11 Best Wrestling Camps in California [All You Need to Know]

Last Updated on 26/03/2024 by John Penn

Looking to step up your wrestling abilities? California offers some of the best wrestling camps in the country for youth, middle school, high school and college wrestlers. It is a place to a vibrant sports culture and some of the best athletes worldwide, is also home to the best wrestling camps in the United States.

Wrestling camps offer young wrestlers the chance to grapple their skills, learn essential concepts from expert coaches, and take their game to the top.

As a former wrestler, I can say the following 11 wrestling camps serve among the best in California. All of these wrestling camps have formally trained many wrestlers who later achieved success at the college and international levels.

The following featured camps from this article serve wrestlers with all levels of expertise, from beginners to college programs to top-level competitors. Finding the right Wrestling camp, however, can often seem difficult because the information may be distributed across their personal websites and social media networks.

Thus, this article serves a comprehensive guide to the top 11 wrestling camps in California and include details about the fee, class hours, location details, facilities, and the future of their wrestlers.

Best Wrestling Camps in California

Check out the list of 11 best Wrestling Camps in California mentioned below. These Camps are well-known and well-established in the state.

California Wrestling Academy (CWA)

A premier destination for wrestlers looking to step up their game is the California Wrestling Academy . Located in the heart of Southern California, CWA is a modern facility equipped with multiple wrestling rooms, a strength and conditioning center, and a high-tech recovery area.

CWA provides camps for wrestlers of different ages and experience, with “Elite Wrestling Camp” being one of the most popular. This camp offers a 5-day intensive training session, It is designed to sharpen the skills of the already established wrestlers and prepare them for the high-level competition.

The camp offers a low coach-to-wrestler ratio, meaning that each participant receives individual attention and training programs. The starting cost of the Elite Wrestling Camp is ,200 but includes accommodation, food, and regular training sessions. CWA also launches day camps and weekend clinics that are more affordable for wrestlers of different levels.

CWA alumni include:

1. Olympic Gold Medalist and two-time World champion John Smith

2. Four-time NCAA champion and Hodge Trophy Winner Cael Sanderson

3. UFC Champion and former NCAA All-American Daniel Cormier

Smash Wrestling Camps

Smash Wrestling Camps, which has sites in Northern and Southern California, are leading the way in their approach to training and developing their wrestlers. Simply learning new techniques and developing skills is not enough for the camp management. The camp ideology includes mental toughness, nutrition, and injury prevention, among other things.

The variety of programs includes the 7-day “Smash Intensive Camp” created for wrestlers who are 14 years old and more, and this group is considered to be high-performing and serious.

They have three training sessions a day: technique, drilling, live wrestling, and strength and conditioning. Starting from $2,500, Smash Intensive Camp includes accommodation, meals, and training. The camp will award a limited number of need-based scholarships to ensure that no financial hurdles prevent deserving wrestlers from attending camp.

The alumni of Smash Wrestling Camps include:

• Two-time NCAA champion and Olympic bronze medalist Coleman Scott
• Three-time NCAA All-American and USA Wrestling National Team member Zain Retherford
• Pac-12 champion and NCAA All-American Robert Hamlin

Gold Medal Wrestling Camp

The Gold Medal Wrestling Camp is located in California’s scenic foothills of the Sierra Nevada Mountains and has been home to the top wrestling camps in the Golden State for over 20 years. It offers wrestling programs for all ages and abilities, ranging from beginner clinics to elite intensive camps.

The flagship program offered by Gold Medal Wrestling Camp is the “Gold Medal Intensive Camp,” a 10-day camp designed to take elite wrestlers to the next level. This high school and college wrestlers can join the Intensive camp which features a demanding schedule of three to four sessions per day.

All the sessions are focused on technique, drilling, live wrestling, and strength and conditioning.

Fees for the Gold Medal Intensive Camp start at ,$2000, which includes accommodation, meals, and training sessions. The applicants can also get scholarships but it depends on their financial and wrestling achievements.

The alumni of Gold Medal Wrestling Camp include:

• Olympic gold medalist and four-time world champion Jordan Burroughs
• Two-time NCAA champion and Hodge Trophy winner David Taylor
• Three-time NCAA champion and two-time Dan Hodge Trophy winner Zain Retherford

California Coast Wrestling Camp

California Coast Wrestling Camp is one of the most beautiful training facilities. It is located on the campus of the University of California, Santa Barbara. This camp is unique in its combination of professional training and incredible views. The dominant feature of the training process is the compulsory attendance of children by former NCAA champions and All-Americans.

The most popular program among our customers is the “Technique and Training Camp,” a five-day camp for wrestlers over 12 years of age. The camp’s development areas include: improving the level of technique, wrestling and tactical IQ, and teaching children the value of hard work.

Fees for the Technique and Training Camp start at ,$1000, which includes accommodation, meals, and training sessions. The camp also offers day camp options for local wrestlers at a reduced rate.

Notable alumni of California Coast Wrestling Camp include:

• Two-time NCAA champion and Olympic bronze medalist J’den Cox
• Four-time NCAA All-American and two-time Pac-12 champion Anthony Valencia
• Three-time NCAA All-American and Big Ten champion Jason Nolf

Nor Cal Wrestling Academy

Nor Cal Wrestling Academy is situated in the heart of Northern California’s wrestling stronghold. It is famous for producing some of the most successful wrestlers. The Academy is well-known for its state of the art practices, greater focus on the wrestler’s individual preparation, and on mental training.

The following camp options are available at Nor Cal Wrestling Academy. First, the “Champions Camp” is an extremely popular 7-day boot camp geared toward the collegiate competitor. There are three to four daily workouts, including: practice, live wrestling, wall wrestling or live wrestling, strength camp.

Fees for the Champions Camp start at $1,500, which includes accommodation, meals, and training sessions. The academy also offers day camps and weekend clinics at more affordable rates.

Some alumni of Nor Cal Wrestling Academy include:

• Olympic gold medalist and four-time world champion Kyle Snyder
• Three-time NCAA champion and two-time Dan Hodge Trophy winner Bo Nickal
• Four-time NCAA All-American and Pac-12 champion Shane Griffith

Central Valley Wrestling Camp

Central Valley Wrestling Camp Central Valley Wrestling Camp is situated in the heart of California’s agricultural region, and it has been a massive part of the state’s wrestling record for over three decades. It is one of the most trusted camps focusing on fundamentals, the work ethic, and character-development-based wrestling precept.

It offers a lot of programs for wrestlers of any age and talent level, from beginner clinics to advanced intensive camps. Central Valley Wrestling Camp’s unique offering is the ‘Central Valley Intensive Camp,’, a 5-day camp unique to wrestlers who are focused on developing their technique and competitive factor. The camp features a well-rounded training schedule balanced between technique, drilling, live wrestling, and strength and conditioning.

Fees for the Central Valley Intensive Camp start at $1,200, which includes accommodation, meals, and training sessions. The camp also offers need-based scholarships to ensure that financial constraints do not prevent talented wrestlers from attending.

Notable alumni of Central Valley Wrestling Camp include:

• Olympic silver medalist and two-time world champion Adeline Gray
• Four-time NCAA champion and two-time Dan Hodge Trophy winner Logan Stieber
• Three-time NCAA champion and Pac-12 Wrestler of the Year Zahid Valencia

Southland Wrestling Academy

Southland Wrestling Academy Situated in the epicenter of Southern California’s wrestling hub. This academy has a reputation for producing some of the state’s hottest prospects in terms of technical proficiency. The camp is also known for its creative training camps. Which including its unique approach to training.

Southland Wrestling Academy has several camp options. One of the most notable being the “Technical Excellence Camp.” The camp lasts five days and is targeted to experienced wrestlers looking for a competitive edge in their repertoire and technical skills. Moreover, the attendee-to-coach ratio is low. That’s why it is an excellent opportunity to receive undivided attention.

Fees for the Technical Excellence Camp start at $1,200, which includes accommodation, meals, and training sessions. The academy also offers day camps and weekend clinics at more affordable rates.

Important alumni of Southland Wrestling Academy include:

• Two-time NCAA champion and Olympic silver medalist Yianni Diakomihalis
• Three-time NCAA All-American and Pac-12 champion Jack Mueller
• Two-time NCAA All-American and Big 12 champion Boo Lewallen

Bay Area Wrestling Academy

Bay area wrestling Academy is situated in the center of Silicon Valley. It has been the breeding ground of California’s best collegiate and international-level wrestlers. Their camps focus on mental toughness, technical acumen, and competitive critical reflection .

The Bay Area Wrestling Academy has several camps to choose from. One of the well known camp is “Bay Area Intensive Camps” . It is seven-day intensive camp and also their flagship camp which geared toward serious and dedicated wrestlers serious about elevating their game. The camp runs three to four sessions each day and includes technique work, drilling, live wrestling, strength, and conditioning.

Fees for the Bay Area Intensive Camp start at $1,500, which includes accommodation, meals, and training sessions. The academy also offers scholarships based on financial need and wrestling achievements.

Special alumni of Bay Area Wrestling Academy include:

• Olympic gold medalist and four-time world champion Helen Maroulis
• Three-time NCAA champion and Dan Hodge Trophy winner Mark Hall
• Four-time NCAA All-American and Pac-12 champion Evan Henderson

Sierra Nevada Wrestling Camp

Sierra Nevada Wrestling Camp is situated in the beautiful Sierra Nevada Mountains. This camp provides a combination of high-altitude training and first-rate coaching. The camp is well known for its emphasis on endurance, strength, and mental toughness.

Sierra Nevada Wrestling Camp has programs for all ages and skill levels, ranging from beginner sessions to quality-intensive camps. Its primary program is the High Altitude Intense Camp, a 10-day camp for the sport’s best wrestlers seeking to raise their mental and physical strength to the next level . thus camp comprises a rigorous training schedule with at least 3-4 sessions each daily, which includes procedure, drilling, live wrestling, high altitude conditioning.

Fees for the High Altitude Intensive Camp start at $2,000, which includes accommodation, meals, and training sessions. The camp also offers need-based scholarships to ensure that financial constraints do not prevent talented wrestlers from attending.

Notable alumni of Sierra Nevada Wrestling Camp include:

• Olympic bronze medalist and world champion J’den Cox
• Two-time NCAA champion and three-time Big Ten champion Gable Steveson
• Four-time NCAA All-American and two-time Big 12 champion Anthony Valencia

Gold Rush Wrestling Camp

Gold Rush Wrestling Camp is located in the heart of California’s Gold Country and has been a vital part of the state’s wrestling community for more than two decades. It emphasizes a proper blend of technique, competition, and character development.

The camp offers multiple options for wrestlers of all ages and skill levels. This program starts from the beginner clinics to the more advanced intensive camps . Gold Rush Intensive Camp is their most popular option, which is a week-long wrestling technique improvement program for more advanced wrestlers . The camp is designed to help you improve drilling, wrestling, strength conditioning, and sports performance in a well-balanced training camp.

Fees for the Gold Rush Intensive Camp start at $1,200, which includes accommodation, meals, and training sessions. The camp also offers day camp options for local wrestlers at a reduced rate.

The alumni of Gold Rush Wrestling Camp include:

• Olympic silver medalist and world champion Allison Ragan
• Four-time NCAA All-American and two-time Pac-12 champion Evan Henderson
• Three-time NCAA All-American and Big Ten champion Jason Nolf

Redwood Empire Wrestling Camp

The Redwood Empire Wrestling Camp is located in the beautiful Redwood Empire in Northern California. The camp combines natural beauty with the best wrestling training available. Primarily, the camp focuses on developing technique, mental preparation, and a sense of team culture.

The Redwood Empire Wrestling Camp offers several camp variants, preferably, their “Redwood Intensive Camp” which is a 7-day program for skilled wrestlers who want to finesse their technique and elevate their competitive spirit. The camp has a tight training schedule with a total of three sessions daily that involve drilling, technique, wrestling, and strength training.

Fees for the Redwood Intensive Camp start at $1,500, which includes accommodation, meals, and training sessions. The camp also offers scholarships based on financial need and wrestling achievements.

All alumni of Redwood Empire Wrestling Camp include:

• Olympic bronze medalist and two-time world champion Tracy Hancock
• Three-time NCAA champion and two-time Dan Hodge Trophy winner Bo Nickal
• Four-time NCAA All-American and ACC champion Micky Phillippi

Summary of “Wrestling Camps in California”

Selecting the Best wrestling camp to meet your needs is a matter of personal preference. Because the camps listed above have their own pros and cons, you should investigate each one further. Read the reviews or contact them directly to find the difference.

Moreover, any of the aforementioned 11 wrestling camps are a fantastic place to start or succeed in your wrestling career. Depending on your needs, find a camp in California to sharpen your skills, experience new challenges, and develop your wrestling abilities. With the appropriate perspective, determination, and assistance from the camps, you may reach your maximum potential and compete in the wrestling ring of your dreams.