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During the early part of the current decade, the top wrestling rivalry in the Wyoming Valley Conference was Wyoming Valley West and Pittston Area. For a three-year period, the two teams were battling for the top spot in the conference, Division 1 and District 2 Class 3A.
Over the last few years, the Spartans and Patriots have been dueling for the right to stay out of the basement in all three categories as both programs have been hit with low numbers.
A move made last week by the National Federation of High Schools Association (NFHS) will now allow high school wrestlers the opportunity to wear a two-piece compression uniform in an effort to help boost the sport’s participation.
“I think it can be really good for the sport, and anything that can be good for the sport I’m all about,” said Pittston Area coach James Woodall, who has been at the helm for seven years and is the only current head coach in the WVC that’s also a past state champion. “I think (low numbers) is a problem. We need to figure out how to get participation up. It’s important to have participation. I think a kid who can be a state champ or wrestle on the Olympic level, I don’t think that’s going to make a difference but as far as the sport goes we need the numbers.”
The effects of the rule change can be immense since the NFHS announced that participation numbers in the sport hvae reduced dramatically. Where the local teams are hurting the most in participation is at the upper weights. The availability to don a shirt instead of a singlet could pay dividends for area teams.
“It’s gonna help the 195-pounders, the 220-pounders and the heavyweight guys,” Valley West coach Ryan Vassello said. “I think that’s where a lot of teams are hurting. Some guys are conscious about they’re belly hanging out or their chest hanging out. I think it will make an impact but not right out of the gate.”
It will take time before athletes start flocking to the mat just because of a uniform change. Eventually, coaches think that more kids will be participating.
“Personally I don’t think it will be an immediate impact because I think it’s going to take a little bit for the kids to see the change,” Vassello said. “But once the kids start to see that we’re all covered up, it will start to pay dividends.”
On the other hand, there are current wrestlers who like wearing singlets. It’s part of the tradition of the sport they enjoy, and for some it could be the main reason they want to wrestle.
For now, the rule only allows the use of the compression two-piece uniform, it’s not mandated. When or if it does become mandatory, there could be push back from the more experienced wrestlers who prefer singlets.
There’s still plenty of ideas to be ironed out with the rule, and that’s a good thing for right now, Woodall said.
“Some kids think it’s pretty cool. Some kids don’t care either way. That’s how I would be. I’ll wear whatever, it doesn’t matter,” he said. “I have kids who have a collection of singlets because they like them.”
The only local team who have worn the compression uniforms this season was Wyoming Seminary on the National Prep level.
Thanks to a little room in the budget, Valley West have already ordered its compression uniforms. The price was about $10 more per outfit than a singlet.
But not every team will be able to make the switch. It’s a costly upgrade for some programs who have more than 20 wrestlers on the team.
That’s why Pittston Area decided to take part in an online contest with compression uniform supplier MyHouse Sports Gear. The Patriots are involved in a Mother’s Day contest with the prize being new pairs of singlets or compression uniforms.
The team submitted a photo of wrestlers and their mothers and have already drawn more than 800 likes for the nationwide contest which ends on Mother’s Day.
“The mothers that are really involved with wrestling opened it up and got together,” Woodall said. “The whole process of doing it was good to get everyone together and it’s worked out great.
To vote for Pittston Area in the contest visit Facebook.com/MyHouseSportsGear and like the photo.
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