USAW COACHING CERTIFICATIONS A REQUIREMENT FOR ARKANSAS YOUTH STATE TOURNAMENT; AND BEYOND
Little Rock, AR – Arkansas USA Wrestling (ARUSAW) and Arkansas Youth Wrestling (ARYW) announce a directive for all Arkansas youth wrestling coaches to be USAW certified by the start of the 2026 wrestling season. Currently, Arkansas USA Wrestling has 51% of the 242 wrestling leaders and coaches with certifications.
USA Wrestling offers several formal courses and levels of coaching certifications. Coaches are REQUIRED to have certain levels of certification to coach at regional and national events. Arkansas Youth Wrestling adopted this requirement for all state level and below USA Wrestling sanctioned events and tournaments.
There are two specific levels that the ARYW will target in the coming years. Copper certification for basic wrestling instruction and management of athletes from U6 to U12 and the Bronze certification which covers U14 and above. The plan of implementation is as follows:
2023-24 Season: All Coaches must have either Copper or Bronze certifications to coach at the Arkansas Youth State Tournament on March 2nd, 2024
2024-25 Season: All Coaches must have either Copper or Bronze certifications to coach at all Arkansas USAW sanctioned events, to include circuit events and the state tournament.
2025-26 Season: All Coaches must have completed the Copper Certification to coach at all Arkansas USAW sanctioned events, to include circuit events and the state tournament.
The purpose of this policy is to align our coaching with the national level, increase the safety in our rooms and in competition, meet the standards of the new *Arkansas “Coach Safely Act” 2023 (ARK Code 6-18-721) and to ensure our coaches have the proper training to lead Arkansas to the next level. This plan is supported by ARYW and ARUSAW ensuring no coach is left behind; scholarships for certification costs are available upon request. Furthermore, when any coach in your club completes the Copper certification, your club will receive one (1) free entry into the 2024 Arkansas State Tournament (limit one per chartered club).
The USAW Copper certification cost is $50, takes approximately four (4) hours to complete, and is good for life. Even the most seasoned coach can learn a few things from the course, even if it is a refresher. If you have questions about certifications or to request a scholarship please reach out to ARUSAW Membership Director Eric Dubowsky, [email protected] or ARUSAW Youth Director Robert Moore, [email protected] or 479.459.3194.
In the Olympic Spirit!
Team Arkansas