every wrestler coming up through the ranks. After moving to the area eleven years ago without any prior local ties, it was the river that initially brought her family to Hastings, but the warm, welcoming community that convinced them to stay. For Stephanie, the heart of the Hastings Wrestling experience lies in its supportive environment, where every coach and family goes above and beyond for one another. Her favorite memories are watching the older, seasoned wrestlers take the youngest kids under their wing, whether hyping them up before a big match or cheering loudly from mat side. Looking ahead, Stephanie is excited to foster this unique cross-age encourag...

Meet Jason Bainbridge, President of the Hastings Wrestling Booster Club! Jason joined the Booster Club five years ago and has served as President for the past two years. Originally a 1998 graduate of East Dubuque High School, Jason and his wife Wendy have been married for 23 years and have three sons: Jack (20, attending St. John's University), William (17, a junior at Hastings High School and active wrestler), and Henry (13, who is excited to be around the high school program this year). Over the past 17 years of his sons' involvement in wrestling, the Bainbridge family has benefited greatly from the dedication and community within the Hastings wrestling program. We sat down with Jason to hear his thoughts on the program, his favorite memories, and what’s ahead for Hastings Wrestling: Q: What made you want to join and lead the Booster Club? "Serving on the booster club is my opportunity to give back to a program that has given so much to my family and helped shape my sons...

Meet Assistant Coach Elli Levine Elli Levine is entering her first year as an assistant coach for the Hastings Girls Wrestling Team. A 2026 graduate of Hastings High School, she joins the coaching staff with a strong wrestling background and a history of athletic and academic excellence. During her competitive career, she was a state place winner, a two-time all-conference selection, a member of the National Honor Society, and an All-State Academic honoree. Drawn to the role by the team dynamic and the opportunity to work alongside Coach Tim, Elli is excited to support the wrestlers in their growth. In her new coaching capacity, she looks forward to helping guide the team and watching the Hastings Girls Wrestling program continue to expand and succeed.

A mainstay in our wrestling booster club, Patti Kopp (Randolph '85) has just finished her 17th year, serving 16 years as Vice President and one year as Concession Coordinator, and is now transitioning to full-time Concession Stand Coordinator! Patti originally stepped up to run for Vice President so she could take charge of concessions, a role she loved helping with from the start. Over the years, one of her greatest joys has been watching our youth grow up in the program, seeing kids she remembers as preschoolers mature into high school graduates. A proud parent of four adult children and one grandchild, Patti loves how truly homegrown our program is, our wrestlers start as youth, rarely transfer in, and so many families continue following and supporting the team long after their own kids have graduated. Looking back on all these years, Patti’s favorite memory was being at the arena in 2023 when the team pulled off an incredible come-from-behind victory to beat STMA at the state t...