Wrestling

Tryouts are typically in Early November.  Matches begin in late-November. 

Each Middle School has a combined 7th Grade Team and an 8th Grade Team, which are divided into a Varsity Squad and Junior Varsity Squad.  The squads may change throughout the year depending on wrestle-offs within each team.   Students from feeder schools within the attendance area of the Middle Schools may also participate as low as 5th grade.

The WESD Wrestling Championship Tournament takes place during the second week of January, prior to State Tournaments.  Unless a team signs up for an outside tournament, the District tournament is the end of their season.

Practices at the Schools

The five Middle Schools participate in hosting each other and playing away at each others schools.  Occasionally, matches outside the district are arranged based on availability and busing.  

At the end of the season, the wrestlers on each team are seeded into a District Tournament for each weight class for the Varsity or junior Varsity Championship.

Wrestling is not a tryout sport,  All who wish to wrestle need to show up, work hard, and make it though the season.  Wrestling develops athletics skills for both boys and girls who can and do wrestle against one another.  Endurance, balance, strength, and technique are developed though the intensity of wrestling.  Any student, no matter their level of experience, will emerge as a better all around athlete.   Other factors encouraged by coaches during the season are grades, behavior, communication, sportsmanship, and good team work.   There are 18 weight classes to meet the diversity of our growing students (68, 73, 78, 83, 88, 93, 98, 104, 111, 118, 125, 133, 142, 154, 167, 180, 200, and Heavyweight). 

With both Varsity and junior Varsity teams full, a team can at least 36 athletes but are at times much larger.   

Cholla, Desert Foothills, Mountain Sky, Palo Verde, and Royal Palm

Wrestling requires endurance and rigorous physical contact.  Having previous experience is helpful, but most athletes have never participated in organized wrestling prior to middle school, so it is not a deficit to not have a background.  Anyone interested should prepare themselves physically for the rigor of the sport though generally good physical fitness and training.