Level Up Girls Wrestling Program
Girl’s wrestling is one of the fastest growing sports at the high school and collegiate levels. As of September 2020, girl’s high school wrestling has been sanctioned in 28 states with more coming on board each year.
In 1994 there were 804 high school girls wrestling. That has now grown to over 21,000, with 70+ women’s wrestling programs offered at the college level.
In addition, Women’s freestyle wrestling has been an Olympic sport since 2004 and the US has produced 33 world medalists.
Now is the time to get your daughter involved in the sport of wrestling!
Girls Wrestling Opportunities at Level Up
We have girls currently participating in wrestling at all levels. From youth/middle school beginners, high school and elite wrestlers who attend national competitions. Right now all practices are mixed (boys and girls together) but girls often train with each other. We also have a competition schedule (local and national) for girls who are ready.
Level Up is a year round training center, but will focus on Freestyle Wrestling during the spring. This is the style girls will wrestle in college. Check out the FAQ’s below to understand the difference.
Girls are encouraged to also attend either Fundamentals or Open practices as well. View the full schedule here.
Drop Ins & Membership Options
To attend practices there are two options:
- Drop Ins – $20 per practice or purchase a pack of 6 for $100
- Unlimited Membership – You may attend as many practices as you would like for $110/month.
To sign up, visit the Program Rates page. Contact Us if you have questions.
Benefits of Girls Wrestling
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Confidence – Competing one-on-one with someone has a real effect on self-esteem. As wrestlers learn to master skills, perform those skills, and jump levels, their confidence grows over time. The pride you form as a wrestler carries into all parts of your life.
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Builds Character and Resiliency – While winning is lots of fun, someone also has to lose the match. Learning how to overcome both physical and mental challenges is one of the biggest benefits of the sport.
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Great Workout – Wrestling is hands down the best workout. It combines gaining strength, speed and agility, in addition to improved cardio.
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Self Defense – While wrestling is not directly designed for self-defense, the ability to take someone down to the ground and avoid being taken down is a core part of wrestling. The muscle memory and empowerment from knowing you have these skills can go a long way.
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Fun – Girls who wrestle love the physicality and scrappy nature of the sport and the challenge of trying to win. There are not many other sports that provide this sort of outlet.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Q: Do the girls wrestle with the boys?
- A: While we sometimes offer girls only practices, it is important for girls (especially when younger) to also wrestle the boys. This enables them to improve their reaction time and strength. As they get older, depending on their size, this may change and girls will be matched up with partners appropriate to their size and skill level. As the numbers of girls wrestling grows, more girl partners will become available.
- Q: Are their girls only competitions?
- A: Yes. At a local level, these are still not as frequent but is improving. As a result, we will seek out opportunities to travel in the region (and nation as they improve their skills) in order to compete in girls only events.
- Q: What’s the difference between Freestyle & Folkstyle Wrestling
- A: Folkstyle is what is wrestled in high school (in the US only), where Freestyle is an Olympic sport participated in throughout the world. It is also a women’s college sport. They are very similar when wrestling on the feet. Taking someone down is worth the same amount of points (2), but going from feet to back is worth 4 points. In freestyle, there are also points awarded simply for exposing your opponents back to the mat without needing to take them down first (i.e. rolling them or tipping their back past 90 degrees). In folkstyle, a takedown must be earned first. The biggest difference is after a takedown occurs. In folkstyle you are trying to get away, where in freestyle the bottom opponent only needs to prevent being turned for about 15 seconds. If so, the wrestling returns to the feet.
- Q: Is wrestling dangerous for girls?
- A: As with any sport, there is always an element of risk of injury. Soccer, Lacrosse, etc. all have these same risks. However the close contact nature and rules are set up to help prevent injuries. In addition, wrestling teaches you how to control your body and become more athletic.