I would agree that in most cases sticking with the ones who brought you to the dance is the best option. When switching clubs I believe you should do it at the beginning of the season if at all possible. However, in the instance that you are on a club that does not emphasize the fundamentals of the sport then get out. There are clubs out there that do nothing but live wrestle and overloads for two hours. This will lead to bad habits that can be very hard to break. We usually spend 20% of our practice on conditioning, 70% on fundamentals and situation drills, and only 10% going live. In this practice environment, good practice partners are judged by how well the kids work together and less on the gap in their experience level or weight difference. Most clubs in our area workout together anyway. It is not unusual to see 4-6 kids from area clubs in my training room on any particular night. Area teams reciprocate and my kid’s visit their rooms often as well. As long as there is space available and the kids have a USAW Card they are welcome. You might try this method out for the remainder of the year. This will also give you an opportunity to see if the grass is truly greener. I suggest you call the club to make sure that they have the room. “Unexpected” walk in participants can cause problems.

Mark Stanley
President
Junior Viking Wrestling