Membership 2024-2025

The IKWF office will not process membership forms during the 2024-25 season. Club leaders, coaches, and parents of wrestlers will need to purchase their memberships using USAW’s membership system.

Note: All memberships are valid September 1st through August 31st.

Become a member of the IKWF and USA Wrestling

Membership in the IKWF and USA Wrestling provides many benefits including:

As members of the IKWF and USA Wrestling, insurance coverage is of the upmost importance. Click the headers below for detailed information to charter your club or to become a member as a wrestling leader (coach or official) or athlete.

Please review the documents below for detailed information concerning insurance coverages.

Note: All membership is valid 9/1/2024 through 8/31/2025.

  • Club Charter – $195
  • Club Additional Insured – $55 per site
  • Event Sanction – $165
  • Event Additional Insured – $55 per site
  • Athlete Membership – $60
  • Wrestling Leader Membership – $60

Club and Event directors! You must have an active USAW wrestling leader membership to purchase a club charter or event sanction.

Club directors must have an active 2024-25 Wrestling Leader membership prior to purchasing a club charter.

Please note: USAW does not provide liability coverage for wrestling activities at a home or residential dwelling.

After the club leader has purchased their wrestling leader membership, they should:

  • Log into their profile in USAW’s membership system.
  • Hover over Manage in the navigation bar.
  • In the drop down menu, click on Clubs.
  • On the Clubs page, click on the Renew Now button for returning clubs or click on the Charter Club button for new clubs.
  • If your practice facility needs insurance coverage, make sure you add your site as an additional insured.

Fees: Club Charter – $195, Additional Insured – $55 per site

It is not required but below is information to obtain non-profit status for your club:

Club directors or the designated head coach must have an active 2024-25 Wrestling Leader membership prior to purchasing an event sanction.

IKWF bylaws now require only club directors or the designated head coach of an active IKWF club can sanction an event.

No tournaments will be sanctioned the weekend of the Jon Davis Kids Open (Jan. 18th & 19th) per bylaw 17.1.

Fees: Event Sanction – $165, Additional Insured – $55

After the club director or designated head coach has purchased their wrestling leader membership, they should:

  1. Log into their profile in USAW’s membership system.
  2. Hover over Manage in the navigation bar.
  3. In the drop down menu, click on Events.
  4. On the Event page, click on the Sanction Event button.
  5. If your event site need insurance coverage, make sure you add the site as an additional insured.

All Illinois residents (wrestlers AND coaches) must be listed on an active IKWF club to participate in any IKWF event.

Non-Illinois residents (wrestlers AND coaches) are eligible to compete at your event as long as they hold a current USA Wrestling membership. Athlete membership for wrestlers and wrestling leader membership for coaches. Event directors should require proof of membership from non-Illinois residents.

Sanctioning your event enables our wrestlers to compete and learn from the skills taught to them at IKWF club practices. Most tournaments are used as club fundraisers, but this does not negate the responsibilities of the tournament director and the tournament host club from providing a safe and enjoyable environment for all wrestlers, coaches, officials, and spectators.

Below is information provided by USA Wrestling to assist you with event planning:

Event Organizing Guide

Tournament directors and the tournament host club are responsible for ensuring:

  1. All wrestlers have a current USAW athlete membership and have been age verified by the IKWF office.
  2. All coaches have a current USAW wrestling leader membership and it is displayed between their neck and waist while coaching at the event.
  3. All officials have a current USAW wrestling leader membership.

The above information can be verified by checking the Rosters and Officials page of this website.

Your event will be listed on the IKWF and USA Wrestling Events page. You can provide the IKWF with an event flyer to be included with the basic information listed. Email the flyer or the link to ikwf@ikwf.org.

Club and event participation requires the following:

Officials:

  1. Must have a current membership year USAW wrestling leader membership.
    Note: High school wrestlers, who are 18 years old and younger and have a current membership year athlete membership are allowed to officiate at local USAW events, such as any event listed on the Events page of this website.

Coaches:

  1. Must have a current membership year USAW wrestling leader membership.
  2. For events, coaches must be National Coaches Education Program (NCEP) copper, bronze, silver, or gold certified.
    National Coaches Education Program Information
  3. Must be listed on an active IKWF club roster.

Wrestlers:

  1. Must have a current membership year USAW athlete membership.
  2. Must be age verified by the IKWF office.
  3. Must be listed on an active IKWF club roster.

Fee: $60

The following must be completed and approved by USA Wrestling prior to purchasing the wrestling leader membership:

  1. Background screening by USA Wrestling’s provider. Coaches and officials UNDER 18 years old are not required to pass a background screening.
    USA Wrestling’s background screening policy
  2. Safe Sport Trained.
    Safe Sport Handbook

The above items must be completed using USAW’s membership system.

All wrestlers must hold a current membership year USA athlete membership to participate in any IKWF club practice or event.

Fee: $60

See Parent Instructions below for guidance purchasing the athlete membership.

Note: If an athlete membership is purchased for pre-season training purposes, the athlete has until November 23, 2024 to declare their club affiliation for the IKWF season.

  1. Create account in USAW’s membership system.
    USAW Account Creation Help
  2. Create a profile for a new wrestler or claim the profile of a returning wrestler.
    USAW Profile Create/Claim Help
  3. Add or edit club affiliation.
    Warning: After the membership is purchased only the IKWF office staff (ikwf@ikwf.org) can add or edit a wrestler’s club affiliation.
    USAW Club Affiliation Help
  4. Purchase the USAW athlete membership.
    Athlete Membership Purchase Help
  5. Submit your child’s age verification, if required (birth certificate, passport, or any legal document showing your child’s name and date of birth).
    All wrestlers competing in IKWF events must be age verified by the IKWF office. Age verification’s can be faxed to (708) 206-0335 or emailed to ikwf@ikwf.org. Please be sure to include the club name your child is joining so we can verify your child is affiliated with the correct IKWF club.