Wrestling FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions)
Q: Isn't wrestling a dangerous sport?
A: To the contrary, wrestling is one of the safest activities in which a child can be involved. It has fewer injuries than football, soccer, even gymnastics and cheerleading. The reason is that with other contact sports, such as football, there are 22 kids running full speed with 3 or 4 officials overseeing all the action happening on a 100 yard field. Wrestling confines the activity within a 10x10 foam mat (or smaller). There is a trained mat official in place that maintains an arms reach distance at all times whose duty is to stop potentially dangerous situations. This 2 wrestler per official ratio is a big reason that injuries are minimal. Also keep in mind, the goal of wrestling is not to strike or harm your opponent. Therefore, moves that cause injury are illegal and closely monitored by the mat official.
Q: Isn't my child too small to wrestle?
A: Team Dekalb welcomes all wrestlers starting at age 5 to participate. Wrestlers are grouped together by age and weight. This not only a more spirited competition but it insures that children do not go up against opponents that are much bigger and stronger as in other sports (again safety first). Therefore, a number of the kids small in stature finally get an opportunity to excel in sports where they are frequently overshadowed by their larger peers. In wrestling, it's truly "not the size of the dog in the fight. It's the size of the fight in the dog". Most little guys welcome the chance to finally compete on a fair and level playing field where their individual hard work can be rewarded instead of giving their all and falling short simply because the other guy was bigger. As an added benefit, there is the element of self defense that wrestling provides as does any martial art. This helps build self confidence especially in our smaller athletes.
Q: Why should my child wrestle?
A: Wrestling is a sport that builds character and strength both mentally and physically. It not only rewards an individuals effort but it teaches the benefit of teammanship and positive energy. The impact of these lessons are immediate. A wrestler learns quickly that if they work hard one week, they perform better that weekend. They also learn the benefits of perseverence. There will be obstacles to overcome.
Being a one on one sport teaches responsiblity. I like to say: There's no one with you on the mat to share in the blame or in your glory.
Above all, these lessons taught on the mat relate directly to life as we wrestle with it's complexities.
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