I've never been to an actual wrestling prep pratices. But Carolyn Wesler has came to my club pratices many times. The flips and stuff were okay as long as they were limited to the warm ups. However, sometimes she's given the power to run an entire workout and it's awful. Body leveraging shouldn't be your entire workout. 20min of tumbling and stuff is enough. We never actually wrestle and it feels like a waste. Secondly, she's way too touchy. It makes me uncomfortable and he would come behind me randomly during pratice and touch my shoulder blades or some part of my body and give me commands. I mean it's not terrible it just catches me by surprise and her tone is so creepy. I remember I went to nhcsa and I was talking to a coach and she randomly grabbed my arm for a russian. But it didn't feel playful it felt creepy. Then she pretends she's like an UFC coach when in reality she just goes to the camps and randomly inserts herself. The kids at wrestling prep aren't very good either. They lack techique because they've never actually wrestled. They wrestle in such an unorthodox ineffective way. Then I heard from a teammate who went to a camp that it felt like a cult. The kids who've been going for a while had a weird relationship and slept with each other on the mats even though it wasn't nesscary. Everything about wrestling prep feels uncomfortable. She also told my friends at my club pratice (not wrestling prep camp) to squeeze the muscles to the left and right of our scrotum. read more

It you're looking for a good camp/ clinic I wouldn't recommend this one because it wasn't what I expected from typical wrestling camp/clinic. There wasn't any hard nose grinding or any type good techniques that would be helpful in match. But if you're into gymnastics or any type of tumbling than this is for you. The Mrs Wester is too touchy feely with the kids. It made my son really uncomfortable. I really think her whole organization is a complete scam. read more

I have read a couple of Yelpers who have written poor reviews about WP. First of all, if you want to pay 1000 to 1,500 a week for training (That's the avg price for most College Wrestling Camps), then I think you can demand and should expect wonderful meals and state of the art top equipment and facilities....but you are PAYING for it. WP only charges 280.00 a week, its less if you buy in block prices or pay early in the year. Since you are paying 1/3 the price of most camps, you have to expect a lean and mean camp without the bells and whistles. If your kid needs 5 Star accommodations, you can find them anywhere.....but not at WP. My son has been coming to WP for 3 years (Year round training) and counting. In addition to WP, he has attended camps at Stanford, Iowa and a couple of local ones. Our family is fortunate enough where money is never a consideration when it comes to picking and buying the best products...quality and value is. I have told my son that he can go to any camp at whatever the price. He chooses to come to WP. He has told me that his training at the other camps were good, but not worth the travel and money to do so. He likes the fact that he gets consistent coaching/training on a daily basis......and most importantly, he gets to wrestle the best wrestlers (Bay Area, Out of state, College, etc) every day. The bottom line is.....mat time, mat time, mat time and more mat time. Successful Wrestling is about intensity, repetition and tough training partners. WP offers that and more...and that's it! Its like the Rocky movies.......Sweat, Pain and Puke! Wrestling is a dirty, gritty, ugly sport...its not golf or tennis. Its not glamorous, pretty or nice. Coach Carolyn Wester runs a training center, not a fancy, private club with valets. WP is about tough training and WINNING matches! No softies allowed! read more

Background: I discovered Wrestling Prep ("WP") in June, 2012 after my son's freshman year. He entered the program with an interest in wrestling but no experience to speak of. He went to several tournaments over that summer and was crushed in every match. In the last preseason tournament (October) he won his first match. Then came his first high school wrestling season, he went 25 - 8, winning several tournaments, placing in most and earning several varsity wins. Another wrestler on my son's team subsequently began training at WP and earned his first win and tournament championship after his introduction to WP. As a junior, my son placed in almost every varsity tournament he entered and he wrecked several highly ranked wrestlers. As an entering senior, he is again training at WP, has a chance at making the state tournament and was recently contacted by an NCAA coach expressing interest in him wrestling at the university level. What makes the difference: At WP, your son/daughter will be able to train with great coaches, nationally and state ranked athletes, and aspiring beginners as well. As long as your athlete has the desire, WP is an environment where they will condition, learn technique, and then begin to master the sport. Carolyn, WP coach, also encourages the wrestlers to compete outside of the bay area and outside of California. My son and many others were taken to New York (Journeymen), Missouri, North Carolina (Super-32), Clovis, CA (multiple times), which served to enrich their wrestling experiences and further hone their skills. WP sponsors underprivileged athletes. I've have not seen anyone turned away because of financial issues. At the WP banquet, I heard many stories of athletes that would not have been able to attend college but for their ability to wrestle. It was their ticket in. Unfortunately, the sport of wrestling is associated with skin ailments and repeated disinfection of the mats will not make up for the poor hygiene of some wrestlers. My son has reduced the occurrence of these issues by showering immediately after practice and washing his singlets and gear. WP has showers, washers and dryers and properly trained athletes know how to use them. Food - It is not fancy but WP's goals are not culinary. The athletes are fed and I have seen bbq chicken and pulled pork served on a couple of occasions. If your athlete is picky or has special dietary needs, have them bring their own food. WP has on-site refrigerators and freezers. In summary, WP has been invaluable in transforming my son into a competitive wrestler. Two summers after that first June, we could not be happier with Carolyn and the staff at WP and have no regrets concerning the results or with my son's training. Go WP! read more

I think it's about time for a review. My son (10 years) had been coming off and on for match nights and Sunday live wrestling 2 years ago. We officially made this our home last year. This was really not a hard choice, Carolyn is just the best. She treats everyone, and by everyone I mean, wrestlers, parents, siblings the same. She will greet you like she's known you forever, with a hug and kiss. What we love about Carolyn's program is all the flexibility/gymnastics drills they have before every class. This is really important for a wrestler and my son is learning these and starting to get better at them. Carolyn explains everything. The warmups are not there just for fun, everything has a purpose that goes with wrestling technique. Carolyn does not tolerate lack of discipline or those not willing to pay attention or participate and wanting to horse around so come in with your game face on but also willing to learn something new each and every time. Regarding the skin infections that some reviewers have mentioned. Yes, it's true. The mats are cleaned regularly, however, some might decide it's ok to come in and wrestle with infections, unfortunately. This is seen in any contact sport but with people coming in from all over, this can be difficult to control sometimes. Participants are instructed to wash up daily and keep clean. With that said, my son has learned a lot with Carolyn and it really has made a difference during the last tournament season. Best thing you can do is just go and try WP and make your own decision. Every individual is different and what might work for one, might not for the other. We have never regretted bringing our son to Carolyn. What another yelper had mentioned, wrestling is a dirty, gritty, ugly sport, not glamorous, pretty or nice. So do not expect to be pampered and babied. read more

Ms. Wester rented a home and held a summer camp in my neighborhood this past summer(2017). Unfortunately, a number of boys, who attended her camp, decided to vandalize private property by breaking over $6,000 worth of windows on homes and vehicles. The boys were unsupervised for hours at a time over the course of weeks. When Ms. Wester was informed of the incident and of the police report, she was quick to apologize. She was eager to have the damage repaired, and asked for a quote. A few weeks after the incident. Ms. Wester received a sympathetic quote from a local glass company. Here we are over 6 months later with homes and vehicles becoming more damaged by not having windows to keep the elements out. A flyer on Ms. Wester's website reads, "She wants each athlete to succeed not only on the wrestling mat but also in life. Teaching them accountability, time management, proper diet and follow through." Ironic! Several attempts have been made to have this issue resolved, but it seems Ms. Wester needs to be reminded of her philosophy. I would suggest hosts and parents think twice about this organization. I will be happy to edit this review if there is accountability and follow through from Ms. Wester. read more

Bill Mitchell, coach-trainer, is excellent!!! The review is for the Place - which was very very dirty during summer workouts - which says a lot by wrestling standards. Not run like a professional gym. Bring on the Matguard!! Other yelper mentioned Jake Waste. Where is he? Place was a lot cleaner and more organized with Jake (who I think was on-site). Jake - your absence shows. Thumbs down - but big thumbs up for Bill Mitchell and Jake Waste - fantastic coaches and trainers probably passing time at this place until they move on. Freestyle - Greco program run by Bill this year was top notch. Go Bill - you rule!! read more

I have been associated with Wrestling Prep since 2007. Wrestling Prep is a haven for wrestling. It brings together a community of wrestlers, who share the same goal- being the best that they can be, both athletically and academically. There are even SAT prep classes provided at Wrestling Prep. There are countless NCAA Division I wrestlers, including myself, who Carolyn has helped out throughout the years. Not only does she provide guidance in wrestling, but personally, she had guided me through my diet, workout schedule, and recruiting throughout my years and high school. Ultimately, she helped me earn an athletic scholarship to a school on the East Coast. Running a 10,000 square foot facility does not come cheap. Bringing in college coaches and athletes do not come cheap either. She definitely makes it all work in a fun, hard working environment. There is a reason why so many WP alumni come back and are willing to help out whenever they can. We are all very grateful for WP and it is truly life changing. In regards to previous remarks about cleanliness, Wrestling Prep mops the maps on a daily basis, if not twice daily. The kids are required to shower after every workout session. There are antibacterial wipes provided at the facility as well. In the 8 years that I have been affiliated with WP, I have never had a skin infection after working out there. Quite frankly, the people who got a skin infection probably went home without showering in the facility. By far the best place for HS kids to come train in the country. Thanks for everything Carolyn! read more

My son has just completed six weeks of summer training at WP. His third summer of training there. Carolyn and her crew work exhaustive hours with the goal of improving each and every kid's technical wrestling skills. It is not a convenient location for us as we live in the city of San Francisco but it is worth the extra hours. Great coaches, a true community spirit - my son has made his closest of friends here. Moreover Carolyn Wester has been instrumental in securing college placement for countless young men and women, many of whom would not have had the opportunity if it weren't for her coaching, direction, connections and extraordinary commitment. Thank you to Carolyn, Jason Welch, Billy Mitchell and all the coaches who dedicate themselves to this sport and this facility. Legends are being created here! read more

Would give zero stars if possible or perhaps 1/2. Sadly - good concept - poor management / limited (if any) supervision of staff / filthy mats- conditions and bathrooms / kids eat "pasta with hot dogs" for lunch most days at summer camp made by kids / quantity of "food" (see prior comment) also inadequate / ringworm - impetigo were rampant the week my child attended etc. etc. I feel sorry for the kids (and some of the good trainers) that spend much time here (particularly those from out of state) - in my opinion, it is a dismal and filthy existence perhaps comparable to an 18th Century French prison stay. Additionally, there seems to be no control over who goes on the mats (many many visible skin conditions are the norm) or even who checks in as there is no check-in procedure - it is simply out of control. That said, they have some outstanding visiting trainers (and bad ones) so this commentary should in no way reflect on them (the good ones), but rather the organization and the management thereof. Why these trainers come to this place is beyond comprehension. Certainly, for summer camp, the price is cheap - but what is your child's health and safety worth? Certainly in life, you get what you pay for - in this case, skin conditions and pasta and hot dogs during the week my child attended. Find a good Club in the area and stick with it. For summer, I would suggest you go to one of the more reputable camps where kids are fed adequately, mats are not filthy, and there is more supervision and a professional approach to training. A final observation is that the entire organization seems more about promoting Ms. Wester (see Facebook page) than anything else (perhaps this is the problem). I don't even think Ms. Wester ever wrestled competitively (even at the middle or high school level), let alone knows much about the sport. But, certainly if there is a picture to be had with anyone even remotely successful in the sport of wrestling, you can count on Ms. Wester to photo-bomb them and post the photo of her on her Facebook page claiming some affiliation with Wrestling Prep and the wrestler. Jason Welch, who is actually pretty well known (a purported affiliate of Prep), rarely (if ever) shows for anything (probably does not want a skin condition)- so it is unclear what his affiliation is (never saw him). And, in my opinion, regarding Victor T's comment, Ms. Wester's touchy-feely approach to the young male wrestlers is down-right creepy (like in make your skin crawl creepy) - constant references to male body parts seem to be the norm here. My advice - stay far away and find a more professional and cleaner environment for your young wrestler. Upate - just heard they are closing up shop in San Jose - not a big surprise. read more

My son went to WP this summer - what used to be a good camp was a disgusting experience. The facility is dirty. He came home with impetigo and, while this is not unusual in the sport, my son is diligent about hygiene. Based on his reports of the lack of cleanliness, there was no way he could not get something unpleasant. In past years, Jake was there and did a great job keeping everything clean. I guess he is gone now. I know a lot of people think that this place is great. But the fact is that a lot of people don't pay for the camps and are willing to overlook a lot - or write Yelp reviews - when they are getting their kid's camp for free. We paid and will not be back. Next year we will spend our money wisely and pay for a real camp. The only bright spot was Bill Mitchell who is an exceptional trainer. read more

Carolyn and the wrestling prep team are more than great wrestling coaches, they are life coaches and character builders! Such an awesome community of hard workers and grinders. read more

Not a good gym. I see lots of defensive reviews about this place written in response to a few negatives I don't think that is a coincidence. Anytime so much time is spent defending a place by a few - watch out. So here goes: The reality is that this place is sub-par (and that's probably generous) to competitor programs. Most of the people submitting the reviews likely attended or attend this place for free or very cheap (an earlier review touched on this.) but who knows. You just walk in this place and wrestle (no release, no payment, nothing) which I guess provides some benefit but if you are looking for a professional gym - keep looking. I would be surprised if Carolyn (one of the owners and a topic of discussion here) has any wrestling specific credentials in terms of wrestling accomplishments - but who knows? The rating could be 2 stars on a good day but we seemed to go on bad days. Summer camp as some reviewers noted was just bad. With COC, West Coast, Stanford, (many clubs around). - there is no reason to go here for summer unless money is real tight. We kind of knew it was bad after some Spring training - but had already paid for some of the camps - so went forward rather than ask for our money back. Was glad when it was over. The gym seems to have VERY high turnover of trainers - I think for a reason. So - I would say try a real gym. If you are happy with this place and not paying for it - then enjoy. The tumbling, gymnastics and other warmups that someone mentioned are nothing unique to Prep (pretty much universal in different forms at all wrestling training facilities). Finally, on the condition of the place itself - it was dirty during most times we attended. There is wrestling dirty and there is dirty dirty - this place was the latter. Obviously, there might be disagreement on what is "dirty"(as seen by some of these reviews) but this place was dirty dirty in our experience. If that is what you like and what you are used to - then go here. read more

Son went here with a friend for a week or so and we did not like it. There is a small group of followers of this place but it is not for us. A lady runs a lot of the routines and training - was hoping to get more higher level training. I just saw on Facebbok that they are closing up shop. They abruptly announced that they were "moving" to Sacramento - which was kind of weird - but we had stopped going there anyway . So, this review may be kind of inconsequential in light of them closing up shop locally here. No a real loss though. I did hear that their summer camps were kind of a mess from a number of people (my son did not attend this). But they did have some good trainers there from what I heard from parents. read more

Wrestling Prep "WP" holds a very special place with my family. Four years ago we heard about this outstanding place where Wrestlers can go to find the most challenging mat time, a highly competetive atmosphere, great coaches, and a fun environment. In addition to all the great reasons I listed above I would like to share some personal insights. Carolyn cares about every wrestler on the mat. She sets the standard around being a good person and respecting one another. She spends countless hours listening to parents and wrestlers on all we will and have gone through. She expects your best on and off the mat providing support for education and personal development. She trulely loves what she does and without a doubt every child will become a better wrestler and a better person. Are son's in the past have been to many camps accross California. They have had some good experiences but none as fine as Wrestling Prep. There is a reason people come from all over the country to WP. Not only is it affordable, your wrestler will be exposed to high level competion, and be coached by successful college wrestling coaches. Your wrestler will be challenged and provided a high level of competive wrestling strategies and skillset. My oldest son is wrestling and receiving an outstanding education in Iowa. Caroline and WP paved the way for him. For this reason I was compeld to share my thoughts on WP. read more

I have read some of the poor reviews and completely disagree. If you are looking for fancy food and hand holding care for your wrestlers then I would agree with Raider J and pay the top dollar for a week. But that is about all you will get. My son had been to the fancy college camps and they were a waste of time and money. The most he got out of them was conditioning. Once my son found WP his wrestling improved significantly. He had never wrestled before his freshman year and after spending several weeks at WP camps and tournaments he made it to State his Junior year. This is because of the outstanding coaching and quality talent he was able to train with at WP. It is because of WP that my son is now a collegiate wrestler. We are extremely grateful for everything Wrestling Prep and Carolyn has done for our son. Wrestling Prep is well worth money for camps and we will continue to support WP! read more