Our Teams Participate in Two leagues:
The Mid Maryland Wrestling League (Intramural) for beginner or Novice Wrestler: Mt. Airy Mustangs Team;
and the Maryland Junior Wrestling league (Travel) for Advanced wrestlers: Alliance Wrestling Club Team.
Ages 4-14
Why Wrestle?
Wrestling is a fantastic and unique sport. In some ways it is similar to other sports, but there are clear and notable differences.
Much like other sports it requires discipline, dedication and desire to achieve success.
However, the difference in wrestling is evident in practices, and mostly in the individual thrill of victory and the agony of defeat.
Although youth wrestling is a team sport, youth wrestlers are challenged individually by competing against a single opponent who is relatively in the same age group, weight and skill level.
You don’t have to worry if your child will compete against someone who is considerably bigger, older or more skilled.
In other sports, you depend on other teammates on the field or court to support your efforts. In other sports and on occasion, some athletes can sometimes take “plays off” or not go 100% and still come away with a victory
In wrestling, this is impossible. If you give less than 100% for one second, you may lose. One hundred percent full effort and focus is required to be successful.
The Thrill of Victory.
There is no better feeling than winning a wrestling match. It's you against your opponent--no one shares the victory. It is an individual accomplishment, earning 100% of the victory through one’s own effort and practice.
The Agony of Defeat.
On the other side of the coin, if you lose, you are 100% accountable and responsible for your loss - much like in the real world.
Wrestling mirrors real world experiences and teaches athletes responsibility, accountability and the lessons learned when these are applied and not applied.
Wrestling Practice.
Grueling often times, constantly in contact and grappling with other wrestlers is tough. Knowing that if you “slack” for one second, you may lose.
Having fun, the hard way. A look on a wrestlers face when they learn a new move to beat an opponent is one that you don’t see in many other sports.
Best physically conditioned athletes. Unlike other sports, there is no time or space for “taking a break” it requires constant thought, movement, focus and agility. It would be difficult to find an athlete in another sport that is in better physical condition than a wrestler.
Life lessons.
Athletes learn more from losses and mistakes than from victory. This is very true in wrestling. Even in victory, wrestlers receive immediate feedback on how they executed their moves. Few sports can provide that type of immediate feedback and learning experience.
Lastly, the wrestling team.
In youth wrestling, teams are made up of wrestlers in weight classes ranging from 50lb, up to the heavyweight class (200lbs plus sometimes). Teammates learn from coaches as well as from their teammates. A teammate with an exceptional skill, whether it be a pinning combination, and escape move or a take-down, regardless of weight class and age, can teach other teammates their skill, Imagine a 9 year old 70lb wrestler teaching a pinning combination to his 13 year old, 140 lb teammate. You won’t see this kind of teamwork in any other sport.
The bond created between wrestlers can be life long, it is a microcosm of how sports and athletes in general have shaped some of this country’s greatest leaders.
Why Wrestle?
In closing, wresting is not for everyone. But for those to choose to wrestle, it is an incredibly rewarding sport that will teach many qualities that can be applied successfully to the real world in business, other sports, education, health, personal relationships, etc. Regardless of what sport you consider for your child, let your child be part of the decision making process and consider wrestling. We encourage you to bring your child to visit our practices to see what it’s really like.
You never know they may be a future NCAA champion in the making