Vienna's Legends Wrestling Club Supports Sport As Nonprofit

VIENNA, VA — At Legend Wrestling-Vienna Mat Club, no kids who want to learn wrestling or pursue the sport at a more experienced level are excluded. That includes girls, who have accounted for the most recent growth in the sport.

The wrestling club, technically a nonprofit, trains wrestlers at different levels. There are programs for beginners who want to learn the basics, a girls program, and intermediate and advanced wrestling. Boys and girls have excelled at different competition levels, from the local Top of the Podium competitions to state titles for their age groups.

Ian Assael, the co-founder and head coach of the Legend Wrestling Club, told Patch the wrestling club opened in November 2022 at 319 Mill Street NE in Vienna. Co-founder David Krauskopf, who has wrestled along with his boys and coached teams such as Vienna Youth's Firebirds, decided to open the wrestling club to serve where his family lives.

Since opening, Legend Wrestling-Vienna Mat Club has worked with a variety of kids.

"We're a location where kids can go for extra training, and we have a beginner class. We provide more advance training for more serious youth and high school athletes," said Assael.

For young women in particular, Assael says wrestling is the fastest-growing sport. The Virginia High School League held its first girls wrestling state championship in 2023.

"We have a great group of girls who are in our club," said Assael.

For student-athletes pursuing a higher level of wrestling, they can work with like-minded athletes from other schools and learn other areas of the sport.

"The training is more intensive. There's more high level technique. There's higher development of skills," said Assael.

Another component of the program is ensuring athletes are prepared academically for collegiate programs and guiding them through the process like NCAA eligibility. Assael, who has worked on Division I school wrestling staffs, says that process can be "overwhelming" for parents who haven't gone through it before.

Legend Wrestling Club's beginner program teaches the fundamentals of wrestling, but Assael says some of the kids have advanced to the intermediate level. The club also offers camps where kids can learn from experienced wrestlers and staff.

For all kids, Assael said wrestling helps with physical fitness as sedentary lifestyles become more common. It can also be a good fit for athletes who may not be the right size for other sports.

"It is a great fit for any kid, because you're not limited by size or athletic ability," said Assael. "If you're small, you're going to have a hard time finding success in football or basketball."

Most recently, the club's 14 and under boys team won the state team title, the girls team won the 15 and under girls state title, several club members won or placed at the girls high school state championship, and one placed and earned All American status at the National Prep Wrestling tournament.

Legend Wrestling Club provides a chance for middle schoolers to learn wrestling before entering high school, where school-based wrestling programs are offered. As more middle school athletic programs are starting to be introduced in local school districts, Assael hopes wrestling will eventually be one of them. That could help boost the high school programs by introducing it to kids earlier.

"It's tough to be a high school sport when there's no middle school [outlet]," said Assael.

The nonprofit Legend Wrestling Club itself hopes to grow after facing significant upfront costs to get its facility ready for wrestling training. Once the club surpasses breaking even, it will put any additional funds toward coaches and scholarships for kids. Assael notes some families are not able to afford the full fees for the wrestling programs.

"We do provide free or discounted tuition," said Assael, noting the club will check with the child's parents and ensure they are performing well academically before awarding scholarships.

The club has several sponsors to help provide scholarships to kids in need. Assael says additional sponsors from the local community would help support kids attending the programs.

For more information, visit legendwrestling.org.

Patch is featuring small businesses like Vienna Mat Club-Legend Wrestling for a free business spotlight. If you'd like your business to be featured, fill out our Q&A form. Feel free to pass the form along to any businesses that should be spotlighted in our community.