USA Wrestling’s Kids Freestyle and Greco-Roman Nationals set for Cedar Rapids, Iowa, June 28-30
by Gary Abbott, USA Wrestling
USA Wrestling, the national governing body for wrestling in the United States, has announced that its 2024 Kids Freestyle and Greco-Roman National Championships will be held at the ImOn Ice Arena in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, June 28-30, 2024. The event will also return in 2025 and 2026.
The USA Wrestling Kids Freestyle and Greco-Roman National Championships features the nation’s top boys in the 8U, 10U, 12U and 14U age-groups, competing in the Olympic styles. It is the final leg of the prestigious USA Wrestling Triple Crown in all four age-levels.
The local organizers are the Cedar Rapids Tourism Office and Iowa USA Wrestling.
“USA Wrestling is excited to bring one of its top youth national wrestling championships to Cedar Rapids in 2024. Cedar Rapids has proven that it can successfully host major wrestling competitions, with strong community involvement and support. We are confident that the young athletes and their families will have a very positive experience in Cedar Rapids while competing at the Kids Freestyle and Greco-Roman Nationals,” said Pete Isais, USA Wrestling National Events Director.
“The Cedar Rapids Tourism Office is excited to hear the USA Wrestling Kids Nationals will be coming to Cedar Rapids in 2024! We look forward to supporting USA Wrestling and Iowa USA Wrestling in hosting a great event that will have a large impact on our community,” said Jay Fanta, Cedar Rapids Director of Sports Tourism.
The ImOn Ice Arena is a multi-purpose sports and recreation venue, which has been serving Cedar Rapids as a community center for over 20 years. It serves as home for the Cedar Rapids RoughRiders, a Tier 1 junior ice hockey team playing in the East Division of the United States Hockey League (USHL). The arena was renovated in 2021, and installed a new video board in 2022.
Cedar Rapids has a track record of hosting major national sports competitions. It served as host for the 2022 NCAA Div. III Wrestling Championships and the 2023 NCAA Div. II Wrestling Championships. The city also hosted the 2023 National Collegiate Women’s Wrestling Championships, the national tournament for NCAA women’s wrestling programs, and will host the event again in 2024.
Cedar Rapids becomes the 11th city to host this competition, which has been held in Iowa, California, Oklahoma, Wisconsin, Utah and Georgia since it was created in 1997. Cedar Rapids becomes the second city in Iowa to serve as event host, as the competition was held in Waterloo, Iowa for four years in 1997-2000.
The competition schedule, entry fees, spectator ticket prices and other event information will be announced at a later date.
KIDS NATIONAL FREESTYLE/GRECO-ROMAN CHAMPIONSHIPS
1997 – Waterloo, Iowa
1998 – Waterloo, Iowa
1999 – Waterloo, Iowa
2000 - Waterloo, Iowa
2001 – Fresno, Calif.
2002 – Enid, Okla.
2003 – Enid, Okla.
2004 – Menomonie, Wis.
2005 – Green Bay, Wis.
2006 – Green Bay, Wis.
2007 – Green Bay, Wis.
2008 – Orem, Utah
2009 – Orem, Utah
2010 – Orem, Utah
2011 – Orem, Utah
2012 – Orem, Utah
2013 – Orem, Utah
2014 – Orem, Utah
2015 – Wisconsin Dells, Wis.
2016 – Wisconsin Dells, Wis.
2017 – Atlanta, Ga.
2018 – Atlanta, Ga.
2019 – Wisconsin Dells, Wis.
2021 – Wisconsin Dells, Wis.
2022 – Farmington, Utah
2023 – Farmington, Utah