FAQs

When does the wrestling season begin?

The season begins in November and runs until mid-March.

How do I register my son or daughter?

Registration is done online at PenfieldRec.org.

Equipment

What you actually have to buy, at a glance. Nothing here is expensive, and nothing on this list is needed on day one except clothes to move in.

Item	Required?	Notes
Shirt and shorts	Yes, for practice	Anything comfortable to move in
Mouth guard	Strongly encouraged — required with braces	Very inexpensive
Headgear	Strongly encouraged	Protects the ears from long-term injury
Wrestling shoes	Required for most tournaments	Sneakers are fine for practice
Singlet	Not required for most tournaments	One-piece competition uniform

Why each piece matters

Mouth guard. Very inexpensive, and it protects your child's teeth and keeps them from biting their tongue while wrestling.

Headgear. The constant beating and bashing of a wrestler's ears can cause blood vessels to burst. This painful condition is known as cauliflower ear, and headgear is what prevents it.

Singlet. A one-piece uniform, tight fitting so it cannot be grasped accidentally by an opponent, which also lets the referee see each wrestler's body clearly when awarding points or a pin.

Shoes. Sneakers must be cleaned before entering the wrestling room. Wrestling shoes are generally light and flexible, mimicking the bare foot while providing slightly more traction and ankle support.

Tournaments

The best way for any wrestler to develop is to get out on the mat and wrestle. The more matches and mat time a wrestler can get, the better they will get at wrestling. There are tournaments almost every weekend throughout our area. Information, including registration forms, can be found on the PYW Calendar, and there is more detail on the Tournaments page.

NYWAY

The New York Wrestling Association for Youth is an organization that supports youth wrestling throughout the state. It offers insurance for wrestlers and also sponsors tournaments, including the state championship. For more information, visit NYWAY.org.

During practices

Parents are welcome to stay and watch practices. However, we ask that you keep interaction with your child to a minimum to maximize the coaches' effectiveness. We want to maintain a positive atmosphere for all children in the room, so please no cheering or coaching while practice is in session. We ask that parents please do not enter the wrestling room while practices are in session.

If you are a parent with wrestling experience, we welcome you to join our coaching staff. If you are interested, please let us know.

During competitive wrestling

Positive encouragement and sportsmanship is a requirement of all wrestlers, coaches and parents. Watching your child compete can be stressful. The coaches will be familiar with your child and their skill sets. Please always cheer and encourage your child, and allow the coaches to coach and instruct wrestlers during matches. What your child needs most from you on the mat is your love and support — win or loss.

Remember: sportsmanship, sportsmanship, sportsmanship.

Photography

If parents are interested in sharing photos, there is a team Dropbox folder for sharing photos and video.

If you do not wish to have your child appear in any promotional photos, please let us know.

Due to the sport's skin-to-skin nature, it is important that every wrestler take precautions and develop good habits to keep themselves and their fellow wrestlers healthy. Preventing skin diseases is much easier than treating them, and a constant effort must be made by athletes, coaches, parents and everyone else involved in the wrestling community.

Skin infections such as ringworm, impetigo, staph/MRSA, scabies, cellulitis and molluscum can create further health complications, and they can also hold athletes back from both practice and competition. An athlete who brings a skin infection into the wrestling room can easily infect the entire team. Luckily, there are some simple things parents and children can do to keep everyone healthy.

Shower immediately

The longer your child waits to shower after practices and matches, the more time harmful germs are allowed to stay and grow on their skin. When showering, always use liquid antibacterial soap and a mesh scrub to ensure that you are both killing the bacteria and limiting the number left on showering equipment.

Know your child's body

Check your child's body frequently for anything out of the norm. Keep an eye out for red or irritated skin, scratches, peeling, bumps and itching. If you do find something of concern, see your child's doctor and tell your coach right away. He or she will know the proper course of action and treatment.

Keep nails short

Certain types of bacteria and fungi may live underneath the fingernails and can easily be transmitted to another wrestler's skin. Long nails also pose a danger to other wrestlers, as they may scratch skin or cause injury to eyes.

Don't share equipment

Any item used during practice, especially shoes and headgear, should absolutely never be shared. This is a very easy way to spread infections.

Wear clean practice gear daily

It is necessary to have a clean set of gear for every practice session, including t-shirts, shorts and socks. Gear worn for more than one practice is an easy way to transmit skin infections to teammates.

Clean all equipment frequently

Any equipment used on a daily basis needs to be thoroughly cleaned to ensure harmful germs are not hiding in it. Towels, uniforms and any other piece of equipment should be washed and dried after every use. Gym and wrestling bags should also be washed periodically.

Cover all wounds

During practice and competition, it is important to cover any open wounds or cuts to prevent infection. Full-length rash guards limit skin-to-skin contact and can help prevent skin diseases.

Keep shoes clean

The majority of bacteria and fungi brought into the wrestling room gets there from the bottoms of wrestlers' shoes. Don't wear your wrestling shoes outside of the wrestling room, especially into the restroom, and don't step on the mat wearing gym or street shoes.

Making weight

Your child will not be expected to lose or “cut” weight. Children are still growing and developing physically, and it is not the philosophy of PYW to encourage weight loss. Tournaments and the GRYWL league have weight classes to promote safe wrestling. Most tournaments have some sort of weight allowance of 1–3 lbs from what is written on the registration form. The GRYWL has weight classes with a 2 lb allowance for each class.

Parental concerns

Please direct concerns and questions to Mike Liess at 585-750-8337.