Take it to the Mat! Welcome Wrestling families and friends

to the 2008-09 Season!

What’s Up?. . .

Saturday, November 29^th, marks our first tournament, an annual Novice Tournament, and great opportunity for freshman and first time wrestler’s. This year it will be heald at Redwood High School in Marin County. Map and directions can be found on the www.JSWrestling.com website in the “news and info” section. You are invited & welcome . . . Please come! You will absolutely be impressed by the progress and commitment of your young men! This is one of the largest incoming freshman teams . . . and they are bound for glory!

How the day goes? . . .

Napa guys need to be in the Justin Siena parking lot, (in front of the cafeteria) at 5:30am! Vans leave Napa promptly at 5:30am to pick up team members at Sonoma Firehouse at 6:00am! Guys should not eat before leaving, and drink only minimal water. They can eat WELL before their matches, after “weighing in” around 7:00am.

If family/friends wish to follow us over to Marin at that time they may, however, often family/friends choose to stay behind until later as matches don’t start until roughly 9:00am. Matches rotate according to weight class and it varies as to which weight class goes first, so if you want to catch your wrestler’s first match be on site, parked and settled in your seat no later than 9:00am. Matches are only 3 minutes long . . . so you will miss the excitement if you’re late. You WILL spend a lot of the day socializing with other parents and making new friends, perhaps moving from room to room to catch your wrestler’s match, and cheering the guys on. The routine is a little confusing at first, figuring out when and where to be, and at what time to catch the next match. After the first tournament, you’ll get the swing of if . . . and so will your wrestler (they are learning too!). By the end of your first tournament, you may even loose your voice, as a result of the insatiable urge to mat-side cheer! Everyone’s welcome “matside”. Just make sure to give “coach” enough coaching room, and be aware that wrestler’s can get pretty close to the edge of the mat during competition!

What to bring? . . .

Dress - Wrestler’s should dress in sweats or warm ups to keep warm before weigh-in. They should bring with them their singlets, compression shorts, wrestling shoes (NEVER worn outdoors!) socks, and headgear in their bag.

Food - At most every tournament the host school provides a concession of food for wrestler’s and guests. Generally things like hot dogs, chili, burritos, drinks, coffee and snack foods are for sale; food to fill the stomach, but not necessarily health conscious. Wrestler’s do take in a lot of calories during a tournament, and after weigh-ins, so providing them with additional things like tangerines/manadarines, fruit, power bars, protein’s, cheese sticks, carbs is great “food” for tournament day. Don’t forget WATER . . . and Gatorade if you wish.

If you’ve not been to a tournament before, you’re in for a REAL treat! Yes, often a day-long event, ending late afternoon . . . yet a day of sheer excitement, commitment, determination and accomplishment. A day you’ll never forget (expecially your first)! Your guys have probably worked harder than they ever have, to gain more knowledge, this quickly, than any other time in their lives! Not only that . . . you’ll find the sport of wrestling to be one of the most respectable and character building sports you’ve ever been around. This sport is “Pure Tough” . . . dedicated to team effort and personal accomplishment . . . so win or loose a match, every point scored is part of the whole! Physically and mentally, no-one is a looser in wrestling. Come and enjoy the day with the team . . . you will fall in love with these committed young men . . . and your family will leave proud, surprised and addicted to the enthusiasm and respect of the dynamic sport of wrestling. Team spirit as well as personal pride are all a part of the thrill of Wrestling. A Wrestler’s Family “birth family or team family” is a big part of his/her mastery. Join the “FAMILY” . . . you WON”T regret it!