Iowa wrestling clubs?
- Thread starter Hawkgma
- Start date
1. Don't be a drill sergeant. Keep it fun.
2. Teach them a few simple moves, on their feet and on the mat.
3. If the wrestler is a beginner, wrestle in beginner tournaments. For most kids, it isn't much fun getting pummeled.
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This touches on something that should be the #1 goal of every youth athletics coach.
Make them want to go out again next year.
Eastern Iowa has a lot of good wrestling clubs. My recommendation would be to go to one of them that is close to you. Kids don't want to spend hours in the car. The biggest club in Eastern Iowa is Big Game, I believe they have a location in North Liberty and the Quad Cities. Then you have the Hawkeye wrestling Club out of Iowa City, Eastern Iowa Wrestling club out of CR, DC Elite out of Burlington, Empire Wrestling Academy out of Muscatine, and PACK 732 out of Wilton. I think Sebolt might have a branch in Eastern Iowa but I'm not sure about that info. I know some schools have good kids clubs as well. If it is a 1st or 2nd year youngster a school club is probably fine.
I would assume what was once Eastern Iowa Wrestling Club is now some combination of McDonough's and/or Marinelli's club now.
North Liberty Wrestling Club is a very good kids club as well. I wrestled with 2 of the coaches on staff. They both wrestled in college and they have some fine young wrestlers. If you are just beggining you might want to start there. Also another recommendation is to find out where his buddies go. Kids seem to be more engaged and likely to stick it out if they are around their pals.
I coached youth wrestling for years. I think it's important to stay where his buddies are like previously stated. Helps with being comfortable, and drilling.
Side note, my son started tagging along practices when he was around 4. He rolled around with a handful of kids that were all about the same age just there for their older brothers. These kids ended up going to the same clubs on the side, and wrestled together at NHSCA this weekend. They have literally been thru the highs and lows for over 10 years together. I don't know how much success they would have had if they didn't have each other to be accountable.
Side note, my son started tagging along practices when he was around 4. He rolled around with a handful of kids that were all about the same age just there for their older brothers. These kids ended up going to the same clubs on the side, and wrestled together at NHSCA this weekend. They have literally been thru the highs and lows for over 10 years together. I don't know how much success they would have had if they didn't have each other to be accountable.
Mcdominate may be moving to CR and DC is also out of Hiawatha. Eastern Iowa out of Coe was closed last year when Topher took a job in Wisconsin.
There are a lot of really good clubs. I would visit the one or two near by to get a feel for the coaching style and partners around your kids’ age/size.
There are a lot of really good clubs. I would visit the one or two near by to get a feel for the coaching style and partners around your kids’ age/size.
I'm far from an expert on this topic, but have read a number of books that made this point, and it makes sense to me. That being that for activities/sports/jobs that require rapid thinking and often unplanned reactions/decisions/movements, having more 'generalist' or diverse training is far superior and less prone to burnout, and is best if started at an early age when brain wiring is more malleable. You want to be a good golfer, practice your swing 100,000 times. You want to be a good wrestler, integrate more diverse training (traditional wrestling move training, some boxing, jiu jitsu, gymnastics, maybe even dodgeball 🙂). I think this also fits the 'keep it fun' suggestion others have made above. I'd favor clubs that use more of a diverse training approach. JMO.
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Not going to a big wrestling club right away. Local club with friends if possible and your only input should be just telling them to have fun, stop reaching behind your head and to suck it up, pussy.
LMAO.... I am going to start practicing those right away! I have heard the last one a bunch luckily.
Thank you guys!! This is all great advice.!
You freaking dorks. This little kid has never wrestled and your advice is to seek out elite clubs and those with a “diversified training approach.” 😂
May as well tell the guy to force his kind into every tournament, scream “coaching instructions” at him mat side, call him a pu$$y a$$ bltch when he loses, and spend the trip home telling him that he’s embarrassed his whole family.
Like Sans said, find a local/school club, get him some basics, and make it fun. Club shopping can come much later.
May as well tell the guy to force his kind into every tournament, scream “coaching instructions” at him mat side, call him a pu$$y a$$ bltch when he loses, and spend the trip home telling him that he’s embarrassed his whole family.
Like Sans said, find a local/school club, get him some basics, and make it fun. Club shopping can come much later.
Easily the first or second (along with Sans) most helpful post in the thread.
Helpful with a side of asshole and a touch of drama!!
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If you’re in North Liberty and this is your son’s first year, I’d highly recommend North Liberty Wrestling Club. I would personally steer away from the more elite level clubs in the first couple years. NLWC coaches are very good, and seem to strike a great balance between fun and serious for beginners. As your kid develops a passion for the sport, and if he wants to continue to develop, then seek out the ICWC/Big Game/McDominate/Sebolt’s of the world to supplement.
As others have noted, there are a bunch of great clubs in Eastern IA. However, I think for a first year wrestler, NLWC is a good introductory club at the least, with a lot of young beginner level wrestlers
As others have noted, there are a bunch of great clubs in Eastern IA. However, I think for a first year wrestler, NLWC is a good introductory club at the least, with a lot of young beginner level wrestlers
Even the elite clubs have beginner group level practices separated from the more experience kids.
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