Leominster Youth Wrestling Club, Inc. (LYWC) is an nonprofit corporation established to promote youth wrestling to children K-8 in Leominster, MA as well as surrounding communities in North Central Massachusetts. It is run and operated completely by volunteers. We work to provide an atmosphere for youths to learn the sport of wrestling through play, practice, and competition and work to teach the techniques, conditioning, and discipline associated with wrestling. LYWC has operated successfully for over ten years. Our coaches are experienced and dedicated to helping each child learn and grow as a wrestler. Please visit the other parts of our website to get further information about LYWC.

LYWC's first practice is usually the first week in December and continues through about Mid-March. Competitions (described below) generally start in December and generally go to Mid March. Specifically, most of the Central Mass League competitions occur in January and February on Saturday mornings. The majority of open tournaments occur on either Saturdays or Sundays throughout December, January, and February. The MYWA state tournaments occur at the end of February and into March. The New England Championships occur in March. The Girl's New England Championship occurs in mid to late March.

PRACTICES: LYWC generally practices two or three nights a week. Practices involve a combination of strength training, conditioning, games, drills, and live situational matches. Together, these serve to teach the fundamentals of wrestling.

CENTRAL MASS WRESTLING LEAGUE: LYWC participates in the Central Mass Wrestling League. All the local towns' wrestling clubs are working to establish this league, which consists of a series of ad hoc dual meets, scrimmages, and an end of season individual tournament. Participating towns include Leominster, Littleton, Fitchburg, Milford, Marlboro, AMSA/ASSABET, and others depending upon the status of their respective clubs. 

- LEAGUE DUAL MEETS/SCRIMMAGES: League duals/scrimmages generally occur on Saturday mornings throughout December, January, and February. The duals consist of team vs. team competition where wrestlers are matched up in an ad hoc manner and wrestle an official match on the event size ring. Many times this is followed by a scrimmage where wrestlers are put into four groups by age and matched up by size. Different from the dual, the scrimmage consists of multiple matches wrestled at once using running time. The objective of these two events are to incorporate the team aspect of wrestling and get wrestlers as many matches as possible in a small amount of time. Wrestlers may get as many as three or more matches in about 2 hours. 

- END OF SEASON LEAGUE TOURNAMENT: The league also works to put on an end of season tournament. The league is working to get this tournament coordinated with the MYWA state dual tournaments. 2013 was the first year the tournament was held.

MYWA STATE WRESTLING SERIES: The Massachusetts Youth Wrestling Association (MYWA) puts on an individual state tournament series every year starting in March.

- For K-4th graders, there is a single individual state tournament.

- For 5-8th graders, there is a series of tournaments. This series consists of a sectional tournament. Those who place at the sectional qualify for the state tournament. Those who don't place in the sectional are still able to compete in the Big East consolation tournament (and those who win the Big East re-qualify for the state tournament). Lastly, those who place at the state tournament qualify for the New England Championships. LYWC has had at least one wrestler qualify for states every year and many who have placed at the Big East. Many of the recent years, LYWC has even had multiple wrestlers qualify for the New England Championships.

- MYWA also started a team dual meet state tournament where teams advance based upon the results of team vs team dual competitions instead of individuals advancing. LYWC is working to increase it's middle school numbers and/or combine with other local clubs in the Central Mass League to enter into this tournament.

OPEN TOURNAMENTS: Many open youth individual tournaments occur every weekend throughout December, January, February, and March in various locations throughout New England. These are open to any LYWC youth wrestlers who register for them, but are optional.

Q: What are the costs for the season?

A: Enrollment is $125 first wrestler and $100 each additional wrestler. Fees cover the costs of team t-shirt, insurance, facility costs and league dues.

    * Other needed Equipment: wrestling shoes and head gear. The club has used shoes and head gear for use for our enrolled members. New shoes and head gear can be purchased at local sporting goods store for about $75 for shoes and head gear

Q: When, where and what time will be the practices and meets?

A: Practices will be at Leominster high school in the cafeteria; practices will be from 6 to 7:30pm 3 days per week.

Q: How much travel is involved with this team?

A: The team will travel locally to surrounding towns Littleton, Holden, Fitchburg, and Westford for meets as the season progresses. There will be 2-3 practices a week and at least 4 competition meets with other clubs throughout the season.

Q: How long is the season?Why wrestling over other sports?

A: The season will run from end of November to end of February?

Q: Why choose wrestling over other sports?

A:

1. Wrestling is fun
2. Wrestling develops basic athletic skills
3. Wrestling develops personal responsibility
4. Wrestling develops mental toughness
5. Wrestling teaches about nutrition and weight maintenance
6. Wrestling brings kids together and builds a strong camaraderie
7. Wrestling develops discipline
8. Wrestling brings different cultures and countries together
9. Wrestling teaches an individual how to focus on something and master it
10. Wrestling provides opportunities to further education

Q: What is the difference between TV wrestling and free style wrestling?

A: The actual sport of wrestling is based on hard work, skill and determination. The WWE Professional Wrestling is based on theatrics, entertainment and shock value. Amateur wrestling is conducted on a mat with regulation shoes and headgear. Pro wrestling is in a ring with boots and costumes. Amateur wrestling is non-violent, physically demanding and utilizes skills, strength and endurance. Pro wrestling is violent in nature with contestants kicking punching and body slams and participants have no real amateur wrestling experience.

Q: How physically demanding is the sport.

A: Sports offer opportunities for children to improve their strength, flexibility and coordination, while having fun. Most sports activities rely more on some muscle groups and less on others. For example, most sports focus primarily on pushing motions (leg/arm extension) such as throwing, hitting, kicking, jumping and running. Experts believe that unilateral (equal emphasis on all muscle groups) physical development is especially important in young athletes. Isolated development at an early age, over a long period, increases the risk of injury and limits long-term foundational growth. Swimming, gymnastics and wrestling are among the few sports that engage both pulling and pushing muscle groups.

Q: Do the kids have to worry about concussions

A: There is a common misperception among the non-wrestling public that wrestling is a very dangerous sport. Perhaps it's the aggressive nature of the sport, association with "Pro Wrestling", or perhaps fear of the unknown. Several studies have been conducted that show wrestling to be safer than many more common sports including football, ice hockey and gymnastics. Most notable in these reports, is wrestling's low percentage of serious, permanent and life-threatening injury in relation to other sports. A quote from USA Wrestling Club Organizing Guide has the following to say about Risk of Injury: "Wrestling is a contact sport and injuries will occur. As would be expected, wrestling has more injuries than tennis and swimming, but most wrestling injuries are minor, consisting of sprains and strains. Wrestling has fewer serious injuries than football, basketball or ice hockey. There is a lesser chance of getting seriously hurt when wrestling than when riding in a car, skateboarding or riding a dirt bike."

Q:What are the responsibilities of the parents?

A: The first step as a parent is to allow or even encourage your child to try the sport of wrestling. Set aside any reservations you might still have and support your child's decision to give wrestling a try and make the commitment to sticky by their side even when things are not going as well as either you or your child would like. Take responsibility for seeing that your child takes advantage of all the practice time available to them. Success is rare without the opportunity to learn and develop proper skills. Make the commitment to take your child to wrestling tournaments if they are ready to compete. You will need to be up early and should plan on spending the better part of the day with your wrestler on tournament days. Live competition will develop not only their skills but also their ability to perform under pressure.