Olympic gold medalist wrestler Brandon Slay will be in Dover-Foxcroft Aug. 6-9 for the Foxcroft Olympic Wrestling Camp.

Maynard Pelletier, an assistant wrestling coach at Foxcroft Academy said that Slay, the 1671/2 pound gold medalist at the Sydney Olympics in 2000, will be joined by Pelletier’s brother, Romey Pelletier, an alternate on the U.S. Olympic wrestling team at the Los Angeles Games.

Maynard Pelletier said the camp, in part, is an effort to improve the image of wrestling in this part of the state.

“Basically central northern Maine, I guess, doesn’t get serious consideration when it comes to wrestling. I’d like to change that. We can do that by bringing talent in like this. I would consider this, if not the best, one of the best [wrestling camps] in Maine, if not New England,” Pelletier said.

Pelletier and his brother Romey were raised in Fort Kent. His brother attended and wrestled for UM-Presque Isle before joining the Army. He now lives in Texas and is a retired lieutenant colonel.

Maynard Pelletier wrestled for the University of Maine and graduated from there in 1984.

“My brother’s well-connected [in the wrestling world]. I used my brother as a go-between to get the talent here. We hope to make this an annual event,” Maynard Pelletier said.

He said that the University of Southern Maine will provide wrestlers from its program to assist at the camp.

The camp is for junior high and older wrestlers and there are 100 slots open. Day campers who register before July 4 will pay $150. After July 4 the price goes up to $175. Overnight campers pay $250 before July 4 and $275 after.

Maynard Pelletier said that the camper fees will largely be used to pay for Slay’s expenses and appearance fee.

For more information, call Pelletier at 285-7727 or email him at MLPPCS@aol.com. Campers can also contact Luis Ayala at 564-3228 and Chris O’Connell at 564-0145.

MIFL Reorganizes

The fledgling Maine Indoor Football League is undergoing some changes. Bangor’s Buddy Smart has taken over as commissioner and since taking on the job has put together an alliance of sorts that could make the league viable.

“We will be signing a contract with the Maine Sports Complex on Sunday,” Smart said. “It’s going to run about $2,500 to play a complete schedule. So, we’re reconfiguring the league fees.”

Currently, there is a franchise fee of $1,500, which Smart said could be reduced, based on the number of teams that enter the league. Thus far, four teams have joined on.

Gary Walker, the head coach and manager of the Maine Sports Complex said that he’d like to see the league succeed.

“We’re trying our best to help [Smart] with regards to rental of the facility. We tried to give him the facility at the best possible price.”

Smart said the league has also struck up an equipment deal with Northeast Athletics in Lewiston.

The league is planning a 10-game regular-season schedule that would begin next month and run into October. Teams would carry between 12 and 20 players.

Smart said he hopes to expand the league into two divisions next year with a southern division competing in the Portland-area.

Bowden rolls out a 214

Walt Bowden made his trip to compete in the Can-Am Championships in Saint John, New Brunswick a memorable one when he fired a single string 214 in the second-round, knockout portion.

The Newport native had five strikes in the last five boxes of the match and opened in only two boxes.

The all-time single string record is held by Ralph Samb of Miller’s Falls, Mass., with a 245.

Bangor’s Shawn Morrison made a run at the three-string world record when he tossed a 170-167-166 for a total of 503, just 12 pins off the record of 515 set by Jeff Atkins of Springfield, Mass.

Scott Sirois of Skowhegan and Tracy Kempton of Gardiner won the tournament.

Don Perryman can be reached at 990-8045, 1-800-310-8600 or dperryman@bangordailynews.net