Wrestling is very different from most sports your child may have participated in before—and at first, it can feel overwhelming. Between weigh-ins, brackets, scoring, and how wrestlers are matched, there’s a lot to learn. This page was created to help parents understand how wrestling works and to answer many of the most common questions we receive throughout the season.

Every experienced wrestling parent once stood exactly where you are now, and we hope this guide helps make your family’s first season a positive and confident one.

Wrestling isn’t always easy to figure out—and that’s okay! Our coaches and parent volunteers are friendly, knowledgeable, and happy to help. Please don’t hesitate to ask questions at any time.

One of the greatest things about wrestling is the community. Parents cheer for each other’s kids, friendships grow quickly, and the bonds formed on the mat often last from youth wrestling all the way through junior high and high school. In our small towns, wrestling truly becomes a family.

All team communication will be conducted through a designated WhatsApp Group.

This platform allows coaches to share announcements and important updates with parents efficiently, without generating group message interruptions.

Parents may respond directly to coaches through the app as needed.

All parents are required to download WhatsApp and be added to the team group prior to equipment being issued to their wrestler.

Please keep all communication with coaches within the app.

Parents are expected to read announcements carefully and respond only during appropriate hours, respecting the coaches' time.

Practice Attire

Wrestlers should wear:

- Shorts or sweats

- A t-shirt

- Wrestling shoes

Wrestling shoes should be purchased before the first practice if possible. Most sporting goods stores and online retailers (such as Amazon) carry them. If purchasing shoes is a hardship, please let us know—we often have gently used pairs available. If your child outgrows their shoes during the season, donations are greatly appreciated so they can be reused by other athletes.

Loaned shoes must be returned at the end of the season.

Meet & Tournament Attire

At competitions, wrestlers are required to wear:

- Wrestling shoes

- A singlet

- Headgear and mouth guards are optional.

We provide all singlets, and they must be returned at the end of the season.

Practices will be held on Tuesdays and Thursdays , February 03 - April 04 according to the following schedule:

5:45 PM - 6:30 PM: PreK & Kindergarten

6:30 PM - 7:30 PM: 1st - 8th Grade

Please note that practice times may be adjusted throughout the season as needed.

All wrestlers must arrive with a water bottle for every practice.

Practices are open to parents; however, we ask that all spectators remain respectful of the practice environment. Conversations or behaviors that disrupt instruction will not be permitted.

If a wrestler is unable to attend practice, parents are asked to notify the coaches via WhatsApp in advance whenever possible.

This late-season program is primarily designed for Pre-k through 3rd Grade Wrestlers.

4th - 8th Grade wrestlers are welcome and expected to focus on fundamentals in a lower- intensity environment than the earlier junior high season.

Junior High - aged Wrestlers are expected to serve as leaders in the room and model appropriate behavior. Wrestlers who are unable to meet this expectation may be ask to return in the fall season.

Wrestlers who repeatedly disrupt practice may be required to have a parent attend practice with them to assist in correcting behavior. Coaches are responsible for coaching; parents are responsible for behavior support when necessary.

All practices take place indoors on wrestling mats that are cleaned regularly. Each practice includes:

- Warm-ups

- Conditioning

- Skill instruction

Drills and occasional games (which are actually conditioning in disguise!)

Wrestlers are paired with teammates of similar size so they can safely learn and practice techniques. Live wrestling is included so kids can apply what they’ve learned in real situations.

Because wrestling is a close-contact sport, we strongly recommend that wrestlers shower immediately after every practice and tournament. While mats are cleaned regularly and coaches watch closely for skin conditions, good hygiene is the best prevention.

Products such as Defense soap and wipes are also helpful, especially when a shower isn’t immediately available.

If you notice any rash or skin concern, please tell a coach right away. Early treatment prevents spreading.

To maximize the effectiveness of practice time, wrestlers are expected to complete a daily home workout Monday through Saturday, in addition to scheduled practices.

This routine allows practices to focus more on wrestling technique and live instruction while helping athletes prepare for competition, reduce the risk of injury, and develop healthy lifelong exercise habits.

The home workout may be completed at any time during the day and should take no more than 15 minutes.

All stretches should be held for 30 seconds.

To encourage accountability and effort, a bi-weekly incentive challenge will be held to recognize wrestlers who consistently complete their home workouts.

Daily Home Workout

Strength & Conditioning

- Push-ups - 25

- Sit-ups - 35

- Static Lunges - 20 each leg

- Jumping Lunges - 10 total

- Air Squats - 20

- Chair Dips - 15

- Pull-ups - 10 (if able)

Balance & Flexibility

- Straight-Leg Standing

- Cross-Leg Standing

- Wide-Leg Forward Stretch (down the middle)

- Cross-Body Stretch

- Quadriceps Stretch

- Butterfly Stretch

- Seal Stretch

- Calf Stretch

- Arm across chest Stretch

- Arms overhead Stretch

Consistent completion of this routine is an important part of each wrestler's development and overall success throughout the season.

Tournaments are usually at the high school of the host town.

Please refer to the schedule and TrackWrestling for registration and event details.

Wrestlers should arrive 30 minutes before their scheduled start time for their age group.

Athletes are matched with opponents within approximately five pounds of their weight. If a wrestler is at the extreme end of a weight group, coaches will communicate with parents if adjustments are needed.

Weigh-ins are conducted at the last practice before a tournament using a certified scale. Each wrestler’s weight is recorded and marked on their arm. If your child misses that practice, please notify a coach.

WRESTLING REGISTRATION

1st - 3rd Grade Registration

Parents or Guardians of wrestlers in the 1st - 3rd Grades are responsible for completing their child's registration.

If your wrestler already has an existing Trackwrestling account, that same account must be used for registration.

If login credentials have been forgotten, please use the account recovery options to regain access.

Creating duplicated accounts for the same wrestler should be avoided whenever possible.

4th - 8th Grade Registration

For wrestlers in 4th - 8th grades, Coach Holdaway will complete tournament registrations on their behalf.

To ensure all interested wrestlers are properly entered, parents are asked to provide advanced notice of participation so registration deadlines can be met.

Only tournaments listed on the regular season schedule will be eligible for registration coverage.

REGULAR SEASON TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE

Limited Folkstyle Card provided with Rec Registration

All tournaments are Prek - 8th Grade

Feb 13 - Richfield

Feb 20 - Enterprise

Feb 21 - Delta

Feb 27 - Beaver

Mar 06 - North Sevier

ALL PARENTS EXPECTED TO HELP

Mar 07 - Hurricame

Mar 14 - Millard

Mar 26 - Gunnison

April 04 - State Tournament @ SVC

*Additional tournaments may require full USA Wrestling Card.

Complete tournament listing can be found on Utah USA Wrestling Page

https://www.wrestleutah.com/page/show/980140-2014-spring-schedule-february-may-

TOURNAMENT EXPECTATIONS & ETIQUETTE

Parents are responsible for ensuring their wrestler reports to the correct mat then it's time to compete. Please uses Trackwrestling to monitor bout numbers and mat assignments.

Our team will make every effort to sit together at tournaments whenever space allows.

We will support and cheer for all members of our team. We compete as a family and represent out program with unity and pride.

Please arrive early to each competition to allow adequate time for check-in, warm-up and preparation.

Coaches will make every effort to be present for each match; however, due to scheduling conflicts, parents may need to assist as needed.

Parents are expected to show respect to the coaches' role in providing instruction and guidance before, during and after matches. Coaches are responsible for coaching; parents are encouraged to support positively from the stands.

The goal of wrestling is simple: pin your opponent.
If no pin occurs, points determine the winner.

There are three positions:

- Neutral – Neither wrestler has control

- Offense – Wrestler is in control

- Defense – Wrestler is being controlled

All matches start in the neutral position.

Ways to Score

- Takedown (3 points) – Gaining control from neutral

- Reversal (2 points) – Going from defense to offense

- Escape (1 point) – Breaking free to neutral

- Near Fall (2–4 points) – Nearly pinning an opponent

- Penalty (1 point to opponent) – For rule violations such as stalling, locking hands, or unsafe behavior

Younger wrestlers are usually warned and taught before penalties are applied.

Each wrestler wears a colored ankle band. The referee wears matching wristbands.

When points are scored, the referee raises the color of the scoring wrestler and shows the number of points.

Two scorekeepers track the match to ensure accuracy.

Most tournaments use TrackWrestling, which allows parents to follow brackets, mat assignments, and bout numbers at
www.trackwrestling.com

Please help your child stay near their assigned mat so they don’t miss their match.

At the end of the bout:

- Wrestlers shake hands

- The referee raises the winner’s hand

- Each wrestler shakes the opponent’s coach’s hand

- They return to their own coach for encouragement

Most tournaments use round-robin brackets, so your child will typically wrestle three matches.

Medals are awarded at the mat or awards table.

Please check with a coach before leaving the facility.

Wrestlers are expected to stay properly hydrated throughout the entire day, especially on practice and competition days.

If a wrestler is ill, we ask that they do not attend practice to help protect the health of teammates and coaches.

To maintain good hygiene and reduce the risk of skin infection, wrestlers should shower after every practice and tournament.

Fingernails must be kept trimmed at all times.

Proper hygiene is an essential part of athlete safety and team responsibility.

Wrestling Shoes Should NOT be worn outside.

Issued gear must be cared for properly and returned clean and on time.

Singlets are for tournaments only and may not be worn to practice.

All wrestlers will receive team shirts, team shorts, and a singlet.

Junior High Wrestlers will also receive team warmups.

Warmups or team apparel must be worn over singlets when not competing.

Junior High Wrestlers are expected to change in locker rooms, not in the bleachers, and travel to and from the tournaments in street clothes.

Singlets and warmups should be washed separately from household laundry and hung to dry.

Wrestlers and parents are expected to demonstrate excellent sportsmanship toward teammates, opponents, referees, table workers, coaches and staff.

While the goal is to develop skilled wrestlers, the lessons learned through this program are meant to prepare athletes for future success in life.

Uncoachable kids become unemployable adults.

Bullying of any kind will NOT be tolerated and will be addressed by the coaching staff.

Wrestlers will generally be given opportunities to correct behavior; however, continued non-compliance may result in dismissal from the program.

- Have Fun - wrestling is fun.

- Develop resilience, discipline, work ethic, respect, integrity, courage, and healthy habits.

- Develop the skills necessary to win matches.

- Provide private-club quality coaching at rec league prices.

- Pursue both individual and team championships.

" It's going to be hard to be a great wrestler if you're not a great person." - Carl Sanderson

"If you can't win in an imperfect circumstance, you're not good enough yet." - Kyle Dake

" Once you've wrestled, everything else in life is easy." - Dan Gable

Please address concerns directly with the coaching staff before or after practice whenever possible.

- Hoss Allred

(435) 979-7516

- Bryce Jackman

(435) 650-1167

- Zack Holdaway

(801) 834-2074

If you are unable to resolve an issue you can contact the Recreation Director at (435) 562-1080.

We hope this guide helps you feel confident and prepared. Wrestling is a powerful sport that builds discipline, confidence, and lifelong friendships. If you ever have questions, please don’t hesitate to ask—we’re excited to have your family in our wrestling community. 💪🤼‍♂️