Eight organizations have already signed up on the first weekend available to join the brand new Coalition to Keep Wrestling In the Olympics, a coalition of organizations who support the effort to retain wrestling on the Olympic program.

Four wrestling organizations came together to launch the effort on Thursday: USA Wrestling, the National Wrestling Coaches Association, the Amateur Athletic Union and the National United Wrestling Association for Youth Wrestling.

After the announcement, the first organization to join up with their online donation was WrestlingGear.com, Ltd., a successful wrestling products company based in Illinois. 

Louisiana USA Wrestling stepped forward as the first USA Wrestling state association to sign up and make their donation to the effort.

Cliff Keen Athletic and All-American Wrestling Supply have also joined. They are working together on a t-shirt program that has already raised funds for the Keep Wrestling In the Olympics program.

The first member of the wrestling media to sign up and send in their donation is Wrestlers Are Warriors, one of the nation’s top wrestling photographic websites.

The National Wrestling Hall of Fame and Museum, which has been active in helping Keep Wrestling In the Olympics since the IOC Executive Board announcement, is also a coalition member.

Beat the Streets New York has become the first of the Beat the Streets wrestling organizations around the nation to join the coalition and add their name to the list of grassroots supporters. 

Forza by Kemp, a USA Wrestling sponsor, has also added itself to the growing coalition.

Many other organizations have contacted USA Wrestling about joining, and are in the process of sending in their information and donation. We expect to be able to add to this list on a regular basis going forward.

New Coalition to Keep Wrestling in the Olympics members as of February 25
All-American Wrestling Supply
Beat the Streets New York
Cliff Keen Athletic
Forza By Kemp
Louisiana USA Wrestling
National Wrestling Hall of Fame and Museum
Wrestlers Are Warriors
WrestlingGear.com, Ltd.

This new coalition will include any and all organizations who are willing to stand up and work together for a common goal, which is to insure that wrestling remains on the program of the Olympic Games.

This is not an organization of individuals. There are other ways that private citizens can support this cause. This is geared entirely to organized groups willing to publically add  themselves to the coalition.

This will be a collection of groups of all sizes, including both non-profit and for-profit organizations, basically any organization which stands behind the effort to keep wrestling in the Olympics.

In order to join the coalition, a group must provide a contact name, email address and phone number, which will allow us to network together and execute the strategy. 

Each organization must also be willing to provide a small minimum donation, which will be used exclusively on the effort. The minimum donation suggested for membership in the Coalition for Keeping Wrestling in the Olympics is $100 for national and international organizations, and $25 for local organizations. Obviously, larger donations are encouraged and welcomed.

The donation can be made online:
http://www.KeepWrestlingInTheOlympics.com

The donation can be made by check, made payable to USA Wrestling and mailed to:
USA Wrestling
c/o Coalition to Keep Wrestling in the Olympics
6155 Lehman Drive
Colorado Springs, CO 80918

The financial support will help fund all of the actions which together makes for a successful campaign. It will be used directly on projects such as public relations, international communication, research, education, promotional materials, networking and international travel for meetings with the IOC and members of national federations and national Olympic Committees. Additional projects will be developed by the leadership committee for this effort. Coalition membership will help keep this issue in the forefront and allow wrestling to make its case to the world. It will only be used for this project, not other wrestling programs

COALITION TO KEEP WRESTLING IN THE OLYMPICS MEMBERS
(listed alphabetically as of February 25, 2013)
All-American Wrestling Supply
Amateur Athletic Union (AAU)
Beat the Streets New York
Cliff Keen Athletic
Forza by Kemp
Louisiana USA Wrestling
National United Wrestling Association for Youth (NUWAY)
National Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA)
National Wrestling Hall of Fame and Museum
USA Wrestling
WrestlingGear.com, Ltd.
Wrestlers Are Warriors