Welcome to Rockford Area Athletic Association (RAAA) Youth Wrestling Parent Meeting

1. Welcome to Rockford Area Athletic Association (RAAA) Youth Wrestling Parent Meeting November 8, 2018 6:00 pm

2. Board Members • Positions will be available for the 2019/2020 season • let us know if you are interested

3. Coaches • John Redepenning – Head Coach • Rockford High School Wrestling Alumnus • Varsity wrestler for 6 years & 3 year team captain • State participant twice & won a state title his senior year, with a record of 40-3 • Graduate of University of Wisconsin Stout, football fullback for 4 years • Hayden Roehl – Assistant Coach • Rockford High School Wrestling Alumnus • Varsity wrestler for 3 years & 1 year team captain • Noah Patnode – Assistant Coach • Rockford High School Wrestling Alumnus • Most wins in Rockford history, until John took the record • Varsity wrestler for 3 years • Parents Helpers: • Nick Folger, Josh Jennings, Jay Freshour, Shane Modrow, • Jake Fitch, Chad Staggemeyer, Greg Stokes, Brandon Wester

4. Practice • No kids should be at both practices • Change clothes and leave belongings in locker area. No shoes, jackets or bags in the room/commons • Quick transition between practices • No siblings in wrestling room, prefer a closed practice for better focus • No practice over Christmas break or if school is closed • Wear shorts & t-shirt, wrestling shoes or indoor tennis shoes (no street shoes) • Headgear is recommended to avoid ear injuries

5. Hygiene • Basic Hygiene • Make sure nails are trimmed • If kids have colds, they should not come to practice • If kids have ringworm, they should not come to practice • Ringworm • Fungal infection of the skin • Causes red itchy rash on the skin • Spread from physical contact • Typically treated with antifungal creams • Kids should bathe after every practice and tournament

6. Open Tournaments • All kids are encouraged to participate in weekend open tournaments, but it’s not required • Entry for the Rockford tournament is included with the registration fee – January 19th • Our coaches have committed to attend 2-3 tournaments a month • There are multiple tournaments every weekend • Link to the Guillotine open tournament calendar on the RAAA Wrestling page www.theguillotine.com go to the youth tab • Cost to wrestle generally $10-$15, spectators range from 0-$5 • Tournaments are independently ran by their local wrestling program • Singlets are available for use during the season for tournaments, for a deposit of • $75, which will be returned when the singlet is returned

7. State Tournaments • Two State Tournament Options • MN/USA Wrestling is the central organization that coordinates amateur wrestling programs in Minnesota. • All wrestlers MUST have a current USA Wrestling athlete’s card.  Can register the day of the tournament. • Brackets of 4 or less competitors --The top 2 wrestlers qualify. • Brackets of 5 or more competitors --The top 4 wrestlers qualify. • State tournament beginning of March in Rochester • NYWAis the Northland Youth Wrestling Association • MN Premier wresting Association. • A wrestler must first attend one of the district qualifiers. The wrestler must place in the top two of the weight class to advance to regions.   To qualify for the NYWA state tournament, a wrestler must place in the top three of the weight class (the wild card region will advance the top four wrestlers).  Wrestlers placing 4th-6th place can qualify for the Invite tournament. • State tournament end of March in Rochester

8. Volunteering • $100 volunteer deposit, which will be returned if you complete 4 volunteer shifts per participant in wrestling • Implementing this deposit because we have not been filling all our volunteer spots and have been loosing volunteer funds that are available • Program goal is to keep fees as low as possible, so we depend on our volunteers to make that possible

9. Volunteering How to Volunteer • 1 volunteer spot for EVERYONE needs to be at our tournament on January 19 • set up, take down, concessions, weigh in, awards, registration, table work). • All wrestling families are needed to help at this event • Mat Cleaning • Needs to be done before each practice and takes about 15 minutes. • We have a sign up sheet tonight available. • Helpingsort our fundraiser pizzas when they arriv. • Hosting Middle School Tournament – Thursday Jan 24 • Concessions, set up and take down as needed. • Billy’s Bingo – every 6 weeks each RAAA sport sells bingo cards, 3 spots each time • We have a sign up sheet here tonight for all Wrestling spots in 2019 • Boys State Basketball Tournament at Rockford • A Google doc will be sent out when the events get closer, similar tasks as our tournament, this is in March • Hanover Softball Tournament • A Google doc will be sent out when the events get closer

10. Fundraising • Available to sample tonight • Sell until Jan 3, turn back in the 1st practice after break • Collect funds when selling, checks to RAAA Wrestling • Spreadsheet to total your pizzas sold • Pizzas delivered towards the end of January

11. Fundraising

12. Apparel • Using Common Thread Custom Apparel • Ordering will be available throughout the season. • Ordering deadline to get by Christmas is Dec 8 • Order through the RAAA Wrestling website

13. Pictures • Using Saima’s Photography • Tuesday, December 11 during practice • Wear wrestling shirts for team photo • Singlets or wrestling shirt for individual

14. Additional Training • NNW is offering us discounted rates if a group of 10+ kids sign up • Jake Saatzer is the Coach • Located in Watertown/St Boni • Let us know if you are interested

15. Questions? • Lot of information, but we will be sending out emails throughout the season • All information is available on the website Thank you!