Youth Wrestling

[Gatorraid81]

Some of you know I have 2 young boys (5.5 & 7) and we played football this past fall. The good chunk of the team is enrolling in youth wrestling (freestyle/Greco Roman) for the winter. It focuses on technique, strength and discipline.

I watched this video below from Coach Petersen and wondered how many kids go through wrestling? Then I asked myself if this was only a Midwest/West Coast thing? I don't ever remember wrestling being a thing when I was a kid or any of my friends. Is it bing in the South? Is it just more popular with caucasians vs. other races? Again, it's a popular thing here and all of the coaches I'm coaching with in football wrestled all through grade school.

Would love to hear thoughts.

My 10 year old son has been doing Karate for the last few year, and he’s really likes it. He never seemed too interested in team sports we tried him in before. Where we live (Baker County) there’s only so many options for sports. I’m not aware of wrestling for the youth out here, I’m sure it’s available in Jacksonville. If your kids want to do it, you should let them try. I’m for anything that can help a kid defend themselves if needed.

 

[Detroitgator]

Wrestling wasn't very popular when I was in high school, a couple of the football players competed just to stay in shape for football. I believe the wrestling coach was the track coach as well. But by the time my little brother came through, he was 6 years younger than me it was big time. The wrestling coach was probably the second highest paid coach (behind the football coach of course.)

Anyways my brother was pretty good, I believe he was the first kid in our schools history to make it to the state tournament all 4 years. He never won but placed in the top 5 or 6 a couple times. But there was a kid from one of the schools in North Ga who wrestled the same weight class as my brother (around 145). They must have been around the same age because they meet at state 2 or 3 years in a row. But the kid didn't have any legs, he just had nubs. He kicked my brothers ass every time they meet . I used to make him almost cry for giving him so much shyt for getting whipped by someone with no legs. Never really thought about it but maybe that kid had an advantage, he probably had the torso of a 180 lb man but only weighed around 145 lbs.

Weirdest match I saw was in high school at an Invitational where there was a blind kid and his opponent had to touch the blind kid with one hand/finger tips at all times... I saw it as a big disadvantage to the non-blind kid. Blind kid won his first round match, but that was it

 

[bradgator2]

Weirdest match I saw was in high school at an Invitational where there was a blind kid and his opponent had to touch the blind kid with one hand/finger tips at all times... I saw it as a big disadvantage to the non-blind kid. Blind kid won his first round match, but that was it

Florida School for the Deaf and Blind in St Augustine has a wrestling program and always seems to have 1 or 2 scrappy kids. They did the same blind rule you described.

 

[NVGator]

 

[GatorInGeorgia]

Bonus trivia: Vision Quest was my first date with wife to be... good soundtrack.

Ah yeah, he’s gonna cut serious weight and challenge Shute, the beast who does stadium steps while carrying a telephone pole across his shoulders. Good flick!

 

[GatorInGeorgia]

But the kid didn't have any legs, he just had nubs. He kicked my brothers ass every time they meet . I used to make him almost cry for giving him so much shyt for getting whipped by someone with no legs. Never really thought about it but maybe that kid had an advantage, he probably had the torso of a 180 lb man but only weighed around 145 lbs.

You make a valid point, one that I’ve heard before. There was a one legged college wrestler for Arizona State named Anthony Robles. I actually heard him speak at one of our corporate events. Anyway, he won the NCAAs as a senior at 125 lbs. Some people have criticized this as being unfair for the very reason you mention...he has the body of a 165/170 pounder were he to have both legs. I get both sides of the argument, not sure who is right.

Anyway, if you have a second, Google him and take a look at his pictures. He’s a big dude.

 

[NVGator]

Very first Tourney today. Lost his opening match (I believe due to nerves) but went on undefeated for a 3rd Place finish. Papa is proud. Younger one was sick so couldn’t participate this weekend.

 

[NVGator]

Then this guy came walking through.

 

[GatorInGeorgia]

Very first Tourney today. Lost his opening match (I believe due to nerves) but went on undefeated for a 3rd Place finish. Papa is proud. Younger one was sick so couldn’t participate this weekend.

Congrats to your son, NV. He’s off to a very good start.

 

[Swampergator]

My son Michael, 2006 at state. All my boys wrestled.

 

[GatorTruth133]

Some of you know I have 2 young boys (5.5 & 7) and we played football this past fall. The good chunk of the team is enrolling in youth wrestling (freestyle/Greco Roman) for the winter. It focuses on technique, strength and discipline.

I watched this video below from Coach Petersen and wondered how many kids go through wrestling? Then I asked myself if this was only a Midwest/West Coast thing? I don't ever remember wrestling being a thing when I was a kid or any of my friends. Is it bing in the South? Is it just more popular with caucasians vs. other races? Again, it's a popular thing here and all of the coaches I'm coaching with in football wrestled all through grade school.

Would love to hear thoughts.

So they gonna be throwing clothesline’s, dropkicks, and suplexes on the football field now? J/k, I know what you mean. My step cousin in Kansas once had a rival home team announcer complaining that the oline he was a part of was doing so well because they all wrestled and knew how to levy weight.