CEDAR RAPIDS — 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 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.
Previous Kids National Freestyle/Greco-Roman Championship Locations:
1997-2000: Waterloo, Iowa
2001: Fresno, Calif.
2002-2003: Enid, Okla.
2004: Menomonie, Wis.
2005-2007: Green Bay, Wis.
2008-2014: Orem, Utah
2015-2016: Wisconsin Dells, Wis.
2017-2018: Atlanta, Ga.
2019, 2021: Wisconsin Dells, Wis.
2022-2023: Farmington, Utah
About USA Wrestling
USA Wrestling is the National Governing Body for the Sport of Wrestling in the United States and, as such, is its representative to the United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee. Simply, USA Wrestling is the central organization that coordinates amateur wrestling programs in the nation and works to create interest and participation in these programs. Learn more at themat.com.
About the Cedar Rapids Tourism Office
The Cedar Rapids Tourism Office, managed by VenuWorks of Cedar Rapids, markets the Cedar Rapids area as a destination for tourism, conventions, meetings, sports events and special events through the active solicitation of tournament directors, convention and meeting planners, and through engagement with leisure travelers. The Tourism Office attracts events to the Cedar Rapids area that will continue to be the economic driver for hotels, restaurants and local businesses. Visit tourismcedarrapids.com for more information.
About VenuWorks of Cedar Rapids
VenuWorks, based out of Ames, Iowa, provides customized management solutions for arenas, stadiums, theatres and convention centers throughout the country with services that include operations, catering, concessions, along with the booking and marketing of sports and entertainment events. VenuWorks of Cedar Rapids proudly manages the Alliant Energy PowerHouse, McGrath Amphitheatre, Paramount Theatre, ImOn Ice and the Cedar Rapids Tourism Office.