The world of high school wrestling is unique. Dual meets and tournaments provide the perfect opportunity to demonstrate both physical and mental toughness. While these events can certainly be nerve-wracking, many graduates look back on them fondly as the best learning opportunities and memory-making experiences of their high school experience.
Fans also enjoy themselves greatly, as wrestling is incredibly entertaining compared to most other high school sports. There’s no denying the edge-of-the-seat mentality, but often, spectators get so caught up in the moment that they neglect to give young wrestlers the support they crave. This is where signs can come into play. These get the crowd excited and also make it abundantly clear that wrestlers are backed by friends and family members who genuinely care.
If you like the idea of creating a wrestling sign but aren’t sure where to start, you’re in luck. We’ve compiled several unique ideas to help you make an impression. These signs will hype up any high school wrestling event and can even be incorporated into parties or other occasions. We’ve provided a few basic ideas to get you started, although these options are certainly open to interpretation.
1. Team-Specific Signs
There’s nothing wrong with keeping it simple and selecting signs that are easy for wrestling team members to see and understand. Remember: sometimes, all wrestlers need is a little recognition and support. This will be in abundant supply if they can spot personalized wrestling posters in the crowd. Simple and effective, these could highlight the name and color of the team in question or may even include athletes’ names. These team-oriented signs are also great when posing for pictures after the event.
2. Cheerful and Motivational Signs
Staying upbeat can be tough amid the pressure of a wrestling event. The right signs can lighten the mood while providing a welcome distraction if athletes are feeling nervous. With these signs, simple messages are often the most effective: something basic like “pin for the win” will get the message across, although you can also encourage athletes to “leave it all on the mat.”
On senior night, wrestling posters may be a bit more poignant, but there’s no better way to send athletes onto a whole new world of college wrestling. This is a great opportunity to display signs featuring your favorite athlete at various points in their wrestling journey — including BigHeads depicting a pint-sized wrestler years ago.
3. Humorous and Witty Signs
The first few signs may feel like a novelty, but how do you remain encouraging when wrestlers have become accustomed to the usual signs and, perhaps, even started to tune them out? This can be where humor comes into play. Funny wrestling signs are often the most enjoyable. Whether they incorporate wrestling puns, celebrity images, or inside jokes, these signs are bound to produce at least a few chuckles.
This is often a great way to incorporate BigHeads, especially if they feature wrestlers making funny faces or even highlight outlandish pro wrestlers like Hulk Hogan. BigHeads featuring the wrestling coach are certainly not off-limits, either.
4. Visual and Artistic Displays
Another option for moving beyond expectations and making a genuine impression: highly visual displays that are bigger, bolder, or more dynamic than your typical motivational sign. When possible, these should play up school colors, symbols, or mascots. This could be as simple as using thematic colors for the text, although vibrant imagery is always going to make a greater statement.
The size of the display also matters: choose something large enough that wrestlers can easily see it from afar. If this is made from corrugated plastic, it can eventually be repurposed as a wrestling yard sign for a grad party or even as home decor, making it a personalized wrestling gift.
5. Interactive and Engaging Signs
All too often, we take a passive approach to creating signs that we intend to be supportive. Any sign can be helpful or appreciated, of course, but what if your main goal is to boost school spirit? Consider developing a sign that can build genuine engagement with team members, fans, and ideally, the entire crowd. This represents more than simple visuals or text; it’s a tool that turns everyday fans into cheerleading stars. For example: signs may include prompts for simple cheers that the crowd can join. This ensures that support is vocal, not just visual.
Other signs may be more for the wrestling fans than they are for the wrestlers. After all, while tournaments are always exciting, they can start to feel long. Eventually, spectators will feel less energized, no matter how impressive the wrestling. Get them energized and bring a fresh feel to the tournament with countdown-oriented signs. Even better? Lyrics to the hook of the school song are also encouraged.
6. Creative Props and Accessories
We’ve mentioned unique types of signs that can get entire crowds amped up, but this effect is also possible on a more personal basis. Some cutouts, for example, can provide the basis for creative props. These can be used when gathering for photos and also to cheer on wrestlers. Foam fingers, for example, are a classic option that are just as welcome at a wrestling meet as they are at a football game.
As mentioned previously, it’s perfectly fine to incorporate elements from pro wrestling if they’ll get high school wrestlers laughing. Chairs and ladders, for example, can be a hilarious addition to any crowd experience. Better yet, display an ornate WWE wrestling belt to reveal that, no matter who gets the pin, you believe the wrestler in your life is always a champion.
7. Themed and Seasonal Signs
Even the most dynamic wrestling sign can start to feel stale if it’s displayed too often. Eventually, a refresh will be needed. When that time arrives, look to thematic or seasonal signs to bring an eye-catching new element to the table. For example, a tournament scheduled during the holiday season provides an excellent opportunity to incorporate fun color schemes or decorations, such as colorful lights, candy cane stripes, or snowflakes. Near Valentine’s Day, hearts and pink are perfectly acceptable.
8. DIY and Cost-Effective Options
Name your budget, and you will have no trouble finding a way to prepare signs for a big wrestling event. Some signs can be purchased directly online, but DIY is always a viable option. While it requires far more of a time commitment and will not guarantee visually appealing results, these projects can certainly be enjoyable. With some poster board, markers, and embellishments, you can create a vibrant sign that gets your message across.
If you’re short on time, cutouts may be preferable. These are far more versatile and deliver a higher-end aesthetic that will get your favorite wrestler to sit up and take notice. It takes mere moments to upload your favorite wrestling-themed images. With options available at every price point, you’ll be amazed at just how affordable this strategy can be.
“Sign Guy” by mattbrink is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0.
Craft Epic Wrestling Signs with Cardboard Cutouts
As you gear up for an exciting wrestling season, look to Cardboard Cutout Standees to demonstrate just how much you love the life of a wrestling mom or wrestling dad. We’re all about fan engagement and we believe that custom cutouts can fire up any event. Get started by uploading images so you can create vibrant BigHeads and life-sized cutouts.
