• Singlet (provided by SWC at registration)
• Wrestling Shoes (strongly recommended)
• Headgear (recommended but not required at all tournaments)

NOTE: Singlets are required at meets and tournaments. SWC singlets are available for each wrestler. Wrestlers must wear SWC team singlets so they are easily spotted at the tournaments by coaches and parents.

Registration for tournaments can vary quite a bit. Start by searching upcoming tournaments at the following websites: Huskerland Calendar and USA Nebraska Events. Both webpages list upcoming tournaments.

Announcements will be made during practices for the proper registration for each tournament. Registration is usually taken in advance, however, wrestlers can sometimes register at the door when capacity has not been met. Mandatory weigh-ins are most often held the morning of the tournament before the first round of competition.

Every tournament is different, but most of the local tournaments are around $10-$18. Regional and National tournaments are a bit more expensive $25-$50.

Most tournaments place kids into a four man round robin brackets (based on grade/weight/experience), which gives a wrestler three matches. The actual number in each bracket will vary based on the number of kids attending the tournament.

Larger tournaments use bigger brackets based on the number of entries. They can have 8 man, 16 man or even 32 man brackets.

Tournaments pair kids into different divisions based on grade level or age. If by grade in school: PreK & K, 1st-2nd, 3rd-4th, 5th-6th, 7th-8th and; if, by age: 6 & Under, 7-8, 9-10, 11-12. Each tournament will list how the kids will be divided on their information sheet.

SWC will have coaches at local tournaments each week. The coaches are all volunteers and do the best they can to attend tournaments. SWC will have several designated tournaments that coaches will attend.

Wrestling can be relatively demanding, not only for the wrestler, but also for the parent. There are responsibilities ranging from helping with tournaments or participating in other team activities. The parent's role, however, extends beyond such tasks. Matches and practice sessions offer new and unique learning opportunities for young athletes. Involved parents spot these opportunities and make the most of them.

Most importantly, kids need support and encouragement. They need to be able to stake claim to something positive about themselves that they can build from in developing self-confidence. Parents can facilitate this process by identifying and reinforcing strengths while helping their child to see past their weaknesses. Your positive reinforcement as a perceptive and caring parent can be the single most significant influence in your child's athletic development and personal growth.

Don't impose your ambitions or expectations on your child. Remember that wrestling is your child's activity. Improvements and progress occur at different rates for each individual. Don't judge your child's progress based on the performance of other athletes and don't push them based on what you think they should be doing.

Be supportive no matter what. There is only one question to ask your child, "Did you have fun?" If meets and practices are not fun you should not force them to participate.

Do not coach your child. Your job is to support, love and hug your child no matter what. Conflicting advice and criticism work against the coach's efforts and only serve to confuse and demotivate your child. If you feel you have the experience and ability to contribute to the team as a coach, volunteer your services through the proper channels.

Get involved. Your club needs your help and support. Attend parent and club meetings to find out how you can help. And most importantly, show your child that you care by attending as many meets and tournaments as possible.

Acknowledge your child's fears. Their opponents appear to be much more intimidating through their eyes than through the eyes of a grown-up. Consider their perspective and don't expect them to compete with the confidence and mental toughness of a seasoned expert.

Do not criticize the officials. Unless you have been there, you have no idea how challenging officiating can be. Expect that in some matches your child could lose as a result of an error on the part of an official or score keeper. That's life. Help your child to understand that the official does their best to score the match fairly, and that it is important that we respect the ruling of the officials regardless of how we feel about the situation.

Most tournaments only require your child to have Primary/private health insurance. The USA membership card is purchased by SWC as part of registration. A USA membership card is required for the USA State tournament and an AAU membership card is required for Huskerland events. USA Membership - USA Athletes Membership (Click Here) AAU Membership - AAU Athlete Membership (Click Here)