U.S. Wrestling Foundation Launches Third National Campaign to Further Increase Participation in Wrestling
SHORT HILLS, N.J. – September 25, 2024 – Today, the U.S. Wrestling Foundation, officially launches the third national #LetsWrestle campaign to help more high school students prepare for lifelong success and to learn how to overcome challenges through the values of wrestling.
This year’s program features posters of celebrities from professional football and baseball, business leaders and other notable people who attribute the lessons learned in wrestling as part of their professional success. Posters of the stars and other recruiting materials are sent to the wrestling coaches at every high school in the country with a wrestling team.
Celebrities include football players, Ronnie Lott, Roddy White, and Jon Kolb; baseball star J.T. Realmuto; NCAA softball record-holder Jocelyn Alo; and business executive Steve Cannon, among others.
The #LetsWrestle campaign supports a wrestling-wide effort to increase participation and has helped achieve historic growth.
For the second year in a row, wrestling had the largest percentage increase of athletes among major high school sports for both boys and girls teams, according to the National Federation of High Schools annual participation report.
Total participants reached an all-time high, breaking the 1976 record, with 356,131 high school wrestlers. Boys participation had the highest growth rate of all the major boys sports (+12.5%) and is now at the highest level since 1978. Girls participation continues to be the fastest growing girls high school sport (+28.5%).
“We are grateful to the stars that supported this effort in last year’s campaign. NFL greats, Sean McDermott, Tristan Wirfs, Adam Vinatieri, actor Patrick Warburton, Judge Frank Caprio, Kentucky Derby winner Pat Day, Olympic silver medalist and 6x World Champion Adeline Gray, and others deserve a special thank you for letting us feature them,” said Jeff Waters, Chairman of the USWF.
“Many successful people have a wrestling background, the testimonies of how wrestling helped shape them are inspiring,” said Lee Roy Smith, Executive Director of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame.
“Every wrestling organization is working on increasing participation. The #LetsWrestle campaign serves as point-of-sale promotion in the schools to bring all the efforts together,” said Mike Moyer, Executive Director of the National Wrestling Coaches Association.
“Wrestling is seeing success everywhere. The time has come when our kids are looking for a challenge, to get fit, and prepare themselves for life; wrestling provides a great answer for that,” said Rich Bender, Executive Director of USA Wrestling.
The posters and recruiting materials can be downloaded at WrestlingChangesLives.com.
About the U.S. Wrestling Foundation:
The U.S. Wrestling Foundation is an independent, non-profit organization dedicated to the growth of wrestling in the United States. The Foundation works with USA Wrestling, the National Wrestling Coaches Association and the National Wrestling Hall of Fame, to coordinate its efforts.
Learn more: USWrestlingFoundation.org
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Media Contact:
Jack Clark
Executive Director, USWF
