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Discussion Topic: What is the best age to start wrestling?
Rex Holman added to this discussion on December 23, 2009
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I think the question to ask is whether it provides a means to an end of which the parent is comfortable.
What I am hearing is that parents would like to instill the beneficial qualities that wrestling affords into an adolescent, provide a similar orientation of passion for the sport while maintaining the delicate balance of an adolescent psyche.
Like anything the action of parenting(which is coaching) is more of an art than a rigid protocol.
Age is too rigid a parameter although it can be used to generalize the emotional maturity one needs to wrestle.
Every activity that a child shows an aptitude or liking should be encouraged(unless its' delinquent)
Wrestling needs to be fun and fulfull a need of the child. If there is no need, then it will not likely work. The child that wrestles needs to be physical, motivated and given strong role models of which to emulate.
Boredom occurs not necessarily when the sport does not have anything to offer, but rather when the child perceives it as having nothing to offer or limited offering. In this case other activities are more in line with their ideas.
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Discussion Topic: What is the best age to start wrestling?
Lou Demas added to this discussion on December 23, 2009
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Mr. Nell
I believe most all boys wrestle. I can't remember a single kids event I have gone to that there has not been at least one parent screaming,STOP ROUGH HOUSING or STOP WRESTLING IN THE LIVING ROOM!! So I think it not, when kids are ready to wrestle but when are parents and coaches ready to let them enjoy wrestling. I say this knowing when I first introduced Josh to wrestling at age 5,I was the worst offender of this.I went from a Dad who told his son to play nice with other kids to something very ugly overcame me once he stepped inside that circle. After his second tournament I clearly remember yelling at him '' I TOLD YOU TO RIP HIS HEAD OFF''. Tears where welling in his eyes and I did no know if it was from the lost or the fact that his father who had always told him to play nice, now sanctioned murder once he stepped in that circle. I took him out of wrestling right after that tournament because of me not him. I tried again when he was 9 lasted bout 2 weeks again, sadly had I not changed and had to take him out . When he was 12 he asked me why don't we wrestle anymore, and asked to go back. 7 years later and I was nervous if I could handle it. Started him out in Judo and when the first meet came, I was telling him to drill and do sprints to warm up and he was just going through the motions,I went up into the bleachers before I got to upset. So, I watched from the bleachers Josh and his friend started to rough house then they broke into a game of tag. he was having fun, not only that but he was sprinting and drilling in a way that he found enjoyable.
Every parent wants their kid to be a champion but a kid has to first love the sport for that to happen and if a child starts to believe his worth is dependent upon wrestling, wrestling becomes an ugly place with joy pf childhood play being sucked out of them.
So I say let em' play and do what your doing hang out with your son play with your son enjoy your time. If he decides to wrestler because he loves the sport great but if he only wrestle's to please you he won't be happy or would you in the end.
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Discussion Topic: What is the best age to start wrestling?
Ken Ramsey Sr. added to this discussion on December 23, 2009
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Quote from Ryan M. Peters's post:
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"Guys,
I wanted to chime in to this topic because after years of coaching at the HS and youth level I have seen our kids and society change as has my attitude of when the appropriate age to start. I started wrestling when I was 5 years old (back in the late 70's). We didn't have cable TV, we had only a few video games, and the internet was not even a thought. For the past 15 years I advised parents to start their kid when they have the attention span to sit thru a wrestling practice. As this stage of my life, I totally disagree with the notion of starting them when they are young. Society is different today. Kids quit much easier than in the past. When I was growing up, kids were not allowed to quit....today's parents make it a lot easier to quit. We are in a society where kids and parents want instant gratification and if they don't get it, they walk away and don't ever look back.
I had had numerous kids in my youth program quit in recent years. The reasons all vary, "My kid doesnt like it."... "My son is not having the success that he had hoped for" , "My son wants to try basketball for a year because his friends are playing". "We are going to focus on one sport." It is very frusterating when you work with a kid for 2-3 years and they are at the brink of big success and they quit because they are not getting the instant gratification that the child and parents were expecting.
Therefore, I think the sport of wrestling should not be introduced to a child until they are in the 4th or 5th grade. The maturity level of a 4th or 5th grader will allow them to deal with defeat and understand what needs to be done in order to improve. They at at a stage in their live where it is time to make committments to a team and a sport. I am extremly confident that if a child begins at this age, they can win a state title by the 9th or 10th grade and catch up to the kid who started when they were 5 years old.
I am rather certain that the overwhelming majority of kids who start at the age of 5 or 6 will quit wrestling by the age of 9. My quess who be that one out of 10 kids who start at the age of 5 or 6 will stick it out until they graduate HS. It is just my opinion but I think in today's society we should be starting the kids at a later age so we don't lose them and their parents forever."
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In my opinion, if the wrestlers start young and are given the opportunity to participate in other sports, they will not burn out. Young kids love to play, and all sports are, at the youth level, is organized play. By the time a youngster reaches middle school he/she is mature enough to choose the sports they want to continue competing in. Most burnout comes from youngsters who have early success due to early maturity, but when others begin to catch up in maturity and pass them physically, they have a hard time handling the situation and quit. I would say one of the largest problems, is the committment of the parents. Parents with children playing sports will have little free time for themselves, and this is something many can't committ their lives to. Sad for the children and a good reason why many young adults have poor work habits and ethics.
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Discussion Topic: What is the best age to start wrestling?
Mike Leedy added to this discussion on December 23, 2009
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Exposure is the key. Not necessarily attending practices or competing but watching a dual or an all star event on video as early on as possible. Alot of younger sibblings get involved early, simply by hanging with their older brothers.
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Discussion Topic: What is the best age to start wrestling?
Joe Boardwine added to this discussion on December 24, 2009
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Some very good insights and comments.... one of the keys to answering this question lies in determining what exactly you are asking the wrestler to do.
If you are asking him to go up and literally, roll around, and play and watch video and learn strength exercises - that's something a very young boy could enjoy.
But how many people keep it to that? It's harder to do that we think. Once competition begins - the focus too often becomes winning in the weekend tournament or competition. If Winning becomes more important than development and longevity - you are in trouble. If it becomes that way at 5,6,7,8... where will the kid's head be in terms of a passion for the sport at 18-23 years old?
What disturbs me is when I see little kids being asked to "make a commitment" to the sport too young. If this means hard-core, 2-hour practices, 3x's per week, competitions at tournaments every weekend ...and some weight cutting on top of it....
Then I think that is too much for most people in order to have longevity in the sport. Sure there will be a freak or two here and there that will eat it up - but for the average kid - too much ...too young.
Rex made an important point when he said that parents should encourage any positive behavior or interest that the child has. I agree with that. But the key is that it should come from the child. It's tricky. Children think like children and we think like adults. So they express an interest in wrestling or in going to a tournament.... and it is really easy for us to take that interest and run too far and too fast with it at a young age. So our interest and their interest levels are not in alignment. And it is done with good intentions! After all, we are trying to teach our son to make a commitment to something, set goals, work hard to achieve them and do what it takes to be the best. Those are all important lessons...but have to be dealt with carefully at the very young ages - or they can do turn around on you in a negative way.
Here is an example: Recently I was talking with a wrestler who started cutting weight very, very young. He started cutting so that he could do well in the youth states. Eventually, he was making big cuts to compete in even rinky-dink open tournaments. He eventually hated wrestling and did not reach his potential.
In my view, this is what can easily start to happen at any young age when competition is introduced, pride is on the line and when the focus becomes on winning right now - rather than on development and longevity. And I think it's easier to fall into - with good intentions - than people realize.
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