There’s a difference between extreme weight cutting and managing weight—and your team culture determines which one shows up.

As a coach, you shape more than technique and tactics. You set the tone for how your athletes view their bodies, food, and the pressure to "make weight." Coaches of female wrestlers must be hyper aware of the increased risk of eating disorders. High school female athletes are particularly vulnerable to eating disorders, with studies indicating that up to 50% of female high school athletes exhibit disordered eating behaviors, and 20–60% of female college athletes are affected.

You hug her after weigh-ins. She made it. She’s relieved—you’re relieved. But deep down, something feels off. Her eyes look tired. She barely spoke this morning. And you're not sure if you're more proud… or worried.

In wrestling, success is often measured in ounces. That number on the scale can determine everything: a starting spot, a shot at state, a future in the sport. For parents, it’s hard not to get caught up in it. We all want the best for our kids—to see them thrive, compete, win. But sometimes, the cost of “making weight” is invisible until it becomes too heavy to carry.

Rehydrating after weigh-ins is a critical step for an athlete to ensure their body is ready for competition. Wrestlers, whether they're beginners or seasoned competitors, need to pay special attention to how they manage their hydration after weight-ins as well as throughout the entire competition day.

Wrestling has a stigma about weight cutting, and often the wrestling community is perpetuating it ourselves. In my opinion, it is emphasized much too heavily and much too young. Through competing, coaching, and educating young wrestlers about the sport, I have observed that our young athletes are taught they might only be successful if they compete at a lower weight. The number of males and females I've spoken to who have decided not to continue their career onto a collegiate or international level, have mostly been due to burn out from weight cutting. When does it become impractical to maintain a weight class? Should our minds, bodies, technique, and love for the sport suffer? This post is meant to be a guide for young athletes to navigate the pressures they may be receiving to cut weight.