Why can't we switch to the 2-piece?

[alex1fly]

On 10/16/2025 at 9:15 PM, Yellow_Medal said:

I’m not saying if participation is or isn’t high at the moment. I can only offer an anecdote. After my kid’s soccer practice I was talking to his 11 year old buddy from wrestling. I asked if he’ll be wrestling this year and he said, “nah, too revealing”. You can call it an excuse or not, but it is a stigma that our sport has and, at least in this case, participation could have theoretically been boosted +1 with a different uniform.

Yeah I don’t get the argument against the two-piece other than tradition. Especially for younger than college. Even if youth wrestling participation is up with the mandatory singlet, I have to think it would be up more without the mandatory singlet. I mean, has anyone ever heard a kid or potential fan say “wrestling is not for me, the two piece uniform doesn’t show enough skin”?

[MPhillips]

3 hours ago, alex1fly said:

has anyone ever heard a kid or potential fan say “wrestling is not for me, the two piece uniform doesn’t show enough skin”?

Tights would like a word...

[alex1fly]

57 minutes ago, MPhillips said:

Tights would like a word...

Never seen a wrestler wearing tights. Just singlet or shorts/shirt. 

[Caveira]

7 hours ago, alex1fly said:

What are the costs of the two uniforms? Do kids need more than one per season? Not arguing, genuinely curious. 

I’d have to look … but when we were trying it they were pretty considerably more expensive 

I was surprised though I don’t think cost was the factor.  Kids just didn’t like them in our club 

Edited Saturday at 11:21 PM by Caveira

[alex1fly]

5 hours ago, Caveira said:

I’d have to look … but when we were trying it they were pretty considerably more expensive 

I was surprised though I don’t think cost was the factor.  Kids just didn’t like them in our club 

I mean I get it, $50 can be a deal breaker for many families. 
 

offering youth wrestlers the choice between a singlet and a two-piece… I don’t see any downside.

[Caveira]

2 minutes ago, alex1fly said:

I mean I get it, $50 can be a deal breaker for many families. 
 

offering youth wrestlers the choice between a singlet and a two-piece… I don’t see any downside.

Didn’t say one way or the other.  Wrestling is wrestling …. Just that the kids didn’t seem to want em.   Maybe parents coached them to say that because of cost.  I dunno boss 

[Fletcher]

On 10/18/2025 at 11:05 AM, alex1fly said:

What are the costs of the two uniforms? Do kids need more than one per season? Not arguing, genuinely curious. 

Bought 2-piece uniforms for our club from Cliff Keen about 5 yrs. ago and it was about $70-75 ea. Probably could find cheaper but wanted to make sure we got good quality. Last time I priced singlets, they were around $40.

[Scouts Honor]

at my school we offered teh 2 piece, even wore it as a team.

many kids said they would come out, if we had a 2 piece.

they didn't come out anyway.

 

funny, singlets are too revealing. yet the women wear them.

as far as tights...

[Interviewed_at_Weehawken]

On 10/18/2025 at 4:13 PM, alex1fly said:

Never seen a wrestler wearing tights. Just singlet or shorts/shirt. 

Pretty sure Oklahoma State wore tights on at least one occasion during the Smith era.  

There is a school in my area that wore them (tradition) up until a couple years ago.

A D3 All-American I coached wore them because he didn't like how dry his skin got during the winter.  (This may have actually been illegal because he was technically wearing a different uniform than the rest of the team)

[Scouts Honor]

we still have schools here that wear tights

[MPhillips]

On 10/18/2025 at 4:13 PM, alex1fly said:

Never seen a wrestler wearing tights. Just singlet or shorts/shirt. 

Never...

https://www.ncaa.com/news/wrestling-men/article/2022-01-28/college-wrestling-dan-gable-larry-owings-1970-ncaa-wrestling-championship