Registration now open for Seneca Youth Wrestling
By Katrina Grant
Seneca Youth Wrestling is about to start another season, and registration is underway for anyone who wants to participate. Seneca Youth Wrestling accepts children in grades kindergarten through eighth who live in Tabernacle, Indian Mills, Southampton and Chatsworth.
“The purpose of the Seneca Youth Wrestling program is to create an environment for young wrestlers that teaches the necessary skills, fosters sportsmanship and encourages continued participation in the sport,” Kim Manchio, co-director of Seneca Youth Wrestling said in an email.
Seneca Youth Wrestling is a member of the Grapevine League. The league consists of approximately 40 other teams in the area.
“The league objective is to match the kids up with other wrestlers of same, age, weight, skill level and experience,” Manchio said in an email. “This ensures that every wrestler can learn and advance at their own pace.”
To wrestle for the season it would cost each participant $95.
“That is by far the cheapest baby sitting you will ever find,” Manchio said with a laugh.
Practices begin the week after Thanksgiving in the Seneca High School wrestling room and run until the end of February. The younger wrestlers, ages five through eight, generally practice for an hour, twice a week. Wrestlers ages nine and up practice three times a week.
“The wrestlers warm up together and then break up into small groups to receive instruction at the individual’s experience/ability level,” Manchio said in an email. “This approach allows a wrestler to start at any age and receive the proper instruction and challenge. In practice we work on conditioning, technique and drills.”
In addition to learning the skills and techniques of wrestling in practice, participants learn that wrestling is a sport of control and not aggression.
“Wrestling is a sport of control,” Manchio said. “You are controlling your opponent to get them on their back. This builds confidence and shows them that they don’t need to use their skills in the schoolyard.”
The program has a team of coaches, but will also be welcoming certified guest coaches.
“We are lucky to have an outstanding team of coaches that strive to make practice positive, fun, and robust,” Manchio said in an email. “In addition, this year there will be certified guest coaches and clinicians invited on a regular basis to expand the training experience. This is a great opportunity for the entire organization to provide the most positive experience with the most up to date techniques available for this sport.”
This season will have six matches that participants will compete in. There are two home matches at Seneca and four at nearby towns.
“Wrestling is also a fantastic companion sport to football, lacrosse, soccer, etc.,” Manchio said. “This program has also successfully fed participants to Seneca High School wrestling.”
Online Registration for Seneca Youth Wrestling will be available through Saturday, Oct. 22. To register online, go to www.tabernaclesports.com and click the tab for Links then select “Online Registration.”
Walk-in registration will also be available at Tabernacle Town Hall, second floor, on the following dates:
Wednesday, Oct.12, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Saturday, Oct.15, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
If you have any additional questions, please e-mail [email protected].
