ONE of the most difficult decisions for a coach is when to throw a pupil into competition.

However, Bradford Wrestling Academy’s head coach Brett Hawthorn got it spot on when he took teenagers Mohammad Salim Amarkhil, Cayden Taylor and Theo Cassani to the English National Championships at Bolton recently.

All three won silver medals - Barkerend’s Mohammad, who is 18, in the 65kg category; Woodside’s Cayden, 17, in the 70kg category; and Theo, 18, from Calverley, in the 74kg category.

However, as Brett was unavailable due to doing a seminar that day in Wigan, they were coached instead by Brett’s sister Katie, who, like her brother, is rising up the coaching ranks.

Mohammad has been wrestling for two years, but Theo and Cayden have only been wrestling for 10 months and seven months respectively.

Brett’s father Jimmy, who is winding down his coaching commitments, said of the trio: “They might not have been wrestling for too long, but they are all athletic, they all use the gym and are supple so they all came with some pedigree and do other sports - Theo for example does kickboxing.

“They have had a few novice competitions and we have wrestling practice and live matches at our Underhooks base on Leeds Road, so they are getting experience and we can tell how they might do in competition.

“We took them to the English because we knew that they would have a chance as they are training most days and we are teaching them technique, and Cayden comes from a great wrestling family.

“His great grandad Joe went to the 1932 Olympics in Los Angeles, he had an uncle who went to the Commonwealth Games, they were British champions in their day and I used to coach Cayden’s dad.

“However, it was a surprise how well the three lads did as it was a pretty loaded field for all of them and they were tough competitions.

“The probable reason that they lost their finals was down to a lack of technique as they were up against strong and athletic lads. The three lads just need more experience, but they will get it and they were happy with how they did, but they want more.

“Mohammad is so fast - he is like lightning - whereas Theo is very strong and fast too, while Cayden can feel wrestling. His dad Sean was a national champion.

“Next up for them is the British Championships at the National Squash Centre in Manchester on the weekend of June 1-2

Jimmy added: “I know that he is my son, but Brett is a superb coach and he has grown the Academy from coaching about 10 people two years ago to now getting 50 people at his sessions.

“It is amazing and we have had to put a second mat in, which is 24 feet wide by 24 feet long, and there are plenty of good wrestlers coming up. Watch this space.

“Also my grandson Leo, who was a nine-times British champion as a kid, is back at the age of 22.

“Brett has something about him and the lads just listen to him. He was the junior national coach for Great Britain, but had to let that go as he is doing full-time teacher training and qualifies in three months.

“Brett has grown up in wrestling - watching me go to America, watching me go the Ukraine, watching me train - whereas I didn’t come from a wrestling background.

“He has put all of this experience together because Americans wrestle in a different style and so do the eastern Europeans, and I am so glad that Brett and Katie are continuing my legacy as if they don’t do it then who does?

“Katie, who is doing ladies’ only sessions at Underhooks, trained at Campbellsville University in America under Lee Miracle, who led them to being the No 1 team in the country in the NWCA NAIA, which is a hell of an achievement. He was named women’s coach of the year for two years running.”