FARMINGTON — A $2,500 grant from the Wal-Mart Foundation will buy concussion-proof headgear for wrestlers on the Mat Cats Team in the Farmington area.

Parent Ryan Morgan applied for the grant to get the helmets. At the end of the season, the helmets will stay with the coach to be used for the next season, Morgan said.

The team is part of the Farmington Area Youth Wrestling program, and there are about 30 wrestlers ranging in age from 4 to 8 on the team coached by Bob O’Connor. Middle school students help out the younger children.

The Mat Cats have participated in several meets this year. They are scheduled to participate in the Skowhegan Youth Wrestling Tournament on Sunday, March 20, at Skowhegan Area High School.

The wrestlers meet at 6 p.m. Mondays and Thursdays in the Wrestling Room at Mt. Blue Campus.

“What’s really unique about this is it is all volunteers. Some of the fathers who wrestled in school are volunteering,” Morgan said.