Find your place on the mat.
Youth wrestling for boys and girls in grades 1–8 in Maplewood + South Orange. Beginners welcome.
Fun. Effort. Respect. Family.
We teach kids how to wrestle, compete and challenge themselves in a positive environment built around great coaches, great teammates and a strong community.
Small mat.
Big lessons.
Confidence
Kids learn they can do hard things.
Athleticism
Strength, balance, coordination and body control that carry into every sport.
Resilience
Compete. Learn. Get back up. Go again.
Community
Train alongside friends, classmates and teammates from both towns.
Never wrestled before? Perfect.
You don't need any experience to join MSO. We welcome first-time wrestlers and teach the sport step by step, in a room built for learning, making friends and having fun.
First grader or eighth grader. Boy or girl. First-time athlete or multi-sport competitor. Play soccer, football, lacrosse or baseball? Wrestling builds athletic skills that carry everywhere.
This is MSO Wrestling.
Kids. Coaches. Families. Teammates. Maplewood + South Orange.
Girls wrestle here.
Same room. Same coaches. Same expectations. Our girls train with the full MSO team, and compete against other girls through the Jersey Girls Wrestling League.
Girls wrestling is one of the fastest-growing sports in American high schools, and New Jersey is one of the places it's growing fastest. The girls who start now are getting in at the beginning of something.
Proud members of the Jersey Girls Wrestling League
The JGWL is a K–8 league started by New Jersey coaches in 2023 to give girls more chances to wrestle other girls, matched by weight and experience. It means our girls get real matches against real competition at their level — not just whatever the bracket allows.
Sources: NFHS High School Athletics Participation Survey; NJSIAA; NCAA.
The season at a glance.
- Season
- —
- Where
- —
- Who
- Grades 1–8Boys and girls. Beginners and experienced wrestlers.
- Practices
- —
Never wrestled before? Perfect.
The questions parents actually ask, answered plainly. If yours isn't here, just email us — we'd rather answer it than have you wonder.
What actually happens at practice.
Practice starts with a warm-up and some movement games — for the younger kids this looks a lot like organized fun. Then coaches teach a position or a move, wrestlers drill it with a partner, and the last stretch is live wrestling against teammates at a similar size and level.
Nobody gets thrown into live wrestling on day one. Kids learn how to move, how to fall safely, and how to stay in good position long before anyone keeps score.
What your kid needs.
To start
- T-shirt and athletic shorts
- Water bottle
- Wrestling shoes — and we have plenty of used pairs to borrow or keep, so don't buy any yet
Soon after
- Headgear
- Mouthguard if they have braces
Only if they compete
- A singlet or fight shorts
Don't buy anything before the first practice. Come see if your kid likes it first — and ask a coach what's worth getting.
Questions parents ask.
Getting started
My kid has never wrestled. Will they be behind?
No. A large share of our wrestlers start with zero experience, and King of the Mat exists specifically for grades 1–3 who are brand new. Kids are grouped by age, size and experience, so a first-year wrestler isn't lined up across from someone in their fourth season.
And it isn't only the little kids. We have seventh and eighth graders come out for the first time and have real success in year one. If your kid is ready to try it, they're not too late.
Is wrestling safe?
Coaches teach safe position and safe falling from the very first practice, and live wrestling is supervised and matched by size. Wrestling has the usual bumps and soreness of a contact sport — what it doesn't have is repeated head impact from collisions.
Can girls wrestle at MSO?
Yes, and we want more of them. Girls wrestle at every grade level in our program, training alongside the full team. MSO is a member of the Jersey Girls Wrestling League, so our girls also get matches against other girls, paired by weight and experience. Girls wrestling is one of the fastest-growing sports in New Jersey. More on girls wrestling at MSO.
Can my kid try it before committing?
Email us at MSOWrestling@gmail.com and we'll tell you when to come by. Watching a practice costs nothing.
Practices & equipment
When and where do you practice?
In the wrestling room at Columbia High School. King of the Mat practices Wednesdays 6:00–7:00 pm and Saturdays 9:00–10:00 am. Future Stars practice Wednesdays 7:00–8:00 pm and Saturdays 10:00–11:00 am. Advanced practices Tuesdays and Thursdays 6:30–8:00 pm and Saturdays 11:00 am–12:30 pm.
What if we miss practices for another sport?
Plenty of our wrestlers play basketball or another winter sport. Come when you can. Tell your coach what your schedule looks like and they'll work with you.
Do parents stay during practice?
You're welcome to stay and watch, and plenty of parents do. You're also welcome to drop off and come back.
Matches & competition
What is a wrestling match, exactly?
Two wrestlers of similar age and weight compete one-on-one across short periods — usually about a minute each at the youth level. You score points for taking your opponent down, controlling them, and escaping. A match can also end early by pin, when one wrestler holds the other's shoulders to the mat.
Does my kid have to compete?
No. Some kids come to practice all season and never enter a tournament, and that's a completely normal way to do this. Others find out they love competing. Both are fine.
How are kids matched up?
By weight, age and experience. Nobody wrestles someone dramatically bigger than they are.
What should I expect as a parent at a tournament?
Bring snacks and patience — you'll be in the bleachers for a while, since youth tournaments involve a lot of waiting between short matches. Your job is to cheer and then say the same thing whether your kid wins or loses. The coaches will handle the coaching.
Season & logistics
When does the season run?
—
What does it cost?
Current pricing is listed on the registration page.
How do we sign up?
Registration runs through Maplewood Recreation. Start here, or email MSOWrestling@gmail.com with any question first. Once you're registered, team communication and schedules move to TeamSnap.