Support the Families of Our Olympians

It takes years of hard work, determination, and perseverance to become an Olympic wrestler. And with Opening Ceremonies of the 2016 Rio Olympic Games less than a month away, the 14 wrestlers who will represent the United States are putting the final touches on their training and preparation in their quest for Gold.

They are also working on finalizing fundraising efforts to help family and those who have helped them along their journey travel with them on the Road to Rio. Attending the Olympic Games as a spectator is expensive, and because of that, many wrestlers have been working diligently to raise money in unique ways. While the costs for the athletes competing in the Olympics is covered by the United States Olympic Committee, the expenses for family and members of an athletes support network are not, and athletes in just about all sports raise funds to get their support network to Rio.

The advancement of technology has led to the emergence of crowdfunding sites, allowing wrestlers to raise money to help support their trip to the Olympics with support from someone anywhere in the world through online donations.

And even though wrestlers can use crowdfunding resources to raise money, many still take pride and enjoy raising money the old-fashioned way: By making an appearance at a camp or clinic. Selling personal merchandise such as t-shirts, or through hometown support like a spaghetti feed or dinner and silent auction.

Of the 14 U.S. wrestlers who have qualified for the Olympics, 13 have crowdfunding sites, and are raising or have raised money to help assist with the expenses of competing in the Olympics.

Below, we list each wrestler and link to their crowdfunding site. Have a favorite wrestler, or want to support a wrestler and/or wrestler's family on the Road to Rio? Click on the links below and follow the instructions to contribute. Note: Some wrestlers have reached their crowdfunding goal, and are no longer accepting donations, but we are still linking out to those sites for readers to view and learn more:

Women's Freestyle 
Haley Augello 
Weight class: 48 kilograms/105.5 pounds 
Helen Maroulis 
Weight class: 53 kilograms/116.5 pounds
Elena Pirozhkova
Weight class: 63 kilograms/138.5 pounds

Adeline Gray 

Weight class: 75 kilograms/165 pounds

Men's Freestyle
Daniel Dennis 
Weight class: 57 kilograms/125 pounds
Frank Molinaro 
Weight class: 65 kilograms/143 pounds
Jordan Burroughs
Weight class: 74 kilograms/163 pounds
J'den Cox 
Weight class: 86 kilograms/189 pounds
Kyle Snyder 
Weight class: 97 kilograms/213 pounds

Tervel Dlagnev 
Weight class: 125 kilograms/275 pounds

Greco-Roman
Jesse Thielke 
Weight class: 59 kilograms/130 pounds
Andy Bisek (no crowdfunding page available, but merchandise will soon be available)
Weight class: 75 kilograms/165 pounds

Ben Provisor 

Weight class: 85 kilograms/187 pounds

Robby Smith 

Weight class: 130 kilograms/286 pounds