What does my child need to wrestle?
Wrestlers are encouraged to purchase wrestling shoes, but socks will be permitted. Wrestling shoes help prevent slips and falls on the mat. No bare feet or street shoes are allowed on the mat due to hygiene and safety. Headgear is not mandatory but is recommended to prevent cauliflower ear. Shorts, sweatpants, t-shirts or any comfortable clothing should be worn to practice. No clothing with zippers or jewelry will be permitted on the mats.
Please bring a full water bottle.
A singlet and wrestling shoes will only be required if competing in tournaments.
What are the benefits of wrestling?
There are many benefits to wrestling! Your child will learn: self confidence, diligence, work ethic, sportsmanship, perseverance and how to have a healthy level of competition. Physically, your child can gain: improved balance, increased speed, increased coordination, increase endurance, improved agility, and strength in all muscle groups. Wrestling has been proven to help athletes excel in other sports such as football, soccer and gymnastics!
What if my child gets hurt?
Wrestling is a contact sport. Jammed fingers, bloody noses and sore muscles are common. We make an effort to monitor practices carefully so potentially dangerous situations are stopped at once. If purchased, the USA Wrestling membership card provides secondary insurance if your child is injured at practice or tournaments.
How much is registration?
Registration is $50.
Please note: there are additional costs if you choose to compete in tournaments. Additional expenses including, but not limited to: USA Wrestling card, tournament entry fees, gas for traveling, food and lodging.
When does the season start and end?
Our season begins the first week of October and ends the week before North Wasco County School District's winter break.
2024 season dates: September 30th - December 19th
What is the practice schedule?
The practice schedule for the 2024 season is as follows:
Ages 5/6 - Monday and Wednesday 6pm-6:45pm
Ages 7-9 - Monday and Wednesday 6:30pm-7:30pm
Ages 10-18 - Tuesday and Thursday 6pm-7pm
The 5/6 group is an introductory program. This group will focus on learning the fundamentals of the sport. Wrestlers will learn the basics of the neutral position, most common takedowns, top and bottom referee’s position, and the general rules of the sport. The main goal here is for the wrestlers to have fun while developing the skills needed to build a basic foundation of wrestling.
Where is practice held?
Practice is located in the wrestling room at The Dalles High School.
The wrestling room is located in the building behind Kurtz Gymnasium.
Follow the stairs to the top and enter through the red door on the right.
Do parents need to attend practice?
For younger athletes, 8 and under, parents and/or guardians need to be present during practice.
Parents of older athletes are more than welcome and encouraged to stay during practice!
What should I do to keep my child safe from skin infections?
Our mats are disinfected and cleaned before practice begins. To further prevent your child from any kind of skin infection, it is important to have your child shower immediately after practice with warm water and soap. If your child has an open wound, it is best to not have them on the mats. If your child breaks out with a skin condition or rash, please report it to our coaching staff and see your doctor. Consistent hygiene should prevent these from happening.
Do we need to participate in tournaments?
While tournament participation can provide great experience for athletes, all tournaments are optional.
What if it’s not a great fit for us?
We understand that wrestling is a unique sport and it is not for everyone. Your athlete is welcome to join us for two practices free of charge. If it is not a great fit, there is no commitment to continue. You will need to complete the online registration so we have your information on file. Add your child's program to the cart, but don't check out!
Do I need a USA wrestling membership card?
USA Wrestling membership cards are required to compete in tournaments, but not required to attend practices. If you do not purchase a USA Wrestling card, you will need to sign a liability waiver releasing Gorge Wrestling Club from responsibility for accidents and/or injuries.
USA Wrestling is the organization that regulates all wrestling in the United States. They require that all wrestlers purchase a USA wrestling card before participating in any USA wrestling sanctioned events. This membership is for the protection of everyone involved and provides secondary insurance to those with the membership. If you do not purchase the membership card, your athlete is not covered under the club insurance and you will need to provide a copy of your personal insurance.
The membership is valid for one year; from September 1 through August 31.
How can I purchase a USA Wrestling membership card?
FOR NEW MEMBERSHIP
1. Visit www.usawmembership.com
2. Create a new account, if you do not have one
3. Click "Go To Profiles"
4. Click "New Profile"
5. Enter athletes information and click "Create Profile"
6. Click "Manage Profile" next to the athletes name
7. Click "Get Memberships"
8. Click "Renew Now" next to the athletes name
9. Click “Purchase/Renew” in the Athlete membership area
10. Click "Select" next to the athlete name
11. Select Athlete - Traditional Athlete Membership in "Available Memberships" and select "Gorge Wrestling Club" as Club Affiliation
12. Select any additional options, as desired, and click "Save & Continue to Checkout"
13. Pay to complete process.
FOR RENEWAL
1. Visit www.usawmembership.com
2. Login with your existing USA Wrestling account
3. Click "Go To Memberships"
4. Click "Purchase/Renew Memberships"
5. Click “Purchase/Renew” in the Athlete membership area
6. Click "Select" next to the athletes name
7. Select Athlete - Traditional Athlete Membership in "Available Memberships" and select "Gorge Wrestling Club" as Club Affiliation
8. Select any additional options, as desired, and click "Save & Continue to Checkout"
9. Pay to complete process
What are the volunteer requirements?
In compliance with USA Wrestling, any person wanting to be on the mat in a coaching capacity, will need to sign up as a volunteer
and complete a background screening. Background screenings are to be completed via USA Wrestling and Gorge Wrestling Club will need to be added as the club affiliation. No volunteer will be allowed on the mat until their background screening is complete.
If you have questions about this process, please reach out to a board member.
Where do I find the list of tournaments?
Tournaments are listed at wrestleoregon.com and will be posted to our Facebook page.
Each week, we will announce the tournaments that will have coaching staff available.
Where do I find the age/weight divisions?
Age and weight classes can be found at usamembership.com
Do you offer scholarships?
Yes, we have a limited number of scholarships available for each wrestling season. Scholarships are applicable for registration fees only and are offered at the discretion of the board. If you or someone you know could benefit from a scholarship, please reach out to the board.
I know someone who wants to sponsor, who do I contact?
We are always looking for sponsors! Please reach out to a board member or email us!
[email protected]
How can I find out more information?
If you have questions that are not listed, don't hesitate to contact us!