Welcome to the 2023 freestyle season! This spring and summer we have several opportunities for you/your wrestler to be part of Team Wisconsin and to compete on the national stage. The outline below includes information about women’s freestyle camps, National Team opportunities and events your wrestler needs to compete at to qualify for specific teams.

CAMPS
The WWF hosts training team camps for 14U, 16U and Junior age group wrestlers. These camps are open to all female wrestlers in Wisconsin with a USA Wrestling card.

• Training Team Camp #1 (14U, 16U & Juniors): Sunday, April 23rd, at Team Nazar’s club location in Madison. Select here to register. The cost is $25 per athlete.
• Training Team Camp #2 (14U, 16U & Juniors): Sunday, May 7th, at the Talon Training Center in Mauston WI. Select here to register. The cost is $25 per athlete.
• Wisconsin x Iowa Camp (16U & Juniors): NEW THIS YEAR! We have a camp with Team Iowa, March 18th-19th at Simpson College in Indianola, Iowa, for experienced 16U and Junior athletes. This will be a great opportunity to get high-level training in before upcoming events like Women’s Nationals/World Team Trials, the US Open and then freestyle state in May. The camp will be a good mix of hard wrestling and technical development. You can see the details and register here. Last week there were already 20+ Iowa girls and some from Missouri registered. Let’s get better and make sure Wisconsin is well represented!

WI NATIONAL TEAM OPPORTUNITIES
National Duals and the Junior and 16U National Championships (aka Fargo) are the two events that Wisconsin brings a unified team of athletes to go head-to-head with the best from around the nation. This is “Team Wisconsin”.

National Duals: are age-level USA Wrestling events featuring some of the best women’s freestyle wrestlers on teams nationwide. The Junior and 14U WFS teams will travel together and compete in Tulsa, Oklahoma, June 12th-16th.

• Junior Team Selection Process: The WFS Junior National Dual Team (16U and Juniors are combined) is selected based on placements at these 2023 events, in the following order: 1) Womens Nationals, 2) the WWF Freestyle State tournament and 3) Northern Plains. Head Coach Bryan Koontz makes the final roster determinations. The final team selection will be announced after Northern Plains. The cost per athlete is $425, which includes the dual team camp (June 11th), registration, transportation, and lodging.
• 14U Team Selection Process: The 14U National Dual Team is selected based on placements at these 2023 events, in the following order: 1) Womens Nationals, 2) WWF Freestyle State, 3) Northern Plains and 4) WWF Girls Folkstyle State. Coach Koontz will also consider the 2022 results from Women's Nationals, Northern Plains, and WWF Freestyle State. Coach Koontz has the final determination of rosters. The final team selection will be announced after Northern Plains. The cost per athlete is $425, which includes the dual team camp (June 11th), registration, transportation, and lodging.
• All National Dual team athletes are required to attend the dual team camp Sunday, June 11th at X-Factor Elite in De Pere.

Fargo: The Junior and 16U National Championships, aka Fargo, is a high-caliber USA Wrestling national event where the top freestyle wrestlers are tested against the rest of the nation individually and as respective state teams. As the Wisconsin affiliate to USA Wrestling, the WWF brings a unified team of athletes to compete each season. All wrestlers must qualify to compete, join through Team Wisconsin and attend pre-competition camps in River Falls. Check out this flyer for complete details.

• Fargo Cost & Registration: $375, plus $135 per age group wrestled at Fargo. Athlete fees will cover hotel, transportation and registration. Registration will open in late May.
• Fargo Camp & Competition Dates: July 12-13: 16U and Junior WFS Fargo camps in River Falls. July 14: 16U and Junior WFS travel to Fargo and weigh in. July 15-16: 16U and Junior WFS compete at Fargo.

UNDERSTANDING KEY EVENTS
While the WWF brings a team to National Duals and Fargo, there are other important events that athletes should consider attending to compete, gain experience, or qualify for various teams.

Youth wrestlers wrap up the folkstyle season with Kids Folkstyle State in Madison, March 24th-25th. Wrestlers qualify by placing in the top three at one of the eight regional qualifiers on March 18th.

Experienced athletes should consider competing at Womens Nationals, April 14th-15th, in Spokane, Washington. Womens Nationals is equivalent to the boys divisions hosted under the umbrella of the US Open events in Vegas, and serves as part of the Pan American and World team selection process for Team USA. Age groups with Pan Am and/or World Team implications: U15 Pan Am Team, U17 Pan Am or World Team, U20 Pan Am or World Team and the U23 World Team. View all of Team USA’s selection criteria here. The top three athletes in the U17, U20 and U23 divisions earn a place on USA Wrestling’s National Team. The top U15 athlete and top three U17, U20 and U23 athletes will receive an invite to train at various USA Wrestling developmental camps.

WFS competition at the US Open for Senior WFS and the High School Recruiting Showcase will be April 28th and 29th in Vegas. High school athletes must qualify to compete in the showcase, and the Senior WFS Open kicks off the start of the senior World team selection process for 2023.

WWF Freestyle State, May 6th in Wisconsin Dells, is an auto-qualifier event for Fargo, and a great place to test out your talent against the best in Wisconsin. Freestyle state is the third qualifying criteria Coach Koontz looks at to plan the National Dual teams behind Womens Nationals and Northern Plains.

Northern Plains, May 12th-14th, is an auto-qualifier event for Fargo, and serves as the second qualifying criteria as part of the selection team process for Wisconsin’s national dual team.

Again, this is a brief introduction to the entire women’s freestyle wrestling season. Visit USA Wrestling’s events page for a complete look at their calendar and opportunities.

Register: Iowa x Wisconsin camp
Register: Training Team Camps & Interest Form
More Info: WWF WFS page

KEY DATES

• March 18th: Kids Folkstyle State Qualifiers, Various Locations

• March 24th-25th: Kids Folkstyle State, Madison WI

• March 18th-19th: Wisconsin x Iowa Freestyle Camp at Simpson College (16U and Junior athletes only)

• April 14th-16th: Womens Nationals/World Team Trials, Spokane WA

• April 23rd: WWF Training Team Camp #1, Nazar's in Madison

• April 28th-29th: US Open and Girls HS Showcase, Las Vegas NV

• April 29th: WWF Beginner Freestyle State Tournament, Fon du Lac WI

• May 5th-7th: WWF Freestyle State, Wisconsin Dells WI

• May 7th: WWF Training Team Camp #2, Mauston Talon Training Center

• May 12th-14th: Northern Plains Regional Championships, Wisconsin Dells WI

• May 20th-21st: Senior World Team Trials Challenge, Colorado Springs CO

• June 11th: National Dual Team Camp, The Beast Cage in Wisconsin Rapids

• June 12th-16th: Junior National Duals (combines 16U & Juniors), Tulsa OK

• June 12th-16th: 14U National Duals, Tulsa OK

• July 12th-13th: Pre-Fargo Camps, River Falls Wisconsin

• July 15th-16th: 16U and Junior National Championships, Fargo ND

Please visit the WFS page online for complete season details. Email us at wiwrestlingfed@gmail.com with questions. Let’s have another strong season!