Someone asked about my wrestling training background and that caused me to review my experiences with SCHOOLS & CLUBS. What have YOU experienced?
1. Jun Fan School in Pennsylvania - GREAT EXPERIENCE! It was welcoming in all aspects. The coach/master was excellent as a teacher.
2. A WASH DC BJJ school - Supposedly a Gracie School but showed little evidence of that. Ignored by coaches, not included in group social interactions, no individual technique feedback, etc. I left after 6 months primarily due to disorganized coach and lessons.
BIG SURPRISE! 😆.
That school shutdown several months after I left.
3. A MARYLAND school which offered a NEW submission wrestling NOT A BJJ class.
The class had 30-40 students. The instruction was excellent!
3 weeks after class started the school told us the class was being DISCONTINUED.
We were then given a lot of reasons we should join one of the BJJ class (“it will be just like this class😆).
I left the school; it was a bait and switch situation—draw you in and then SWITCH you to one of their BJJ classes.
4. WASH DC - American University open mats club - Could get only a few guys—nice guys—to roll with.
I left after 8 weeks—spending 2 hours at club per night and wrestling maybe a total of 20 minutes. A waste of time.
5. WASH DC Gay Wrestling Club - The VERY BEST experience. Had gay and non-gay members. Met 2x per week. It was REAL wrestling only (not a cover for other activities) despite what outsiders (who NEVER attended) said.
All experience levels and ages encouraged and accommodated.
It closed after 10(?) years due to lack of attendees. Guys were buying home mats to wrestle—and (selfishly) siphoning from the current members & any potential new members.
My wrestling events history:
—Attended 4(?) PENNSYLVANIA WrestleFest events. Each time has been great. Good setup, great event organizer, welcoming and nice guys, plenty guys to wrestle, various experience levels and intensity levels, etc. No pressure to wrestle (but plenty of invitations TO wrestle) and no shame about body type, experience level, wrestle style, age, gear choice, etc.
Contrary to some rumors, it is NOT just a “bunch of OLD guys.”
I will go again and again.
—Attended 4 HILLSIDE WRESTLING CAMPS (in Pennsylvania). AWESOME event to wrestle, to learn, and to meet other wrestlers. Made some lifelong friends.
—Attended one OKIE RUMBLE. It was a good experience except I found the “sign up to wrestle” format difficult. Still had a good time and lots of matches.
—Attended two San Francisco wrestling club (not Golden Gate club) sessions when I was traveling. Great experiences—good instruction, plenty of roll time, nice guys
—Attended 2025 NYC WrestleFest.
For me, it was disappointing—had only 3 matches. I had difficulty understanding when and where events were happening. Until too late, I didn’t learn about signing up/reserving a spot for open mat time—it was full.
I’m glad there is a NYC WrestleFest and thank the organizers, I just didn’t get the hang of the DISCORD app, the sign up process, the calendar of events, etc.
Will I give it another try in 2026??—probably.
PS: I wish it was not in NYC, though. Too cold and how about Fort Lauderdale or similar location
Justadude (92)
10/02/2025 12:50 AMWhere are the SF places you attended?
Mike Gaine (78)
10/01/2025 11:14 PMSomeone asked about my wrestling training background and that caused me to review my experiences with SCHOOLS & CLUBS. What have YOU experienced?
1. Jun Fan School in Pennsylvania - GREAT EXPERIENCE! It was welcoming in all aspects. The coach/master was excellent as a teacher.
2. A WASH DC BJJ school - Supposedly a Gracie School but showed little evidence of that. Ignored by coaches, not included in group social interactions, no individual technique feedback, etc. I left after 6 months primarily due to disorganized coach and lessons.
BIG SURPRISE! 😆.
That school shutdown several months after I left.
3. A MARYLAND school which offered a NEW submission wrestling NOT A BJJ class.
The class had 30-40 students. The instruction was excellent!
3 weeks after class started the school told us the class was being DISCONTINUED.
We were then given a lot of reasons we should join one of the BJJ class (“it will be just like this class😆).
I left the school; it was a bait and switch situation—draw you in and then SWITCH you to one of their BJJ classes.
4. WASH DC - American University open mats club - Could get only a few guys—nice guys—to roll with.
I left after 8 weeks—spending 2 hours at club per night and wrestling maybe a total of 20 minutes. A waste of time.
5. WASH DC Gay Wrestling Club - The VERY BEST experience. Had gay and non-gay members. Met 2x per week. It was REAL wrestling only (not a cover for other activities) despite what outsiders (who NEVER attended) said.
All experience levels and ages encouraged and accommodated.
It closed after 10(?) years due to lack of attendees. Guys were buying home mats to wrestle—and (selfishly) siphoning from the current members & any potential new members.
My wrestling events history:
—Attended 4(?) PENNSYLVANIA WrestleFest events. Each time has been great. Good setup, great event organizer, welcoming and nice guys, plenty guys to wrestle, various experience levels and intensity levels, etc. No pressure to wrestle (but plenty of invitations TO wrestle) and no shame about body type, experience level, wrestle style, age, gear choice, etc.
Contrary to some rumors, it is NOT just a “bunch of OLD guys.”
I will go again and again.
—Attended 4 HILLSIDE WRESTLING CAMPS (in Pennsylvania). AWESOME event to wrestle, to learn, and to meet other wrestlers. Made some lifelong friends.
—Attended one OKIE RUMBLE. It was a good experience except I found the “sign up to wrestle” format difficult. Still had a good time and lots of matches.
—Attended two San Francisco wrestling club (not Golden Gate club) sessions when I was traveling. Great experiences—good instruction, plenty of roll time, nice guys
—Attended 2025 NYC WrestleFest.
For me, it was disappointing—had only 3 matches. I had difficulty understanding when and where events were happening. Until too late, I didn’t learn about signing up/reserving a spot for open mat time—it was full.
I’m glad there is a NYC WrestleFest and thank the organizers, I just didn’t get the hang of the DISCORD app, the sign up process, the calendar of events, etc.
Will I give it another try in 2026??—probably.
PS: I wish it was not in NYC, though. Too cold and how about Fort Lauderdale or similar location