Keystones

We are part of the Keystone League, which is comprised of over 30 schools throughout Allegheny, Westmoreland, and Indiana counties. There are six (6) scheduled Keystone meets during the season, held at various locations on the weekends. At the meets, wrestlers are paired according to age, weight and experience levels. Your child will wrestle 2 matches at each meet. There is no additional charge to participate in the Keystone League meets.    

These tournaments provide an excellent opportunity for children to gain valuable wrestling experience in a developmental setting.  There are no trophies (although some host schools may give participation or place ribbons).  Each wrestler has an opportunity to learn and grow as they will be matched up with someone else of similar ability and experience.  If your wrestler participates in a minimum of 4 Keystone Tournaments, he or she will qualify for the Keystone Finals.

 KEYSTONE WRESTLING LEAGUE 

Time Schedule

 5/6 and 7/8 year olds

Check-ins - 8am - 8:30am  |   Wrestling starts at 9 am 

9/10 and 11/12 year olds 

Check-ins - 12pm - 12:30pm   |   Wrestling starts at 1 pm 

For this year's Keystone dates, times & locations - see Schedule.

For new wrestlers and their parents, Keystones can be confusing & overwhelming.  Here is a little bit of information to help you know what to expect.  

Keystone League

• Weigh-Ins? There is ONE mandatory pre-season weigh-in.  You don't have to weigh-in at the Keystones each week. There is an additional weigh-in before the Finals. Weigh-ins help ensure that the league has accurate ages & weights for all wrestlers so they can be paired up fairly with opponents. 

• No charge or tournament registration fee for wrestlers, but there are admission fees for spectators.

• Know what time to arrive. Times are the same each week.  The AM and PM starts are based on age. 

• Get Directions! See the Keystone website directions page. Make sure you plan your trip to arrive on time for your wrestler to check in.

• Before you go - make sure your wrestler gets plenty of rest and a light breakfast. If you are leaving home early, you can get breakfast at the tournament. Also be sure nails are trimmed. 

• Pack the essentials - make sure you have your wrestler's singlet, headgear and shoes! You may also want to pack water, snacks, and items to occupy younger wrestlers (or yourself). You may also want to pack nail clippers and athletic tape/bandaids just in case.

• REQUIRED!  Check in when you arrive - enter the building and find the "Registration" area. Look for the LATROBE table to check in your wrestler ("get their card pulled").  This lets the coaches know your child is present so they can pair him/her up for matches.  

• Find a good seat! Look for other LATROBE families to sit with. "Experienced" families can help you if you have any questions. 

So Now What...

You've checked in at the LATROBE table. The coaches will then “pair up” wrestlers by age, weight and experience for their 2 matches. 

Check out the restrooms, concessions, and find a seat. Your wrestler can find a coach on the mat and warm up. Stretching and warming up are a good idea. When it is about time to begin wrestling, an announcement will be made and usually the National Anthem will be played. Teams will be called for skin checks. Referees will check each wrestler's skin and nails to make sure they are able to wrestle. Wrestlers are then called to report to a designated area or sent back to sit with you. 

PLEASE LISTEN FOR YOUR CHILD’S NAME. 

When your wrestler is called, please make sure they report quickly.  Sometimes they'll be called directly to a certain mat and other times they have as staging area set up.  At a staging area someone will pair them with their opponent and tell them when to go to a particular mat.  There is sometimes a lot of down time before your wrestler is called. This is an excellent opportunity to watch other matches and to cheer on your teammates. If your wrestler is younger, you may want to bring along something to keep them occupied if they become bored. Horseplay and wrestling outside of the gym are not permitted. 

When your child wrestles, you are permitted to SIT at the edge of the mat to watch and cheer your wrestler on. You are also permitted to photograph/video your child. Please remember that your child should be watching the coaches and listening to the coach’s instructions during the match. 

Keystones (and most other junior tournaments) have (3) periods lasting 1 minute each. Each wrestler will be given a band (red or green) to place around the ankle. The Referee will have the wrestlers shake hands before the match and will begin the match. A time keeper will clock each period and a score keeper will record points awarded by the referee. You will be able to see the clock and score card from the opposite side of the mat.  See also: Rules

Tournament organizers use concessions as fundraisers for their organizations. In addition to cafeteria concessions, you may find snacks, wrestling gear, clothing or other items for sale. Most tournaments offer 50/50 drawings to support the host program and could put some cash in your pocket.

See also:  Rules - information on basic wrestling rules and scoring