EDGEMONT YOUTH WRESTLING

EDGEMONT YOUTH WRESTLING

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Building better athletes and better people...
#PantherTough


"My son has participated in the Edgemont Youth Wrestling program for 4 years, and he loves it. The program is the perfect mix of skill development and fun.

I think the key is how dedicated the coaches are; they've gotten to know my son, and engage him in a way that makes him feel comfortable and confident.

He's looking forward to returning this year because he wants to be with all of the friends he has made, and I'm excited that he will continue on the path of confidence building, discipline and community that he's enjoyed with Edgemont Youth Wrestling."

- David DePietto



"Our son Noah started wrestling in 2nd grade. I didn't know anything about wrestling, but Noah loves sports and was looking for a winter activity. Noah has grown to love wrestling. It's all about discipline, strategy and heart.

The coaches have been great - cheering Noah on and giving him lots of encouragement. Wrestling works every muscle in your body, so Noah comes home after wrestling practice happy, starving and exhausted...what's better than that?"

  - Alison Bernstein



"The Edgemont Youth Wrestling program is great for our son Atticus. It helps him build speed, athleticism and self-confidence in a fun, safe, and welcoming environment. Wrestling is a very special sport because it can be taught more than any other sport. Kids wrestle against kids their own size and even those with meager athletic talent who work hard become champions."

  - Zach Margulis-Ohnuma



"Nicholas really enjoys wrestling. He likes the challenges it brings and the great workouts. He has learned to become more self reliant as well as self confident in all he does because of the sport. He can't wait to get back to the mats!"

- Anthony Meglino



"I've seen my 8 year-old son Jonathan grow physically, mentally and emotionally, in no small part thanks to his involvement with wrestling. I've enjoyed watching him increase his strength, endurance and maturity, in many ways as a direct result of his wrestling experiences.

Jonathan has great respect for the coaches and holds them in the highest esteem given their obvious love of wrestling and genuine desire to see their students succeed not just on the wrestling mat, but also in life."

  - Jeff Rothschild

You've probably seen our signs around town, received our emails or even heard about our program from a friend, but many parents wonder what Edgemont Youth Wrestling is really all about.

Wrestling at Edgemont is a little bit different than any other youth sports organization you've probably been a part of. Most youth sports focus just on playing that sport.

We focus on building better athletes and better people.

Here's why:

Wrestling is truly the "ultimate" sport to not just develop better players, but to build better young athletes - healthier, fitter, more active kids, better prepared to master the challenges of any other sports they also play.

Wrestling is unique because it focuses on every single aspect of fitness and athleticism - not just the two or three specific to any other particular sport.

You name it, wrestling builds it in your child: strength, muscular endurance, balance, coordination, agility, flexibility, power, spatial awareness, stamina, speed, accuracy - the skills your son or daughter needs to excel in any other sport they play AND to be fit and healthy for life!


But that's not the most important way we're different:

Youth sports is one of the best opportunities in our kids' lives to build the qualities and characteristics that'll help them excel in life - not just in athletics. That's the heart of our PantherTough philosophy.

As your son or daughter moves through our youth program (and hopefully into our junior high and high school programs!), our philosophy never changes: "Building Champions on the mat and in life."

While other sports might focus solely on developing better players, we focus on developing better people. Wrestling is simply our vehicle to make that happen.

A sport that's both fun and demanding, and a sport that's both individual and team-oriented at the same time, creates the perfect environment to develop confidence and self-esteem, teamwork and self-dependence, and resilience and a growth mindset.

We're uniquely positioned to build all these qualities in our young athletes - qualities that transcend sports and have carried our Edgemont Wrestlers on to colleges and universities in the past few years such as Harvard, Princeton, Columbia, Cornell, Penn, Duke, Johns Hopkins, University of Virginia, NYU, University of Chicago and many others. 

It's no accident that a wrestler has won the Edgemont Senior Class Scholar-Athlete Award five out of the last six years. The lessons our kids learn on the wrestling mat positively impact them for the rest of their lives and we're extremely proud of that.

How do we do it?

Great question!

We use a games-based approach to teach the sport of wrestling in a fun, engaging and safe way. We realize that kids play sports to play sports, not to watch others do it, so we keep everyone on the mat, moving and participating the whole time!

There's no standing around watching or waiting in lines while only a few kids at a time are active. There's no sitting on the sidelines and waiting for playing time. We keep everyone moving, active and participating from start to finish.

The emphasis in our program is on FUN (remember that word?!) and learning the sport in a supportive, positive, yet challenging environment. Our beginner wrestlers don't compete against other schools, just each other.

They'll be plenty of time for competition later. (And our system gets results! Just take a look at the banners on the wall of our gym - we're consistently one of Edgemont's most successful HS athletic programs!)


Who are our coaches?

Unlike any other sport in Edgemont, our program is run by the professionals of our varsity coaching staff. Our sole focus is on providing a great experience for all our kids.

Coach Matt Lee
 has been a varsity and youth coach at Edgemont for eight years. He wrestled right here at Edgemont High School where he was a Sectional Finalist and a New York State Championships qualifier!

Coach Brian Evans is another Edgemont alum on bot the varsity and youth wrestling coaching staffs. Brian was a team captain and went on to join the team at the University of Buffalo.

Coach Pete Martas is in his second year on the Edgemont varsity and youth coaching staffs. Pete has many years of coaching experience around the area including several years as head coach at Mount Saint Michael Academy.

All have been working with Youth Level wrestlers for many years. Other members of our coaching staff help out practice to practice as well. Our superior ratio of coaches to kids allows us to provide a safe, supportive, positive environment for all our young wrestlers.


But it doesn't end there!

At every practice our coaches are assisted by current varsity wrestlers helping out as coaching assistants, and even more importantly, serving as positive role models for our young wrestlers - another opportunity unique to Edgemont Youth Wrestling. 

Winter Wrestling Clinic
Grades: 2-6

Practices: Tuesdays and Thursdays 6:15 PM - 7:30 PM in EHS San Marco Gym

Season: December 3, 2024 through January 30, 2025

Coaches: Matt Lee, Brian Evans, Pete Martas & Staff (EHS Varsity Wrestling Coaches)

Fee: $195 (includes t-shirt, hoody and USA Wrestling Card for insurance)

Frequently Asked Questions


Can girls participate?

100% absolutely yes!
Building better athletes and better people is an opportunity we proudly offer to all children - boys and girls!

We're proud to have had many young ladies participate in our program through the years and have had girls in our program every year for the past 13 seasons. In fact, we have two amazing young ladies on our high school team right now.

At the high school level, girls' wrestling is actually one of the fastest growing sports in the country with over 28,000 participants last year. Women's wrestling is an Olympic sport, as well, and over 115 colleges and universities sponsor women's wrestling teams and offer scholarships to their student-athletes. More programs are being added every year.

We highly encourage girls to join our program and build the kind of confidence, resilience and drive that will benefit them for life!


Does my child need experience?

Nope! We focus on introducing the fundamentals of the sport in a fun and safe atmosphere. No experience necessary! 

Your child will be paired with others of equal experience and weight. The sessions are games-based and meant to be fun. The instruction of our experienced staff of varsity coaches, our varsity wrestlers, and a group of volunteer assistant coaches provide many opportunities for instruction, learning and, most importantly, FUN!


Will my child have to lose weight?

ABSOLUTELY NOT! There is NO place for weight loss in youth wrestling at Edgemont or elsewhere!

In fact, our policy at Edgemont is to not ask our wrestlers to "cut weight" at any level Youth, Junior High or Varsity. To the contrary, we provide our wrestlers with information about nutrition, healthy choices and optimal performance!

We want bigger, stronger, healthier kids and wrestlers!


Is wrestling violent? Will my child get hurt? 

Wrestling is not a sport of violence.
It's a sport of control. There are no high speed collisions like some other sports, and there is no hitting, punching or kicking. In fact, national statistics from the high school level show wrestling has far fewer injuries than many other popular sports.

Wrestling is about using the skills you learn to control your opponent on your feet or on the mat. At the higher levels there's a tremendous amount of technique and strategy - almost like a physical game of chess.


What kind of wrestling tradition is there at Edgemont? 

We're proud to say wrestling is consistently one of Edgemont's most successful athletic programs!
Last year, at the High School level, Edgemont had 13 Sectional place-finishers, five All-Section wrestlers and were Section 1 Team Champions! We've had three New York State Champions in the last decade!

We've produced All-State wrestlers every year for the past twelve years and sent many of our student-athletes on to compete at the collegiate level! Many of these great wrestlers and great kids got their start right here with Edgemont Youth Wrestling!


Are there additional Youth Wrestling opportunities? 

Before and after the winter session, wrestlers will have the opportunity to continue in nearby wrestling clubs that compete in tournaments and matches.


Any other questions?

Please contact Pete Jacobson at peter.jacobson@edgemontwrestling.org.

Winter Wrestling Clinic
Grades: 2-6

Practices: Tuesdays and Thursdays 6:15 PM - 7:30 PM in EHS San Marco Gym

Season: December 3, 2024 through January 30, 2025

Coaches: Matt Lee, Brian Evans, Pete Martas & Staff (EHS Varsity Wrestling Coaches)

Fee: $195 (includes t-shirt, hoody and USA Wrestling Card for insurance)

What do Edgemont Parents have to say?

"My son has participated in the Edgemont Youth Wrestling program for 4 years, and he loves it. The program is the perfect mix of skill development and fun.

I think the key is how dedicated the coaches are; they've gotten to know my son, and engage him in a way that makes him feel comfortable and confident.

He's looking forward to returning this year because he wants to be with all of the friends he has made, and I'm excited that he will continue on the path of confidence building, discipline and community that he's enjoyed with Edgemont Youth Wrestling."


- David DePietto



"Our son Noah started wrestling in 2nd grade. I didn't know anything about wrestling, but Noah loves sports and was looking for a winter activity. Noah has grown to love wrestling. It's all about discipline, strategy and heart.

The coaches have been great - cheering Noah on and giving him lots of encouragement. Wrestling works every muscle in your body, so Noah comes home after wrestling practice happy, starving and exhausted...what's better than that?"


- Alison Bernstein



"The Edgemont Youth Wrestling program is great for our son Atticus. It helps him build speed, athleticism and self-confidence in a fun, safe, and welcoming environment. Wrestling is a very special sport because it can be taught more than any other sport. Kids wrestle against kids their own size and even those with meager athletic talent who work hard become champions."

- Zach Margulis-Ohnuma



"Nicholas really enjoys wrestling. He likes the challenges it brings and the great workouts. He has learned to become more self reliant as well as self confident in all he does because of the sport. He can't wait to get back to the mats!"

- Anthony Meglino



"I've seen my 8 year-old son Jonathan grow physically, mentally and emotionally, in no small part thanks to his involvement with wrestling. I've enjoyed watching him increase his strength, endurance and maturity, in many ways as a direct result of his wrestling experiences.

Jonathan has great respect for the coaches and holds them in the highest esteem given their obvious love of wrestling and genuine desire to see their students succeed not just on the wrestling mat, but also in life."

- Jeff Rothschild

Winter Wrestling Clinic
Grades: 2-6

Practices: Tuesdays and Thursdays 7 PM - 8:15 PM in EHS Old Gym

Season: November 19, 2019 through January 23, 2020

Coaches: Pete Jacobson, Mike Mitchell, Brett Pastore & Staff (EHS Varsity Wrestling Coaches)

Fee: $195 (includes t-shirt, hoody and USA Wrestling Card for insurance)


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