Is wrestling a popular sport in this state (school, live)

[NJ Chutzpah]

outside of high school and college, is wrestling a sort of hobby or past-time that is done outside of organized municipal recreation kinda like pick-up football games, or street basketball games

Is it something that every kid has done in some shape or form, and not necessarily through the town's child recreation programs? For example, in NJ almost every kid knows how to play football, basketball, and baseball as I am sure is the same in every state. Now not all of those kids have played through some official team, but they have all at least gone outside on the street to play those games with other kids on their own, and learned it that way. Is that how wrestling is in Iowa?

[griz134]

I wouldn't say kids go out and wrestle like they do in a pick up game of B'Ball or football. You generally need a mat to wrestle on. Growing up in Iowa in the late 70's, and early 80's there were a couple kids, who 's homes had old mats in their basements, and we would go and workout there to improve our skills outside of the standard school practice. I learned to wrestle freestyle, and greco at one of my teammates house.
I've noticed over the years that kids don't do pickup games anymore. They seem to need structure, and have to have uniforms, and coaches telling them what to do, and how to do it. I was a little league ump for a summer, and new a lot of the kids in the league because I was a teacher in the school district. As some kids were waiting to play their game, there was time to kill, so I tried to get a pickup game going with them. They said there wasn't enough players to make a team. I said no problem, we will improvise. They said we don't have any bases to run to. I said when your team is up to bat we will use your gloves for bases. They thought that was a great idea. They never thought of it before. I had to teach them what a ghost runner was. They didn't know. They ended up having a lot of fun, but they sure didn't know how to get a simple game of baseball going by themselves.

[thatguy1]

Originally Posted by DMRyan

OK, now I think the importance of wrestling is being over stated by saying that it's the number 1 sport in high schools. 9/10ths of people in Iowa could care less about the sport and would much rather watch an MMA match or certainly football over college wrestling. We probably wouldn't turn down free tickets to a college wrestling match, but we're not tailgating and having universities spend big money in wrestling recruits every year like the more popular sports.

Iowa is a state that is rich with wrestling heritage and tradition. It's not some way of life here that captivates every decent sports fan in the state or something.

I have to agree with you. And growing up in the western half of the state, it really isn't as big as it seems in the eastern half. I knew very little people who enjoyed/participated in the sport.

[NJ Chutzpah]

Yeh kids these days are funny

When I was kid, we sometimes would wrestle, during recess, on the sandlot filled with little pebbles, or on the grassy field at our schools, for fun of course

I also had this friend from greece, and I think wrestling is big in greece also, because after we finished playing video games, he would make me wrestle him on the hardwood floor of his living room

Would you say that is how most iowan learn how to wrestle in the first place, with their peers, outside on the streets, and without formal instruction at all?

[pinetar10]

no, they do not just go play a pickup game of wrestling. Structured wrestling leagues start very young, at 5 years old. There are tournaments and matches for kids ages 5 and up. So those that are interested in wrestling or who have parents that want their child to wrestle can start when the kid is in kindergarten

Originally Posted by NJ Chutzpah

Yeh kids these days are funny

When I was kid, we sometimes would wrestle, during recess, on the sandlot filled with little pebbles, or on the grassy field at our schools, for fun of course

I also had this friend from greece, and I think wrestling is big in greece also, because after we finished playing video games, he would make me wrestle him on the hardwood floor of his living room

Would you say that is how most iowan learn how to wrestle in the first place, with their peers, outside on the streets, and without formal instruction at all?

[Mathguy]

Originally Posted by NJ Chutzpah

Yeh kids these days are funny

When I was kid, we sometimes would wrestle, during recess, on the sandlot filled with little pebbles, or on the grassy field at our schools, for fun of course

I also had this friend from greece, and I think wrestling is big in greece also, because after we finished playing video games, he would make me wrestle him on the hardwood floor of his living room

Would you say that is how most iowan learn how to wrestle in the first place, with their peers, outside on the streets, and without formal instruction at all?

I used to wrestle ALL the time with friends of mine growing up etc. it's probably not seen so much anymore due to hyper-sensitive schools etc.

To actually learn wrestling there are all kinds of clubs etc. for early ages before it starts up formally around 7th grade at most schools.

Wrestling is HUGE in Greece, Turkey, Iran....many countries.

[t_mnoel]

Originally Posted by DMRyan

Probably more so than in most places. The International Wrestling Institute and Museum is in Newton, Iowa, about 40 miles east of the Des Moines metro. 75,000 people came to watch the high school wrestling tournament in Des Moines last week. The two major state universities have nationally recognized and highly ranked wrestling programs, and Iowa State University's wrestling team is coached by olympic gold medalist wrestler Cael Sanderson.

Don't forget Iowa's coach..Brands, he too is an Olympic Gold Medalist.

[t_mnoel]

Originally Posted by burgerflipper

I have to agree with you. And growing up in the western half of the state, it really isn't as big as it seems in the eastern half. I knew very little people who enjoyed/participated in the sport.

Wrestling has a rich tradition in Iowa and partly b.c it's an easy sport for schools to offer in their small town schools. Can't compare wrestling, basketball, baseball or any other sport to Football. FB is in a league of it's own..it's played in the fall competing against CrossCountry and volleyball, it requires alot more players , more seating, more food, and more money to play the game therefore communities, businesses and fans support it. It's hugh all levels (HS, Col, Pro) with major marketing efforts backing it up thus making it the popular sport in every state.

[mysterypro]

I have lived in Iowa all my life...

For most of the state it goes Football, Basketball, Wrestling, Baseball, then Soccer

It varies between areas, there are a number of "Football", "Basketball", "Wrestling", and "Soccer" schools. I honestly don't know about baseball, I never followed it.

[NJ Chutzpah]

So wrestling is generally the third major sport in Iowa?

The way popularity is truely measured is by the amount of recreational participants and not necessarily the amount of spectators that spend money on the pro or college level

Everyone knows that the big four is football, baseball, basketball, hockey/soccer/etc. But they are big not only for entertainment, but just about every single normal kid will grow up playing these sports on the street/playground/recess with the other kids.

but would you say that backyard wrestling is a common activity amongst childhood playmates?

Someone already posted a "no" for that question, but I dont see how it could really be the third sport if that is not the case, unless it is a "school spirit" thing, and people show up to matches for the sake of the high school, and the local university's tradition of having strong programs made up of local kids.