Wrestling parents

[Formerly Rockymtnole]

I’ll admit. I have never understood the sport. But this isn’t about that.

I have seen a ton of videos lately with parents going bananas on the sidelines and jumping into the match or verbally and physically attacking referees.

Is this common?

 

[ButtersHawk]

I’ll admit. I have never understood the sport. But this isn’t about that.

I have seen a ton of videos lately with parents going bananas on the sidelines and jumping into the match or verbally and physically attacking referees.

Is this common?

My young boys (8&6) started last year. I flipped out every loss they had mainly because I put money down on them to win.

 

[Bonerfarts]

I’ll admit. I have never understood the sport. But this isn’t about that.

I have seen a ton of videos lately with parents going bananas on the sidelines and jumping into the match or verbally and physically attacking referees.

Is this common?

My son started wrestling in Middle School and I was shocked at the parent behavior. We were involved heavily in baseball, football, and basketball from about 7 years old and no parents act in the way that wrestling parents do. I get having passion but screaming "use the arm" at the top of your lungs in an already loud gym isn't helping anyone, just pissing off the person next to you. There is some yelling at refs, but it's mostly screaming at their own kid, not abusing the refs. I think baseball is the worst with parents arguing with umpires,

 

[OILCHECKER]

No it is not common.
No, wrestling parents are not any worse or nuttier than other sports parents.

 

[mthawkeyes]

The worst thing about wrestling is definitely not the parents. It's how bad your locker rooms smell after hosting a wrestling meet.

 

[Sharky1203]

I’ll admit. I have never understood the sport. But this isn’t about that.

I have seen a ton of videos lately with parents going bananas on the sidelines and jumping into the match or verbally and physically attacking referees.

Is this common?

Being heavely involved in the sport for the past 40 years... this behavior has come about in the past 10 years. Wrestling fans used to be the best. I don't have an anwser for you as to why. Society maybe?🤷‍♀️

 

[mthawkeyes]

Being heavely involved in the sport for the past 40 years... this behavior has come about in the past 10 years. Wrestling fans used to be the best. I don't have an anwser for you as to why. Society maybe?🤷‍♀️

There are a lot of little Johnnies and Jennies that are certain to get college athletic scholarships. But if they lose a single game or match because of a bad call or one poor performance, the dream dies.

The vast majority of college scholarship-seeking youth athletes and parents would be far better served by saving the money, developing good learning habits and academic skills, and earning some academic scholarship money.

 

[Kinnick.At.Night]

I’ll admit. I have never understood the sport. But this isn’t about that.

I have seen a ton of videos lately with parents going bananas on the sidelines and jumping into the match or verbally and physically attacking referees.

Is this common?

There's certainly a large number of parents that get vocal and animated in the crowd. As far as intervening in matches, it's rare.

 

[Kinnick.At.Night]

There are a lot of little Johnnies and Jennies that are certain to get college athletic scholarships. But if they lose a single game or match because of a bad call or one poor performance, the dream dies.

The vast majority of college scholarship-seeking youth athletes and parents would be far better served by saving the money, developing good learning habits and academic skills, and earning some academic scholarship money.

Good post!

 

[HawkeyeHitman]

They think little Cooper and Holden is the next Kurt Angle.

 

[ButtersHawk]

They think little Cooper and Holden is the next Kurt Angle.

Are parents breaking their own children's freaking necks?

 

[Jerome Silberman]

It's no worse than other sports, unless of course you're from Oskaloosa or Charles City.

 

[93hawkeye]

A few thoughts:
-the pace of a wrestling match lends itself to offering advice in real time. A lot of holds take time to develop or pay off.
-wrestling is a one-on-one matchup, so each wrestler can always do something to affect the outcome.
-because it is a solitary, mentally gruelling sport, lots of parents are very emotionally invested.
-parents are psycho sometimes

 

[Old_wrestling_fan]

FWIW, I have seen/heard jerk parents at pretty much every form of youth sports and I would rate baseball as the worst, in my experience. But it certainly isn't the exclusive province of wrestling parents IMO.

 

[tumorboy]

There are a lot of little Johnnies and Jennies that are certain to get college athletic scholarships. But if they lose a single game or match because of a bad call or one poor performance, the dream dies.

The vast majority of college scholarship-seeking youth athletes and parents would be far better served by saving the money, developing good learning habits and academic skills, and earning some academic scholarship money.

Wish these parents could get a better dose of reality at an early age for their kids. Instead of being in their little delusional bubble.
You have to have a freaky work ethic or manic to make it as a D-1 schollie wrestler.

 

[Jerome Silberman]

Wish these parents could get a better dose of reality at an early age for their kids. Instead of being in their little delusional bubble.
You have to have a freaky work ethic or manic to make it as a D-1 schollie wrestler.

In my experience the parental outbursts at wrestling events is less about college money and more about being overly competitive, and probably under matured.

 

[Old_wrestling_fan]

In my experience the parental outbursts at wrestling events is less about college money and more about being overly competitive, and probably under matured.

Wrestling is also more personal and emotionally intense...so those factors can collide to produce an outburst to be sure.

 

[Scruddy]

Most parents are pretty reasonable, though there's always that one parent who just can't handle themselves. I do remember one little leage tournament many years ago where the father of a 5 year old (the dad weighed over 300# easily) nearly got into a fight with another parent and later an official (who was a 197# naia all American from the local university helping out) over his kid getting dq'd for too many full nelsons. the ref even let quite a few slide. Security was baffled and legitimately told the dad he was about to get his ass beat and to knock it off.

If you want to see some wild antics as it pertains to wrestling you should watch Tom and Terry brands coaching. The two are absolute psychopaths lol

 

[Jimmy McGill]

I left an Ames girls meet this past winter because a dad was being so hard on the refs and his 9th grade daughter. He just wouldn't shut up. Clearly a meathead wrestler that is trying to re-live his "glory" days. If I stayed, it would not have been good for either of us. He probably would have kicked the shit out of me when I used my words rather than fighting tactics.

 

[KFsdisciple]

I’ll admit. I have never understood the sport. But this isn’t about that.

I have seen a ton of videos lately with parents going bananas on the sidelines and jumping into the match or verbally and physically attacking referees.

Is this common?

I used to officiate middle school and high school wrestling about a decade ago. The coaches were worse than the parents, but I did have to throw a grandma out one time. That Karen was out of control.

 

[artradley]

It is rare. Perhaps not as rare as some other sports if for no other reason than because the parents are just a few feet away from the ref. It is also much more emotional than other sports because it is one-on-one; the winner is literally imposing their will on the loser. When my son wrestled a close match my gut was in knots - completely different than when he played football, even though football was his favorite. I think these factors are perhaps cancelled out because imo the official is less likely to affect the outcome than in other sports.

When Johny loses in wrestling 99% of the time it’s pretty clear that he simply isn’t as good as the other kid.

 

[binsfeldcyhawk2]

I’ll admit. I have never understood the sport. But this isn’t about that.

I have seen a ton of videos lately with parents going bananas on the sidelines and jumping into the match or verbally and physically attacking referees.

Is this common?

no