Border Wars XIII: The Tournament Raising the Bar in Florida Wrestling

Welcome back to the North Florida Wrestling Show!
In this episode, Jordan sits down with Coach Travis Laxton, Head Coach of South Walton High School and Tournament Director of the Chris Pickren Memorial — Border Wars XII, one of the toughest and fastest-growing tournaments in the Southeast.

Border Wars has become the early-season test for wrestlers across multiple states — and in this episode, we get the full story:

🔥 How Border Wars was created by Chris Pickren and why it carries his name
🔥 Why national-caliber teams travel from Louisiana, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi & more
🔥 How the tournament grew from a local event into a multi-state powerhouse
🔥 The addition of a GIRLS division for the first time in tournament history
🔥 The logistical grind behind running a 7-mat event at the start of the season
🔥 Why hosting a major event at home changes a program — and the whole community
🔥 Plans for expanding Border Wars into a dual + individual experience

Travis also shares incredible insight into:
✔ Rebuilding the importance of duals
✔ Keeping wrestling local to grow community support
✔ The future of girls wrestling in Florida
✔ Why Border Wars is transforming North Florida wrestling

PLUS — big news:
🏆 Two-time NCAA All-American and Iowa Hawkeye Pat Lugo will be at Border Wars XII all weekend with Miami Hawks Wrestling, signing autographs, meeting athletes, and connecting with coaches.

If you care about wrestling in Florida, this episode is mandatory viewing.