Youth Wrestling

As a whole youth wrestling starts around the first grade.  Youth wrestling is considered youth up until 6th grade.  After that it is grade school, or middle school wrestling, these are done through the school.  Normally anything before that is usually not affiliated with any school.  These are organizations that have been started by people that want to get wrestling out to children as early as possible, and get them ready for wrestling in school.  A lot of the people that sponsor these associations and work within them are coaches for school wrestling programs, or have some kind association with them. 

Almost every state has a youth wrestling association, each state has some of their own rules but as a whole the rules are just about the same anywhere you go.  They do this because they want to make it fair to everyone.  And later on when the wrestlers are able to go to nationals they have to have the same rules anyway.  There are eligibility requirements in each state that children have to abide by, these are crucial if they want to be eligible for wrestling in divisional, regional, and state tournaments in their weight class.

There are many different weight classes, this has to be because all kids grow at different rates and it would be unfair to put a small child that hasn't grown up against someone that is a lot bigger then them.  There are 20 different weight classes and those are determined by the OYWA or the Ohio Youth Wrestling Association. Here are the current rules that have been set up by the National Federation with modifications from the OYWA.

• All wrestlers must have headgear

• You have to look at Federation rules 1-2-4 to determine the health and appearance of the wrestler.

• You do not need uniforms, but you must not have loose clothing.  If uniforms are supplied by your coaches they have to be worn though.

• Wrestling shoes are not needed, but you have to have shoes without metal eyelets.

• All starts to matches will be in the standing position.

• Each wrestler gets two 2 minute injury time outs.  Stoppage due to lost contacts, or uniform adjustments are up to the referees.

• Every match will consist of three 1 minute periods.

• There is no overtime in dual meets.

• Match ends when there is a 12 or more point differential between wrestlers.

• The All-star matches will consist of two 1 minute periods.

• Here are the weight classes for the 1st to 6th grade wrestlers.  52, 56, 60, 67, 70, 73, 76, 79, 82, 86, 90, 95, 102, 110, 120, 130, 145, 160, 180.

• No varsity wrestler is allowed to wrestle under 48 pounds, and the heaviest weight allowed is 180 pounds.

• Any wrestler can go up in one weight class and wrestle

Although these rules were for the Ohio Youth Wrestling Association, they are National Federation rules so they will most likely apply to whatever state that you are in.  Additional Ohio rules are that there are no team win or loss records for these age groups, and that the sole purpose of these matches is to get the children used to the situations that they will face once they get into the age bracket where the matches start to count as wins and losses.