What equipment does my wrestler need for the season?

Wrestling shoes, head gear, workout clothes (with no pockets), water bottle, and a mouthpiece (if your wrestler has braces).  Wrestlers who compete in tournaments need a USAW card.

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What are wrestling practices like?

Practice starts with warmups, stretches, and line-drills.  Then, the team separates into veterans (competing in open tournaments), novice, and 4 year-olds.  In those groups, wrestlers are instructed on wrestling techniques.  Practice ends with live wrestling and conditioning. And then, practice closes out with a word to the team from all the coaches.  We want our kids to become not just better wrestlers but also better people.

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Note: WAR conditioning is tough, probably harder than any other program in the area.  WAR strongly believes in the old-school physical conditioning.

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What are wrestling tournaments like?

Novice tournaments are for wrestlers with less than two years' experience.  They are typically on Sundays. Open tournaments are for any wrestler and have really tough competition.  They are typically held on Saturdays. Some tournaments hold a joint Novice/Open.

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Depending on the number of wrestlers in a particular age group and weight class, the tournament may be conducted as either a championship bracket or round robin. A championship bracket is double elimination. A round robin is decided by best record.

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Sign-ups and brackets are administrated through FloArena.

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When will my wrestler start going to tournaments?

Most wrestlers will not go to tournaments their first year.  After which, they will do two years' of novice tournaments.  Middle schoolers, however, will typically start tournaments right away.  Veteran wrestlers will start open tournaments as soon as ready but definitely by the third year of wrestling.

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Can girls wrestle?

Absolutely!  There is female wrestling at all levels of the sport, including the Olympics. 

 

Note: At the youth level, girls practice with and compete against boys.

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Will my wrestler have to cut weight?

No, wrestlers do not have to cut weight.  Wrestlers manage weight through smart eating, but no one is required to lose weight.  Wrestlers will have to weigh-in at the weight class that the wrestler is registered for.  But choosing the weight class is entirely up to the wrestler and his/her parents.

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When is wrestling season? 

Wrestling season typically begins end of October / beginning of November and runs through mid-March.  We practice over Thanksgiving and Christmas breaks.

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Can my wrestler participate in other sports?

Yes, WAR encourages kids to play other sports.  Some clubs expect wrestlers to commit year round. We'd rather have kids be in a variety of activities, so that they will be more well-rounded.  In fact, WAR does not offer year-round wrestling.  

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We understand that Fall Sports might run into the beginning of wrestling season.  Wrestlers can finish that fall sport before starting WAR.  However, we do ask that wrestlers finish Wrestling Season before jumping to a Spring Sport. 

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Is wrestling dangerous?  Do I have to worry about my wrestler being injured?

Wrestling is a contact sport.  Injuries happen.  But to put it in perspective, wrestling has more injuries than swimming or tennis, but it actually has fewer injuries than football, basketball, or gymnastics.  Also, wrestling injuries tend to be minor - busted lip, bloody nose, strained muscle.  Wrestling injuries are typically not as serious.  Ultimately, a wrestler is more likely to be injured riding in a car, skateboarding, or riding a dirt bike than at practice or in a tournament.

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