Amateur wrestling flourished throughout the early years of the country
and served as a popular activity at country fairs, holiday
celebrations, and in military exercises.The 1st organized national wrestling tournament was held in New York City in 1888, while the 1st wrestling competition in the modern Olympic Games was held in 1904 in Saint Louis, Missouri. FILA was founded in 1912, in Antwerp, Belgium. The 1st NCAA Wrestling
Championships were also held in 1912, in Ames, Iowa. USA Wrestling,
ocated in Colorado Springs, Colorado, became the national governing
body of amateur wrestling in 1983. It conducts competitions for all age levels.
