YOUTH WRESTLING 2024-25

Boston Wrestling Legion is excited to announce its first official youth wrestling winter session! This program is for children ages 9-14 of all skill and experience levels. Beginners are welcome and encouraged to join! The season will take place with practices beginning November 12, and continuing on Tuesday afternoons from 4:30-6:00 pm until mid-February.

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The youth wrestling season will have competitions and events throughout the winter on a variety of different days. There are occasional events on Saturdays, Sundays, and weekdays aside from the regular Tuesday. While all competitions are strongly encouraged as a great way for wrestlers to test their growth and skill development, they are not mandatory on days outside of the regular Tuesday schedule. The exact competition schedule is still in development, but will be sent to all interested families once it is finalized.

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Our mission for the youth wrestling session is to provide a high quality wrestling program to serve young people in the Greater Boston area, where they can learn the fundamental skills of wrestling and compete in matches and tournaments. Families from any city or neighborhood are welcome to sign up -- there are no restrictions based on residence. We design our program such that a brand new beginner wrestler can learn the fundamental skills, while also maintaining an appropriate level of challenge for more experienced wrestlers. 

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Any wrestler who participates in our program can expect the following:

• Learn the basic rules and skills of wrestling

• Improve their strength, endurance, balance, coordination, and flexibility​

• Join an environment that is safe and supportive while also being challenging and competitive

• Participate in a physical full-contact sport that is also safe and well-controlled through clear rules

• Learn from expert coaches with years of experience in wrestling, coaching, and teaching

• Have fun and make new friends

• JOIN THE LEGION and become part of the Boston Wrestling Legion community

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Registration for our youth wrestling season is $90 and can be paid through our website. We accept alternate forms of payment and can discuss options by email (info@wrestlinglegion.org). Financial aid is available to families who qualify. Please email us to discuss financial aid options. We want our program to be available to all families who are interested, and while we do require registration fees to cover necessary costs, we are happy to work with families if it helps their children to participate.

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YOUTH WRESTLING SEASON FAQ

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Q: Where does the program take place?

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A: We use the cafeteria/mezzanine space at Excel Academy Charter High School at 401 Bremen St, East Boston. Parking is available in the lot on the west side of the building in front of Excel Academy Greenway. The gym can be accessed through our back courtyard, the school front doors, or the side door on the east side of the building. Families should not arrive prior to 4:25 pm, because other school activities will be taking place.

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Q: What do you do to make sure wrestling is safe?

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A: Wrestlers are separated into pairs based on their age, size, and skill level. We would not allow a 75-pound 9-year-old to wrestle against a 150-pound 14-year-old. They are paired with a partner who is relatively close to them in age, size, and skill.

 

Before all wrestling practices, we reinforce our two biggest safety rules: no hitting of any kind (punching, kicking, etc.), and both wrestlers must agree to wrestle before starting and must shake hands (no sneaking up on someone unsuspected). These rules help maintain order, respect, and safety. There are many other rules that wrestlers will learn regarding safety, and they are reinforced multiple times to ensure that there is no confusion. Wrestlers who fail to obey safety rules may be required to sit out, and we reserve the right to dismiss a wrestler from the program for repeated offenses. Safety is our highest priority, as it is necessary to ensure all young people have a positive experience. When the rules are followed, wrestling is one of the safest full-contact sports.

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Q: We are going on vacation and will miss 2 of the sessions. Can our child still join?

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A: Yes! The sessions are not mandatory, and while your child may miss important information about a wrestling technique or drill, our coaching staff will support them in catching up on anything they missed.

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Q: Our child is interested in wrestling, but hasn't ever done it before and we are nervous. How do you support new wrestlers?

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A: Our head coach has 15 years of experience coaching wrestling, and has built a particularly strong skillset in helping brand new wrestlers. We believe every young person is a unique individual who has a variety of strengths that can help them become a successful wrestler. We start with the rules of wrestling -- how to win a match, how to score points, and safety rules. We then teach the fundamental movements and techniques that can help wrestlers succeed per the rules. We allow many opportunities for athletes to be creative and try to figure out ways to win and score points. Our practices are structured so that they can both learn the fundamentals, but also have the freedom to learn through the experience of trying out their own ideas.

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Q: What kind of gear/equipment does my child need?

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A: Wrestlers should come to practice wearing athletic clothes free of buckles, belts, buttons, or loops. Baggy and oversized clothes should be avoided, as they can prohibit correct technique and cause a safety issue. Your child should have full range of motion and be able to move comfortably. 

 

The only gear need is a pair of wrestling shoes. These can be found on Amazon for $50-60 or at certain sporting goods stores. We have a limited amount of shoes available to borrow, but we encourage all wrestlers to have their own pair of shoes. There is no other uniform or gear to purchase. If your child wishes to continue in wrestling after the summer session, they may need a uniform and headgear to compete at future events, but will not need anything besides shoes for the summer.

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Q: We have questions that aren't covered here. What is the best way to contact you?

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A: Our best contact is by email at info@wrestlinglegion.org for other questions. We are also available by phone at 617-370-5695.

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