Below are some frequently asked questions:
Practices
Q: Can I drop my child at practice and go run an errand?
A: Yes, but, please let a board member or coach know and how to reach you in case of an emergency. Make sure to arrive back by the end of practice.
IMPORTANT: Children are NOT allowed at any time to play in the hallways, or common areas of the school. If the janitorial staff (or other staff members) notice children playing in the hallways, the school will be notified, and we may lose our privilege of using the wrestling room. Children should be escorted to restrooms by an adult.
Q: How are practices run / structured?
A: Wrestlers will get weighed in the first night of practice and then be paired with other wrestlers in his/her weight bracket and age group when possible (partners will be switched intermittently throughout practice).
- Warm up and stretch at the beginning of each practice.
- Coaches will teach and break down a move(s). Coaches will work on teaching basic and important offensive and defensive moves.
- Wrestlers will pair of and practice.
- Coaches will do their best to walk around and work with all children and help them execute what is being taught.
- Cool down at the end of practice.
- If you or your wrestler has questions about a move or gets stuck in something at a tournament, please ask a coach to help or explain in further detail, they are happy to do so!
Tournaments
It is up to the discretion of each individual family to decide what tournaments you want to participate in. Rum River Wrestling will distribute or post a calendar each month that will list tournaments that Rum River is planning on attending as a club. We will indicate which tournaments coaches will be attending and how many coaches will be available at each tournament. You can attend those tournaments, or find a different one to attend on your own. However, we hope you choose to wrestle with the club when you are able to!
Q: How much do tournaments cost?
A: Tournament registration fees are usually $12 - $15 per wrestler. Admission fees for spectators (anyone besides the wrestler) are $2 - $6 per person. Students are usually less and kids under 5 are usually free.
Q: What can we expect at a tournament?
A: Tournaments can and will be chaotic. When you get there, you will pay your registration and admission fees. Then, fill out a registration form and head to skin checks and weigh-ins.
Most tournaments have vendors that sell food and wrestling clothing. Each tournament is different.
You are welcome to bring in food and coolers for long days. It’s a good idea to make sure you have snacks and drinks for your wrestler. A lot of times, the kids will wait to eat until after they weigh in. You and your wrestler can make that decision (just be consistent).
Q: Where do we sit at tournaments?
A: You can sit anywhere you would like, but Rum River tries to sit together. Look for our coaches, people in Rum River clothing, or other familiar faces to sit with.
Q: How long do tournaments last?
A: Weigh-ins start the tournament, but you are usually there a good hour after weigh-ins before wrestling starts. Once the tournament starts it can be 2 to 5 hours depending on the turnout. Tournaments usually start with the youngest and work up in age, sometimes they will start with the youngest and oldest and then work in. You are welcome to leave once your wrestler is done, or you can stay and cheer other team members on. Coaches will stay until every Rum River wrestler is done wrestling.
Q: What tournaments would you recommend for new wrestlers?
A: Any of the tournaments will welcome your wrestler; however, an open tournament or a Jaycees qualifier tournament would probably be the most beneficial for your new wrestler. If they are up for the competition though, they should and can wrestle all tournaments!!!
Q: What is a MN USA tournament?
A: MN USA tournaments are qualifiers for the state tournament in March, located in Rochester. To qualify for state you must earn 25 points (PeeWee(6U), Bantam(8U), Intermediate(10U), and Novice(12U) divisions only) and then advance to the Regional tournaments. Points earned for each qualifier, tracked and added up at the end of the season by MN USA.
At each qualifier points will be awarded according to your placement.
- 1st place will be awarded 40 points
- 2nd place will receive 25 points
- 3rd place will receive 10 points
- 4th place will receive 0 points
- When possible, wrestlers are put into a four-man bracket and wrestle “round robin” which means they wrestle 3 matches. Sometimes the brackets are only a 3 man, or they will have a 5 man. It all depends on the number of wrestlers registered for each tournament.
- Periods are 60 or 90 seconds for pee-wees through novice. Two minutes for school boys/girls.
- All wrestlers will get some sort of award no matter what place they take.
- MN USA tournaments can be very tough, and most likely have more experienced wrestlers attending those tournaments. Don’t let your wrestler (or yourself) get discouraged if they don’t qualify right away, there are many opportunities to qualify. It’s a fun learning opportunity for the wrestlers and just pushes them to get better each tournament.
Q: What is an open tournament?
A: Open tournaments operate very similar to MN USA tournaments. One big difference is, at open tournaments, wrestlers are bracketed by grade, then weight. Open tournament are typically 60 second periods. Open tournaments are a great starting point for new wrestlers.
NOTE: The Cambridge Open Tournament is a straight bracket tournament for K-2nd/3rd grade.
What does this mean? Most open tournaments operate in a round robin format, with four wrestlers, however, the CI Wrestling Boosters run the Cambridge Open differently so that the tournament moves faster due to it being very busy. A straight man bracket means that if your wrestler loses their first match, the best place they will get is 3rd place. Wrestlers get 2 matches, not 3.
Q: What is a Jaycees qualifier?
A: A Jaycees qualifier operates like an open tournament (wrestlers are bracketed by grade, then weight). If you take first or second place at ONE Jaycees tournament, you qualify for the Jaycees state tournament at the end of March. Rum River has decided to attend the Jaycees state tournament in Albany.
Q: When I fill out a registration form at a tournament, what should I put down for school or city/town on the form?
A: Please put RUM RIVER WRESTLING, not your school, city or town. Putting Rum River down makes it less likely for our wrestlers to be put in the same bracket. Tournaments will try to separate wrestlers in the same club, but it’s not always possible.
Q: Can I coach my own kid?
A: Yes, if you are comfortable enough, feel free. If you don’t want a Rum River coach that shows up mat side to coach, politely let them know that you are comfortable coaching your own child.
Q: How do I find a coach when my child is wrestling?
A: If your child is up on a mat and ready to wrestle, but a coach hasn’t showed up, you can tell the official or table worker to page a Rum River coach to your mat. You can also ask another parent or board member find one. Your child does NOT have to start wrestling without a coach. MN USA tournaments have to wait for a coach to arrive.
Coaches and board members do their best to watch for our kids at tournaments and when it’s time for them to wrestle. Sitting together at the tournaments, or checking in with a coach or board member is a great way to let us all know you are here. It makes it easier for us to keep track of everyone.
Uniforms and Clothing
Q: What equipment does my child need to wrestle?
A: The standard equipment is a singlet, wrestling shoes, headgear and mouth guard (if you have braces).
- Although it’s standard equipment, none is required for weekend tournaments. Your child can wear shorts and a shirt, and non-everyday shoes. Our club encourages ALL wrestlers to wear headgear at practice and tournaments.
- For the MN USA State tournament in Rochester, a singlet, wrestling shoes and headgear are required.
- Rum River will have singlets for sale and you can find wrestling shoes and headgear at sporting stores, on-line or for purchase at tournaments.
- We also have families that will bring used singlets, wrestling shoes and headgear to practice that your child can borrow and use.
Hygiene Information
- Please encourage your child to shower after practice and tournaments. There are a lot of kids that wrestle on mats and germs get spread, especially ringworm and molluscum.
- Showering right after practice and as soon as you get home from a tournament help prevents spreading these, but we can’t promise your child won’t get these things.
- If your child does get one of these, we ask you keep them from practice and tournaments until they heal or are cleared by a physician. Wrestlers won’t make it through skin check at tournaments with these things.
- Fingernails need to be kept clipped. This prevents scratches and spreading germs. If we notice your wrestler’s nails are too long, we will ask you to have them clipped.