Sparkman Senator Wrestling Parent Information. October 15, 2013 "The most awesome sight on the basketball floor is wrestling mats from door to door".

Sparkman Wrestling Wrestling is perhaps the purest form of athletic competition to exist in the realm of organized sports. There are no bats or balls, or pucks or sticks. No pads or helmets or jerseys. There's no time to rethink strategy, regroup, or even to catch your breath. There's only you, and your opponent of equal weight and size. Experience, preparation and the will to succeed will determine the victor. Wrestling involves a unique balance of practically every aspect of physical and psychological conditioning. Strength is as important as stamina, speed as technique, strategy as intensity, and power as is coordination.

Agenda Introductions Sign-up Sheet What is the Takedown Club Takedown Club Activities Expectations of the Takedown Club Takedown Club Fundraisers Sparkman Tournaments Why we need Volunteer Support Takedown Club Wrestling Merit Program Information from Parents to Parents

Introductions Club President – Thomas Billig (Jr.) 1 st Vice President – Anthony Anderson 2 nd Vice President – Rebecca Fowler Treasurer – Thomas Billig (Sr.) Secretary – Margaretha Little Fundraiser Coordinator – Melissa/Jamie Nichols

What is the Takedown Club The Takedown Club is the booster club for the Wrestling Team. Its purpose is to support and help fund the Sparkman High School Wrestling team and related activities. Everyone is a volunteer and ALL proceeds go to promote and support Sparkman Wrestling. The Club Officers represent the Takedown Club to the Coach and School Administration. Every parent is a member of the Takedown Club.

Takedown Club Activities Monthly Club meetings – Officers host the monthly meeting to discuss upcoming activities, fundraising, and needs of the wrestling team – All parents are urged to attend, provide opinion, and vote on club activities Coordinate and execute middle school car pools Plan and execute Takedown Club fundraisers Collect Wrestling Fees Purchase Team apparel Pay for assistant coaches and their apparel Host and support 2 Sparkman Wrestling Tournaments Host end of the year banquet Purchase trophies and metals for tournaments Purchas plaques, trophies, sportsman letters, and bars for banquet Provide Merit Scholarship Program Support summer activities

Expectations of the Takedown Club The Takedown Club and it’s Officer request the following of the Parents: – Attend Takedown Club monthly meetings, – Voice your opinions at the monthly Meeting, – Help set the direction for the Takedown Club, – Actively participate in the direction we set for the Takedown Club, – Support Fundraisers, – Support wrestling activities, – Support our wrestlers. The Takedown Club, Coach, and our Wrestling Team will not succeed if we do not have parents support.

Takedown Club Fundraisers Takedown Club is allowed 4 “Private” fundraisers – Friday Morning Chicken Biscuit 2 locations in Sparkman High Provides approximately $6000 annually for Takedown Club – Shopping Bags $1800 after the first 500 are sold – 2 additional fundraisers remaining for Takedown Club to vote on and plan. Jewelry Sales? Silent Auction? Concessions during Tournaments (Public Fundraiser) – Not considered part of 4 fundraisers. – Funds from this are allocated differently and must be spent differently.

Sparkman Tournament 2 Tournaments will be host at Sparkman High School in December and May. Takedown Club participation is critical to this event. We will need volunteers to support – Concession Stand: Provides funding to Takedown Club – Entry Fee collection: Provides funding for Wrestling Team – Hospitality Suite: Parents provide meals, snack, and drinks for Sparkman Wrestlers and visiting Coaches Staff and Referees – Scoring Table: Parents and older kids help keep official score, time, and referee whacker! – Head Table: Oversight of Tournament schedule, brackets and scoring. – Setup and Cleanup is done by both parents and wrestlers.

Why we need your Help? Takedown Club and wrestling team cannot succeed without you help. The more everyone helps the less burden it is on all of us. The wrestling team has far greater “EXPENSES” than what is provided by your fees. – Mats (bought 3 new Mats in the last 2 years, first ones since Coach Hightower was a wrester!) – Score Boards (Bought our first ones this year) – Coaches staff and their apparel – Merit Scholarships – Assistance for families who can’t afford fees – Other items deemed necessary by Takedown Club – Wrestlers exercise equipment and apparel – Transportation and lodging (long distant Varsity tournaments)

Example of why we need your help. Middle School Car Pool Wrestling Practice is 5 days a week. It begins approximately 30 min after school is released. Middle Schools may not provide transportation from Middle Schools to Sparkman. Parent Volunteers are needed to carpool kids from the middle schools to Sparkman High. Even if it is only one day a week.

Example of why we need your help. Biscuit Sales Every Friday the Takedown Club sells Chicken Biscuits between 7-7:45 am as our primary fundraiser. We have 2 locations in Sparkman High. Each location sells up to 75 biscuits. This equates to $86 profit for each location each week. We want to add a 3 rd location in Sparkman 9. We need additional volunteers to man this 3 rd station. If we sell biscuits at this 3 rd location for the rest of the year it will mean and additional $2100.

Opportunities for Volunteering Event Coordinators – Middle School Carpool Coordinators – Concession Coordinator – Score Table Coordinator – Hospitality Suite Coordinator – …. Volunteer Support – Carpool – Concession Stand – Score Table – Biscuit Sales – ….. There are sign up sheets for Coordinators and support.

Takedown Merit Scholarship Takedown Club wants to provide opportunities for Wrestlers to attend camps in the summer. The Merit Scholarship will provide funds to Wrestlers to attend these camps The amount awarded is determined by how many hours parents volunteer in support of the Takedown Club events For each hour a parent/grandparent/family friend volunteers they earn a point By the end of the year the Takedown Club will vote and determine the amount of funds available for scholarships. Points earned and available funds will determine exact amount. This is the first year of this program, and details are being finalized now.

Parent Information-Fees for Wrestling What are the costs to participate in Sparkman Wrestling? – The participation fees for wrestling are $ for a single wrestler. What is included in the participation fees? – The participation fees include the following that the Wrestler will keep: Sparkman Wrestling Under Armor ¾ Zip Pullover Sparkman Wrestling Game Day Shirt Sparkman Wrestling Game Day Fighting Shorts Wrestling Shoes Sparkman Wrestling Duffle Bag – The participation fees cover additional costs to the Wrestling Program described Why are the participation fees so high? – The fees are some of, if not, the lowest for any organized activity within the School. Activities such as Baseball, Volleyball, Football, and Band can easily exceed $300 to $500 and approach $1500 for a single participant. Sometimes this does not include any team shirts, or pullovers that the participants can keep. Are there discounts for families for multiple Wrestlers? – Yes, there is a $30 discount for each additional Wrestler. The first Wrestler will cost $300, and each additional wrestler will cost $270. When are the participation fees due? – The Takedown Club officers will begin collecting the participation fees after Wrestling practice after the Varsity Football players join the team for Practice. This is approximately the first week in November. What if I cannot afford all the participation fees? – Please come see Coach Hightower, or any of the Takedown Club Officers. Promoting the Sport and the character development of the Wrestlers is of the greatest importance to us.

Parent Information: General Questions What equipment does my wrestler need and where should I get it? – The Takedown Club and Wrestling Team will provide everything needed. – Only items are optional; knee pads, mouth guard, etc.. Is wrestling a “dangerous” sport? – Wrestling is a contact sport and injuries will occur. As would be expected, wrestling has more injuries than tennis and swimming, but most wrestling injuries are minor, consisting of sprains and strains. Wrestling has fewer serious injuries than football, basketball or ice hockey. – Competitors are matched by age (Middle School, Freshman, JV, Varsity) weight and this limits the chances of serious harm. Is a mouth guard required? – If the wrestler wears braces, then yes it is. All others are not required, but are recommended to do so. What is headgear and is it required? – Headgear is designed to protect the wrestler’s ears. If headgear isn’t worn “cauliflower ear”, or other injuries may result. Headgear is not mandatory but strongly recommended in both practice and matches. Headgear is provided, but can be purchased as well.

Parent Information: Tournaments Tournaments are for the most part all day events. Weigh-in begins around 6:00 am or 7:00 am – Don’t eat or drink prior to weigh-in, there is plenty of time after to eat breakfast. Bring something with, or the concession stands will have breakfast. Matches typically start between 8:00-9:00 am Brackets will be posted, and match schedules are projected on the wall – In the early part of the day, the time between each match the wrestler has can be quite long. It could last 1 to 3 hours depending on the number of schools and wrestlers that attend. As the day progresses and wrestlers are eliminated, the time between matches is shorter. Additional information: – Expect to be at the Tournament for several hours, up to a 12 hour day. – Make sure the wrestlers have plenty of drinks, food, or money to take care of them for the day. – Expect at least 2 meals and snacks in between. – Entry fees to the Tournament are normally $10 per person. – Bring plenty of items to entertain the wrestlers, yourself, and any siblings you bring along.

Website Information We are in the process of setting up a new web site. The site is in the process of being setup and will have an additional domain and features. We have all of the forms and information seen tonight loaded on the site. You can also find information in the Parent FAQ section