In existence since 2008, the Arlington Wrestling Club now has more growth potential after officially becoming a certified nonprofit organization in August.
“We needed to set up the club this way to follow more guidelines and make it [easier] to operate,” said club director John Leinberger, also the head wrestling coach at Wakefield High School. “This gives us opportunities for expansion and fundraising, and wrestlers can practice, work out and improve year-round.”
Leinberger worked for months to get the club’s designation through the IRS.
The club is for wrestlers, male and female, from as young as middle school through high school and college levels.
“Wrestling is growing in popularity for boys and girls. So the Arlington Wrestling Club adds to the plans for more growth and helps bring the sport to the forefront in Arlington,” Leinberger told ARLnow.
Wrestlers from the three main public high schools in Arlington are participants in the club. Grapplers from Bishop O’Connell High School are also welcome, and some have participated. In addition to Wakefield’s Leinberger, the head coaches from Washington-Liberty and Yorktown high schools also are involved with the club.
The club meets Fridays from 5-6:30 p.m. at Wakefield, drawing an average of 40 youth each week. More than 100 different wrestlers have participated this year.
The club also holds large events at different times during the year. There was a recent open tournament for high schoolers on Oct. 11 at Wakefield. All-girls tournaments have also been held.
After the winter’s high-school and middle-school seasons conclude next spring, the organization will host its Warriors Tournament in April.
The club has hosted college coaching clinics from time to time, with more planned. Coaches from Shenandoah University, Penn State Altoona, Randolph-Macon College and the University of Lynchburg have provided guidance, and coaches from other colleges have been approached about participating.
Leinberger said the club also includes opportunities for beginning wrestlers.
“We provide beginner-level training sessions designed to build skills in a supportive environment,” he said. “We are seeing more and more wrestling talent in Arlington, and the club helps build that.”
At present, there are nine high-school wrestlers in Arlington ranked among the best in Virginia. Last season, two of the top female wrestlers in the state were from Arlington schools. Both were Arlington Wrestling Club participants.
Former Wakefield head coach Jeff Humphries started the wrestling club. Leinberger, a former 189-pound region champion for Langley High School and wrestler at Gettysburg College, has worked to expand the program since he took over at Wakefield.
“Through hard work, teamwork and dedication, we help wrestlers reach their full potential on the mat and in life, building a stronger wrestling community in Arlington,” Leinberger said.
