Annual Gary Daum Classic remains a marked event for Niwot boys wrestling

Over the course of a season, not many other events mean more to the Niwot High School wrestling program than the Gary Daum Classic.

The annual wrestling tournament, previously known as the Boulder Valley Invitational, returns to Niwot High on Saturday, Jan. 7 for the 10th time running under its current title, a name given in honor of longtime Cougar head coach Gary Daum, who passed away in 2012 following a battle with cancer.

Daum arrived at Niwot High in 1977 as a special education teacher. He became an assistant coach for the football team, and despite having no background in the sport, he was named the young school's head wrestling coach.

According to current Niwot head coach Bobby Matthews, Daum studied the sport rigorously, watching matches across the state and attending every coaching clinic he could. Daum's dedication was soon rewarded as Niwot's program soon grew and even produced a pair of state champions in the early 1990s, including his son, Garin Daum. The legendary Niwot leader retired in 2005 following nearly 30 years as head of the NHS wrestling program. Daum was also an assistant softball coach before he retired.

Matthews first met Gary Daum when Matthews was a wrestler at Frederick High School, whose wrestlers often practiced with Niwot. The respect Matthews had for Daum grew quickly and he has made it a goal for Niwot's current wrestlers to understand the legacy Daum built.

"For him to have the success that he had, just goes to what kind of coach he was and the kind of person he was," Matthews said. "I make sure that I tell my kids - because I have a lot of kids that are new to the sport or only have a couple of years experience - 'If you immerse yourself into it, put everything into it, you have a chance to be very successful.' For me, it's important that those kids understand and know who Gary was."

The past couple of years have sadly been especially difficult for Daum's widow, Crys Daum, who continues to reside in Niwot, and the Daum family. Daum's daughter, Annica, and her family, including her son, Luca, lost their Louisville home in last winter's Marshall Fire. The 2022 Gary Daum Classic was held about one week later and Niwot wrestling used the event to raise awareness for a GoFundMe site that raised over $17,000 for the family.

Seven months later, Daum's other daughter, Lindsay, and her 16-year-old daughter Meadow Sinner, were shot and killed in their Loveland home.

"That's a strong family, but there's only so much somebody can endure," Matthews said. "They're doing as best as can be expected at this point-it's day-by-day."

Matthews said that due to a prior commitment, Garin Daum likely won't attend this year's classic for the first time since it was renamed after his father. It's also unclear if Annica Daum and her son will make an appearance. Daum's youngest son, Kendrick Daum, lives in Minnesota.

"I don't know if there'll be any Daums there or if they'll just stop by," Matthews said. "I've definitely kept them in my prayers."

This year's Gary Daum Classic allows Matthews another valued opportunity to honor not only his late friend but to extend reverence for his family.

"He was a very selfless individual," Matthews said. "There are many, many stories of kids that (through) wrestling, coach Daum saved them and changed their life. I can't tell you how many stories there are of that. He's so well respected. So as I'm hosting the tournament, I'm constantly thinking it's not going well enough, even though it's all going well. We try to make sure, especially myself, that this isn't just a tournament. We're honoring somebody who gave so much back to the school, to Niwot and to the wrestling community."

Including Niwot, a total of 17 schools will be competing. The event gets underway Jan. 7 at 8:30 a.m.