"Once you’ve wrestled, everything in life is easy." Dan Gable
Why Wrestling?
Wrestling is mankind’s oldest sport and in some countries is still the most popular. It was a founding Olympic sport and has a long and storied history. It helps with body awareness, physical conditioning and fun. Wrestling is unique in that it is an individual sport that doesn’t play favorites. There are champions of every body type, social class, race and gender. Hard work, effort, attitude and self-sacrifice are the greatest determinants in a wrestler’s success or failure on the mat. These are lessons wrestlers carry with them for life.
Why the Connell Wrestling Club?
We are an organized club with a positive atmosphere and motivated coaches. We put the proper amount of emphasis on all aspects of wrestling and character development, not just wins and losses. We firmly believe that in our wrestling room there are only winners and learners.
Where are practices?
Practices are at Connell High School in the wrestling room near the tennis courts.
How old does a child have to be to join the Connell Wrestling Club?
Currently, we are only accepting kids that are over 5 years old. This is due to insurance reasons and is non-negotiable. Siblings are welcome to watch but they must begin their wrestling careers at home.
My child has never wrestled before, is it too late to join?
It is never too late to join wrestling. There are Olympic wrestlers who waited until high school to begin participating. It is all about the amount of work a wrestler is willing to put in to be successful. Our club caters to a youth wrestling segment but adults and interested parties are more than welcome to join in a coaching capacity.
How much does it cost to participate?
There are two levels of competition wrestling.
·
Connell Wrestling Club is year-round USA wrestling with a club fee of $50. Currently limited to invite only. Talk to a coach if interested.
·
Connell Little Guys wrestling is 5–14-year-olds wrestling in the Washington Little Guy Association. Open to all interested wrestlers. $50 per wrestler. January to April season.
·
Parents are additionally required to volunteer and work at the
team sponsored tournament and/or a tourney score table. A “buyout” fee of $20 is
included for those unable to volunteer.
What do we get for our club dues?
These dues cover: our insurance, registration with the league, and other incidentals. These dues are currently much lower than many other clubs as we build up the club.
What are the additional wrestling club participation dues used for?
We are organized as a 501c3 non-profit organization. We have no paid staff and all monies collected are directly used for the benefit of the club and its wrestlers.
What if I know someone who wants to wrestle but cannot afford the fees?
The Connell Junior Eagles will not turn away anyone who wants to wrestle. Jr Eagles has coordinated with many local businesses that are willing to provide scholarships to assist providing any child the ability to wrestle. (Please visit in confidence with any Jr Eagles board members or the club coaches to discuss this in detail.)
What is the time commitment?
Wrestling requires a higher level of time and commitment than other sports you may have participated in. The practices are generally 1-1.5 hours per night. Wrestlers are required to make 2 practices per week to participate in tournaments. Practices will begin the last week of January and will be T-W-Th every week through the final league tournament. There are tournaments every weekend in March. Saturday tournaments generally finish before 4pm. More information and times will be provided at practice and when the schedule is released by the league.
Are parents required to stay at practice?
Parents and guardians are NOT required to stay at practice but are welcome to watch and participate. The wrestling room is limited in space outside the mat area and most seating is on the ground. If you do not stay, we do ask that you return to the wrestling room no less than 5 minutes before the end of your wrestlers scheduled practice time.
Does my child have to attend every practice?
We understand scheduling conflicts occur. We encourage you to try to make every practice. Please come 15 minutes early to get completely ready so practice can start on time. The more practice they make the better wrestler they will become.
What does my wrestler need to wear/bring when they come to practice?
They should have gym shorts and a t-shirt/sweatshirt, socks, tennis shoes, head gear, and wrestling shoes. We always wear head gear during practice to decrease injury and prepare for matches that require its use. Wrestlers should bring a WATER bottle to practice. We don’t have time to run 50 kids through the lone drinking fountain. Colored and/or sugary drinks are strictly prohibited in the wrestling room.
Please do
not wear wrestling shoes outside and where possible avoid wearing gym shoes on
the mat. (This will cut down on the possibility of fungal infections.)
Please do
not wear clothing with Zippers, Buttons, or Snaps to practice.
Please do
not wear singlets to practice. Singlets are for matches only.
Do we have to travel to tournaments every weekend?
Connell Wrestling Club members are encouraged to participate in the area tournaments. The more they practice/compete and the more they wrestle, the better they will get each week. Tournament participation is never required but always encouraged.
Connell Little Guy wrestlers are also encouraged to participate in the tournaments. The more they practice/compete and the more they wrestle, the better they will get each week. Tournament participation is never required but always encouraged.
How do I know if my wrestler is ready for competitions and tournaments?
Winning and losing are a part of the sport. Wrestling doesn’t offer participation trophies. Wrestlers will experience the joys of victory and the agony of defeat. Our coaches will put emphasis on effort and attitude. We are building future champions. We will not sacrifice winning now for winning later. Parents should not put too much emphasis on winning or losing now either. If you are concerned about your wrestler’s readiness for competition speak with one of the members of our coaching staff as former wrestlers, experienced coaches and parents we can help judge your wrestler’s readiness. In general, if your wrestler is emotionally prepared and feels excited about competing, then go for it.
Do my kids have to “cut weight”?
Kids are not allowed or encouraged to cut weight at this age. They “weigh in” at their natural weight for each tournament each week. Although you may notice them gradually losing or gaining weight and become more physically fit as they attend more practices. Some kids may also grow heavier (or lighter) during wrestling season as they gain more muscle, become more physically fit, and enter natural growth spurts.
Will my child wrestle a kid a lot bigger than him?
All wrestlers are weighed on official scales and then placed in brackets that are safe and fair for the youth participants. When wrestlers are asked to compete outside of a 5-pound range, parents and coaches are required to give permission for their wrestler’s participation.
How dangerous is wrestling? Will my wrestler get hurt?
Wrestling is a very fun sport, but it is also a tough sport where bumps and bruises do occur. Wrestlers can briefly be put in uncomfortable positions while wrestling an opponent, but it is not very dangerous at all. Every now and then someone may get a bloody lip or nose, but the practices and meets are all closely supervised, and very safe. According to CDC injury rates the following youth sports are more dangerous: Lacrosse, Football, Baseball, Softball, Cheerleading, Gymnastics, Soccer, Ice Hockey, Track and Field/Cross Country, Swimming, and Basketball.
What if my child gets hurt during practice?
Our Coaches are all first aid trained and familiar with common wrestling/youth injuries. Wrestlers will never be unsupervised at practice. But even with these precautions sometimes accidents and injuries do happen. In the event of an injury a coach will provide immediate first aid while we check to see if a parent is present in the wrestling room or waiting area. If a parent is not present, the parent will be called. If there is no answer, then the first emergency number listed on the registration form is called. If we can’t reach a responsible party, we will put your wrestler down in the most humane way possible. Just kidding. We will take the necessary next steps for the wrestler’s care.
Are the coaches qualified to coach and instruct my child?
Coaches with a strong wrestling background are present at all practices. All coaches have gone through Safe Sport training or comparable training. They are all volunteers that donate many hours of time.
Who oversees the club? If I have problems/concerns, who do I see?
Ultimately, The Connell Junior Eagles Board oversees the club, but we have several layers and levels within the chain of command. If you have a problem or concern, you should start with the coach or coaches in charge of your group. The next step would be the Head Coach, Wrestling Committee Member, or Connell Junior Eagles Board Member. As a club, we are always open to suggestions, comments, or concerns that any of our club members want to share.
What type of discipline occurs during practice?
Wrestlers are expected to participate and pay attention to the coaches during practice, matches and tournaments. If wrestlers and unable to comply with these requirements, one of the following happens:
*A coach asks the wrestler to sit out
until they are ready to pay attention.
*A coach may speak to the parent and
wrestler about the wrestler’s behavior after practice.
*In extreme cases a wrestler may be
asked to leave the club and return when they have reached a level of maturity
and growth that allows participation.
Are there penalties or punishment for poor grades or school behavior?
As coaches, our primary objective is to provide quality instruction, technique, and discipline of wrestling-on and off the mat. If one of our athletes in the club is struggling to make good choices in school or life, we certainly want to know how we can help. Wrestling is a great tool for personal growth that we take seriously. As coaches, we recognize the reach and influence that we have on a wrestler’s life and personal development. If we have a wrestler who requires extra help or attention, please make us aware of the situation and discuss with us how we can help. The purpose of CONNELL WRESTLING is to build winners on and off the mat.
How can I become part of the coaching staff?
There is a basic set of requirements that must be fulfilled for someone to be considered, and we do not let just anyone be a coach. We have strict requirements and thorough policies that need to be met and understood before we consider anyone for coaching. More information is available in the bylaws. We also stress that being a club coach is not a free pass to just work with your own wrestler. It is a serious responsibility, but a fun one as well.