General Information

The 2023 Youth New England Wrestling (YNEW) Championships will be held at the Game On Sports Complex in Fitchburg MA on SAT March 18th and SUN March 19th. This year’s event features our first Girls New Englands for High School Girls (18U) and Youth Girls (11U/14U).  YNEW is proud to support Girls Wrestling in New England.  Wrestlers may compete in ONE of six competition groups according to this schedule:

SAT March 18th @ 8AM: 10U/12U CO-ED & 11U/14U GIRLS 

SUN March 19th @ 8AM: 15U CO-ED & 18U GIRLS

There is a $65 registration fee for YNEW 2023.  Wrestlers must register online by March 12, 2023.  Go to the YNEW Registration Page for more information.  This year’s competition includes a three-match minimum whenever feasible, utilizing true consolation matches in large brackets and round-robin competition in small brackets. See Individual Competition below for details.

A complimentary coach’s pass will be offered to each team that is represented at YNEW 2023.  Additional coach’s passes may be purchased for $20 for one day or $30 for both days.  Only those with a coach’s pass will be allowed entry into the competition area. General admission is $10 per day for adults ($5 for children).

The competition area will be restricted to wrestlers and coaches who are actively competing on the mat.  On-deck competitors and coaches are welcome to use the warm-up area until their match is on the mat.

Coolers and carry-in food/drink are NOT allowed inside the Game On facility.  Note: Game On charges an onsite parking fee and a wifi access fee for visitors who use these amenities.  See Host Facility for more information.

YNEW 2023 Weekend Schedule

FRI March 17th

5-8pm:

WEIGH-INS @ GAME ON

SATURDAY competitors ONLY

10U/12U CO-ED & 11U/14U GIRLS

(see Weigh-In Information below for more information)

8-10pm:

NCAA Wrestling Semi-Finals Watch Party

@ Colonial Hotel (see Host Hotel for details)

SAT March 18th

7-7:30am:

LATE ($20) WEIGH-INS @ GAME ON

SATURDAY competitors ONLY

10U/12U CO-ED & 11U/14U GIRLS

(see Weigh-In Information below for more information)

8am-4pm:

SATURDAY COMPETITION

10U/12U CO-ED & 11U/14U GIRLS

4-6pm:

WEIGH-INS @ GAME ON

SUNDAY competitors ONLY

15U CO-ED & 18U GIRLS

(see Weigh-In Information below for more information)

7-10pm:

NCAA Wrestling Finals Watch Party

@ Colonial Hotel (see Host Hotel for details)

SUN March 19th

7-7:30am:

LATE ($20) WEIGH-INS @ GAME ON

SUNDAY competitors ONLY

15U CO-ED & 18U GIRLS

(see Weigh-In Information below for more information)

8am-4pm:

SUNDAY COMPETITION

15U CO-ED & 18U GIRLS

Individual Competition

In order to compete in the 2023 Youth New Englands, wrestlers must reside in one of the six New England states (includes New England boarding schools). Wrestlers must also meet age and weight requirements for one of the six YNEW competition groups: 10U/12U/15U CO-ED & 11U/14U/18U GIRLS.  Boy wrestlers who compete in their high school state tournament (or Prep New Englands) are not eligible to compete in the 15U CO-ED Competition. See YNEW 2023 Weights & Ages for more information.

Placement at state tournaments will be used to seed wrestlers according to the following allotments: CT/MA – top six state placers; NH/RI – top five state placers; ME/VT – top four state placers. A limited number of wildcard slots are available for those who do not place or participate in their state tournament.  OPEN registration is available for ALL girl wrestlers who meet age, residency, and weight requirements. Open registration is also available if your state does not offer a statewide competition in your age/gender group.

Set weight classes will be used to form brackets unless there are not enough wrestlers in a weight class. In that case, Madison brackets (based on actual weight) will be used to create weight classes. Round robin brackets may be used if there are less than six wrestlers in a weight class. A three-match minimum will be implemented whenever feasible.

Competitors will be required to certify their date of birth during online registration.  An age challenge is available for a $50 fee. All competitors agree to submit proof-of-age if challenged. Age misrepresentation will result in forfeiture of individual placement and team points. Note: it may not be feasible to resolve an age challenge on competition day; tournament records will be modified to reflect any changes.

Girls Competition

Staying true to our mission to build wrestling in New England, this year’s YNEW tournament will feature our first Girls New Englands! We are pleased to support the growth of Girls Wrestling in New England.

The 11U Girls and 14U Girls competitions will be held on Saturday March 18th. The High School Girls (18U) Competition will take place on Sunday March 19th. The upper age limit for the 18U Girls Competition is now April 1, 2004.  The new age limit will allow more high school seniors to compete in the Girls New Englands.

Girl wrestlers may participate in one competition group (GIRLS or CO-ED) for which they are age-eligible, with the following exception: athletes who are age-eligible will be allowed to compete in both 14U GIRLS on Saturday and 15U CO-ED on Sunday. Please note that only ONE weigh-in is required for these girl wrestlers.  Also note: same-day double-registration is NOT allowed.

The Girls New Englands registration is OPEN to all girl wrestlers in New England who are age-eligible (ages 8-18). See YNEW 2023 Weights & Ages for details.

Once registration closes for Girls New Englands, any small weight classes will be combined using the Madison system. If Madison weight classes aren’t feasible, wrestlers will be given the option to compete in the CO-ED group for which they are age-eligible.

Team Competition

There will be team competitions in three separate divisions: CO-ED TOWN, CO-ED CLUB & GIRLS. Wrestlers in the CO-ED competition are eligible to score team points for both club and town teams if they train with both teams. Girl Wrestlers are eligible to score team points according to their competition group (CO-ED or GIRLS).
 
Top 13 scorers across each competition group (TOWN/CLUB/GIRLS) are used to determine total team scoring points. Town teams are defined as teams that train seasonally (< 6 months); club teams train year-round (> 6 months). Wrestlers may only score points for a team with which they regularly train.  
 
Team points are weighted so that older competition groups and larger brackets garner more points. In order to score team points, a competitor must win a match.
 
Wrestlers, parents, and coaches are expected to check team affiliations for accuracy. YNEW will publish team affiliations and allow roster changes up until competition day. A roster challenge is available for a $50 fee; all disputes are decided by the YNEW Competition Director. See YNEW Team Scoring for more information

Weigh-In Schedule

The Youth/Girls New Englands is designed as a ‘stay over and wrestle’ event.  The expectation is that wrestlers will weigh in at Game On Fitchburg the NIGHT BEFORE their competition. 
 
Late weigh-ins will be offered on the MORNING OF competition ($20 LATE Weigh-In Fee) as a convenience for those who choose not to stay overnight.  All weigh-ins will be held at Game On Fitchburg.  See Weigh-In Information below for more details.

FRI March 17th

5-8pm:

WEIGH-INS @ GAME ON

SATURDAY competitors ONLY

10U/12U CO-ED & 11U/14U GIRLS

SAT March 18th

7-7:30am:

LATE ($20) WEIGH-INS @ GAME ON

SATURDAY competitors ONLY

10U/12U CO-ED & 11U/14U GIRLS

4-6pm:

WEIGH-INS @ GAME ON

SUNDAY competitors ONLY

15U CO-ED & 18U GIRLS

SUN March 19th

7-7:30am:

LATE ($20) WEIGH-INS @ GAME ON

SUNDAY competitors ONLY

15U CO-ED & 18U GIRLS

Weigh-In Information

All competitors MUST register online at YNEW Registration.  During online registration, competitors will select their weight class from the competition group for which they are eligible.  Changes to weight class selection can be made until online registration closes on March 12, 2023.  Competitors are not required to compete in the same weight class as their state tournament. See YNEW Weights & Ages for details
 
The Youth New Englands is a set weight class competition.  Wrestlers MUST be at or under their weight class limit on the scale during YNEW weigh-ins on March 17-19th.  There are NO weight allowances or changes to weight classes during YNEW weigh-ins.  Competitors MUST wear their wrestling uniform (e.g. singlet) while making their weight during YNEW weigh-ins.
 
Weight classes for the Girls Competition are intended to be grouped by set weights.  Weight classes with not enough competitors may be combined with other weight classes using the Madison system.  When practical, competitors will be notified in advance if they are placed in a Madison weight class. See YNEW Weights & Ages for details.

Hotel Options

There are a limited number of nearby hotel options; please make your room reservations EARLY

Gardner Colonial Hotel

  • Host Hotel: NCAA Wrestling WATCH PARTY
  • Rate: $159+/night
  • Reservations: Call 978-630-2500
  • Distance from Game On: 7.5 miles

(see Host Hotel for more information)

Leominster DoubleTree

Devens Springhill Suites

CO-ED & GIRLS Placement Awards

Champion

-Customized NE Champion hooded sweatshirt
-Champion's Wall Chart
-Keepsake Medallion
-Added to YNEW All-Timers List

2nd-6th Place

-Keepsake Medallion
-Added to YNEW All-Timers List

Individual & Team Awards

Most Outstanding CO-ED Wrestler (Peckham Award)

Most Outstanding GIRLS Wrestler (Elena Award)

Outstanding Wrestler (six awards)

Most Dominant Wrestlers (six awards)

New England Team Champion (CO-ED)

New England Team Champion (GIRLS - Marisol Award)