SLIPPERY ROCK— When in need of an elementary wrestling program, consult your dentist.

Such a statement makes no sense — except in Slippery Rock.

Dr. David Gordley — who happens to be the dentist of Slippery Rock High School wrestling coach Fred Powell — has taken it upon himself to begin a grade school program.

"He doesn't have a kid who wrestles or anything,"Powell said. "But he does have a wrestling background and he loves the sport.

"One time during a visit to his office, Dr. Gordley brought up the idea and we've been discussing it for weeks. Now it's here."

Wrestlers who have come through Slippery Rock have wrestled either in Grove City's or Butler's elementary program or not at all.

But Jeff Becker and Trevor Gallo went on to be successful wrestlers at the state level.

"Those kids are the exception,"Gordley said. "Getting that far without any elementary wrestling background is very difficult."

Gordley should know. He was a wrestler in Michigan who did not have the benefit of a grade school program — and paid for it at the high school level.

"I was very average at best," he said. "In this sport, there's no substitute for experience. I just want to see kids around here benefit from that experience."

Gordley's brother-in-law, Alex Peschl, recently started a high school wrestling program in Shinnston, W.Va. He travels there on occasion to work with that program.

"This man is very passionate about the sport,"Powell said. "We're lucky to have him."

There are 14 wrestlers in grades one through three and 10 wrestlers in grades four to six.

"Those are pretty good numbers for a first-year program,"Gordley said. "And I'm sure some Slippery Rock kids are still involved in Grove City's elementary program. The interest is there."

Slippery Rock High School will host a novice wrestling tournament at 9:30 a.m. Wednesday. The event features five age divisions ranging from 6-and-under to 14-and-under of wrestlers with no more than two years of experience.

Gordley plans to run the program for at least the next few years.

"I believe very strongly in the discipline and work ethic kids learn from this sport," he said.