A new business will soon call the City of Jefferson home.

Sebolt Wrestling Academy made an initial presentation to the Jefferson City Council at their meeting last week about purchasing The Fieldhouse. T.J. Sebolt started SWA in 2010 in Mason City where he also coached wrestling at North Iowa Area Community College. He says he wanted to give younger kids an opportunity to become better wrestlers. Then in 2015, a second SWA was established on the campus of Iowa State University in Ames. 

T.J. and his dad were looking for another location and after talking with Greene County residents whose parents had kids in the program and family members in the area, they landed on The Fieldhouse in Jefferson as the next location. T.J. described why he wants to bring his business to Jefferson and live in the community.

“We like the community, we like small towns. Obviously I looked at Des Moines and Story County (and it was a) much bigger price difference, but really we want our kids in a small town community and obviously we would be moving there. We like smaller town schools and sports. And we’re really impressed with the way you guys have gave us a feeling like maybe you want us there and I think that’s pretty unique as well.”

Greene County Youth Athletic Association owned the building, but board member Jamie Daubendiek says a purchase agreement has been signed by both parties to move forward with the process. He tells Raccoon Valley Radio GCYAA purchased the building in 2017 and leased the space to the Greene County School District for their wrestling programs. 

“That changed drastically with the passing of the school bond which we were all in favor for it and needed that to happen. But one of the fallouts with that change over at the now current high school will be middle school is that they had extra space which they were going to put the wrestling room in the building.”

Daubendiek adds T.J. will no longer operate the other two sites, since he does not own the facilities, and intends to move to Jefferson. The Council agreed to move forward with developing a reimbursement agreement utilizing the City’s Urban Renewal Plan building improvement fund, along with a three-year tax abatement. 

SWA has helped to cultivate through their program ten Iowa High School champions and eight second place finishers at the state wrestling tournament. Additionally this year alone, five SWA wrestlers have made Division I college commitments.