NCHSAA Agrees to Pilot Beach Wrestling as Emerging Spring Sport
For over a decade North Carolina has hosted the USA Beach Nationals in Carolina Beach, drawing wrestlers from across the country as well as international competitors. Lots of North Carolina kids have been showing up too, and now, the increased interest from schools across the state is leading to an exciting development.
Beginning in 2025 in conjunction with NCHSAA realignment, the state has agreed to pilot Beach Wrestling as a spring sport for both men and women. Teams will consist of seven wrestlers for each gender. Weight classes will simply group two of the existing weight classes for men (ex. 106 and 113 would be combined), while the women would combine the existing twelve weights to make six weight classes, plus the addition of a 235+ category.
Schools in Eastern NC have been incorporating beach wrestling into their spring training routines for several years, and now western NC teams are following suit. Manteo high school recently announced the partnership of their volleyball and wrestling teams to add a new sand facility, while many other schools across the state have added sand facilities on campus, or are utilizing local parks or private facilities to offer the new options. CLICK HERE to see a recent post about Manteo’s project.
USA Beach Wrestling Director Ed Duncan said he was thrilled with the decision to add beach wrestling as a school sport. He praised the vision and leadership of commissioner Tucker and other staff who had been instrumental in helping bring about the move.
Duncan also said talks with several other states including Hawaii and California were underway, while several college programs were also considering adding programs. A rumored Regional Training Center at John’s Hopkins was put on hold during COVID, but with the explosion in popularity among elite athletes, the RTC idea could be back on the table soon.
Could beach wrestling be the next “big thing” in sand sports? Stay tuned, and see you at THE BEACH!!!
#itsBEACHwrestling
