Best Wrestling Camp in United States 2018
The sport of wrestling and allied wrestling camps have been around for decades in the United States. Though the origin of the sport can be traced back 5000 years to the Sumerians, wrestling as a sport became popular in the US only in the late 1800s. After the Civil War, wrestling became a form of entertainment that found plenty of acceptance.
Introduced to the Olympic Games in 1896, it was only in the 1972 Olympics in Munich that US wrestler Dan Gable won the gold medal in the freestyle class. There has been no looking back since then! Arguably the Babe Ruth of American wrestling, Dan Gable went on to coach the wrestling team at the University of Iowa as well as the US Olympics teams in 1984 and 2000.
Wrestling camps led by top coaches and pro-wrestlers are a great way to introduce the youth of the country to a sport that requires players with integrity, strength of character as well as physical strength and stamina.
Today, many young Americans nurture dreams of exhibiting their tremendous strength on the wrestling platform. The competition is tough and relentless, and this is where wrestling camps come in! In the quest to be better than the best, players seek the expertise and technical know-how that wrestling camps can offer them.
Age, Duration and Cost of Camp
Camps offering wrestling programs typically accept youth athletes belonging to the age group of 8 to 18 years. The duration of camp may vary according to the program you choose.
Some last for 2 days while others run a more intensive 14/30 day program. Different camps have different packages and you can choose basic, advanced or skill-specific programs.
The average costs of wrestling day camps are $300-$400. Residential and overnight programs as well as some skill-specific ones can go beyond $1000. Hometown-based local camps will definitely cost you less, while helping you save on commuting fees.
There are plenty of popular national wrestling camps like U.S. Air Force Academy Athletics’ Air Force Falcons Wrestling Camps and Ken Chertow’s Summer Wrestling Camps. Chertow’s Camps are popular because they offer Personalized Technique Camps designed specifically for beginner level high school wrestlers.
What Skills are Taught
Camps generally divide youth athletes on the basis of their age as well as skill levels. Thus, you have the option of choosing from Beginner, Intermediate or Advanced levels, according to your prowess and your age. Several camps cater to specific wrestling groups and train athletes in heavyweight and lightweight techniques as well as team competition techniques.
Some of the camps evaluate each camper in order to understand the individual skill level, strengths and weaknesses. Other than a general overview of the sport, camps also focus on specific techniques like leg riding, top wrestling, bottom wrestling, pinning, take down and escaping.
Types of Wrestling Camps
Depending on the purpose of the camps, they can be divided into Technique and Intensive Camps. A large number of the top wrestling camps in the US are technique camps which focus on teaching beginner level wrestlers all the techniques and positions that can be used on the mat. These camps offer an all-inclusive wrestling learning experience and are generally non-intensive in nature.
Intensive camps mean it when they say that their training will be intensive and harsh. These are the wrestling boot-camps created for youth wrestlers who are already in good shape and know the basics of the sport.
If your youth athlete wants to take his game to the next level, intensive camps are your best option. Cornell Big Red Wrestling Camps is very popular among youth athletes because it is the home of the winner of four different national titles Kyle Dake, who has created history in the sport.
If youth wrestlers want to compare their skills with those of international wrestlers and teams, international wrestling tours are a great avenue to receive world-class coaching. Of course, you will have to be ready to fork out several thousands of dollars for training and travel.
It is important to understand that wrestling camps are designed with specific purposes in mind. This will help you eliminate the camps that don’t meet your needs and enable you to find the camps that are the best fit for your youth athlete.
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