Volunteer Drivers Needed
In order to be a volunteer driver and drive your wrestler’s teammates, parents need to go to the “Be A Mentor” website and complete the process. This online application can take a few days to get you processed and approved so do not wait until the day before please. Here is the website for “Be A Mentor”.
9 minute video
Tournament Preparedness
Enough food for your wrestler to last from morning until night. Tournaments can last that long depending on circumstances. Food sold at the tournament is often not the healthiest option. Suggested foods for wrestlers: nuts, fruit cups, bananas, apples, watermelon, pretzels, peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, sandwiches with sliced meats, protein bars, protein powder w/ a shaker/mixer, and trail mix. Foods that may be necessary to avoid: lactose heavy foods, oily foods, fried food and spicy foods. We will create sign ups for tournaments for parents to donate food and drinks.
A half-gallon or gallon of water should generally be enough to suffice. Electrolytes can be used to maintain hydration.
Cell Phones and cell phone charging cables, and/or portable charging devices (example from Amazon) to keep cell phones in order to maintain lines of communication with family members.
Cash & ATM card for emergencies such as running out of food, water, etc.
Equipment Needed
Each wrestler must have:
Mouthpiece - required if you have braces
Uniforms: a singlet or shorts/comp shirt combination.
Wrestling shoes (optional to purchase your own as we have these available)
Wrestling headgear (optional to purchase your own as we have these available)
Skin and Body Care
The mats are cleaned with bleach before each practice.
Please make sure that your wrestlers shower immediately upon arrival at home. This is the best method to reduce staph/MRSA and ringworm. Showering as soon as possible after practice with an antibacterial soap or PediFix Funga Soap (available on Amazon) will reduce the risk greatly.
Each weigh-in the officials will do a complete skin check. That’s why it’s critical that it be identified and treated quickly. It also helps prevent the spread to other teammates.
Weight certifications/Hydration test. It certifies the current weight of a wrestler and the minimum weight they are able to compete at. Most of the newer wrestlers will be in pooled groups so there is little need to manage this early on. Please make sure the focus is on conditioning and eating healthy. The best thing is to reduce sugar intake – especially in the form of drinks. Reduce or eliminate sugar drinks.
No wrestler can have too much water. Drinking water heavily in the morning and throughout the day will help achieve the best results in practice. A typical wrestler loses 2-4 pounds of water during a single practice. Replacing that quickly and keeping hydrated 6-8 hours before practice will improve fatigue and muscle soreness. Salt baths and muscle rolling pins (Target or Amazon) are invaluable in reducing muscle fatigue.
Helpful tips for tournaments
If you don't already have stadium chairs, you should have them handy as most tournaments are held in a school gym and you will sit in the bleachers. Stadium chair recommendation from Amazon but gives you some ideas as you look around.
As mentioned above, portable chargers (example from Amazon) to ensure battery life for cell phones. The power bank mentioned has cables attached and can be plugged in directly to the wall which avoids packing cables and wall chargers separately.
Outdoor camping/folding chair as it can get crowded in the gyms. You can leave it in your car until you need it but it also gives you a place to sit outside the gym with the team if you don't want to be watching the tournaments the entire time.