Contenders Wrestling Academy, Indiana’s premier youth wrestling academy, is expanding by opening a new facility in Noblesville.
According to owner Ryan Parrish, the academy, which has locations in Brownsburg and Greenwood, provides athletes ages 4 through 18 with the training necessary to become successful in wrestling.
“Contenders Wrestling Academy has the goal of starting kids in wrestling and helping supplement training for high school athletes so they can get ready for high school and college wrestling,” Parrish said. “We start them at age 4 and give them the introduction into wrestling, and then we go all the way up to more specialized training for our high school athletes.”
Parrish, who started the business in his parents’ garage in 2006, always wanted to expand the academy to the north side of Indianapolis.
“I feel like it’s an area where there’s not a lot of competing companies that do similar work to what I do, but also it’s just an ever-growing and expanding area with not only the world of wrestling, but it’s just growing in general,” Parrish said. “Wrestling’s becoming bigger in Hamilton County, and it’s kind of an untapped area with a lot of demand for it. We feel like this was just kind of our next stop, and we’re really excited about it.”
The new facility at 9535 E. 151st St. is expected to open in early November. Parrish said that because the building is new, he is excited to adapt the academy’s needs to the space.
“In the past, we’ve kind of made our needs fit the building. In this case, we’re going to make the building what we want it to be because it’s such a blank slate,” Parrish said. “I think that’s exciting on our end. But as far as how we’re going to do things, there’s not much difference on that end.”
Contenders Wrestling Academy has five age-based classes. Parrish said his goal for the new facility is to continue making “better humans” through the sport of wrestling.
“Wrestling did a lot for me in my life, and it’s a big part of who I am today,” Parrish said. “It teaches so many life lessons about hard work and discipline. It’s a great avenue to teach future kids or the youth how to be better and have good character qualities. So, I think my goal, personally as the owner, is to expand what we’re doing and help kids grow in the sport of wrestling, but mainly help grow the character and human beings they are.”
For more, visit contenderswrestling.com.
