Schedule & Details
Practices
Practice Times:
- Practices are at Tahoma Elementary on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday.
The first practice will be on Monday, September 28th, 2026.
Any changes or updates to the schedule will be sent via Team.
5:30 p.m. – 6:30 p.m. 1st & 2nd year wrestlers
5:30 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. Wrestlers with 3+ years of experience
Season
Our normal season consists of four round robins, one dual meet and one JV/exhibition tournament. Dual meets run from around 8am – 4pm. Round Robin tournaments are usually over by 3pm and do not include a medal or require an additional cost. There are optional tournaments throughout the year, which are highly encouraged because of the rapid experience they provide. The cost of these tournaments is $15 to $20 and typically includes 2 – 3 matches and a medal. Plan on them lasting from about 8am to 3pm. At the completion of the regular season there will be three post-season tournaments for those who qualify, Sub-Division, Division, and the League Championship. There is also a Rising Star tournament for wrestlers that do not qualify for the Sub-Division tournament.
Schedule
December 6th Varsity Duals: hosted by Bethel (For varsity team only. Seeded based on dual meet results)
December 20th Holiday Tournament: Hosted by Bethel (There will be a bracket for ‘experienced athletes’ and a round robin for ‘novice athletes’) December 20th Rising Star: Hosted by Kent (For all exhibition wrestlers/not competing at sub-division)
February 22nd (TBD) Washington State Folkstyle Championship: Hosted at Tacoma Dome (open for all wrestlers who register and have USA wrestling FULL ATHLETE memberships) *USA wrestling cards can be upgraded to full memberships
Round Robins are events set-up where wrestlers are grouped together by age and skill level as determined by the coaching staff. Wrestlers will weigh-in and be put into a group of four, wrestling three times throughout the day.
Specific information for the location, parking, and logistics for each tournament will be provided by the hosting club and posted to TeamSnap and an email will be sent out prior to the event.
There are several tournaments throughout the year that will be set-up as a round-robin grouping, or a double-elimination bracket style.
Not all wrestlers will attend each tournament, as some are specific for either Varsity / Junior Varsity wrestlers or novice / exhibition wrestlers. The challenge process and coaching staff will be able to provide information on which tournaments are recommended.
Weights
Our league and program is based on age and weight. The kids are separated by age and then grouped into weight classes as follows:
8 & Under
- Open
- 42
- 46
- 51
- 56
- 61
- 67
- 73
- 80
- 87
- 95
- 104
- 117
9 & Over
- Open
- 57
- 62
- 67
- 73
- 79
- 86
- 93
- 101
- 110
- 119
- 129
- 140
- 152
- 179
Female
- 40
- 45
- 51
- 57
- 63
- 70
- 77
- 86
- 100
- 115
- 135
- 155
- 179
The age group your child will be placed in is determined by how old the child is on December 31st. For example, a child that turns 9 prior to January 1st will wrestle in the 9 and over age division.
CHALLENGES, VARSITY & J/V
Frequently Asked Questions
Challenges are inter-squad matches setup to determine the rankings of individuals will be ranked as the Varsity, JV, and Exhibition wrestlers for the dual meet and post season “league” tournament series (Sub-division, Division, & League Tournaments).
The assessment of the wrestlers by coaches are done during the first 3-4 weeks of practice and round robin participation. Assessments will be used to determine a wrestler’s ranking in a particular weight class (where there is no prior documentation).
The first 2-3 challenge nights are going to be completely open to all challengers. The last two challenge nights are at the discretion of the Challenge Coordinator, President, and Head Coach. Challenge matches will occur at practice in a separate area and will typically take between 2-4 days to complete for the entire roster. Families will be notified of the challenge days ahead of time and the wrestlers, if interested in competing for a Varsity/JV spot, will need to be present and prepared. It is possible to wrestle more than one challenge match in one day.
Prior to each challenge week the coaches and the challenge coordinator will prepare a list of challengers for each weight class. This will be done initially using last years results and then updated based on the coaches’ assessment of each wrestlers ability. All wrestlers may challenge during the first three challenge weeks. If your wrestler wants to challenge contact the Challenge Coordinator prior to Monday night to ensure he/she is placed on the challenge list. An experienced wrestler with a realistic chance of winning and competing in the sub-district may challenge at multiple weights with the approval of the coaches. This will only be allowed during the first two or three challenge nights.
The Pierce County Jr. Wrestling League requires each wrestler to have 4 (four) weigh-ins in order to qualify for the Sub-division Tournament. These ‘weigh-ins‘ must be attained at three of the five round robin / dual meets the league has this season. At the dual meets, a weigh-in only counts if the wrestler is in the Varsity or JV positions (Exhibition does not count). Every wrestler gets a qualifying weigh-in at the Round Robins. Parents, it is STRONGLY advised that your child gets as many qualifying weigh-ins at these designated meets.
Other Considerations . . .
Pierce County Jr. Wrestling League rules require a wrestler to have wrestled three qualified matches in the weight class (or one below) that they are registered to wrestle in at the post-season league tournament. Qualified matches are limited to PCJWL Dual meets or Round Robin tournaments only. If a wrestler cannot achieve the required number of qualified matches by season end they will not be allowed to challenge for a JV or Varsity position if that match eliminates the incumbent wrestler from meeting post season requirements.
Wrestlers who qualify and accept a position on the Varsity/JV roster will be required to attend and meet the weight requirements for their respective weight class prior to wrestling at the Varsity Dual Meet, or JV Tournament.
In addition, the wrestler will be required to attend and meet the weight requirements for the Sub-Division Tournament (post-season) and follow-on post season tournaments should they qualify. All post-season tournaments will be held the last 3 weeks in January. The complete season schedule is available on the website, emailed to registered families and is posted on the PCJWL website. If the wrestler will not be able to compete at any of these events, the Challenge coordinator, and/or Head Coach needs to be notified as soon as possible in efforts to fill the position with the next qualified wrestler.
Referees/Coaches must fairly and patiently officiate matches and communicate with the wrestlers. If for any reason you feel you cannot officiate a challenge match, let the Challenge Coordinator know and he/she will assign the match to another Referee/Coach (The only reason Challenge Coordinator needs to hear is "I am uncomfortable officiating this match").
Prior to each match, introduce yourself, the wrestles to each other, tell them this a challenge match at i.e. ‘54 pounds 8 & Under’, ensure the timer knows how long the rounds need to be, the scorer knows who is who and boundaries of the match.
At end of each round, go to the scorer and confirm the score, ensure each wrestler knows the score, round and the situation. There should be a clear break between rounds. The Challenge can get confusing for the wrestlers especially if they go out of bounds a lot.
At the end of the match, let the wrestlers know the score and send them to the Challenge Coordinator for further instructions.
What if my child does not make a Varsity or JV position?
Parents…whether your child secures a Varsity or JV position is NOT important. Your child will get plenty of wrestling this season with all the tournaments and dual meets available. The important issue is that each wrestler will gain valuable experience in the sport of wrestling AND will be having fun while they’re doing it.