Lower Township Recreation Advisory Board Recognizes Mark Bohn

The Lower Township Recreation Advisory Board recently honored Mark Bohn as volunteer of the month for his dedication to the Township’s wrestling program.
Lower Township youth wrestling is a volunteer run, nonprofit youth wrestling organization dedicated to introducing local kindergarten through eighth grade students to the sport of wrestling.
Bohn may be the new face as the head coach of Lower Township’s Tiger wrestling program, but he and his family are no strangers to the sport. Bohn said he initially got involved in wrestling in high school.
“I loved sports in high school, but I was small and I might have been 100 pounds soaking wet,” he said with a laugh. “It was discouraging, but then my high school coach got me involved in wrestling.”
Bohn described the sport as something that taught him dedication and discipline.
“When you wrestle, you want to do well for your team, but when you are out there on the mat, it is just you and your opponent,” he said. “No one can help you. You have to rely on yourself, your hard work, your skill, your dedication.”
When Bohn moved to Lower Township, his sons went through the youth wrestling program and he volunteered to help as a coach. The passion for the sport was reignited years later when his grandsons brought home a flyer advertising the wrestling program.
The Lower Township youth wrestlers participate in the South Jersey Youth wrestling league. The other teams in the league include Egg Harbor Township, Hammonton, Mainland, Mays Landing, Middle Township, Mullica, Ocean City, Vineland and Upper Township.
Registration information about the organization is given to local schools beginning in the fall, but Bohn said that he doesn’t turn anyone away. Interested participants can also stop by the Lower Township Park and Recreation Department for more information. Updates are also on the group’s Facebook page: Facebook.com/lowertownshipwrestling
The program has two levels, one for beginners that are just getting into the sport and a more advanced session for seasoned athletes.
Practices are held Tuesday and Thursday evenings with the beginners’ session starting at 5:30 p.m. and the advanced session beginning at 6:30 p.m. Matches are held on Friday evenings at the Richard M. Teitelman Middle School. Bohn said that the group competes in one mandatory tournament and a few tournaments that are optional.
Bohn credited his wife Cyndi, who he first met when he was wrestling in high school, for her support in working with the team, managing schedules and working with all the new coaches, kids and parents all while running her own business, A Piece of Cake.
He also applauded the parents for their continued encouragement, and a group of motivated and experienced coaches for volunteering their time.
The Lower Township Recreation Center is located behind Lower Township Hall in the municipal complex at 2600 Bayshore Rd., Villas. For more information, call (609) 886-7880 ext. 0 or visit the Township’s website at townshipoflower.org.