In this article we hope to provide starting wrestlers and family's a high level overview of what to expect and what equipment is needed.
Equipment
Required:
Wrestling shoes (only to be worn on the mat)
find online at Amazon, Rudis, or Dicks Sporting Goods
Headgear
find online at Amazon or Dicks Sporting Goods
Shorts and T-shirt (for practice)
Singlets (uniform for the meets/tournaments) – Your child will be given a singlet during the season.
Optional:
Mouth guard - personal choice but you will see it a lot more at the tournaments; this is required for children with orthodontic braces.
Knee pads
find online at Amazon or Dicks Sporting Goods
HYGIENE
In wrestling hygiene is taken seriously, this assures each and every wrestler will be protected. These guidelines apply to wrestlers, coaches and parents.
Wrestling mats will be cleaned before each practice.
Wrestling shoes should NOT go outside.
Street shoes must stay off the mats for hygiene and to save the mats.
We highly recommend wrestlers shower after each practice and meet/tournament with an antibacterial soap.
Wrestlers MUST keep their nails short. This is for their partners’ protection and their own germ protection. At meets/tournaments fingernails will be checked for length. A referee can stop a match to make a wrestler clip his nails.
Any wrestler with a communicable skin condition will not be allowed to participate in practice/matches until we have been issued a note from the wrestlers physician allowing them to participate.
WHAT TO EXPECT AT PRACTICES
The coaches strive to make practice educational and enjoyable for all wrestlers while expecting each athlete to put forth their best effort.
Wrestlers should wear t-shirts and comfortable athletic shorts without pockets. It is mandatory that the kids also wear wrestling shoes and head gear.
No street shoes are permitted on the wrestling mats. We want to keep them as clean as possible since the kids will be rolling around on them.
Practices normally begin with warm-up and conditioning exercises such as stretching, running, push-ups and crunches. Next, will be technique demonstrations by the coaches followed by practicing the demonstrated moves with a partner. Each child will be paired with another child of comparable weight and skill. Some practices may include live wrestling or games.
Wrestlers are expected to listen and behave during practice so as not to distract the coaches and other wrestlers.
WHAT TO EXPECT AT A WRESTLING MEETS
Organized chaos – lots of people, noise and excited kids
Wrestlers are paired with wrestlers from other schools/clubs that are similar in weight, age, and experience.
Their will be multiple mats running at one time. Coaches will be stationed on the edge of the mat to instruct the athletes.
Parents/fans sit in the stands wrestlers may sit in the stands or on the floor with the team until they are called to the mat for his/her matches.
While coaches will do their best to make sure wrestlers are on the correct mat we really need parents to help make sure their child is where they need to be when the match starts.
Positions are filled by volunteer parents and high school students doing their best – take it easy on them.
FOLKSTYLE WRESTLING BASICS
Objective:
The object of a wrestling match is to gain a fall by pinning an opponent’s shoulders to the mat for 2 continuous seconds, or to gain a decision by out-wrestling an opponent.
Length:
(3) 1-minute periods unless the match concludes due to pin or technical fall (win by 15 points)
1st Period: Starts from the standing or “Neutral” position.
2nd Period: Choice of position is determined by a coin toss. The winner may choose top or bottom in “referee’s” position or may opt to start in the neutral position.
3rd Period: Choice of position is given to the wrestler who lost the coin toss or deferred before the second period. The same options apply.
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