This is not the wrestling you see on TV! We are real, true to the sport wrestling. We are the oldest sport known to man!
Wrestling has been popular throughout recorded history. Origins of the sport can be traced back 15,000 years to cave drawings in France. Early Egyptian and Babylonian reliefs depict wrestlers using most of the holds known to the present-day sport. In ancient Greece, wrestling occupied a prominent place in legend and literature; wrestling competition, brutal in many aspects, was the supreme contest of the Olympic Games. The ancient Romans borrowed heavily from Greek wrestling, but eliminated much of its brutality. During the Middle Ages wrestling remained popular and enjoyed the patronage of many royal houses, including those of France, Japan, and England.
Early American settlers brought a strong wrestling tradition with them from England. The colonists also found wrestling quite popular among the Native Americans. Amateur wrestling flourished throughout the early years of the nation, and served as a popular activity at country fairs, holiday celebrations, and in military exercises. Of the early American styles, only the catch-as-catch-can style survives, and it has evolved into the modern form of collegiate wrestling.
The first organized national wrestling tournament was held in New York City in 1888, while the first wrestling competition in the modern Olympic Games was held in 1904 in Saint Louis, Missouri. FILA was founded in 1912 in Antwerp, Belgium. The first NCAA Wrestling Championships were also held in 1912 in Ames, Iowa. USA Wrestling became the national governing body of amateur wrestling in 1983, and conducts competitions for all age levels.
Will Wrestling Hurt My Child?
Bradley study reveals youth wrestling safe
Peoria, Illinois. April 6, 2000.
Wrestling appears to be a safe sport for children, according to the results of a study conducted by the department of physical therapy at Bradley University. The study, which measured injury rates among youth wrestlers, was conducted by Steven Tippett, assistant professor of physical therapy at Bradley and physical therapy students Allison Neal, Katie Roche, Laura Rohnert and Amanda Wallinger.
Bout sheets from three random tournaments during the Illinois Kids Wrestling Association 1998-99 season were analyzed. The study included 909 male wrestlers between the ages of 4 and 14, in a total of 1,616 bouts. The study indicated total injuries sustained were 24, which resulted in an overall injury rate of .074. Of the 24 injuries, only eight of them were serious enough to end the bout.
"I have been covering youth wrestling meets for years and my impression was that it's safe, and people involved in it believe it's safe," Tippett said. "And the findings of the study indicated that it is safe."
Tippett said the results indicate that youth wrestling is safe despite the high level of competitiveness among wrestlers at such a young age. The age bracket which experienced the most injuries were the 9 and 10 year-olds. No children competing in the six-year-old and under bracket sustained injuries during the study.
The physical therapy students participated in the study as part of the requirements for courses in research.
