
ROSEBURG – In what could be the trip of a lifetime, five Roseburg High School wrestlers have traveled to Japan as a part of the Oregon Wrestling Cultural Exchange. The group of student-athletes, along with Roseburg assistant coach Dave Maley, left the states June 26 and are due back this week after the experience of visiting a foreign land.

Matt McDowell, Austin Harris, Austin David, Haydn Maley, and Cameron Campbell all qualified for the trip by winning in their weight class at the Oregon Wrestling Cultural Exchange trails held at Thurston High School in March. The five from Roseburg were joined by other wrestlers from around the state and during their travels they have visited high schools in Japan, competed in wrestling tournaments, tried new foods, gone sight-seeing, and even learned about sumo wrestling.
The tradition of the Oregon Cultural Exchange dates back five decades. The Oregon Wrestling Association has sent a state team out of the country annually since the early 1960s. Last year the group went to South Africa. Wrestlers are only allowed to make the team once, so it truly is a once in a lifetime opportunity.
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