Welcome, parents and wrestlers! We are happy that you have decided to join Haverford Youth Wrestling this year. We hope that your child will enjoy his or her experience and have a great time learning about the sport of wrestling. This information will help you understand how things work and some rules that will help the season go as smoothly as possible.
Our philosophy as a team is to make sure the kids have fun, be good sports, and learn some wrestling along the way. You can be a big part of helping us make that happen.
Here’s what you need to know:
Equipment
Shoes – Wrestling shoes are the preferred footwear, but any NEW (never worn outside) sneakers can be used. Flat-soled shoes are better than contoured soles (like running shoes) because twisted ankles are less likely. Please see one of the coaches if you are having trouble finding wrestling shoes as we sometimes have donations of used shoes from those who want to pass them on to other wrestlers.
Clothing – please dress your child in appropriate athletic clothing for practice. They should wear their practice gear under other warmer clothing that can be easily removed before practice.
There are no locker rooms to change. Athletic shorts (not “cargo” shorts with buttons or zippers) and T-shirts are appropriate for practice. Well-fitting shirts are preferred, not too big, and should be tucked in to prevent body parts getting caught up in excess fabric. Sweatpants are fine, but should also be tighter-fitting and with elastic ankles to prevent tripping and should be short enough to not drag in outside dirt. Clothes should be clean. NEVER re-wear wrestling clothes without washing.
Headgear – Headgear or earguards (same thing) are REQUIRED for practices and should be purchased as soon as possible.
Headgear will also be required for competitions (matches and tournaments). Unless your child wears an adult size hat, you should make sure that you are getting a YOUTH size headgear.
Singlets and Warmups – Everyone will require a team singlet to use for the season. Information about purchasing singlets and Team apparel will be provided at the first few practices. Singlets should be worn for competitions only and not for practice.
Water – Please send your child to each practice with a water bottle (water only) labeled with his/her name. They will be given water breaks throughout practice. There is a water fountain for refills if needed.
Hygiene
Make sure to have your child shower, with hot water and antibacterial soap, every time after they are on the mat – practice and competitions. You can also use a shampoo with selenium sulfide (some dandruff shampoos, check the label) as a shampoo and bodywash as this acts as an antimicrobial agent.
- Use a clean towel after every shower.
- Do not walk on the mats with “street shoes” and, likewise, wrestling shoes should not be worn outside.
- If your child presents with any suspicious skin condition, please take him/her to the doctor and have it checked out. DO NOT let your child wrestle if you suspect that he/she may have a contagious skin condition.
- Keep fingernails trimmed short
- Please do not bring your child to practice if he or she is ill. This is not good for the child or for other children who may be exposed to the pathogens.
Practice – parent expectations
Please feel free to approach the coaches if you have any questions or concerns. However, please be considerate of the practice schedule and the attention that must be paid to the wrestlers during practice. You can catch us before or after practice or email or call as well.
You are encouraged to stay and watch practice if you want to. We request that you plan to stay for the duration of practice if you have a young or new wrestler until you know if your child is comfortable. You must walk your child into the gym to drop off your child and pick up your child from the gym (do not wait outside the building). If you leave practice and come back, please make sure you are on time to pick up your child. You must come into the building for pickup as we don’t want kids wandering in the parking lots and hanging out doors, especially during winter time.
If you have prior wrestling experience and would like to help out at practices and meets, please approach your the head coach for information.
Anyone on the mat with the kids is required to pass a background check and child abuse clearance through USA Wrestling.
Please take your cues from what we are showing and how we are showing it. It may be different than what you learned or how you learned it, but we usually have a good reason for why we are doing things a certain way.
Approach the head coach privately if you have questions or concerns.
Do not “coach” only your own child during practice or practice bouts. This is unfair to his or her practice opponent and creates a lot of frustration for both children. Live bouts in practice are for learning purposes, not for “winning.” Trial and error can be a very important part of practice, so be prepared to step back and allow your child to make some mistakes and learn from them. Coaches may help out one or both children sometimes, but this is with the goal of recognizing a learning opportunity and every effort is made to keep this fair and balanced.
Along these lines, cheering and yelling for one particular wrestler during live matches can be very disconcerting and disheartening for the child who does not have a cheering squad present. Please keep any comments general and encouraging for all children during practice. Remember, these experiences at practice are for learning, not for competing.
Please keep extra noise and distractions to a minimum. The acoustics in the gyms are not great for instruction, but it is much more difficult for the kids to hear and concentrate with loud conversations and extra noise.
Competition Etiquette
We expect our wrestlers to be good sports, so we need you, as parents, to set a good example. Do not yell at wrestlers, coaches, referees, or parents. You may be asked to leave by our staff or by tournament or match organizers if your behavior is considered belligerent or inappropriate. Remember that our main goal is for the kids to have fun. Berating your child for his or her performance undermines that effort.
Bring your child to weigh-ins or competitions on time and check in with a coach when you arrive, or when check-in is announced. Make sure that your child is definitely finished wrestling all his or her scheduled matches before leaving the facility. Please consider remaining at the event even if your wrestler has finished their matches for the day. It can be very disheartening for wrestlers who still have matches to compete in with none of their teammates in the gym to cheer them on.
Please do not “coach” your child from the side of the mat. You may encourage and cheer him/her on, but it is very confusing for a child to be getting different instructions from different directions all at once. Your child should be looking to the coaches’ corner of the mat for guidance, and it is best to be consistent about this. Follow all posted restrictions at home and away matches. If you would like to be part of the official coaching staff, please check with us for more info.
If you have a question for a coach during a match or tournament, please wait until there is a break in between matches. We want to hear your concerns and answer your questions, but we cannot start a conversation and coach at the same time. If you have an issue that requires additional discussion or lengthy explanation, we will be happy to talk with you afterwards or at a different time.
Most competition venues do not allow food or drink inside the gym. You can bring a water bottle with a tight-fitting lid for your child, but please respect the rules of our home facility and any other gyms by following posted signs regarding food and drink.
Haverford Youth Wrestling 