Welcome
Choosing wrestling as a sport is a great decision.
Choosing a wrestling club in the New York Metro/Westchester area shouldn’t shouldn’t be hard. This site is here to help.
Wrestle wisely
Clubs in Westchester County NY, Fairfield County, CT and northern New Jersey offer a range of wrestling experiences for new wrestlers, competitive athletes, masters/adult wrestlers and everyone in between. This site presents options to consider in the selection of a wrestling club that's right for you/your child. It includes information and links to best practices and features publicly available data so any site visitor can make an informed decision.
Ask about philosophy?
It may seem unusual to ask about philosophy and wrestling, but the answer can help you decide if the club you’re exploring has an answer to why, and how, they operate. Some may be oriented solely toward producing elite competitors, while others may focus on building character and discipline that comes from the sport. Ask the question; you might be surprised about what you learn.
Ask about class structure
You’ll want to understand how each class is structured and ensure it features warm ups, technical instruction and drilling (repetition to ensure the skills stick) conditioning and —as athletes advance in their skills and confidence— live wrestling, which should simulate closer to real match conditions. It should also include a cool down period. Ask about the ratio of coaches to athletes, and how often hydration breaks are provided.
Ask about Options
Not all wrestling classes fit every athlete. Looking at the size of the class (USA Wrestling recommends 1 coach for every four kids), and ask about options for learning. Ask how coaches introduce new skills and how they follow up with kids to ensure they understand. In addition to live demonstrations, videos or even hard copy handouts can connect with the different ways kids learn. Some are visual learners and need visual reinforcement.
For younger children, ask about what's offered to keep "fun" in the mix, and for older kids, ask what kinds of goals and tracking mechanisms are in place to motivate athletes and assess their progress.
Also, inquire about small group or private lessons. Those can accelerate learning and development if your budget can accommodate the additional expense.
Ask about the facility, and see for yourself.
It’s always a good idea to drop by any facility and see for yourself before you sign up. At the facility, here are some things to look for:
1. Are all wrestling areas covered mats at least 1.25-2 inches thick?
2. Are there any loose ends of mats that could be tripping hazards?
3. Are walls surround wrestling surfaces covered with mats?
4. Are supporting posts or pillars in wrestling areas covered with mats?
5. Are first aid kits and or AED devices viable and accessible?
6. Are policies posted for athletes, parent and coaches to be held accountable to?
7. Are sessions visible to parents or guardians through windows or other observation methods (live cameras for example?
Ask about health and safety.
It’s always a good idea to drop by any facility and see for yourself before you sign up. At the facility here are some things to look for:
1. Are all coaches carrying currently valid certification for First Aid, CPR and AED through the American Red Cross?
2. How does the club notify you in the case of emergency, and what protocols are in place to ensure proper medical attention is given when needed?
3. Ask how often, when, and who cleans mat surfaces to prevent the spread of skin-born diseases like ringworm.
Ask about coaching/coaches and USA Wrestling affiliation.
USA Wrestling, the national governing body of amateur wrestling in the United States, offers 4 levels of coaching certification -- each geared toward ensuring greater levels of proficiency. Starting with copper, then advancing to bronze, silver and finally gold, each level of certification requires significantly greater investment of time and energy for coaches to achieve. Ask if any, or all, coaches are certified and at what level, to assess certification levels at any club you consider. Copper and bronze, clearly, are more basic levels of certification. Silver and Gold require significantly more of candidates to achieve certification.
Also, ask if the club is a member in good standing with USA Wrestling. If it is, the club is required to have certified coaches who complete background checks, Safe Sport certification and First Aid,CPR/AED training. If it is not a member of USA Wrestling, ask and document how it protects children. You can verify membership of a club by contacting USA Wrestling,