Why Wrestle

Wrestling 101

Wrestling is perhaps the purest form of athletic competition to exist in the realm of organized sports. There are no bats or balls, or pucks or sticks. No pads or helmets or jerseys. There's no time to rethink strategy, regroup, or even to catch your breath. There's only you, and your opponent of equal weight and size. Experience, preparation and the will to succeed will determine the victor. There's no doubt about it, wrestling tops the list of intense, highly-competitive sports.

Wrestling involves a unique balance of practically every aspect of physical and psychological conditioning. Strength is as important as stamina. Speed as technique, strategy as intensity, and power as is coordination. However, it's not always the natural athlete that ultimately succeeds in the sport - it's the natural competitor.

Kids that are strong for their weight, well coordinated and naturally aggressive are usually more successful early on in the sport. However, it's the highly competitive kids that really enjoy the sport, that eventually achieve the highest levels of success. True competitors come in all shapes and sizes, and in varying degrees of natural talent. Many of the best wrestlers the world has ever seen, such as John Smith, Dan Gable and Dave Schultz were not star athletes. They are and were ordinary people with an extraordinary competitive drive.

Although it is wise for parents and coaches to de-emphasize winning, victories can be extremely gratifying because of the strong sense of personal accomplishment. The effort put forth in practice and preparation is apparent in competition, and not lost in a team effort. This aspect of wrestling can be a great motivator and can develop a person's work ethic, self-confidence, and ability to achieve in all areas of life. Wrestling is great for exposing the "champion" within most any kid, but especially with those that love to compete.

How does wrestling compare with team sports such as soccer, baseball and basketball?

Wrestling is considered an individual sport, but includes many of the benefits of team sports. Wrestling differs from most team sports in that during competition, athletes must rely entirely on their own individual abilities for success. Those that dedicate the time and effort will eventually achieve at a level directly proportionate to the investment they have made - even if their teammates prepare and perform at a different level. Wrestlers also develop an appreciation and respect for teammates that have been through the same challenges, and a strong sense of belonging and camaraderie with teammates and other wrestlers.

What physical effects can the sport of wrestling have on children?

Sports offer opportunities for children to improve their strength, flexibility and coordination, while having fun. Most sports activities rely more on some muscle groups and less on others. For example, most sports focus primarily on pushing motions (leg/arm extension) such as throwing, hitting, kicking, jumping and running.

Experts believe that unilateral (equal emphasis on all muscle groups) physical development is especially important in young athletes. Isolated development at an early age, over a long period, increases the risk of injury and limits long-term foundational growth. Swimming, gymnastics and wrestling are among the few sports that engage both pulling and pushing muscle groups.

Of all the sports choices a parent and child can make, wrestling is perhaps the best sport for overall physical development because it involves all muscle groups, and requires the greatest balance of athletic skill. In other words, wrestling does more to improve basic things such as strength, balance, speed, agility and intensity, and is not as specialized as most other common sports.

Does wrestling teach or promote aggressive or violent behavior?

Aggressiveness? Yes. Violence? No. Wrestling is often referred to as the toughest sport, and in many ways it is, but it is certainly not violent, nor does it lead to unruly or destructive behavior.

One of the factors that make wrestling so different from most other sports is that wrestling involves head-to-head competition. Each wrestler's efforts work in direct opposite from each other as in a tug-of-war contest. Success in wrestling requires the ability to attack, as well as the ability to stop your opponent's attack. The same factors apply with boxing and martial arts, but an attack in wrestling is nonviolent. Wrestling does not permit opponents to strike one another, and imposes strict penalties or disqualification for violent behavior. In essence, wrestling is unique in the fact that it can be very aggressive without being violent. The objective is not to destroy or harm one's opponent, but to out-maneuver them and to gain control.

The intensity with which wrestlers compete increases with age and experience. Kids wrestling, especially the younger age groups, is not nearly as intense as high school or college wrestling. It's common for new wrestlers to feel somewhat intimidated at first, not knowing how they compare with other wrestlers, but that is soon overcome. Wrestling, perhaps more than any other sport, is a great for building confidence while retaining a healthy dose of humility. The long-term result is that it develops the champion from within, and leads to greater success both on and off the mat, and does not turn kids into bullies or thugs.

Can wrestling have an effect on character development?

Success factors in sports, or anything for that matter, are part God-given (i.e. height and size) and part acquired (i.e. endurance). Success in wrestling depends most on acquired factors, and unlike most other sports, wrestling does not favor athletes of any particular height, size, weight, muscle type,race or social class, and does not rely on superior vision or hearing.

Wrestlers learn, by the nature of the sport, that long-term success has much more to do with the investment made than the "natural" gifts one is given. Wrestlers learn the value of preparation and hard work, and the role it plays in achieving one's goals.

Click here to read a great Wrestling Article.

WHY WRESTLE?

Wrestling prepares a person to fight the game of life.

The wrestler is the one athlete that must meet his

opponent and do battle completely on his own; no one

can substitute: no time outs are possible. He has no

one to check, screen, block, or assist him in any

way; there is no one to blame for his mistakes.

When he wins, he must show quiet pride and modesty.

When he loses, the responsibility is his.

Wrestling is a true sport. In other sports, when

contact is made, they blow the whistle to stop the

action; in wrestling, when contact is made, we're just

getting started. No other sport requires more sacrifice

then wrestling. The individual, through self-denial,

offers more of his character than ever be

explained here. It is something he carries with him

throughout life, and through every trial, test, and

tribulation.

What Is a Wrestler? By Kenneth J. Nickischer

BETWEEN the innocence of boyhood and the dignity of man, we find a conditioned creature called a wrestler. Wrestlers come in assorted weights, heights, and uniform colors, but each wrestler has the same creed: to wrestle every second of every minute of every period of every bout to the best of his ability.

WRESTLERS are found underneath, on top of, countering, escaping, twisting, riding, and pinning their opponents. Teammates rib them, referees penalize them, students cheer them, kid brothers idolize them, coaches criticize them, and mothers worry about them. A wrestler is perseverance in practice, strategy in sport, hope in a headgear, speed in sneakers, pride in performance. And the best of young manhood in uniform.

WHEN your team is behind, a wrestler is incompetent, careless, indecisive, and uncoordinated. Just when your team spirit threatens to turn the tide of battle, he flubs a counter, gets taken down, misses a switch, or rolls to his back.

A WRESTLER is a composite-he diets like an Olympic athlete, trains like a world champion, sleeps like a Chicago Bear, but, more often than not, wrestlers like a novice at Everglades High. To an opponent publicity man, he has the speed of a gazelle, the strength of an ox, the cunning of a fox, the agility of an acrobat, the quickness of a cat, the skill of an artist, and the ability of the Lehigh wrestlers-combine.

TO HIS own coach he has, for press purposes, the stability of gelatin, the swiftness of a snail, the mentality of a mule-is held together by ace bandages, adhesive tape, sponge rubber, analgesic, and has about as much chance of wrestling in the crucial match as would his own grandfather.

TO AN ALUMNUS a wrestler is someone who will never wrestle as great, pin as much, score as many points, counter as hard, fight as fiercely or generate nearly the same amount of spirit as did those particular grapplers of his own yesteryear.

A WRESTLER likes match films, trips away from home, pinning opponents, short practice sessions, hot showers, whirlpool baths, post match gourmet delights, and the quiet satisfaction which comes from being part of a hard fought team victory. He is not much for wind sprints, calisthenics, scouting reports, drilling, sitting on the bench, skin-ripping tape, or after match compliments.

NO ONE ELSE looks forward so much to beginning the season. Nobody gets so much pleasure out of takedowns, escape, reversals, and pins. Nobody else can cram into one mind a reservoir of moves designed to result in success each time they are tired. No one else dreams and sacrifices more to attain the coveted title STATE CHAMPION.

A WRESTLER is a wonderful creature- you can criticize him, but you cant discourage him. You can defeat his team, but you cant make him quit. Might as well admit it-be you alumnus, coach or fan- he is your personal representative on the mat, your symbol of fair and hard play. He may not be an All-American, but he is an example of the American way. He is judged, not for his race, not for his religion, not for his social standing or not for his finances, but by the democratic yardstick of how well he performs and sacrifices individuals glory for the overall success of his team.

HE IS A HARD WORKING untiring, determined kid doing the very best he can for his school. And when you come out of a gym, groaning and feeling upset that your team has lost, he can make you feel mighty ashamed with just two sincerely spoken words-We tried!

Why Wrestle? Coach Gable

The sport of wrestling is a very natural thing for kids to do at a young age. Kids are always wrestling around in the yard or on the carpet in the house. Organized wrestling can bring in an element of safety and has a lot of other benefits as well.

Wrestling is a great sport because anybody can do it. Because you wrestle people of your same weight, size is not an issue as it may be in a sport like football or basketball. There are now a lot of opportunities to get involved. All but maybe a couple of states have sanctioned high school state wrestling championships. California, Texas and Hawaii have both a boys and girls high school state wrestling championships. Over the past ten years, the number of girls involved in the sport of wrestling in this country has gone from 300 to 3,700 so it is a sport that is on the rise for young females.

One reason wrestling is beneficial to people at a young age is from a self defense point of view. Kids need to protect themselves from bullies or someone who may jump them on the street. You may be asking,What are the odds? Well, pick up a newspaper. You see kids getting kidnapped far too often. First and foremost kids need to be taught about who you can and cannot talk to and where they can be with who, but its also nice to have a little bit of a fight attitude from the point of view of protection. I have daughters and a lot of people ask me if my daughters wrestle. I tell them I teach them just enough for protection purposes.

The sport of wrestling also helps young people develop important qualities such as self esteem, sportsmanship, work ethic and leadership skills. It also helps by instilling a competitive edge. A competitive edge is a real key. You really learn how to compete in wrestling because it is a unique one on one sport. Team sports are great, dont get me wrong, but there are some unique aspects of wrestling that make it stand out. For one, in wrestling you compete at all times. You are playing the game the whole time you are out there. Matches may last 6, 7, up to 9 minutes, but for that short amount of time you are competing. You do not have to wait for a ball to come to you. There are very few breaks and it takes focus and concentration every second you are out there.

There are feelings that take place when you compete. There can be the feeling of not being successful, which can teach you how to overcome adversity and there is the feeling of winning. It only takes winning once to know the feeling and you'll want to strive for it again and again. It doesnt even have to be the feeling of winning an actual match. Sometimes you get a feeling of winning after completing a good hard practice because you pushed yourself and got through it.

Wrestling: A Sport Like No Other-Jackson Wrestling

You have team sports and you have individual sports. Wrestling is one of those that's definitely an individual sport and at the same time, a part of the larger "team" concept.

Some sports are tougher than others; some require physical strength and the ability to run fast. Others require the ability to jump long and high while possessing acute hand-eye coordination. The athleticism derived from wrestling will be beneficial in almost any sport. Participation in wrestling will provide:

Greater coordination

More endurance

Increased strength

Better flexibility

Improved balance

Increased speed & quickness

Better reaction time

As far as the ultimate physical, mental and emotional challenge goes, no sport on earth rivals amateur wrestling. We're not talking about what you see on television with Hulk Hogan and those guys. The ultimate goal in amateur wrestling is the Olympics. Wrestling is widely considered the oldest sport in history and is one of the original Olympic sports. Wrestling boasts an impressive list of alumni, including:

George Washington Abe Lincoln Ben Franklin

Tom Cruise Tony Danza Robin Williams

And many more.....

Wrestling provides that opportunity where you can challenge yourself to be the best you can be. When the match has ended, you are the one who's accountable for what happened.

As so many wrestling T-shirts proclaim, there are no timeouts, no substitutions, no place to hide, and no way to escape. Just WRESTLE.

Talking about putting every ounce of energy into a sport. If you do, you have a better than average chance of succeeding. Blood, sweat and tears are commonplace around wrestling mats. Wrestlers are among the most self-disciplined athletes you'll find.

When the whistle blows, it's just you and your opponent.

It's pressure, pressure and more pressure. Pure brute strength matched against someone your size with near-identical physical ability. There's no chance to set your own pace. Unlike other sports where you can coast if you want, wrestling doesn't allow it.

Wrestling teaches more than slick moves on a mat. It exposes a young athlete to adverse conditions where he must rely on pure guts and determination to survive.

It teaches about caring for your teammates and sacrificing yourself for their benefit. You battle your opponent tooth and nail for all you're worth, but you shake hands and often even embrace afterward, congratulating each other for the courage to enter the fray.

It provides a model for respect and admiration of other people. It forces a young athlete to make the most out of any situation and it teaches self-confidence along with self-esteem. Wrestlers quickly learn the relationship between effort and achievement.

All are winners. Even those who get pinned in the quickest times are winners. As the old saying goes:

WHY WRESTLE?

By John Cole

Scarborough

Why would a kid want to wrestle anyway? What attracts people to this sport?

Wrestling is the 6th most popular sport in our nation. In the midwest, its more popular than soccer and many other leading sports.

Wrestling has been around for a tad longer than all of our major sports combined by well over 3000 years.

Its a simple yet intense sport. It teaches discipline, individual responsibility, the meaning of hard work, that some people will win and some people lose and there is ALWAYS another day. There is a lesson in every match, in every practice and in every challenge.

There will be times you feel humbled and times you feel on top of the world.

Its just a simple sport of two people trying to win a wrestling match. How much more basic can that be?

Look at our kids today. When do they have a real chance to stand on their own in any competition be it academic or athletic? How often do they have a chance to learn about winning and losing? And how often do we tell them losing is a learning experience? How often do they learn a technical skill, understand nutrition, manage their weight, and improve their cardio and strength training. And what about sportsmanship and respect? These values are all embellished in wrestling. How often do we see a real link of athletics to academic skills? Academics are a huge factor in wrestling. Where else can you see a kid whose had a knock or two in life, succeed in wrestling and become a very productive citizen? It happens all the time. Wrestlers are present throughout our society. They run our major corporations; they have been our presidents, our generals, our leaders. They defend our country and police our streets. They teach our youth and they raise our families. They are amongst us every day.

You walk into any wrestling room in our country and from every wrestler, you will hear a different story of what the sport means for them, what it has done for them, how it has enriched their lives. The wrestler by example sells this sport. Its all about the challenge we keep internally, about taking it to the next level. This sport is not for everyone. Its there for the asking if you feel motivated. But you have to work at it and you have to start young. Nothing new there.

As adults we know these to be truths, we know the world is sometimes unfair and for the most part it takes some figuring out. How prepared do we enable our kids for adulthood? Might being involved with wrestling help their preparation? As parents do we want to give them every chance possible to succeed?

Though an individual sport, there is a huge team component to wrestling. You practice with teammates while leaning the most important things about a close friend you may ever know. Yes, when the match is underway, you are 1-on-1 with your competitor. But you know your teammates are watching and in their hearts they want that win as much as you. They know the work and effort you have invested. They know a win is great and they also know if you do your best, you win. That is the team component to the best sport in the land.

I dare say any two kids when playing will at some time wrestle, its Mother Nature’s way of preparation and teaching them the ways of life. This is what She does with most of Her creatures in the wild. Why are we any different? We are not.

So if you want that extra edge, that special something as a youth, come play with us, come join us in the sport of a lifes journey.

We will be wrestling for ages.

Why Wrestling?

Tough People Require Tough Lifestyles

Reasons for Kids to Join Wrestling

Reasons for school administrators to institute a wrestling program

Tough People Require Tough Lifestyles

At the age of seven, every male Spartan was sent to military and athletic school. These schools taught toughness, discipline, endurance of pain (often severe pain), and survival skills. At twenty, after thirteen years of training, the Spartan became a soldier. The Spartan soldier spent his life with his fellow soldiers; he lived in barracks and ate all his meals with his fellow soldiers.

Very few places in American Society can provide an environment to toughen the human body and mind. That's where wrestling comes in. A young wrestler is like a Spartan. In his early years he is taught toughness, discipline, endurance of pain and a work ethic unmatched in any other sport. As he gets older he spends time training, traveling, eating (and not eating), and staying in the same quarters with fellow his wrestlers. He will sacrifice things, which appear abnormal to other Americans, such as dieting and going without water, while still having to train with an extreme amount of intensity. He learns the lessons of sacrifice; they give him a better understanding of the sufferings of the world outside of America. It teaches him that life is not easy, but the human body and mind can endure while under stress and pain. The sport teaches the body and mind to endure the unavoidable stress and adversity that life hands them.

Wrestling is one of the last places in American society that molds Spartans.

Reasons for Kids to Join Wrestling

Wrestling is a(n):

Individual Sport - Since a wrestler succeeds or fails solely on his own efforts on the mat, the sport is a prime developer of fighting spirit, tenacity in the face of adversity, and self-reliance. His mistakes cannot be covered up by teammates and the coach cannot make decisions for him.

Team Sport - it takes the whole squad--every participant working at his utmost potential and each member supporting one another--to win important dual meets and the big tournaments.

Family Sport

Demanding Sport - Wrestling's vigorous demands require top physical conditioning and result in the development of better coordination and greater muscle strength. As a result wrestling is a great sport for football players and cross-country runners who want to stay in shape during the off-season.

Safe Sport - Wrestling is one of the safest sports one can participate in. Over 95% of the injuries are slight muscle pulls. There are three reasons for this safety record:

1) It is the only sport that takes place on a 1-1/2 inch thick, foam rubber mat.

2) There is one referee for just two participants of a match and the referee's first responsibility is to ensure the safety of the two wrestlers.

3) The rules and regulations of wrestling are written with the safety of the wrestlers taking paramount importance. Among the rules are: no biting, punching, or grabbing of clothes; the body slam, full nelson, hammerlock and grabbing of less than four fingers are all illegal.

Sport for Everyone - It's the only sport where participants of all shapes and sizes compete against other competitors of equal weight. Where else can someone of 100 pounds win a championship in a contact sport on a varsity level?

Reasons for School Administrators to Institute a Wrestling Program

Many schools only have a basketball program during the winter. Although basketball is a wonderful sport, it only helps typically 15 kids during that season stay active, be fit, and enjoy competition. Wrestling would be the perfect fit in that it is a winter sport and it allows every kid to participate regardless of size. Weight classes start at 103 and go through 285 pounds. For the young man who gets a late growth spurt or simply isn't going to be big enough to play football or basketball this sport gives him a great chance to compete.

Wrestling teaches discipline, teaches kids how to eat right, and is one of the most demanding sports fitness-wise. A six-minute wrestling match (3 periods of 2 minutes each) will take about all the energy out of you that you have. The fact that it's an individual sport is nice as well because there are no concerns about who will be the starter for the high school team. You typically "wrestle off" for the starting spot. Also, there's nothing like being put in a one-on-one situation out there in the middle of the mat where you have to get it done all by yourself and there's no one to help you.

One neat thing about wrestling is that it's a very safe sport and one in which even if you lose you're very unlikely to get hurt. The worst thing that happens to you is you get pinned by having your two shoulders be held on the mat for a couple of seconds. Wrestling is different than boxing in that you can compete without the fear of a major injury. The sport helps to develop discipline, fitness, and confidence in a way that is unique to almost any other sport. Wrestling will also keep kids busy and out of trouble and is a sport that every high school needs.

- from the Arkansas Wrestling Association