Info

Women’s Wrestling – Women’s Wrestling is now sanctioned thru the NCHSAA. Our women’s team is growing by leaps and bounds and we look forward to seeing their progress! As of now, we will operate as one team on many aspects. Women will be practicing with the men and have the same coaching staff. If we make any moves to separate, I will communicate that.

Weight Classes – Men and Women have different weight classes. NCHSAA made some changes to the men’s weights this season:

·        Men – 106, 113, 120, 126, 132, 138, 144, 150, 157, 165, 175, 190, 215, 285lbs.

·        Women – 100, 107, 114, 120, 126, 132, 138, 145, 152, 165, 185, 235lbs

Facebook Group - This year, we are also adding a Facebook group for fun for those of you that are active on social media. A private group has been created for us this season ("2023-2024 Laney Wrestling"). If you wish to be invited to the group, please let Lynette know and she will send you the invitation to the group. 

Hydration testing continues - All wrestlers are required to take a hydration test (urine test) at the start of the regular season. If wrestlers do not pass their hydration test, they CANNOT PRACTICE until they pass. Wrestlers that DO NOT PASS, will not be able to stay in the practice room and will need to go home until the following practice day where they will test again. For those new to wrestling, the hydration test measures the athletes body fluid balance and sets their weight benchmark. If your wrestler loses weight during the season, the hydration test will help monitor that they are losing at a healthy rate. WRESTLERS SHOULD ALWAYS BE HYDRATING!!!!!

Hygiene - As a reminder to everyone, please be aware that it is VERY easy for wrestlers to get ringworm, impetigo, staph infection etc. and we have already seen it several times this pre-season. IT IS VITALLY IMPORTANT THAT THEY WASH THEIR HANDS OR USE WIPES AFTER WRESTLING. Wrestlers should also SHOWER AS SOON AS POSSIBLE AFTER PRACTICE AND/OR COMPETITIONS. Practice mats are cleaned daily and there are wipes in the practice room. For your wrestler’s personal use, there are brands of body wash, antibacterial soaps and wipes available…just google!

Academics and Unexcused Absences -  As a reminder, ALL wrestlers must keep their grades up! If students are not academically eligible, they CANNOT WRESTLE. Additionally, if a wrestler accumulates more than ten (10) unexcused absences, they become ineligible and CANNOT WRESTLE. GO TO CLASS, get your work done, don't fall behind, and keep those grades up, ladies and gentlemen! 

Practice room need - Coach Adams is in need of a rolling storage cabinet. I've attached a picture of what he is looking for (or something similar). If anyone would be interested in purchasing as a donation to the room or if anyone already has one they are not using and would like to donate, please reach out to Coach Adams. 

UPDATED Schedule - our updated schedule is on "Schedule" page with MANY changes (all noted in RED FONT). Folks, unlike most other sports, the wrestling schedule is always changing. If we don't have funds, we will drop events. If Coach identifies an event that he feels we can work in, he will add it. Yes, its busy through the holidays…welcome to wrestling!! As always, I will update and share with the team as soon as I have the information. Just know that it WILL change....

Helpful beginner info:

Individual Tournaments - these are tournaments where teams attend with individual representatives for each weight class (Like Homer Spring Bulldog last weekend and King of Wake this upcoming weekend). Individual tournaments can either have strict weight classes or you may see the term “Madison Weights”. 

• Strict Weights - If the tournament has strict weight classes, it will most likely be double-elimination. Brackets are formed with each competitor for each weight class. Winners move through the championship side of the bracket, while if you have a loss you will move to the consolation side of the bracket (Usually referred to as “consi’s”). Wrestling is an individual sport with a team score atmosphere. Therefore, the individual wrestler collects wins and losses on their personal record, and moves through their individual bracket, but they also earn team points which accumulate with each win. So even wrestlers in the consi’s can earn team points and help boost the team score.

• Madison weights - are where the wrestlers will weigh in and be grouped based on the closest weights of other wrestlers and then usually proceed in a Round Robin. This format is in an effort to garner a quality number of matches for the wrestlers in weight classes that may not otherwise have enough wrestlers. A Round Robin is where the individual wrestles all others wrestlers in the bracket in a series of rounds.

Team Duals - Team duals are a head-to-head competition between 2 teams where each team fields a wrestler at each weight class to compete individually against the opposing team’s wrestler at the same weight class. Each team puts together a lineup of the best wrestlers for each weight class and the winner of each bout (or match) will earn team points. The overall team score is determined by the outcome and total score of all the individual matches. (Team point values are below.) In basic terms, a dual is a wrestling match between 2 teams only, as opposed to an individual tournament where wrestlers can face multiple opponents from different teams per weight class. As an FYI, sometimes we may have multiple duals in one day as opposed to conference matchups. 

*JV – During Conference duals, Coaches from both teams make every effort to arrange JV matches when possible, Sometimes JV matches are held BEFORE Varsity and sometimes AFTER. A conference JV match is not guaranteed for every wrestler. It depends heavily on who the opposing team brings to compete. Again, every effort is made to give the wrestlers live matches whenever possible.

Tri-Meet - A Tri-Meet is essentially a dual with 3 teams. Each team wrestles one another in a dual format and all teams face one another one (1) time. 

Quad Meet – A Quad-Meet would be a dual with 4 teams. Each team wrestles one another in a dual format and all teams face one another one (1) time.

Dual Tournaments or Dual Team Tournaments - these are tournaments where there are brackets set up of teams, not individuals. Teams compete in duals and advance through the bracket when they win. Team tournaments can be either double elimination (meaning you lose 2x) or single elimination. 

TEAM POINTS:

• 3 points = Minor Decision (win by 7 or less) If the time completely expires and you win by less than 8 points. Usually shortened to “decision” or “minor”

• 4 points = Major Decision (win by 8-14) If the match ends and you score more than 8 points over your opponent. Usually shortened to “major”

• 5 points = Technical Fall (win by 15+) At any point in the match, if the wrestler scores more than 15 points over their opponent and the match ends immediately. Also called a “tech”.

• 6 points = Pin Holding your opponent’s back to the mat for 2 seconds. Also called a “Fall” or “getting stuck”

• 6 points = Forfeit 

As always, please feel free to reach out with any questions. I’m happy to help!

Our post-season is swiftly approaching, and I am already getting questions, so I threw some quick information together. This is not meant to be all-inclusive (and hopefully I am not mis-speaking on any of the details)…just some quick notes to hopefully provide some useful information. 

As a reminder, the NCHSAA does not recognize JV wrestling in the state of NC for either men or women’s teams…therefore all post-season events are for Varsity men and women. That being said, post season events could include some JV wrestlers in the way of duals, table workers, etc. but we won’t know until we get there. So, if you are JV…KEEP READING!!!

• Practice - This is the time of year where many JV wrestlers say, “Do I still have to come to practice?”. The short answer is YES. Your competitive tournaments will end with the Veterans Cup but as you will see below, Coach Adams may elect to pull additional wrestlers into the Varsity lineups whenever and wherever needed depending on the event. Your presence in the practice room may also be needed as a quality drill partner and more importantly, to keep you conditioned and allow for more practice time and knowledge of the sport. **ALL wrestlers should continue to maintain their weight and be prepared to step into the lineup if needed.

• Event Assistance - If we are lucky enough to host a post-season event, JV wrestlers may asked to assist with a number of activities in support of their Varsity teammates (table workers, time tappers, set up and break down of the gym, etc).

• Away Event Attendance - Only competing wrestlers are allowed to be released from classes and ride the bus for post season events. That being said, we encourage those not competing to attend if you are able. Many post-season matches are exciting, nail biting experiences and we always love to see lots of Laney Blue and Gold in the crowd if possible. Grab some friends and carpool if you can!! 

• Donations - No, we do not expect JV parents to purchase snacks and drinks for the Varsity teams that are still competing in the post-season. If you wish to contribute, we won’t turn you away but the responsibility falls on the Varsity families first.  :0)

• Spring Sports - If you are JV and transitioning to a spring sport, please communicate this directly to Coach Adams.

On to some post-season event details…As you know by now, wrestling is both a TEAM sport and an INDIVIDUAL sport. Consequently, the post-season consists of both TEAM events as well as INDIVIDUAL. With Dual TEAM events, additional wrestlers may be pulled in the lineups as needed. INDIVIDUAL events only allow for qualifying individual wrestlers to compete.

DUAL TEAM STATES (Women)

• Our Lady Bucs Dual Team tournament will be the 1st post-season event and it is a TEAM event.

• NCHSAA has divided 32 NC women’s teams  (I think) into two (2) divisions…”Big” and “Small” schools.

• Laney is in the “Big School” division.

• Women will compete in a 2-day, seeded and bracketed tournament Friday and Saturday, Jan 17th – 18th

• Women's Dual Team States will be at A.L. Brown High School in Kannapolis, NC (over 3 1/2 hours from Laney by car and will be an overnight tournament).

• Women’s Dual team States is DOUBLE ELIMINATION, with wrestlebacks to 3rd place

• With each win, the teams will advance through the bracket with two teams reaching the Championship finals and the winner will be the 2025 NCHSAA Women’s Dual Team State Champions.

• As always, I will send a separate email with all event details that have been provided to me.

• **Additional wrestlers outside of the 12 starters may be used for this tournament depending on the Coach’s strategy against potential teams. ALL wrestlers should continue to maintain their weight and be prepared to step into the lineup if needed.

INDIVIDUAL MID-EASTERN CONFERENCE (MEC) TOURNAMENT (Men and Women)

• Our next post season event will be the Mid-Eastern Conference (MEC) tournament on Saturday Jan 25th at Ashley High School.

• This is an INDIVIDUAL Varsity tournament (for men and women) in which wrestlers will compete individually for a spot on the podium and a chance to be crowned Mid-Eastern Conference Champion (or placer) for our conference, in each weight class.

• Only 12 women and 14 men will be eligible to compete in their respective MEC tournaments, and Coach Adams will let wrestlers know if they are eligible.

• This tournament ONLY consists of the 8 schools in our conference (Ashley, Hoggard, Laney, New Hanover, North Brunswick, South Brunswick, Topsail, West Brunswick). 

• As always, I will send a separate email with all event details that have been provided to me.

DUAL TEAM STATES (Men)

• Laney's participation is not guaranteed yet but its likely Men's Varsity will participate in the post-season Dual Team States. This is a TEAM event in which the NCHSAA will post brackets for all qualifying teams for each division in NC (1A, 2A, 3A, 4A). …think March Madness basketball brackets ;0)

• Laney is 4A.

• Men’s Dual team States is SINGLE ELIMINATION. Once you lose a dual, you are out of the tournament.

• Once the brackets are released, we will then know the details surrounding the 1st and 2nd rounds to be held on Saturday, Feb 1st. Details will include the host school/location, times, and most importantly, the team matchups.

• Historically there is very little notice given throughout the tournament and we won’t find out who or where we are wrestling until about one day in advance and due to our geographical location here at the beach, we typically have to travel the most (but we will keep our fingers crossed and pray for an opportunity to host!!).

• These duals are not overnights. Regardless of how far we have to travel, we compete and travel home the same day.

• Teams will compete in the 1st rounds and (if applicable) the 2nd rounds on Saturday, Feb 1st.

• Following the 2nd rounds (usually late the next day), NCHSAA will re-release the UPDATED brackets to reflect the teams that will advance to the 3rd round and then Regionals (if applicable) on Wednesday, Feb 5th. Again, details will then be provided which will include the host school/location, times, and the team matchups.

• Teams that advance through the 3rd round and then win dual team regionals, will then advance to the Dual Team State Championship. This is a one-day, one-dual, event on Feb 8th to determine the 2025 NCHSAA Men's Dual Team State Champions.

• Dual Team States will be at the Greensboro Coliseum Fieldhouse in Greensboro, NC

• As always, I will send separate emails with all event details that have been provided to me.

• **Additional wrestlers outside of the 14 starters may be used for this tournament depending on the Coach’s strategy against potential teams. ALL wrestlers should continue to maintain their weight and be prepared to step into the lineup if needed.

 

INDIVIDUAL REGIONALS (Men and Women)

• Regionals will be an overnight (for both men and women) as the tournaments are 2-day events.

• Wrestlers must qualify in order to compete, and Coach Adams will let wrestlers know if they are eligible.

• Only 12 women and 14 men will be eligible to compete in their respective Regional tournaments (1 for each weight class).

• Women will compete at Havelock High School Feb 7-8 and men will be back at Wakefield High School Feb 14-15.

• Each tournament will be an individual, double elimination format.

• Regionals is an INDIVIDUAL Varsity tournament (for men and women) in which wrestlers will compete individually for a spot on the podium and a chance to be crowned 4A East Conference Champion (or placer) in each weight class.

• Any wrestler that places 4th or higher at Individual Regionals will be designated a “STATE QUALIFIER” and will then be eligible to compete in the 3-day, Individual State Championship tournament in Greensboro, NC Feb 20th-22nd.

• As with all individual tournaments, individual wrestlers will also earn team points with each win throughout the tournament and the team with the most team points will be awarded the NCHSAA 4A Regional Team Champion title.

• As always, I will send a separate email with all event details that have been provided to me

 

INDIVIDUAL STATES (Men and Women)

• States will be a an overnight as it is a 3-day event in Greensboro, NC. 

• Only State Qualifiers will compete (wrestlers that placed 4th or higher at Individual Regionals)

• Both men and women will compete at the Greensboro Coliseum, over 3 days, Feb 20-22. Wrestlers will be required to weigh in each morning.

• States is an INDIVIDUAL Varsity tournament (for men and women) in which wrestlers will compete individually for a spot on the podium and a chance to be crowned 4A State Champion (or placer) in each weight class. NCHSAA recognizes 6th place or higher.

• As with all individual tournaments, individual wrestlers will also earn team points with each win throughout the tournament and the team with the most team points will be awarded the NCHSAA 4A State Team Champion title.

• As always, I will send a separate email with all event details that have been provided to me.

LETS GOOOO!!!!! HUGE CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR SEVEN (7) MEN'S TEAM STATE QUALIFIERS!!!! Each of the gentlemen below placed 4th or higher and are now qualified to compete at the Individual State Championships in Greensboro!!!!! OUTSTANDING EFFORT BY ALL!

120

Ayden Arrington (40-5) 4A East Regional Runner Up 🥈 and scored 21 team points.

132

Sam McQueen (46-6) Third place 4A East Region 🥉and scored 18.5 team points.

138

Eli Thomas (43-6) 4A East Regional CHAMPION 🥇 and scored 26 team points.

165

Mac Kopelman (31-0) 4A East Regional CHAMPION 🥇 and scored 24.5 team points.

175

Marquise Kelly (39-11) Third place 4A East Region 🥉and scored 17 team points.

190

Kaeden Smith (28-4) 4A East Regional Runner Up 🥈and scored 17 team points.

215

Darrell McIntyre (37-11) 4A East Regional Runner Up 🥈and scored 19.5 team points.

WEEKLY SCHEDULE -

Mon 2/17

• Practice 3:45-5:15p

Tue 2/18

• Practice  3:45-5:15p

Wed 2/19

• Practice  3:45-5:15p

Thr 2/21

• NCHSAA INDIVIDUAL STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS (DAY 1).  I will send a separate email with event details. 

Fri 2/22

• NCHSAA INDIVIDUAL STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS (DAY 2).  I will send a separate email with event details.    

Sat 2/23

• NCHSAA INDIVIDUAL STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS (DAY 3).  I will send a separate email with event details. 

SNACK AND WATER DONATIONS - LAST CHANCE TO HELP OUT!!! Please take a moment to check out the snack/water sign up. We have several slots still open!! 

Snack/Water Sign up Link:

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/30E084DA4A62AA6FB6-46788928-20242025

4A East Regional Pictures - Thanks once again to Steve Hopper for donating his time and talent to the team. All pictures can be viewed using the link below:

Smugmug Picture Link:

2024-2025 NCHSAA 4A EAST REGIONALS

stevenhopper.smugmug.com

STATE QUALIFIER T-SHIRTS - Each season, it has become a tradition to have State Qualifier t-shirts made. Each of our THIRTEEN QUALIFIERS will receive a shirt for free (6 Women, 7 Men) as well as our 8 Coaches. If anyone else would like to order a shirt, please see the info below and understand that this is VERY RAPID TURNAROUND so we can ensure delivery before we leave on Thursday. This is just the nature of the timeline and out of our control. 

• $25 per shirt

• EMAIL OR TEXT ME WITH THE # NEEDED AND SIZES BY TOMORROW AT MIDNIGHT!!!

• Payment is due immediately. I'm not a loan officer....I will accept cash, check or Venmo. My venmo is: LYNETTE-THOMAS-33

• Shirts will say "Savvy 7" with men's names and weights and "Sassy 6" with women's names and weights.

• Shirts will probably be either black or white (depends on what the printer can offer us quickly"

• I *think* sizes available will be adult XS-adult 3XL. 

• I do not know the material yet but probably 100% cotton or 50/50 blend

END OF SEASON AWARD CEREMONY - Laney Athletic Boosters is organizing an award ceremony for the athletes. This year, the ceremony is being planned during school hours and only the athletes will attend. As I know more information I will share but keep this on your radar.

END OF SEASON PARTY - We also plan to have a separate End of Season Party for all wrestlers and families to attend. Stay tuned for more details...

As always, please feel free to reach out with any questions.

This email is in regards to snack/water donations and meals for the upcoming season.

For those new to our crazy, wonderful sport, when we compete and travel, it’s often an ALL-DAY event (or two). Unlike some other sports, the vast majority of our fundraising $ goes towards travel expenses (bus fees, hotel, entry fees, etc) NOT feeding the athletes meals. Wrestlers are responsible for packing and bringing their OWN FOOD OR BRING MONEY TO PURCHASE FROM CONCESSIONS (if available). We also understand that sometimes our children forget, don't bring enough, or whatever; and therefore, we keep Snack Boxes on hand to help provide to those in need. Every season, we ask families to share the load and sign up a couple of times to donate cases of water and an assortment of HEALTHY snacks for the athletes.

I have created a Sign-Up Genius for everyone to grab a slot and help by donating HEALTHY assorted snacks and/or cases of water. If our schedule changes, I will update the Sign-Up Genius as needed. I will add post-season events later. Sign-up Genius link is below:

Sign-Up Genius Link:

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/30E084DA4A62AA6FB6-46788928-20242025

Some things to note:

1. Wrestlers, again, YOU are responsible for bringing your own food and water to events.

2. Some events last ALL DAY LONG, so you need to be prepared, plan out, and pack all your personal meals/snacks.

3. The snack box is NOT INTENDED TO BE A MEAL BOX FOR WRESTLERS!!!!!  It is meant to supplement what wrestlers have personally brought.

4. Most schools/venues DO provide concessions so make sure you have $$ whenever we travel but, to be quite honest, it's typically not the type of healthy food wrestlers should be eating during competition. Wrestlers are strongly encouraged to bring your own HEALTHY, LOW SUGAR, HIGH PROTEIN, SUSTAINABLE food. (Think protein balls, peanut butter and honey, cold-cut meat and cheese, fruit, etc)

5. Suggested donation ideas for the snack bins would be easy, grab-n-go things like: individual trail mix packs, protein bars, breakfast bars, dill pickle packs, beef jerky, slim jims, beef sticks, granola bars, fruit snacks (ie: Motts, Welches), dried fruits, nuts. Again, the focus should be on HEALTHY, LOW SUGAR, HIGH PROTEIN snacks.

6. PLEASE spread the wealth on sign ups…we shouldn’t have the same families donating over and over again and with a roster as large as ours, it should be easy to keep it fair. The suggested items above are typically a bit more expensive than junk food so let’s work together and share the load. (**Pro-tip, the Thomas family prepares for our sign up date by grabbing a few ‘wrestler’ items every time we do our regular grocery shopping and just stash them in a box until it's our turn to bring them for the team. Not as painful on the bank account that way). 

7. For larger/longer events, the sign up will have multiple slots. The expectation is that you bring a variety of items...please don't just sign up and put a comment that says "slim jims". 

8. If 2 different families sign up for the same event, feel free to split and coordinate who brings what.

9. Snacks are collected and deposited into 2 tubs. We do not collect for JV, ladies, and varsity separately. If JV or our Lady Bucs are wrestling in a separate building or on different days than varsity, one of the snack bins will go with them.

10. Fresh fruit - meh....sounds great in theory however, it should only be donated in small amounts. Quite honestly, if wrestlers don’t eat it, it falls to the bottom of the box, gets squished, and rots. If you bring fruit, and it doesn’t get eaten, YOU need to take it back home with you. If you feel strongly towards fresh fruit, send it in your wrestler's personal stash.

11. If you sign up to bring something and cannot personally attend, you or your wrestler can drop off in the wrestling room beforehand. 

12. New wrestlers, pay attention to what the veteran wrestlers are eating and bringing. They know better than anyone what is easy to travel with, good for them, how to pack, and how much.

13. Sometimes (not always) Coach Adams will stop the bus on the way home and allow wrestlers to purchase their own dinner before coming home. This is often a spur of the moment decision dependent on time so again, make sure your wrestler always has $$ when we travel. Prepare like a Boy or Girl Scout!

Fundraising - Remember that you can also help support Laney athletics AND raise funds for wrestling by volunteering a few hours of your time at concessions for any home athletic events. The link to sign up is below.

• Student athletes CAN AND SHOULD volunteer! Not just parents!!

• Middle school siblings (accompanied by an adult) are welcome to help

• Grab whatever date works best for you. We aren't picky!! If you prefer to work in a/c...grab some other parents and sign up for a volleyball game!!! 

• Please be sure to note "WRESTLING" when you sign up so we get credit!!!

• Our team can earn $10/hr for every person that takes a slot.  Last season, we earned $1600!!!!

• You should receive an email from one of the organizers as you get closer to your volunteer time providing you with details but if you have any questions, feel free to reach out to Boosters, laneyathleticboostersclub@gmail.com.

Click button below to sign up!