I have a 7 year old that started when he was 4 but he is very aggressive. At our wrestling club there was a child that was 4 also and on their own they started rolling around and doing what the big kids were doing on the mat.
Granted their attention span was not that great and they played alot, but they were learning the basics. We started to enter them in some of the tournaments their brothers were going to and they did well and even placed at a national tournament in the 401b 6- under division their first year.
Every year they learned more and more, both of them had very successful seasons this year. I see what they have learned already and can't wait to see where they will be in a few years. Some argue that they will get burned out and not want to wrestle later on in life, I know this has happened and probably will continue to happen. Go to Senior Nationals and listen to the interviews they all started when they were 4-6 years old and most of them were going to college. Bottom Line it all depends on the Kid and how the parents and club nurtures them.
It all depends on the maturity and aggressiveness of the kid. Some kids just don't have it mentally to be able to wrestle and handle all that comes with it.
Some argue that they will get burned out and not want to wrestle later on in life
This can happen, but I think as long as you keep it fun and let it be their decission they will not burn out. Also please do not have kids cut weight until High school. I see kids in grades 3-6 cutting upwards of 10-12% of their body weight. I know it is not a 10 year olds choice to be cutting weight, it is the parents. Those kids are the ones who will be burned out.
Remeber to keep it fun and a youth and Jr. highs record doesn't matter, It is when you get into High school is when it starts to count.
Of course you can start your kids at whatever age you want if the clubs allow it. What I am saying is that in my opinion they will not be any better in high school, college, or beyond because they started at 4 rather than 10. No leg up or more benefit whatsoever. JMO. Mo Lawal started at 16 I believe.
Of course you can start your kids at whatever age you want if the clubs allow it. What I am saying is that in my opinion they will not be any better in high school, college, or beyond because they started at 4 rather than 10. No leg up or more benefit whatsoever. JMO.
Have to disagree with you on this one. If a wrestler can get a solid basics down at an early age and a strong work ethic they will have a leg up. With some of your examples of older wrestler starting late there are alway exceptions to the rule.
Think about a 10 yr old first year wrestler taking on a 10 yr old 5th yr wrestler they will get destroyed. now think if he wrestles 20+ matches that year and faces 15+ experienced wrestlers. How is his confidence going to be? Confidence is huge in wreslting and all sports. So with the way sports are today, you need to start young.
With that being said, Make sure you keep it very fun for the young wrestlers. If they are 9 and below let them practice as they want to.
Remember, Big's opinion should be EVERYONE's opinion.
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I will smash your face into a car windshield and then take your mother, Dorothy Mantooth, out to a nice seafood dinner and never call her again!
Tell me about it, this morning, I woke up and I shit a squirrel, but what I can't get is the damn thing is still alive. So now, I've got a shit covered squirrel running around my office and I don't know what to name it.
I have a four year old son and zero plans on signing him up to wrestle (that is if he ever wants to) for quite some time. Right now, he prefers digging holes in my back yard with his shovels, playing basketball with a football, playing with his "best friend" and other stuff to be bothered with it and that is fine by me and my wife because right now he loves doing those things most of all.
I spoke with Israel Martinez about this a few months back and he said that he sees no need to start a kid wrestling before the age of 9, unless he was really athletic, then 10 years old. He felt that there were plenty of other sports and activities to enjoy before involving them in a sport like wrestling.
In the end, though my kids are around the sport all the time, it will be their decisions to partake in the wrestling at all. If not, we'll find other constructive things for them to love and be great at.
Have to disagree with you on this one. If a wrestler can get a solid basics down at an early age and a strong work ethic they will have a leg up. With some of your examples of older wrestler starting late there are alway exceptions to the rule.
Think about a 10 yr old first year wrestler taking on a 10 yr old 5th yr wrestler they will get destroyed. now think if he wrestles 20+ matches that year and faces 15+ experienced wrestlers. How is his confidence going to be? Confidence is huge in wreslting and all sports. So with the way sports are today, you need to start young.
With that being said, Make sure you keep it very fun for the young wrestlers. If they are 9 and below let them practice as they want to.
That would be my son right now. I am surprised he likes the sport so much after getting thrashed most of the year. I would say that it is the quest to figure this sport out that has its grips on him at this point.
He did get a couple of pins. But most of the time it was getting pinned or losing on points (only a couple of times).
I will say this through, when he figures this sport out he will be a beast. That losing has him on complete tilt right now. And once he figures out how to win I think he will be even more driven to keep winning. In our club it seems the kids who lose and never accept it are the ones who end up understanding and wanting to put in the work needed.
BTW- The confidence thing is huge. My son is taking a month off just to clear his head. He is just doing activities to keep him in shape.
Spartan, I wish your son the best of luck. And I agree if it makes your son work harder and doesn't accept defeat, then he will become a beast.
What weight is your son at? Maybe we will meet up one day. My oldest who's going into 6th wrestled this year at 73# and says he is 80# now, which I doubt. We are in NE Ohio, but will be traveling next year out of state, mostly PA, but might be going up to michigan for boarder wars.
Spartan, I wish your son the best of luck. And I agree if it makes your son work harder and doesn't accept defeat, then he will become a beast.
What weight is your son at? Maybe we will meet up one day. My oldest who's going into 6th wrestled this year at 73# and says he is 80# now, which I doubt. We are in NE Ohio, but will be traveling next year out of state, mostly PA, but might be going up to michigan for boarder wars.
My son weighs 85lb. He is going into 6th grade. We will be going to boarder wars if they are within 3 hours drive. Our goal next year is to make it to the Myway States. That will require a top 4 finish at regionals so it will be quite an accomplishment. But even if he doesn't get there next year I know he will the year after. He has improved so much. The only bad thing is that he has a late December birthday. So he will be 12 this year. Great for high school but tough for Myway. He may have to wrestle the 13-15 group. I have heard they are going to change that policy.
Did your son make it to the Nuway tournament? We wrestle out of Canton and our guys won both the 11&12 and 13-15 year old 75lb weight classes. That is why my son has such a tough time. Those are the guys he practices with everyday.
Re: what age? 
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