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Wrestling camps and tournaments are a great way to refine your skills in the off-season. There are many college wrestling camps to choose from, and all will be structured differently with varying techniques and philosophies. For a novice wrestler, selecting a camp can be difficult. NCSA’s list of wrestling camps will help you discover one near you that will match your needs. Use NCSA’s list to find wrestling camps near you.
Sep 30, 2023
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Sep 30, 2023
First, be sure you know what you want out of wrestling camps. Consider which types of wrestling camps would best fit your aspirations, budget, and timeline. Each camp is structured differently, and there are a lot of different options on where to go, how long to stay and what to learn. It is very important that the camp you choose feels right to you.
Many camps take place in the summer. The camps offered by Iowa wrestling are some of the best that occur during this time of the year. Hawkeye wrestling is known throughout the sport as it has claimed 23 national championships, all of them have occurred since 1975. Conversely, an excellent example of winter camp options is those provided by Ken Chertow Wrestling. Wrestlers involved with PA wrestling will want to especially consider this one as it takes place in State College. Many fly to these camps to experience PA wrestling for themselves.
Another common differentiation is between day camps and overnight camps. Most places, both universities, and private operators focus on multi-day camps, but several quality day camps are available too. Some of the best of the latter type are offered by Askren Wrestling Academy.
Probably the most essential thing that you should consider is the skill level of your fellow campers. If you are an Iowa wrestling recruit with aspirations of winning Big Ten and NCAA championships for Hawkeye wrestling, you should ensure that you will be wrestling others with similar ambitions. That is the best way that you can flourish, the best way that you can improve and achieve and exceed your goals.
Knowing your skill level and the type of instruction or training you need is the first step in choosing what will work best for you. Below are some of the different types of wrestling camp you may want to attend:
Choosing the right camp can be difficult in the beginning, but once you know what you need and what different camps offer, it gets a lot easier.
Wrestling tournaments provide student-athletes with an opportunity to see how they measure up against top recruits across the country and more importantly, it gives them a chance to compete in front of college coaches. While several different tournaments can prove to be advantageous—local and nationwide—there are a few that attract highly competitive recruits and colleges. Here is list of some of the most popular tournaments in the country:
Wrestling tournaments are a way for student-athletes to showcase their talent in front of college coaches and compete against top recruits. But before signing up, it’s important for recruits to do a little research and determine how they can benefit from attending, considering not all tournaments are the same. Specifically, they should factor in the style of wrestling at the tournament, as well as the tier of athletes participating.
Tournaments will fall under one of the three wrestling styles: Folkstyle, Freestyle or Greco Roman. Folkstyle has an emphasis on control, while Freestyle is all about exposure. In Folkstyle, takedowns are worth the same amount of points, and the opponent is responsible for escaping or reversing the bottom position. In Freestyle, takedowns are scored based on how the opponent is thrown and the goal is to pin or expose the opponent’s shoulders to the mat, while the opponent needs to avoid being turned or exposed. Greco is similar to Freestyle, but only upper body attacking is allowed. Even though college wrestling follows Folkstyle rules, coaches highly value recruits who can remain competitive in Freestyle and Greco, as well.
Additionally, some events are invite-only, while others welcome all wrestlers. It’s important to talk with your high school or club coach to determine which tournament would be best to attend based on the caliber of athletes competing there. And don’t forget that college coaches go to tournaments with a list of potential prospects already in mind. It’s best practice to email coaches highlight video ahead of time and establish a relationship with them, so you can get on their list.
There are many great technique and intensive wrestling camps to choose from, but the best ones will help you attack both the mat and the mental side of wrestling. Check out the following major wrestling camps for high school wrestlers:
Consider regional camps as well. A reliable option for those located in or traveling to the Northwest is Kaisen Intensive Camps. These are located in Idaho and Washington, and wrestlers have reported significant improvements in all areas of their lives as a result of participating in one or more of its offerings.
Some of the most prestigious wrestling camps that are organized by a university are Michigan wrestling camps. This college provides opportunities for a wide variety of age ranges, including for those as young as 7, although most of these camps are focused on wrestlers of and near high school age.
One of the best ways that potential college wrestlers can both improve their ability on the mat and impress college coaches is by taking part in wrestling camps. These activities provide tremendous competitive and learning benefits as you get to, in many cases, compete against some of the nation’s best as well as learn from top coaches.
Sign up for your free NCSA Recruiting Profile today to start getting on college coaches’ radar!
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