Aloha Punahou Intermediate Wrestling Wrestlers and Families

This is the first of hopefully many emails to keep you updated on schedules and important information pertaining to the Punahou Intermediate Wrestling Program.   My name is Jan Remillard and I will be filling in as one of several team parents this year.  Others who will be helping when they can are Brenda Hernandez and Troy Egami with ample guidance from Faye Murakawa.

Brenda’s daughter is Zoe, and Troy’s son is Tyler.  Faye’s sons wrestle in the upperclass program, but she and her husband Matt are integral parts of Punahou Wrestling from top to bottom.

Please take note of the following:

THANKSGIVING BREAK PRACTICE
There will be one team practice during the Thanksgiving Break.  It will be on Wednesday, November 26, 2008 from 3:30 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. Please mark your calendars.  The locker room will be open (because the Academy will be in session).

CHRISTMAS BREAK PRACTICE
There will be practices during the Christmas Break, however, the schedule has yet to be determined.  Please keep an eye out for updates.

PARENT’S NIGHT
Saturday, December 6,2008, Mamiya Science Center 3:00-6:00 PM,
Coach Kena sent your wrestler home with a flyer.  I attached a copy to the email.

ILH SEASON TOURNAMENTS
The ILH Intermediate Wrestling Season Schedule has yet to be finalized.  As soon as we know, you will be updated.

WRESTLING EQUIPMENT
All wrestlers competing in ILH events must wear appropriate footwear and headgear.  Wrestling shoes and headgear are available at Sports Authority locally (there were some coupons in this past Sunday’s Sports Authority insert that will get you $10 of purchases of $50, and $25 off purchases of $100 – wrestling gear is covered by the coupons).  If you wish to buy locally, we recommend that you shop immediately since wrestling season is underway and stocks may be limited.

Gear is also widely available on the internet.  My family has had a good experience with the following website: www.suplay.com

Apparently, the Athletic Training Room will issue wrestlers knee pads on request.  However, if your wrestler would like their own knee pads, they are also available in limited quantities at Sports Authority.  They are also available on the internet.

We recommend that each wrestler be fully equipped as soon as possible.

TOURNAMENT AND COMPETITION WRESTLING ATTIRE
For official ILH events, Punahou will provide each wrestler with a uniform – a wrestling singlet (however, warm up clothes – e.g. T shirt, shorts, sweat shirt, sweat pants etc. –  is the responsibility of the wrestler and his family).  Each Punahou uniform is checked out and back in by Punahou locker room personnel.  Because of the nature of wrestling tournaments, it is possible that you and your wrestler may leave early or separately from the tournament site.  The uniform must be returned to the locker room cage as soon as possible after a competition to avoid a substantial charge on your wrestler’s Punahou account.

For community organization sponsored tournaments (e.g. PAL Tournaments), singlets will be provided by the Punahou PUMA wrestling club – maintained by Coach Mike Lee.  Generally, PUMA singlets will be distributed either at the tournaments during check in, or the day before.  Your child will be responsible for care and return of the singlet at the tournament, and/or, at the request of the Coaches, laundering and return at the next practice.  Unreturned singlets are also subject to a charge.  Wrestlers are also responsible for their own warm up clothing at community organization sponsored tournament.

PRACTICE ATTIRE
Punahou has made practice attire available for all members of the team to use.  As long as a wrestler is on the team roster, they are eligible to have practice uniforms issued to them.  They should report to the locker room cage to obtain practice shorts and T Shirt.

Wrestlers also may use their own clothing for practice.  Athletic shorts or workout long pants without belt loops, pockets or buttons are requested for bottoms.  T shirts or other “dry fit” athletic gear is recommended for tops.

Coach Kena has specifically asked that wrestlers be reminded NOT TO WEAR BOXER UNDERWEAR FOR PRACTICE OR COMPETITION.

LAUNDERING OF PRACTICE ATTIRE
The issue of clothes laundering is of extreme importance.  Due to the full body contact nature of wrestling, and the high risk and concern over transmitting skin infections/conditions, regular (daily) laundering of practice attire is requested.

The Punahou locker room will provide laundry service for all team members’ practice attire (personal or school issued).  The locker room uses a “laundry bag” system which keeps an athlete’s laundry separated and identifiable.  Laundry bags are issued by the locker room cage and each member of the team is eligible to be issued one for use.  If your wrestler is unfamiliar with the system, please have them consult with a veteran of the team for guidance.

PERSONAL HYGIENE
Please speak with your child about the importance of personal hygiene in general, but also as it critically pertains to wrestling.  Again, due to the full body contact nature of the sport, skin to skin contact is inevitable.  Extensive precautions are taken by the school and program, such as daily cleaning of mats, and immediate intervention skin conditions emerge on a wrestler’s body.

Please instruct your wrestler to regularly inspect the exposed areas of their skin for emergent conditions.  If a concern arises, your child should report to the Athletic training room for diagnosis and, if indicated, treatment of the condition.  While the emergence of a skin condition may limit a wrestler’s ability to participate for a relatively short period of time, we want to avoid contagious conditions being transmitted to other wrestlers, thereby limiting other’s ability to compete.

WEIGHT MANAGEMENT
One common perception of “TRUE” competitive wrestling (the kind in high school and college) is that weight reduction is necessary.  While that may become an issue eventually, Coach Kena Heffernan policy on weight at the Intermediate Wrestling level is as follows:

Eat well, and try to eat clean while in season.   Keep the junk foods to a minimum.
I am much less concerned with “weight management” at the intermediate level.  In fact it really isn’t a concern.  However, the kids do need to be making good choices about what goes in their bodies. – Kena Heffernan

If weight management does become an issue as the season progresses further information will be provided.

FAMILY PARTICIPATION – HOW YOU CAN HELP
As the season progresses, you will hopefully receive numerous updates, informative flyers and emails relating to your wrestlers burgeoning career.  Much of the information will include technical or policy related information from the coaches or school.  You should also occasionally monitor www.punahouwrestling.org, which is an exciting and information filled website dedicated to all levels of Punahou Wrestling.

We also anticipate organizing group feeding arrangements for tournaments.  There seems to be an informal science about what wrestlers should consume while a tournament is ongoing.  So, we will be contacting all families about participating in possible “pot luck” type donations of sandwiches, sports drinks, water, energy/granola bars, etc.  When we do get our act together, your participation would be greatly appreciated.

We also anticipate that Punahou Wrestling logo wear items will be available in the near future.  Be on the lookout for announcements.  Your purchase of these items helps support the activities of Punahou Wrestling at all levels.