Practices

When: Days of the week are TBA (All practices will be posted with time/location on the calendar of website.)  Our first few practices will be at LW Central. During the first few weeks the coaches will assess each wrestler’s experience and abilities and will strategically place each wrestler into a group that will best develop him/her. 

Where: Please keep in mind we are guests at these facilities so tell your wrestler/s to not disrupt other practices or events taking place at the high schools. THERE WILL BE NO ENTRANCE INTO THE WRESTLING ROOMS FOR PARENTS - THIS WILL BE A STRICTLY ENFORCED RULE STARTING THIS SEASON!!

• Lincoln Way Central High School – Enter the doors of the North lot by swimming and walk your wrestler down to the wrestling room.
• Lincoln Way West High School – Enter Door 21 and walk your wrestler down to the wrestling room.

What to Wear/Bring:  

• Each wrestler should wear a t-shirt & shorts to practice.

• Bring you wrestling shoes & put them on when you arrive.

• Do not walk on mats with street shoes.

• Protective headgear is required at practices & ALL tournaments.

• Bring a water bottle to every practice. NO SPORTS DRINKS, ETC.

Be on Time: 

• Practices typically start at 6pm, we strongly encourage all wrestlers to be in the gym at 5:45 getting their shoes on and ready to participate. 

Behavior:  We strive to have fun at practice in a competitive learning environment, however our coaches are NOT babysitters.  

• Our wrestlers are expected to behave and listen to the coaches.

• Taking a knee when coaches are instructing or demonstrating moves.

• Disrupted behavior will not be tolerated. Wrestlers who disturb practice will first be given a verbal warning, if the behavior continues the coach will ask the wrestler to sit out, if the behavior still continues a call to the parents will be warranted. 

Personal Hygiene:  

• After EVERY practice/tournament our athletes must shower as soon as they get home.
• Wrestlers are encouraged to use anti-bacterial soap such as Dial, Phisoderm or Defense Soap. Keep practice partners happy by: washing practice clothes regularly, using deodorant if necessary & brushing teeth.   

Tournaments

When:  We have a weekly Sunday tournament starting December 7^th through the IKWF State series in March. Regular season tournaments are optional but strongly encouraged. This is where the wrestlers are able to show off the skills they have developed in practice. Our complete schedule of tournaments can be found under the calendar section of the website.

Registration: Every parent will be able to sign up their wrestler for weekly tournaments on the website under the online forms tab.  Weekly emails will be sent out reminding the parents of upcoming tournaments and registration closing dates. 

Transportation:  Each Parent is responsible for getting their wrestler/s to and from tournaments.

General Information:

• We encourage parent camaraderie, and ask for all of the parents to wear our team colors and sit together to support each other.

• Remember head gear, wrestling shoes and singlet! Also camera’s & video cameras!

• Fingernails should be trimmed.

• Have your wrestler get to bed early & arrive early for weigh-ins to meet the coaches.  Typically between 6:30-8am, if you are late for weigh-ins you will not be allowed to wrestle. 

• Plan for enough time to eat a healthy breakfast after weigh-ins.

• Wrestlers are bracketed by age division, weight and then experience. Wrestling normally starts around 9-9:30am & typically finish between 2-4pm.

• Wrestlers will usually wrestle 2-4 matches. After a match make sure your wrestler drinks plenty of fluid and rests for their next bout.

• Please remember your job as a parent is to watch, encourage & support your wrestler. Leave the mat side coaching to the coaches.

• Some tournaments are in field houses, some in gyms. Keep chairs in your car in case there is no seating available.

• Entry fees for spectators are usually $3-$5  

• Concessions stands are generally available however most gyms welcome coolers. Packing healthy lunch options is a great idea. Lunch may be any food high in protein or carbs. Avoid sugary snacks.

Diet:

There is no reason for a wrestler of this age to diet. Most tournaments use blocked weights, where no wrestler has to make weight. However there are set weight classes for some dual team tournaments as well as Regionals, Sectionals & State. If your wrestler advances through the State series, they must maintain their weight within the weight class they qualified for at Regionals. We can help with clean eating plans, just ask.

Volunteer Hours:

We count on the volunteer support of our parents to keep our annual fees down. Unlike many other wrestling clubs in the IKWF that charge additional weekly fees for each tournament, LWWC keeps our fees to a bare minimum and generates the additional necessary operating revenues by hosting two annual fundraising events. We consider the assistance of each of our LWWC parents at these events to be mandatory. In the event that you do not sign up for a necessary job, one will be assigned to you.