We have received many questions and talked to several confused parents about signs and emails that have been circulating from "Pine Richland Junior (Youth) Wrestling" or "PR Elite youth Wrestling". Some people think we are one in the same and some people don't know what to think.
Pine-Richland Junior Wrestling (PRJW) has been operating within Pine-Richland School District as a youth wrestling organization for over 25 years and has been the youth program for many of PR's varsity champions.
PRJW is a 100% volunteer-run developmental wrestling program for wrestlers K-6th grade.
PRJW has an organized Mission Statement, Board and Bylaws.
PRJW is the only program that holds weeknight matches within the North Hills Wrestling League, and trains athletes to someday participate in Pine-Richland JV and Varsity Wrestling.
PRJW requires all coaches to have their clearances.
PRJW participates in fundraising efforts each year to help contribute equipment to the varsity program. In the past few years, PRJW has donated a wrestling mat to Pine-Richland School District to be used by the Pine-Richland Wrestling Program. ($12,000 value)
PRJW was the 2013 and 2015 Road Warrior Team Champions within the North Hills Wrestling League.
PRJW's registration and fundraising efforts funnel directly to the youth wrestlers within our program through gym fees, banquet costs, wrestler gifts, uniforms, warm up outfits, and end of the year tournament fees.
If you have any further questions about the difference between the two programs, we will be happy to speak with you. Please feel free to contact a Board Member.
Pine-Richland Jr Wrestling is 100% volunteer run, including coaches, board members, and committee members. Parents play an important roll in supporting and teaching their children the sport of wrestling at the youth level. Parents are also necessary to assure weeknight matches run smoothly in regard to set up, score keeping, time clocks, match schedule, and tear down.
All your hard work directly benefits your own child.
All funds collected from registration and fund-raising efforts are spent to pay for gym fees, purchase uniforms, purchase mat supplies, pay for banquet, and pay for wrestlers' banquet gifts. Any additional funds are saved and contributed to Pine Richland Wrestling JV and Varsity program to help purchase additional equipment. In the past, PRJW purchased and donated of a brand new Resilite Wrestling Mat ($12,000!).
PRJW Refund Procedures:
Registration fees will be refunded but not the fund-raiser monies:
100 % before November 6th
50 % before November 14th
0 % after November 14th
All requests for refunds must be made in writing as an
email to: Alaina Huffman : alaina.huffman@yahoo.com
Your written request should include:
Date of request, Parent’s Name, Child’s Name, address to mail refund check to, and reason for refund.
When Do You Practice?
When Is Practice?
Practice is Monday and Wednesday from 6:00 - 8:00 pm
Practice is held in the "Green Gym" located near the back of Pine-Richland High School, near the pool.
What Gear do I Need to Wrestle?
Necessary Gear:
Wrestling Shoes
Headgear
Shorts and t-shirt for practice
Singlet for matches (provided by the league)
Team t-shirt and shorts for matches (provided by the league)
Mouth guard (if you have braces)
Water bottle
Optional gear:
Slide on sandals or shoes (wrestling shoes should not be worn outside)
Knee pads
Gear Bag Items:
Hand sanitizer
Antibacterial wipes
Medical tape (to bind laces)
Bandages
Snacks
What are my Volunteer Duties?
This year, each family is responsible for completing 4 volunteer duties per season (one duty must be a committee). Families with more than one child will be responsible for 6 duties. Your deposit check will be held until the end of the season to assure that everyone completes their volunteer duties for the season. Deposit checks will be cashed if you do not complete your volunteer requirements.
Because wrestling matches and practices have a lot of moving parts, everyone needs to do their part to assure that things run smoothly. This year, we will be using Volunteer Spot allowing parents to sign up for their own assignments. Click this Volunteer Link or see the Volunteer Tab on the left had side of the website to learn more.
Description of Volunteer Duties:
HOME MATCHES
Set Up / Clean Up:
Set up for match - set up tables, chairs, scoreboards, and mats (2 parents)
Clean up after match - put away tables and chairs, scoreboard, and mats. Pick up garbage. (2 parents)
Table Workers:
Score Keeper - Keep score for each match by watching and listening to referee and recording on score sheet.(4 parents)
Time Keeper - Operate the clock for each match. (4 parents)
Towel - Throw the towel at the end of each period to alert the referee of time. (4 parents)
Mat Runner - Organize wrestlers at the mat for upcoming bouts.(4 parents)
Concession Stand:
Donate money toward concessions purchases: $20 (8 parents)
Concession stand workers: set up, tear down, and sell concession items (2 parents)
AWAY MATCHES
Table Workers:
Score Keeper - Keep score for each match by watching and listening to referee and recording on score sheet.(1 parent or sibling aged middle school or older)
Time Keeper - Operate the clock for each match. (1 parentor sibling aged middle school or older)
Towel - Throw the towel at the end of each period to alert the referee of time. (1 parentor sibling aged middle school or older)
Mat Runner - Organize wrestlers at the mat for upcoming bouts.(1 parentor sibling aged middle school or older)
Matches vs Duels (quick explanation)
Weeknight matches are set up for all wrestlers to participate, novice and experienced. A partner from the opposing team will be matched with your wrestlers' weight, age, and experience. Points will be collected from the bouts to determine a team winner for the evening.
Weeknight Duels have been introduced this season as an opportunity for more experienced wrestlers to be challenged in a team setting. Wrestlers are encouraged to "wrestle off" (compete) in order to fill a spot on the PRJW team. Team spots are determined by weight, irregardless of age and experience. There will be a new opportunity for each wrestler to compete for a weight spot for each duel scheduled. All wrestlers are able to compete for a spot on the team, and all wrestlers are encouraged to attend duels as wrestlers or spectators.
Tournaments vs. Matches
General DUAL MATCH Information (WEEKDAYS)
Pairing the wrestlers for a match is not an exact science. We put a tremendous amount of effort into making sure all wrestlers are paired with opponents of similar age, size, and skill level. This is accomplished through “pairing software” and discussions with bout coordinators from other schools. The goal is for each wrestler to face 2-4 opponents at each dual match, but unfortunately there are some instances where exact pairings are difficult and that may not be possible. For those novice wrestlers, you will sometimes see your son wrestling a teammate. The reason for that is there weren’t enough wrestlers from the other team available in their size and skill level. The primary goal is to get our wrestlers as much mat time as possible so they can gain experience.
If there are ever any concerns with your child’s matches, please talk to Greg Smith. We are here to promote a positive experience and want each wrestler to succeed. Just remember, a wrestler will win matches and will lose matches, either way, they will learn from the experience.
All NOVICE wrestlers (up to 2 years of experience) will only wrestle other NOVICE wrestlers, unless a parent indicates otherwise. For example, 1st year P-R kids will wrestle 1st year kids from other schools. If a parent feels your child is not challenged, please discuss this with a coach or the bout coordinator.
OPEN wrestlers (those with more than 2 years of experience) will only wrestle other OPEN wrestlers.
It is important that each wrestler wears their P-R wrestling shirt at the matches when they are not wrestling. This helps the runners quickly find your child before their match.
All matches begin at 6:30 PM but the Wrestlers need to arrive at the gym at 6:00 PM. At arrival, you should locate the bout sheet to find out your wrestler’s bout information. This information will be very helpful so that you don’t miss a match!
General Tournament Information (WEEKENDS)
Dual matches held are during the week and tournaments are on the weekends. Tournaments are organized in rounds, allowing wrestlers sufficient time to rest between matches. Tournament competition is organized by age and weight.
If you would like to provide your child more wrestling opportunities, you can look into NOVICE and OPEN tournaments on weekends. You can find out about tournaments visiting www.pywrestling.com. For first and second year wrestlers, novice tournaments are great fun and they are a new challenge. Search youth tournaments and you will find multiple opportunities each weekend. Look for the description of NOVICE. You do not want to enter your child in an open tournament until they have three years of experience. In the novice division, kids can have a maximum of 2 years’ experience. Registration forms are printable and in some cases you can register online.
To compete, there is a mandatory weigh-in that is most often held either the night before or the morning of the tournament approximately 1 to 2 hours before the first round of competition. These tournaments are usually run on a Saturday or Sunday morning.
A completed bracket sheet or vertical pairing wall chart will show specific parings for each match. After each round, these sheets are updated to show parings for the following round. Winners continue to advance, while those that loose two times are usually eliminated.
There is usually a 30 minute period before the tournament begins, when wrestlers can warm up and locate their wall chart. Wrestlers typically wrestle two to four matches in any one tournament. Before each round, pairings are determined, using results of the previous round. Winners must sign the score card at the scoring table. Trophies or metals are awarded for 1st, 2nd, 3rd, after all matches in their weight class have been completed. You can talk with any of the coaches about tournaments.
What Are Parent Responsibilities During Matches?
Parents are responsible for getting their wrestler to mat in time for their bouts. Bout Sheets will be posted with your wrestler's "schedule" for the evening, usually on a wall in the gym. Parents will need to record that information and deliver their child to the mat at least 3 bouts ahead. The mat runner will arrange the wrestlers in order and tell them when it is their turn.
Mat runners will not leave the table to search for the next wrestler. Wrestlers that are not in the right location will forfeit their bout.
How are Wrestling Partners Selected?
Great care is taken to evaluate your wrestler's skill level during practices and coaches will pair your wrestler with a teammate with similar skills and size.
For matches, "pairing software" and coach input will help determine an opponent using the following criteria: Experience, Age, and Weight.
For this reason, wrestlers will be asked to weigh in during registration and intermittently throughout the season to be sure the pairings remain appropriate.
Folkstyle Wrestling Rules Explained
Click the link below to read about Folkstyle Wrestling Scoring Rules.
Parent Information for First Match:
Arrive at 6:00 PM for a 6:30 match
•Wrestlers must wear PR singlet, wrestling shoes, and PR Wrestling Shirt/Shorts for all matches.
•Wrestlers’ may wrestle 2-4 matches during a dual meet.
Before match begins, parents should check bout sheets (on gym wall) for wrestler’s mat numbers and bout numbers.
Sample bout sheet:
____________________________________________
•Pine-Richland vs. Hampton
Jones 316 436 352
Smith 104 127 243
(The 1st digit of the number represents the mat and the remaining digits represent the bout. For instance, Jones will wrestle his first match on mat 3 and be the 16th bout. Mat #'s are on the score table.)
______________________________________________
•Parents need to be aware of when their wrestler is to compete so that they don’t forfeit their match.
•Parents are responsible for their child’s behavior while at a home or away match.
•Wrestlers are to remain with the team on the mat when not competing to cheer on their teammates.
•Plan for matches to last for about 2 hours.
•If you are scheduled to volunteer and are unsure of your duties, please read the “volunteer duty description” sheet found on the volunteer tab of the website. There will also be board members there to assist you.
•If your child will NOT be wrestling in a match, you must contact Greg Smith, Bout Coordinator, ASAP tdogg22@hotmail.com or 412-418-2520
Can I Drop Off My Child At A Match?
As much as we would love to have your wrestler attend all matches, we understand this isn't always possible. A parent or another responsible adult will need to attend matches with your child. This could be a sitter, grandparent, another wrestling parent... Coaches or Darla and I cannot be responsible for wrestlers without a responsible adult present due to the nature of wrestling matches and the fact that the team doesn't move as a whole, but rather independently throughout the match.
If you experience a situation where your child is unable to attend or an adult is unable to attend with them, please contact Bout Coordinator Greg Smith to remove them from the bout sheet: tdogg22@hotmail.com
Wrestler Hygiene and Mat Care
Wrestling involves lots of skin-to-skin contact. For this reason, our athletes need to follow certain hygiene procedures to protect themselves and others.
* Wrestling shoes should never be worn anyplace other than the wrestling mat. Wrestlers should wear easily removable shoes or sandals to the gym and change into their wrestling shoes before practice. There are also guards you can purchase to wear over wrestling shoes to protect them outside.
* Street shoes should NEVER be worn on the mat. Spectators must remove their street shoes before walking on the mats to prevent contamination from dirt and germs. Mat contamination can increase the risk of catching and spreading skin diseases such as ringworm.
* All practice clothing must be washed after each practice and/or match. All gear should be wiped down after practice (head gear, knee pads, etc.)
* Wrestlers must shower following every practice/match. Cleaning with products such as Selsun Blue and/or an antibacterial soap such as Lever would make good sense during wrestling season. (many wrestlers clean their hair and bodies with Selson during wrestling season, especially after tournaments).
* Wrestlers must keep their fingernails short during the season to avoid scratching each other. It would be a good idea to keep an extra pair of clippers in their bag or in the car. Many tournaments have "fingernail checks" and will not allow a wrestler on the mat if nails are too long.
* Wrestlers with any sort of skin rash will need a doctor's slip in order to wrestle. Again, at tournaments there will also be a skin check and athletes will not be allowed to wrestle without a doctor's permission.
* Mats must be cleaned before practice with an anti-microbial cleaner to make sure they do not spread skin diseases. Parents volunteers will be responsible for this duty throughout the season.
How do I Care For My Singlet?
Machine wash SEPARATELY IN COLD WATER. Hot water can cause color bleeding. Use mild (non-phosphorous) detergent. Phosphates can also cause bleeding. Do not wash white and colored garments together. Do not use chlorine bleach. Bleach will fade colors and weaken fabric. Remove garments from washer immediately and hang dry. DO NOT USE HOT WATER, BLEACH, OR PLACE IN THE DRYER.
Also, care should be taken to avoid contact with any abrasive surfaces.This would include Velcro closures on headgear, lace covers on shoes, or any other rough surfaces. Keep singlet separated from shoes and headgear.
Do I Have to Compete in Tournaments?
Participation in tournaments is encouraged but not required. Tournaments give your wrestler increased mat time and real live experience - both lead to increased confidence and skill.
Most tournaments separate wrestlers into novice and experienced as well as matching age and weight, just like week night matches. To participate in a tournament, your wrestler must register and weigh in to determine a correct weight.
PRJW is part of North Hills Wrestling League. This league hosts its own tournaments named Road Warriors. These tournaments help each program earn team points from wrestlers who participate. At the end of the season, there is a final tournament exclusive to only North Hills Wrestling League members where prizes are awarded for individual wrestlers and teams. All PRJW wrestlers are strongly encouraged to attend this tournament.
