Beast Mode Challenge | July 30, 2016

The Second Annual Myrel Schermerhorn Beast Mode Challenge had tougher competition, more participants and unexpected scholarship donors, allowing a total of $3,000 to be awarded. Four students of Frazee won scholarships through a random drawing. Tyler Wacker won the $1,000 scholarship reserved for graduating Frazee High School seniors. Dalton Utke won $1,000 scholarship, and Jessica Reishus and Ameilia Feldt won $500 scholarships.

An impressive 29 teams and 29 individuals competed. Alicia Lokken was the overall individual winner with a total of 168 points. The Green Street Hooligans, consisting of Kody VanDanEykel, Evan Wendt, Zach Nelson, and Bruce Lemon won the team portion with a record setting total of 37 points. Individual winners including Alicia Lokken, Nick Courneya, Tyler Klemmer, Tanner Eischens, Bryan Schoenberger, and the Green Street Hooligans competitors won custom Beast Mode Challenge sweatshirts. The youngest competitor was 4-year-old Katie Courneya, proving the Beast Mode Challenge is a fun competition for people of all ages.

A full list of results are listed here.

The Beast Mode Challenge in memory of Myrel Schermerhorn is going to be bigger and better this year. Big plans including a total of $2,500 in tuition scholarships and more prizes are amongst the plans. Coordinator of the Challenge and Myrel’s mother, Mary Schermerhorn, said, “I am looking forward to watching everybody put forward their best ‘beast mode’ effort, especially the kids.” There were more participants under age 16 last year than any other age category, even though the Challenge is open to men and women of all ages.

There was an impressive turnout last year; over 100 participants competed in the four-part physical challenge competition. More participants are expected to compete this year as individuals or in a four-person team. Prizes will be awarded to the best team costume and top family team, among other categories.

The Beast Mode Challenge was created to give back to the community and remember Myrel, who tragically passed away in December 2011. Myrel often said that it was time to go into “beast mode” during his workouts. The challenge has been set up so that nearly anyone can participate. There are four components to the challenge including pull ups (or modified arm hang for females), push ups, sit ups, and a one mile run.

The Frazee Turkey Days event will take place, rain or shine, on July 27 at the Frazee High School football field. Registrations for the Beast Mode Challenge are currently being accepted online at beastmodechallenge.com. Participants are encouraged to pre-register. The cost is $10 for individuals and $30 for teams of four.

Congratulations to the 20 Frazee High School seniors who received scholarships in memory of Myrel Schermerhorn.

“Beast Mode.” It’s the two words which the Frazee Hornet wrestling team rode all the way to the Class 1A state championship match, where they eventually lost to the No. 1 ranked Jackson County Central 38-22.
- See more at: http://www.dl-online.com/event/article/id/73340/#sthash.KCs0mCMo.dpuf
Published March 1, 2013
By: Brian Wierima, DL-Online

“Beast Mode.”

It’s the two words which the Frazee Hornet wrestling team rode all the way to the Class 1A state championship match, where they eventually lost to the No. 1 ranked Jackson County Central 38-22.

It was the 10th time a Hornet team made the final round in the state meet, while winning a total of four, including 2011 when they were co-champions along with JCC.

But this year’s run was a little unique in all the adversity the Hornets had to overcome to have such a successful season as they did.

Inspiration lay in those two words – “Beast Mode” – which refers to the team’s fallen teammate, Myrel Schermerhorn, who passed away from injuries inflicted in a car accident last year.

“Myrel lived for wrestling and I have imagined him with me every time I’m on the mat,” said senior 138-pounder Bruce Lemon. “I know he is proud of us of what we did.”

The team honored Schermerhorn by displaying “Beast Mode” on their headbands, warm-up pants and even bringing an enlarged poster of the Hornet in action out for the ceremonial handshakes on the middle of the mat for the championship match.

The poster took up a couple of seats on the Hornet’s sidelines for a constant reminder that Schermerhorn is still a big part of the team.

“I’m proud of what these seniors accomplished with all the adversity they have gone through the last two years,” said Frazee head coach John Barlund. “It was just a unique season with all the injuries they overcame. They went through a lot this year and were very successful.”

The Class 1A state team tournament basically came down to JCC and Frazee.

Then, everyone else.

The 2012 Myrel Schermerhorn Beast Mode Challenge was a success! Thank you to everyone who participated and volunteered to make this a memorable event.

Twenty-two teams and 22 individuals competed. Zack Bauck was the overall individual winner with a total of 152.97 points. Team Sam Schrampsh, consisting of Eric Sweeny, Kyler Wegner, Josh Erckenbrack, and Luke Hanson, won the team portion with a total of 86.75 points. Individual winners including Zack Bauck, Dan Schermerhorn, Tim Teragawa, and Danielle Schermerhorn, and Team Sam Schrampsh competitors won custom Beast Mode Challenge sweatshirts.

Myrel Schermerhorn was a young man with an unmatched drive to achieve his goals. Any activity that he decided to pursue became an obsession. When Myrel decided that he wanted to become a great wrestler, he trained with an unparalleled level of intensity and dedication. By the time Myrel was 12 years old, he had cleared everything out of his bedroom to make room for gym equipment. While most kids his age would save money for bikes or video games, Myrel would buy weights, a pull up tower, and wrestling shoes. He trained 365 days a year. Myrel also knew that in order to be the best he needed to learn everything that he could about the sport. He spent nearly every night on the computer researching new wrestling moves and training techniques. In addition, Myrel focused on his schoolwork so that he could wrestle in college. By the time he was a sophomore, Myrel had become a top 5 rated wrestler in Minnesota. His success on the mat was the result of his dedication to becoming the best. Before beginning one of his workouts, Myrel was often heard saying that it was time to go into “beast mode.”

The Beast Mode Challenge has been created to commemorate this champion. The challenge has been set up so that nearly anyone can participate, but you will need to be a true beast to win. It is our hope that no matter your physical ability, all participants will put forth a true “beast mode” effort.