Alaska USA Wrestling

To all AUSAW Club Leaders and Coaches,

Congrats to Junior Greco 120 lb. National Champion Elyle Francisco!!  All Technical Falls going 6-0 and not scored on!
Congrats to multiple Kids National Champions: Kanin Kumfer in Freestyle, Mick Dobbs and Makai Garo in Greco and Manny Novelli in BOTH!  As well, congrats to the many placers at Kids Nationals, AK did well!

There is a new Teal Coaching Certification that USAW has just released.  It focuses on Coaching Female athletes.  It is being offered for free this month.  The AUSAW BOD highly advises all AK Coaches to take this certification because the content is excellent and again, it's free this month.  You don't even have to have your WL renewed yet to take it.

For clubs wishing to host a Tournament this coming 2024 season, please read on. Please note the time and location below for the annual Tournament Scheduling Meeting.

All clubs wishing to host a tournament in the upcoming 2024 season must complete the AUSAW Tournament Application 2024 form and return it to AlaskaUSAW@gmail.com.  The form can be found on the website: AUSAW.org on the Tournaments tab.

We are asking for this form to be completed prior to the meeting.  Completing and returning of this form is in addition to the basic requirements to get a tournament date, it does not replace either of them.  Please return the form ASAP but no later than September 29, 2023.

The basic criteria that the clubs must have a current club charter with USAW at the time of the meeting and be present at the meeting still apply.  Clubs must also be in good financial standing with AUSAW in order to claim an upcoming tournament date. 

**Also an important reminder: Club Leaders have to renew their personal Wrestling Leader Membership with USAW before they can renew their Club's charter so don't delay on getting your background check started now since it can take a week or two!

Meeting Date:  Saturday, September 30, 2023

Time:  10:00 AM

Location:  Advanced Diagnostics, Inc. at 2440 Cinnabar Loop - Anchorage 99507

Zoom & call in information will be available. Please email AlaskaUSAW@gmail.com if you would like this information.

Thank you and see you then!

Bob Ottum

State Chairman

Alaska USA Wrestling

**VERY IMPORTANT - new Registration process for all Regular Season Tournaments starting with Kenai River Rumble on March 10-11.  Tournaments will still be run in TrackWrestling, but Registration is no longer completed by your Club in Track pre-registration for you.

ALL Registrations will now be done through the USAW Membership System.  This is the same as was done for the 2022 AUSAW State Tournament.  The only 2 differences from State is that 1) you will not pick your weight class since all Regular Season Tourneys are still Madison Bracketed and 2) Clubs eligible to hold Satellite weigh-ins on Thursdays before each event will still be doing so*.  There will still be on-site registration and weigh-ins available.  The only change is that all payments will now be made to AUSAW for all events.

*Club Directors- you will be emailed separately concerning instructions on Satellite weigh-in procedures.  If you have not received an email on that by tomorrow, March 2nd, please reach out to AlaskaUSAW@gmail.com to ask for the information.

You must have a current USAW Athlete Membership to register and you must be associated to your club to be able to do a Satellite weigh-in there.  See your Club Director for assistance if you do not know how to associate your Club to your Athlete's Membership profile.  You must do this yourself as your Club cannot do this for you, but they can help you.

Check with your Club to make sure your Club will not be doing this new Registration for you.  They probably aren't, but check to make sure before proceeding.

To Register, follow this link: https://www.usawmembership.com/usaw_events_registrations/participant and log into your USAW account.  At the top of page Search for Alaska Events.  Click on Register to the left of the appropriate Event (first being Kenai River Rumble) then follow the instructions to register.  Girls who want to double enter into boys can do so by clicking save and add more wrestlers to go back and also register for boys adding it to your cart.  NOTE: you are not registered until payment is complete and your cart is cleared.
Those who want to Double Enter up a Division still must notify your Club.  It will still be entered manually and you'll need to pay AUSAW on-site for this.  This type of Double Entry can't be completed in the USAW Membership system.

Please email AlaskaUSAW@gmail.com if you have any questions.

Thank you!
Bob Ottum
Alaska USA Wrestling

Matmanusa.com

Matman has offered Alaska Clubs and members the following discounts when purchasing online: 

CODE: 10TEAM23  for purchases over $200 for 10% off

CODE: 20TEAM23  for purchases over $500 for 20% off

AUSAW is requiring that athletes who will also be coaching or officiating obtain a Wrestling Leader Membership as well as the athlete membership.

AUSAW is NOT accepting Event Volunteer for coaching or officiating.

All Coaches, Pairing Officials & Mat Officials MUST have a current Wrestling Leader Membership.

Please direct any questions to AlaskaUSAW@gmail.com

CLUB DIRECTORS:

New requirement for Alaska USA Wrestling 2018 season: All adults who help at their club must complete the Safe Sport training & provide a copy of the certificate to your club leaders as well as carry it with you; either paper, electronic copy or a photo image on your phone will be acceptable. This includes but isn't limited to all coaches, officials, club board members and any other volunteer adults helping their club's board with any club business.  In addition, All coaches are still also required to have "Copper" or “Bronze” certification and provide a current USAW coaches card and Concussion Training certificate to receive a coaches band and to be allowed in the corner at tournaments. This will be required from now on starting with the first tournament on 3/2-3/18. AUSAW BOD will be spot checking coaches, so please abide by these rules.

TOURNAMENT DIRECTORS:

In exchange for a coaches band, coaches will be REQUIRED to produce their Safe Sport certification, a current dated, not expired, ASAA or CDC concussion training certificate and a current USAW coaches card with either Copper, Bronze or higher certification. AUSAW BOD will be spot checking coaches, so please abide by these rules when handing out the wristbands at your tournament.

Free Safe Sport training can be found:

Within their USAW Membership account even if they only have the account for renewing their Child's Athlete Membership, aka, not a Coach or Official.  Renewals for Coaches and Officials now will require Safe Sport just like the back ground check has been required.  Those Coaches who 2 year renewed last year also are required to log into their Membership account and take the Safe Sport test now as well.

Free concussion training can be found:

HEADS UP to Youth Sports: Online Training | HEADS UP | CDC Injury Center