Elmhurst Jr. Duke Wrestling

Jr. Dukes Parent Information: (written for Jr. Dukes parents)

• 2009-2010 CLUB CALENDAR: Interactive online calendar
• WRESTLING GEAR:  List of the gear needed for Jr. Duke wrestlers
• PRACTICE BASICS:   What Parents Need to Do and Know About Practices
• TOURNAMENT BASICS:   What Parents Need to Do and Know at a Tournament

General Parent Resources: (resources from around the internet)

Club Programs:

• HAND-ME-DOWN PROGRAM: As your wrestler grows out of their old shoes and headgear, instead of throwing out them out, please turn them in to be added to our hand-me-down program.  If you are interested in shoes or headgear from this program, see a coach at practice.

 Sign-up Information:

• Sign-Up Page: Visit the Sign-Up page for registration forms and information.

The Proper Gear for Jr. Duke Practices:

• Shorts
• T-shirts
• Wrestling Shoes
• Headgear
• Water Bottle (preferred, but water fountains are available)
  
  NOTE:  Shorts and t-shirts should be somewhat tight fitting so their opponent's hands and feet do not get caught in them and so hands and feet are not hidden allowing coaches to see if they are practicing a move correctly.
  

The Proper Gear for Jr. Duke Tournaments:

• Singlet
• Wrestling Shoes
• Headgear
• One IKWF weigh-in card per wrestler to be turned in at weigh-ins (the white perforated cards)
  
  NOTE:  Singlets are required at tournaments.  Jr. Duke club team singlets are available for $50 each.  Wrestlers must wear Jr. Duke club team singlets so they are easily spotted at the tournaments by coaches and parents.

What Parents Need to Do and Know About Practices:

• Homework comes first.  If homework isn't completed before practice, it is more imporant to stay home to complete it than to attend practice.
• Arrive 15 minutes before the practice start time to leave enough time to take the layers of clothes off and change shoes.
• Shorts, t-shirts, wrestling shoes and headgear are the proper attire for practice.  Short and t-shirts should be somewhat tight fitting so their opponent's hands and feet do not get caught in them and so hands and feet are not hidden allowing coaches to see if they are practicing a move correctly.
• Headgear is mandatory for all White and Black Group wrestlers and must be worn during the entire practice.  Please write the wrestler's last name in permanent marker on their headgear.
• IMPORTANT: For the safety of our wrestlers and to prevent skin deseases, we need to keep our mats and wrestlers as clean as possible:
  • Be sure your wrestler(s) shower as soon as they get home from practice.
  • Practice clothes must be washed after every practice.  Clothes should never be worn a second time to practice without being washed between practices.
  • Only wrestling shoes are to be worn on the mats during practice.
  • Wrestling shoes are not to be worn off the mat.  Be sure wrestlers carry their shoes in from the car, put them on when they get to the mat and take them off matside at the end of practice.  They should never be worn outside.
  • Spray wrestling shoes and headgear with a disinfectant spray regularly.
• Water fountains are available for the wrestlers, but water bottles are preferred.

What Parents need to do and know at a tournament:

• Be sure your wrestler(s) arrive and weigh-in on time.  Check tournament information for times, weigh-in times vary with each tournament.  Details for tournaments can be found at the IKWF website Tournament Page.
• Bring one IKWF card for your wrestler to hand in at weigh-ins (the white perforated cards).
• Generally, the goal of each tournament is to start wrestilng by 9:00am.
• Wrestling headgear is required.
• Singlets are required at most tournaments.  Club team singlets are available from the team for $50 each.  We want wrestlers wearing the same singlets so they are easily spotted at the tournaments by coaches and parents.
• Know which division your wrestler(s) is/are in and listen for when they are called to the bull-pen.  The divisions are divided by ages as follows:
  • Tot: Ages 6 and under (when available)
  • Bantam: Ages 8 and under
  • Intermediate (also known as Minor or Midget): Ages 9 and 10
  • Novice: Ages 11 and 12
  • Senior: Ages 13 and 14
• When your wrestler(s) is/are called to the bull-pen, you must be sure they get there.  After that, they will be brought to the wrestling mats with the other wrestlers in their bracket by a tournament official.  Be sure to watch for your wrestler coming from the bull-pen so you know which mat they are wrestling on.
• IMPORTANT: No parents or siblings are allowed mat side, you must remain in the stands.  Only coaches that are IKWF certified with a Copper ASEP level card or higher may coach wrestlers by the mats.
• A referee will not start a match without a coach present for your wrestler.  Coaches will be floating on the wrestling floor watching for our wrestlers which is why it's important all wrestlers wear the same singlets so they are easily recognized as Jr. Duke wrestlers.
• A $15 tournament fee per wrestler is due to the head coach.