River Falls Wrestling Official Web Site

Welcome To
River Falls Wrestling

In 1974 a handful of individuals including Dave Amdahl, DeWayne Benedict and Pauly Cudd Jr. among others - established the River Falls Wrestling Club with a directive and a common mission to promote the sport of wrestling in the River Falls area. We are a 501 (c) (3) non-profit organization.

You will often see these and others from that era at regional and local events. Their passion and vision still loudly carries through today's program. As a club, we aim to provide wrestling instruction for youths in pre-kindergarten up to and including seniors in high school, to provide financial assistance to the numerous school teams, and to promote the sport of wrestling to the public.

Quality and experienced coaches with background checks and credentials - will provide wrestling instruction with an emphasis on fundamentals that breed physical and mental growth. Each child gets group and individualized instruction depending on their individual skill level. The fund raising efforts of the club allow us to assist our school teams with the venue, equipment, uniforms, mats, tournament supplies, and other critical items that are required for the sport at all levels.

Wrestling is a unique and special sport - here in River Falls and in every corner of the world; it provides both physical and mental development, as well as both team and individual competitions. The River Falls Wrestling Club strives to help give each youth wrestler the skills to achieve success on the mat as well as off mat. Most important is that wrestling is fun. We hope you will join us and mention your experience to a friend, another family or another child. The club operates and adheres to the guidelines of USA Wrestling and is a USA Wrestling sanctioned wrestling club. We have a clear purpose, a clear mission and great volunteer leadership. We are engaged in the River Falls area community and are continually open to new ideas.

We support our youth wrestling, middle school, high school and summer wrestling (freestyle & greco-roman) programs. In addition, we support those that continue to wrestle in college and post-high school endeavors.

Youth Wrestling	High School
Middle School	Freestyle & Greco

Quick Updates

Summer Photos

Volunteer Article

Youth Clinic

Best Match Ever

On This Page

The Wrestler Champion

Letter to Parents

Our Beginnings

Football Connection

Weather & Map

Mission Statement

The River Falls Wrestling Booster Club is a non-profit organization dedicated to fostering, promoting and encouraging the sport of wrestling among parents, youth, alumni and the River Falls area community; to supervise, sponsor and financially assist a disciplined and competitive wrestling program - it is our greatest intention to build character, physical health and well-being, sportsmanship, self-confidence, self-esteem, and positive attitudes about dedication, persistence, community service, and hard work among the younger generation – through wrestling.

Purpose, by-laws, best practices, board information and board minutes

The Wrestler - The Champion

No one is born a champion. Every champion must pay the price, and the price is never small. It is the investment in one's future that builds the inner strength of the champion. This investment of time, sweat, effort, sore muscles, bruised egos, frustration, more sweat, exhaustion and at some times even tears. While others sit idle and enjoy short term pleasures, the champion is hard at work, focused on the future. The sport demands everything you’ve got and often returns little. No dreams of fame and fortune. No glamour. No glory. No celebrity status. No chance of going professional. Yet the investment continues, with faith, trust and respect for the coach’s vision amid the exhilaration and heartbreak of competition. Wrestling has many champions. They are not just the first place winners, for it is not the victory that makes the champion it is the investment. The greater the investment, the greater the champion. ...Wrestling is The Sport of Champions...

The Author: Bill Campbell is a former wrestler, avid wrestling fan and coach, and resides in Wisconsin Rapids, Wisconsin.

A Letter to Parents New to Wrestling

Your child tells you that they want to try wrestling - and you immediately envision your child being lifted into the air by a testosterone-filled adolescent wearing a Superman costume. If the idea of [high school] wrestling brings fear to your mind based upon the images portrayed by the wrestling teams on television, then put your mind at ease. [High school] wrestling is very different from the professional wrestlers on Saturday television.

High school wrestling is an actual sport, where so-called "professional wrestling" is an entertainment show, designed for shock value and high ratings. There are no rings used in high school wrestling, only cushioned mats designed for the purpose of the sport. Where professional wrestling uses crazy antics, costumes, and inappropriate attire that provide no safety benefits, school wrestling is performed in a uniform that is equipped with safety gear such as head protection, kneepads, and regulation shoes. Safety is the primary concern when it comes to the sport of wrestling; entertainment and theatrics are the main point in "professional wrestling".

One of the biggest fears (that parents may experience) is the thought that their child will be hurled across the room during an event. This could not be further from the truth. In fact, when it comes to the sport of wrestling, violent actions are not tolerated. The sport of wrestling involves hard work, determination, and a high degree of physical training and commitment. In addition, a safe sport does not promote violence in any way.

Wrestling is an aggressive sport that requires skill, strategy, and strength. It does not promote violence, or aggressive behavior outside of the wrestling match. Referred to as an “individual” sport, wrestling does not rely on outside equipment, such as balls or bats but relies solely upon the agility, knowledge and strength of the wrestler.

Our Beginnings

Coach Dave Amdahl's first team at River Falls in 1971.

This photo is from the 1971 sectionals held at Ellsworth High School right after River Falls won the title. It was River Falls’ first sectional title and it came at a time in which all the schools were in the same tournament. Badly beaten earlier in the year by several participating teams, River Falls was able to have the tournament series of a lifetime to win the sectional title and place third overall at the state tournament.

Certainly, it was an important time in the lives of those involved but, more importantly, it started an excellent wrestling tradition in River Falls. As coach, Dave Amdahl pointed out many times, “after Paul and Mike won the state championships every little kid in RF wanted to be just like them.”

Going into the sectionals only Randy Barr was favored to advance onward to state. Randy won his weight while Gee lost in the semifinals; but advanced through the wrestle backs. Paul lost in the semi-finals and Mike lost in the finals, but they both wrestled back and each won their remaining matches to qualify for state. Randy Baar said to Gee Pope that he had figured out the team score - and that if they all won all three wrestle backs - River Falls would barely win the tournament. They did just that: everyone won their wrestle backs and all advanced to state where Mike and Paul became state champions.

Front: Assistant coach Tom (Walrus) Wirtz, manager Lynn Moon, and head coach Dave Amdahl.

Back: Randy Baar 112 lb, Gee Pope 145 lb, Paul Cudd, Jr. 185 lb and Mike Jenkins heavyweight.

The Wrestling-Football Connection

You cannot ignore the connection. Wrestling can make you a better football player at every level. The mental and physical skills you develop in wrestling mat will make you better on the football field. There have been numerous articles and correlations; all showing this positive relationship between the two.

Get on the internet and search “football wrestling connection” and you will see an ever-growing list of wrestlers who became successful college players, NFL players, NFL pro bowl selections, and NFL hall of fame inductees. The NFL may or may not be on your radar screen; however, if you plan to compete on the high school football team - alongside 6-10 other individuals vying for the same position on the starting roster, you may want to reconsider what you do during the summer and winter seasons.

Consider the connection. Consider the opportunity that is right here in your back yard in River Falls. Some of our best wrestlers started their wrestling career in middle school and even late into high school; so the best time to start is always now.

In 2010, River Falls Head Football Coach Jason Wolf was asked about the football wrestling connection. He said "Many of my toughest football players through the years have been wrestlers. The personal level of competition that wrestling promotes as well as the physical attributes such as balance and strength are vital in the sport of football. I will always work to promote the wrestling program as well as all other sports to the football players."

What does this Mean?

A few years ago, Bill Burlingame, an assistant football and wrestling coach from East Liverpool (Ohio) High School, listed "Ten Good Reasons for Football Players to Wrestle." They are as follows:

1. Agility--The ability of one to change the position of his body efficiently and easily.
2. Quickness--The ability to make a series of movements in a very short period of time.
3. Balance--The maintenance of body equilibrium through muscular control.
4. Flexibility--The ability to make a wide range of muscular movements.
5. Coordination--The ability to put together a combination of movements in a flowing rhythm.
6. Endurance--The development of muscular and cardiovascular-respiratory stamina.
7. Muscular Power (explosiveness)--The ability to use strength and speed simultaneously.
8. Aggressiveness--The willingness to keep on trying or pushing your adversary at all times.
9. Discipline--The desire to make the sacrifices necessary to become a better athlete and person.
10. A Winning Attitude--The inner knowledge that you will do your best - win or lose.