Wrestling is a very old sport dating back 5,000 years that is very primitive.  This has also been an Olympic sport since 1896.  It is important to note that programs like WWE do not resemble what actual wrestling looks like.  Wrestling is broken down into several different weight classes so that almost all children are capable of participating.  Wrestling has several benefits that can be enjoyed, including the fact that it is a sport that boys and girls can both participate in. 

Boys are much more likely to wrestle than girls though.  There are several benefits to wrestling that can be enjoyed, such as building stamina, endurance, and determination.  Self-reliance is also another benefit.  Wrestling also allows the participant to build complete body strength, and strengthen all muscle groups.  Tenacity, balance, agility, flexibility, and coordination are also improved. 

Children who excel at wrestling are mentally tough, and are dedicated with a highly competitive spirit.  More important that strength are stamina, speed, technique, strategy, intensity, power and coordination.  Being strong and competitive also helps increase the ability to master wrestling.  Size does not matter, wrestlers are typically paired within a year or so in age, and within 5 pounds or so in weight, so your child will be paired against someone close to their size. 

Children can start wrestling as young as 5 years of ago, but many do not start actually wrestling until middle school.  If your child is very young, you should look for a program that stresses fun more than competition so that they can enjoy it and learn the basics before becoming highly competitive.  When you are looking for a perfect wrestling program there are a few things to keep in mind, for example you should look for a program that teaches that every move has a countermove, so there is always a way out. 

You also want to look for a program that has numerous scrimmages instead of competitions.  Wrestling matches can last 4-5 hours easily with each wrestler competing in 2-4 matches during the entire time.  Wrestling is relatively safe considering the type of sport it is as long as appropriate safety equipment is used.  When injuries do occur, they are typically minor and just range from sprains and strains, with a few bruises and minor cuts. 

If any illegal moves are performed during the match, the opponent is caught and immediately penalized to make things fairer.  If your child is into the competition end of things, you want to carefully monitor their weight and watch how their coach handles the weight issues.  Some coaches tend to stress heavily weight loss for wrestlers so that they can lower the weight class for wrestlers. 

The costs associated with wrestling are relatively small as well, with the major expense being the clothing that is needed.  A wrestling uniform, which typically costs between $35-$50, headgear which is about $20, and wrestling shoes that are approximately $50-$75.  The next biggest expense are the tournament entrance fees which can run between $10-$20 per match, and the cost of traveling to those matches.  Overall wrestling is a very inexpensive sport that does not harm the financial budget too badly.