Keep Up The Good Work!

Through seven weeks of practice and two tournaments we've seen a great deal of effort and improvement from everyone on the team. We're very proud of what you have accomplished so far.

The coaches just want to remind all the wrestlers that now is not the time to become satisfied. This is the time to demand more from yourself. Work harder in practice and work harder during competition; when you walk off the mat know that you've just given 100%!

The holidays will require us to cut a few practices from the schedule please do your best to attend the practices that will be held. Use these practices to refine the skills you've already learned, and add a few new skills to your arsenal for later in the season.

Thanks to all the parents who have been so diligent about bringing their children to practices, shuttling them to tournaments and enduring long days in the bleachers. We appreciate your efforts.

A very special thank you to all the parents who have stepped forward to assist with clothing orders, tournament registration, organization of the Panthers Duals on 12/28 and all the activities and events that will occur that day. The Club is nothing without strong support of parents - so again, THANK YOU!

Lastly - Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays & Happy New Year!

IMPORTANT DATES!

UPCOMING TOURNAMENTS
Registration for the first 3 weekends of tournament must be complete by this Thursday, November 20, 2008 at 7:45pm - No Exceptions. Envelopes are available in the main wrestling room this week.

Date Price Event Name Location
12/07/08 $16.00 Little Spartan Open @ Romeoville HS
12/14/08 $15.00 MadDog Open @ Schaumburg HS
12/14/08 $15.00 Cougar Rookie Roundup @ Downers Grove South HS
12/21/08 $20.00 V-L Cougar Classic @ Glenbard North HS, Carol Stream
12/21/08 $15.00 4th Ann. Rookie Challnge @ Lincoln-Way Central HS, New Lenox
*The two Rookie Tournaments are open to first and second year wrestlers only*

PANTHERWEAR ORDERS:
In order to be guaranteed for Christmas Delivery, Panther Wear oders must be submitted by this Thursday, November 20, 2008 at 7:45pm -- No Exceptions. Order forms are available in the main wrestling room this week. There will be two other dates, later this season for supplemental orders.

UNIFORMS
Uniforms will be issues tomorrow, Tuesday, November 18, 2008 at practice to all wrestlers who have written their deposit check. If your uniform does not fit, we will exchange before Thursday's team pictures.

PICTURE NIGHT
Individual and Team Photos will be taken in the main wrestling room on Thursday, November 20, 2008 from 6:00pm - 7:45pm. Please ensure your wrestler wears his/her singlet and team shirt to practice. Even if you are not interested in photos of your child, please attend for those families that enjoy the memory of a team photo.

LAST CALL FOR REGISTRATION
If you have freiends that are interested in Naperville Wrestling Club, Registration for the 2008-2009 Naperville Panther Wrestling team will close at 7:00pm, Wednesday, November 19th, 2008.

After this date, only wrestlers with prior wrestling experience will be considered for membership.

No applications will be accepted after February 6th, 2009; this is the day prior to the IKWF eligibility cutoff for the 2008-2009 state series tournaments.

Parents' Scoring Clinic, Thursday, November 20, 2008 from 6:00pm - 6:45pm
I thought I knew wrestling when I joined the club 4 years ago, but in the 20 years I had been off the mat, many rules had changed! Over the last few years I have listened to "New Parents" asked many questions we should have had the foresight to answer in advance.

As a result, we are putting on this program - Naperville Wrestling Parents' Scoring Clinic to update people on the rules of IKWF Wrestling

* What to expect at Sunday tournaments (Mike Riordan)
- Tournament Registration
- Weigh-ins
- Bracketing
- The "Bull Pen"
- The Match(es)

* The anatomy of a wrestling match (Rob Porter); Includes;
- Duration and Starting Position(s) for all three period
- Point Scoring
- Potentially Dangerous Moves
- Illegal Moves
- Penalties
- Much more.....

* Keeping score of your wrestler’s matches (Mike Riordan)

One last announcement ...
IKWF Coaches Cards and Competitor cards with weigh in documents will be issued Thursday, November 20, 2008 from 6:00pm - 7:45pm at the scoring clinic and practice

BIG NEWS!!

As was announced at the Parent Organizational Meeting, the Naperville Wrestling Club took steps over the summer to incorporate as a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization. With this new designation comes increased opportunities and responsibilities. Copies of our By-Laws and Polices & Procedures are available upon request.

* First Practice is Tuesday, Nov. 4, from 6 to 7:45p. Only those wrestlers whose registration and payment is received by Oct. 30, 2008, are eligible to practice on that first night. We'll continue to accept registration until such a point where the club determines we can no longer adequately meet the needs of our members. Return your registration and payment as soon as possible so you can join us on the mat.

* We have a number of volunteer opportunities available for parents. From coaching to fund raising, stat keeping and others. We are reliant on the efforts of volunteers to keep our club operating at peak efficiency. If you have even a little time to spare please consider helping out in some capacity. Speak to any member of the coaching staff for more information.

* Check the web site regularly for news and updates. In addition to Email and the occasional phone message, the web site is a good way to stay current with club news.

We're looking forward to another great season. See you on the mat.

New Season is Just Around the Corner

First - welcome back for another great season of wrestling. The coaching staff has done quite a bit of planning to get ready for a successful year, and we're looking forward to seeing all the parents at our Parents Meeting on Thursday, October 16, from 6 to 7:30 pm in the Cafeteria at Naperville Central High School.

There've been some substantial changes to the organization of the club - positive changes - of which we're excited to inform you. Please make every effort to attend.

The team's FIRST PRACTICE will take place on Tuesday, Nov. 4, from 6 to 7:45 pm. We're looking forward to seeing everyone back on the mat, but please come ready to work.

Early details are available on the Registration page of the club's web site, but if you have any questions please don't hesitate to contact us.

We hope you all had a great summer and are enjoying the Autumn. After Fall, the next season is Wrestling!

Freestyle & Greco

Just a few weeks into the spring season and the practice room at Naperville Central is buzzing with activity as Coach Rob Porter leads instruction and training of Freestyle and Greco-Roman wrestling. Attendance has been high - with wrestlers from Naperville Central High School, the NWC Panthers and other area clubs and schools gathering to continue their training.

Several wrestlers participated in events and the extra training is paying off. We've added an link to a very comprehensive schedule of off-season events on the REGISTRATION page of the web site. Look it over and find the event(s) that fit your schedule.

Keep checking the web site for news, updates and off-season results.

The End ... and A New Beginning

The IKWF season came to a close on Saturday at East Aurora High School. Unfortunately, the Panthers were unable to qualify any wrestlers for the State Tournament out of this very competitive Sectional. A wise man said you can not judge the success of the season solely on the number of kids who go down state; and yet another said you have to look at all the kids and see the individual progress they made and successes they achieved throughout the year.

In that regard, it was a good year for the Panthers as we watched many kids in every division grow and improve from Day 1. We are proud of all those who showed up and worked hard all season long. Best wishes also to all our 8th graders who now have high school and IHSA wrestling to look forward to.

And now for the new beginning ... Coach Rob Porter is leading practices on Tuesdays and Thursdays for instruction in the International styles of wrestling - freestyle and Greco-Roman. Details can be found on the REGISTRATION page of the web site and the practice schedule is included on our CALENDAR.

Instruction and Training in these two disciplines is known to improve a wrestler's technique, and contribute to ongoing success. We encourage all wrestlers to participate in Freestyle and/or Greco-Roman training, as well as participate in a tournament or two. Naperville Central is hosting two events at the end of March.

Be sure to RSVP for the banquet, and please make plans to return all uniforms, shoes and headgear you received from the Club.

Thanks for a great season. The coaches are already brainstorming ways to make next year an even greater success.

Report from Regionals

The Naperville Wrestling Club Panthers took over 30 wrestlers to the Regional Tournament on Feb. 24th at York High School. It proved to be a long day, but we saw some great performances from several boys. TWENTY boys qualified for the Sectional Tournament next Saturday at East Aurora High School ... Great Job!

The curse of York High School? - For the second time in as many trips one of our guys suffered a season-ending injury while wrestling at York High School. While fighting during his semi-final match, one of our Novice Division wrestlers suffered what appeared to be a dislocated elbow, which required emergency transport. We don't know the extent of the injury, but we all wish Hunter a speedy and complete recovery.

End of the Year Banquet - Mark your calendar for Thursday, March 20th. If you have questions about the event please contact Tara Hunt at gtc_hunt@yahoo.com - It's going to be a great time.

Good-bye Coach Dan!
By now it is fairly common knowledge that the O'Brien family has relocated to Iowa. They've made the trip back for Danville and Regionals, and hope to come back for the Banquet. We were lucky to have Dan and his family as part of the program and wish them all a great life and continued success in Iowa.
Take care O'Briens ... and keep in touch!

State Series

The Panthers competed in their final open tournament of the year in Danville last weekend. The wrestling was tough, but many of our team members turned in good performances. Now everyone's attention should be focused on Sunday, Feb. 24th - IKWF Regional Tournament - everyone (all weights, all divisions) is welcome to participate, but you MUST PRE-REGISTER. Tots & Bantams can wrestle at Regionals, but this is their final event of the year.

Regionals is the first step in the State Series - the top 6 place winners in the Junior, Novice and Senior divisions will advance to Sectionals and get one step closer to qualifying for the STATE CHAMPIONSHIP TOURNAMENT.

To prepare our wrestlers for this challenge the amount of live wrestling and the intensity level at practices will both increase significantly. Everyone should expect to work hard and come home exhausted - if not, they're not taking advantage of the opportunity placed before them.

Watch for news on the web site and arriving by email regarding spring & summer wrestling. This training focuses more on the international wrestling styles (freestyle & Greco-Roman), but is an excellent opportunity to develop new skills and techniques that can be used in every match.

Lastly, be sure to mark your calendar for the Wrestling Banquet - Thursday, March March 20, at the Holiday Inn Select, 1801 Naper Blvd. in Naperville. Social hour starts at 6 p.m. We hope everyone can make it. The Banquet Committee has done a fantastic job putting together this event.

Road Trip

This coming weekend is the club's annual trip to Danville, Ill., for the Spartan Rumble. In addition to facing top quality competition, this weekend serves as an opportunity for the families to have a little fun together. Here are a few things to keep in mind.

* Our main hotel is the Fairfield Inn - Danville, 389 Lynch Dr., Danville

* Weigh-ins are at the Palmer Arena, 100 W. Main St., Danville, on Saturday, 2/9, from 5 - 8p, and on Sunday, 2/10, from 6:30 - 7:30a. Wrestling will begin by 9am, but could start earlier.

* Midget, Novice and Senior division wrestlers must make the weight submitted on their tournament entry form.

If you have any additional questions please don't hesitate to ask one of the coaches.

Last Sunday the team split in two. While our "rookies" attended the Rookie Rumble at Montini H.S., a group of our more experienced wrestlers took on some very tough competition at the Bears Bash, hosted by the Lemont Bears Wrestling Club. There were some outstanding performances, as noted on the RESULTS page of the web site.

If you noticed, the competition at the tournaments we attend has continued to increase in difficulty. We want our wrestlers ready to go when the State Series begins with the Regional Tournament on Sunday, Feb. 24th. We think this tournament schedule has prepared them for this challenge.

Tough Competitors and a Tough Break

The Naperville Wrestling Club sent Panthers to two different tournaments this weekend seeking competition and experience ... and we got both.

About 18 Panthers went out to Minooka on Saturday to face some tough wrestlers from both near and far. Results will post on the web site very soon, but several boys had very good days in some very tough brackets. The competition continues to "ramp up" as we make our way to the Regional Tournament.

Over 30 Panthers attended a "rookie" event for 1st and 2nd year wrestlers at York High School in Elmhurst on Sunday. These events designed to give newer wrestlers a chance to compete against others of similar experience are a terrific concept. Several team members won some matches, brought home some hardware and gained very valuable mat experience. Great job ... and a special "thank you" to those coaches who handled the chaos of Sunday with grace.

Unfortunately all this good news comes with a bit of bad; one of our Senior division wrestlers suffered a broken arm during competition on Sunday. Although the extent of the injury is not known, he may be done for the season. We want to wish Andrew a speedy recovery!

Plenty of new pictures from Minooka are now on the web site, and we'll get results from both events posted by mid week.

Events next Sunday, Feb. 3, are the Bears Bash at Lemont High School and another Rookie event at Montini High School in Lombard. Check availability with Alex or Toni Kuhel.

Remember, Spartan Rumble registration forms & payment must by "in" by Jan. 29th.

Keep working hard in practice to achieve the desired results on the weekend.

Entering the "Home Stretch"

With just three tournaments remaining on the schedule prior to the start of the State Series we've entered the part of the season where everything a wrestler has been taught should be like second nature out on the mat.

You should notice a change at practices as coaches focus more on "live" wrestling in an effort to ramp up intensity and aggressiveness in the wrestlers. At this point there should be very little instruction and "down time," and high levels of activity. All team members should come to practice ready to work.

Tournaments remaining on the schedule include:
* Minooka Little Indians Open, Jan. 26th, Minooka High School (Midget State Qualifier)
* Bears Bash, Feb. 3rd, Lemont High School
* Spartan Rumble, Palmer Arena - Danville, IL

If you want to compete in ANY of these events you MUST check with Alex or Toni Kuhel to see if spots are available.

The IKWF State Series begins on Saturday, Feb. 23rd, at Willowbrook High School. All wrestlers are welcome to compete, but you MUST PRE-REGISTER. Midget, Novice and Senior division wrestlers must declare their weight class in which they plan to compete. Ask a coach or check the IKWF web site (www.ikwf.org) for more information.

Remember to check your e-mail and the club web site for news updates and team information.

Facing Great Competition

This past weekend the Panthers took part in the Little Huskies Open in Oak Park with several of the area's best teams. Our wrestlers matched up with some very talented opponents and many Panthers turned in great performances (see the RESULTS page). They should be proud.

We're also all very proud of the performance by our own Coach Anthony Cesaretti, who opened Sunday's event with an impressive singing of our National Anthem. The crowd loved it!

This tournament is an excellent gauge for the older wrestlers to know where they stand with just a few weeks to go until the Regional Tournament on Feb. 23rd. In addition to tournament wrestling it is important that your sons and daughters - no matter how old - attend practice with a positive attitude and a willingness to put in some hard work. The coaches will continue to teach and work with the team, but every wrestler has to be willing to put in the effort.

Remember ... a wrestler's performance (not necessarily wins and losses) in a match is directly proportional to the effort they put forth at practice.

Here's a summary of the remaining events on our schedule. If you are not registered for an event and wish to participate please speak with Alex or Toni Kuhel at practice about event registration payments and deadlines.

* Wed., Jan. 16th, Dungeon Duels - you must be pre-registered for this event.
* Sat., Jan. 26th, Minooka Little Indians Open - Minooka High School, Minooka, Ill.
* Sat., Jan. 27th, Jr. Dukes Rookie Rumble, York High School, Elmhurst, Ill.
* Sun., Feb. 3rd, Bears Bash, Lemont High School, Lemont, Ill.
* Sun., Feb. 10, Little Spartan Rumble, Palmer Arena, Danville, Ill.
* Sat., Feb. 23, IKWF Regionals, Willowbrook High School, Villa Park, Ill.
* Sat., Mar. 1st, IKWF Sectionals, location to be confirmed
* March 6 - 8, IKWF State Tournament (for Novice & Senior div.), Rockford MetroCentre
* March, 15 - 16, Midget State (for pre-qualified Midgets), Danville, Ill.

The CALENDAR on the web site is a good source of information for the various events, but if you have questions please don't hesitate to ask a coach.

Lastly, there remain opportunities for parents to get further involved with the club by taking on various duties. Send us an e-mail if you'd like to volunteer; we'd appreciate any help you can offer.

Playing Catch Up

First, Happy New Year! I've been told this section of the Panthers' site is a little behind the times so this is an attempt to bring you up to speed with all the club happenings.

1. Thank you to all the parents, and NCHS coaches and wrestlers who made our "home" event on Dec. 30 flow so smoothly from start to finish. We could not have done it without you. We also want to thank our friends from the Little Huskies, Redhawk WC and St. Bedes for making the trip to compete. All the kids wrestled with heart and there were some great matches.

2. We just got back from the Medieval Classic at Lincoln-Way Central HS. Many team members turned in great performances. Some of the older boys finally showed us what we knew the could do, and many younger boys continued to display the technique and aggressiveness we love to watch. Keep up the great work. The RESULTS and PHOTOS sections are updated with the latest list of winners and event pictures.

3. Several parents have stepped forward to assume volunteer responsibilities that will help the coaches and the program. A big "thank you" goes out to them. If you'd like to help out check your email for the latest club newsletter or ask any coach after practice.

4. Please keep checking the web site for updates to the practice schedule and other information. In conjunction with the e-mail and voice mails from Coach Len, we try to keep Panthers wrestlers and parents as up to date as possible.