The meets, and especially the tournaments, can be long and tiring, so the first and most important thing for s spectator is to be comfortable. Wear casual clothes, take a cushion, comfortable shoes, things to snack on, and perhaps something to occupy you time between rounds at tournaments; a newspaper, good book, knitting, crossword puzzles, etc. Wrestling meets are a little easier to handle because the time element is much shorter. Casual clothes and a cushion should get your through.
Wrestling meets usually last from one to four hours depending on how the meet is set up. Some schools run the Junior Varsity before the Varsity meets, some prefer to run them simultaneously.
Tournaments are a completely different story. They may run from several hours to a couple of days depending on the number of schools involved and the setup of the tournament. Being comfortable is primary to having a good time. Casual clothes and shoes and a good cushion are a must. This is probably the best time to get to know the other parents and their families. Many friendships can be built at these tournaments and a sense of team unity begins to grow.
The Varsity team will compete in two 2-day tournaments (Lyman Tournament in December and the Tournament of Champions at Lake Mary in January) and two 1-day tournaments this year (Seminole Athletic Conference Tournament and the District Tournament). The two Junior Varsity tournaments will be 1-day tournaments.
Cost of the meets average around $5.oo per adult, less for students and small children. Tournament prices vary from $4.00 per session to about $6.00 per session at the State Tournament. Participating wrestlers always get in free. Tournament shirts are sold at the most tournaments. Prices vary from about $8.00 to $15.00 depending on the type, size and style of shirts available.
For tournaments, wrestlers need to take casual clothes, snacks, something to occupy their time and, if they want, money to buy tournament shirts plus some spending money in the case of 2-day tournaments. Snacks can consist of a wide variety of foods, from sandwiches to dry cereals, raisins, yogurt and pasta. Drinks can range from bottled water, fruit juices to soda. Most coaches request the the wrestlers bring healthy foods instead of junk foods to eat. Some parents like to bring things for the wrestlers and other parents to snack on at early morning tournaments such as muffins, cookies, etc. - not always to the delight of the coaches.
Parents are encouraged to participate in these types of activities as it increases our crowds at tournaments and the coaches are always seeking the support of parents at their son's meets and tournaments. Parents of non-Varsity wrestlers are also welcome and encouraged to go.