Jell, yeah!

Lincoln City pool wrestles with big decision

Story & photos by Patrick Alexander

Oregon Coast TODAY

Draining the swimming pool has left staff at the Lincoln City Community Center with a sticky situation on their hands — establishment of the Oregon Coast’s very first Jello-wrestling pit.

“At first, we were just going to drain the pool to replace the grout and fix a few broken tiles,” said Parks and Recreation Director Jeanne Sprague. “But once we saw that big empty space, we really started to see the potential for something new.”

Once confined to frat house parties and seedy bars, Jello-wrestling is hitting the mainstream, having been endorsed by celebrities including Gwyneth Paltrow and former Olympic swimmer Michael Phelps. The sticky sport even features in a recent workout video from pop culture icon Beyoncé, titled “Crazy in Jello.”

“It’s a tremendous cardiovascular workout,” said Aquatics Manager Torin Tostanowski. “While swimming challenges you with hydrostatic pressure, immersion in Jello results in what can only be termed Jello-static pressure, which makes your muscles work even harder. And that’s before you even start grappling with your opponent.”

Once Recreation Supervisor Boone Marker started looking into the logistics of converting the pool into a Jello-wrestling pit, he realized the move could also result in significant savings.

“You’d be amazed at how much money we spend each year on water,” he said. “That pool holds 500,000 gallons of water and we have to switch that out continuously to keep it clean. It’s honestly a real hassle.”

But with Jello the turnover schedule is greatly reduced, from the six hours mandated by the Oregon Health Authority to the much less rigorous schedule suggested by the International Jello-wrestling Association or IJA.

“The guy from the IJA was really a little vague about how often we should change the Jello,” Marker said. “He suggested a visual inspection every week or so to check for any clumps. Obviously, we’ll do some spot-skimming after any particularly rough bouts, like if someone loses a tooth.”

Marker boosted the Community Center’s savings even further by making the executive decision to forego brand-name Jello for the less-well-known Royal brand.

“It turned out I could get it in bulk from Bi-Mart,” he said. “So I rolled out of there with three pallets of cherry, strawberry and something called ‘Tropical Delight’ and started mixing.”

The Community Center also stands to rake in some booking fees by renting out the wrestling pit to private groups — with bachelor and bachelorette parties being among the most lucrative.

“I can count on the fingers of one hand the number of bachelor parties we ever had renting the pool,” Tostanowski said. “But with the Jello pit, we’re already booked out past spring break of 2024, and the thing isn’t even filled yet!”

But center staff said they won’t let such regional popularity detract from the Jello pit’s main purpose, to be a community facility for the Lincoln City area.

“This is going to be a place where community members can quite literally come together,” Sprague said. “We’ll have an ongoing Jello-wrestling league, kids’ specials and low rates for locals all year round.”

The Parks and Rec team are going to lead by example, with Marker and Tostanowski being the first to step into the pit once it is ready for its opening bout.
“I’ve always shied away from traditional wrestling because I was worried that my beard would be a liability,” Marker said. “But with Jello-wrestling, I can massage a few cups of extra-slick Tropical Delight in there and I’ll make that sucker un-grabbable. I’m in it to win it.”

The inaugural Jello-wresting bout will take place at noon on Saturday, April 1, in what was formerly the natatorium (now the Jello-torium) at the Lincoln City Community Center, 2150 NE Oar Place.