Tony Purler offers a variety of different wrestling camps and clinics throughout the year, some are available during the summer while others take place in winter months. All scheduled camps are listed on our Camps & Clinics page where you can register for an upcoming event. Below are full descriptions of all of our offerings.
Tony Purler’s 3 Day Commuter Camps
Tony Purler’s 3 Day Commuter Camps allow wrestlers from across the country to be able to attend a Tony Purler Wrestling Camp in their area. These wrestling camps focus on technique and positioning which is fundamental for all ages and levels of wrestlers. This camp will cover all three positions (from feet, top, and bottom). At Purler wrestling camps, a scoring system will be taught. What we work on at our youth and summer wrestling camps during day one will be covered on day three. The benefit? Wrestlers will understand and develop skills, not simply be shown them.
I coach positioning, not just technique. Wrestling is position-based and not just based on moves. By covering a system, or scoring routine, on the final day of the camp wrestlers will master positioning when on a leg, as well as all other common areas of the sport. Wrestlers who only learn moves but have no understanding of how to ‘wrestle for position’, will only see their techniques work when they outclass their opponent. The common theme in all my youth and summer wrestling camps will always be to wrestle for position, not points. The points will follow position.
Tony Purler’s 3 Day Commuter Wrestling Camp
- A Commuter Summer Wrestling Camp for wrestlers from ages 8-18 (for those younger than 8 please call first)
- Thurs 4-9pm
- Fri 10am-3:30pm (lunch break at 1:00)
- Sat 9am-2:30pm (lunch break at 12:00)
- $190 per wrestler (does not include paypal fee) NO REFUNDS – Only Camp Credit given
- Walk-in fee – $210 per wrestler due at check in
Get ready for approximately 15 hours of world class wrestling instruction and technique packed in the span of 3 days.
3-Day Throwdown Training Camp Series, Est. 2012
An Intense Training Environment for Intense individuals!
Who: Youth wrestlers (age 9) up to High School
Schedule: All 3-Day Throwdown Camps begin on Friday evening, run all day on Saturday, and end at noon on Sunday. These are tough, intensive wrestling camps, but the schedule is great for accommodating long distance attendees, as they are ‘in and out’ camps that keep the cost of hotels/travel expenses to a minimum. Hotels for parents/coaches are close by.
- Friday: Check in 5:30-7 pm First Session 7-9 pm
- Saturday: 3 sessions 9am-11:30am, 2:30pm-4:30pm, 7-9pm
- Sunday: 9am to 11:30am
Camp Format: Six hours of technique/six hours of live. One can attend every national meet and not come close to accumulating six hours of live wrestling with the talent that attends the Tony Purler 3-Day Throwdown intensive wrestling camps.
Where: Tony Purler’s Home Training Facility — 7710 SE Moore Dr., Holt MO 64048
(30 min N of Kansas City, 2 1/2 hrs South of Des Moines, IA)
Technical focus: Covering common positions in the sport with Tony’s scoring techniques. Hopefully this will help the kids win the closer matches as the State qualifiers and tournament approaches.
Airport pickups: Airport pickups are available by PWA Camp Staff from the Kansas City International Airport.(MCI) Cost of airport pickup/return is $45.00. Kids should bring $45.00 cash with them in a sealed envelope. Due at pick up.
Arrivals: Kids must arrive on the same day of the start date, and arrive between 12-4 p.m.
Departure: Kids must depart on the last day of the camp between 2-6 p.m. The last session is from 9- 11:30 a.m. Sometimes those that fly in may have to miss part of the last session to catch a flight, or a utilize a much cheaper one. This is fine should this be the case.
*Email flight itinerary to tony@tonypurler.com 2 weeks before camp start*
Notable wrestlers currently registered: Follow me on the Purler Wrestling Academy Facebook to keep track of new signees.
The camps always have serious wrestlers to work with, as well as several Purler Wrestling members. Every camp has wrestlers from several states in attendance.
It’s a tough, intensive wrestling camp — but the kids have fun too, which is part of it, and they build some good friendships.
Single Leg set ups and finishes, and Hand fighting will be our focus for these camps. Note: at the last world tournament, 52% of the points scored were from a single leg. This tells us as youth and HS wrestlers, that we also need to be very good at getting to a single leg, finishing it (regardless of the position we are in), have several setups to get to the single, and also be able to defend it. The goal of Hand fighting – “learn to make contact, not chase with your hands, establish head position, control, use, and clear ties, break balance, and set up your attacks. Learn to make the opponent uncomfortable.” Parents should see the benefit of the camp immediately, MAKING the next several months of weekend meets more enjoyable for BOTH the wrestler and the parents. The kids will have a ‘systematic scoring routine’ down for their finishes.
About Tony Purler: NCAA Champion, 2 time US World Team Member, World Cup Silver Medalist, Div 1 College Coach for 9 YEARS. owner/director of Purler Wrestling Academy (Est. 2003)
“My son has been attending Tony Purler’s summer camps for the past 3 years. The amount of valuable information provided, the methods used to instill muscle memory, and top quality wrestlers to work live with, make this a must attend for any wrestler who is truly serious about improving themselves.”
Brent T
Constant Motion Wrestling Camp
What is the Constant Motion camp?
When done correctly, wrestling is a sport of constant motion. Thus the name of the camp. And at this camp, we focus on core takedowns, setups, and finishes (primarily finishing after an opponents sprawl), as well as the top and bottom positions. Though most big matches are won from the feet, the top and bottom game are often overlooked from coaches. Great wrestlers are 3 position wrestlers, and if you feel your wrestler needs to master core skills from his feet, (this camp covers 60% of the Takedown Machine Camp), as well as the top and bottom positions, then choose this camp.
As with all my camps, my focus is to cover a scoring system, and get the kids a scoring routine so they can chain wrestle, from every position we cover.
This is my 31st year of running my own camps, and after spending 14 years running/coaching university camps, I choose to do my camps differently, and not bring in several clinicians who show their best stuff each 2 hour session. The kids get exposed to great stuff in this format, but from my experience, the kids don’t remember anything after the 5 day camp. I rely on positive words from past campers, and repeat customers. Therefore I do my very best to help the kids gain a scoring routine from all the common positions of the sport at my camps.
- An overnight summer wrestling camp which runs from Saturday-Wednesday for ages 9-18 (for 8 year olds please call first)
- Tony’s Home Training Center
7710 SE Moore Dr
Holt, MO 64048
(Just 30 min North of Downtown Kansas City)
(Approximately 45 minutes from the Kansas City International Airport – airport pick up/drop off available for a nominal fee) - The cost is $475 per athlete
- Sleeping accommodations and Meals are included in the camp fee
Typical Daily Schedule
- 7:15am: Wake up
- 8:00am: Breakfast
- 9:00am-11:30am: Technique
- 12:00 Noon: Lunch
- 2:30pm–4:30pm: Technique and drilling
- 5:00pm: Supper
- 7:00pm–9:00pm: Technique and drilling
- 10:00pm: Movie
- 11:30pm: Lights out, sleep and prepare for next day
(We will train a total of 25 hours at this camp.)
Check In
Sunday between 5:30-7 pm. Please do not show up prior to 5:30 pm. Parents are to drop off their wrestler and depart prior to the start of the 7-9pm evening session. Unfortunately, we have NO ROOM to accommodate parents, video cameras, etc. So please expect to drop off your wrestler and quickly depart and enjoy your break as well!
Check Out
Thursday at Noon. The final session will run from 9:00-11:30. Parents are free to show up at 9:00 am to view the last practice.
Tony’s thoughts on the Constant Motion Scoring Camp
This is a considerable step up from the Kansas City Area Takedown Machine Wrestling Camp. All three wrestling positions are covered, the top position, bottom position, and neutral position.
“I sent my 14 your old and 11 year old daughters to Tony’s Take Down Machine camp this past summer and it was a great experience for them. It really helped them both improve as wrestlers. Shortly after my 14 year old took second at Fargo.”
Adam V.
Tony Purler’s Girls Wrestling Camp
- An overnight summer wrestling camp for girls ages 9-18
- Tony’s Home Training Center
7710 SE Moore Dr
Holt, MO 64048
(Just 30 min North of Downtown Kansas City)
(Approximately 45 minutes from the Kansas City International Airport – airport pick up/drop off available for a nominal fee) - The cost is $475 per athlete
- Sleeping accommodations, supervision, and Meals are included in the camp fee
Typical Daily Schedule
- 7:15am: Wake up
- 8:00am: Breakfast
- 9:00am-11:30am: Technique
- 12:00 Noon: Lunch
- 2:30pm–4:30pm: Technique and drilling
- 5:00pm: Supper
- 7:00pm–9:00pm: Technique, drilling and live wrestling
- 10:00pm: Movie
- 11:30pm: Lights out, sleep and prepare for next day
Check In
Sunday between 5:30 p.m. and 7 p.m. Please do not show up prior to 5:30 p.m. Parents are to drop off their wrestler and depart prior to the start of the 7 p.m. evening session. Unfortunately, we have NO ROOM to accommodate parents, video cameras, etc. So please expect to drop off your wrestler and quickly depart and enjoy your break as well!
Check Out
Thursday at Noon. The final session will run from 9:00-11:30 a.m. Parents are free to show up at 9:00 a.m. to view the last practice.
25 hours of technique sessions!
Tony’s thoughts on 2020 Girls Wrestling Camp
This wrestling camp provides quality developmental wrestling skills and is JUST for GIRLS. The girls will get great at the core skills required in the sport and they will remember them. Everything that we worked on the first session will be worked on during the last session.
This technique camp will cover a scoring system so the girls will have a ‘routine’ of what to do from the common areas they find themselves in every match. Whether a wrestler finds herself in a good position or a bad one, she still needs to know how to build position and wrestle out of it. Watch college wrestling and you will see that they get into the same positions as youth and HS wrestlers, only the college wrestlers are more knowledgeable at wrestling, recovering, and scoring from these very common areas. This is what the Girls camp will focus on and the wrestlers are sure to get a lot out of it. After attending the camp, wrestlers will become fundamentally sound in the core positions they find themselves in during every match. By only focusing on this aspect of the sport, and not showing a ton of moves that they rarely need, the drill time is freed up to turn the later sessions into a training environment where the kids are hitting explosive reps, as opposed to being circled up around me learning new moves every session.
STRUGGLE AGAINST THE BEST? LEARN LEGS…LEVEL THE PLAYING FIELD!
Ground N Pound Leg Riding System DVD now available!!
Tony Purler Camps have a strong reputation within the wrestling world of being able to teach anything to any wrestler!
This is why we have wrestlers from as far away as Arizona, Colorado, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Jersey, Washington, and Wisconsin who attend Tony Purler’s two-day “Ground N Pound” wrestling clinics. You too can benefit from this instruction, presented by one of the most respected teachers and technicians in the wrestling community.
As with all Tony Purler youth/high school wrestling camps, your son will drill, re-drill, and chain drill a series designed to score. This method of wrestling instruction will help your son LEARN leg riding techniques, not just be SHOWN leg riding! Come master one of the most painful wrestling techniques any wrestler can legally do to an opponent in the sport of wrestling!
Historically, this elite leg riding camp has been a huge success, with many past participants personally contacting Tony to express just how much of an impact this camp has had on their son’s leg riding ability.
This leg riding camp has many repeat customers and champions that come every year to refresh and hone their leg riding skills. Hurry and register soon so you don’t miss out on this outstanding two-day, 10-hour technical leg riding instruction presented by Tony Purler or one of his qualified assistants using his proven “Ground N Pound” leg riding techniques.
Day 1
Day 1 will be the ‘fighting solves everything’ hand fighting session. The kids will work on control, pressure, breaking balance, using ties, clearing ties, etc. A good hand fighter can control his stronger or faster opponent and not allow him to “participate” in the competition as well. Whether your wrestler is a great athlete or not, learning to hand fight and being relentless with his hands and head position will greatly change his approach to the sport, and make him difficult to compete against.
Day 2
Day 2 will be the ‘4th wall’ scramble session. Head, Hands, and Hips are the first 3 walls of defense in our sport. Ideally we want to block with our hands and head, while using hip pressure and busy feet to pressure our opponent down into a bad position from his shot. This camp will keep the kids IN THE GAME much much longer. After the session your wrestler should be a much more frustrating opponent for his competition to compete against. There is no substitute for great positioning but having a “4th WALL” of defense is a game changer.
Ages: 9-18yrs (Younger Kids? It is up to the parents who may have 8yr olds to make a decision as to whether they feel their son will benefit, be a great and focused workout partner, etc. Some 8yr olds are ‘well beyond their years’ in focus. No 6-7yr olds.
*HS teams welcome, six or more receive a $10.00 discount per athlete (registrations and payments must be sent in together)
Time: 10:00am – 3:30pm both days – (bring your own lunch – will break for a short time at 1:00)
Cost: $135 (does not include paypal fees) – Walk-ins the day of camp $155 per athlete
Covers 10 hours of technical instruction and drilling (no refunds given, only credit for future camps)
Wrestling sessions will be run by Tony Purler or one of his Qualified Assistant Coaches
- An overnight summer wrestling camp for High School Teams (must bring 8 or more wrestlers)
- Tony’s Home Training Center
7710 SE Moore Dr
Holt, MO 64048
(Just 30 min North of Downtown Kansas City)
(Approximately 45 minutes from the Kansas City International Airport – airport pick up/drop off available for a nominal fee) - The cost is $270 per athlete
- All athlete apps need to be sent in together with a Team Cover Sheet (no Online payment option available)
- Sleeping accommodations and Meals are included in the camp fee
Space is limited. Please contact Tony at 816-304-0313 or tony@tonypurler.com to make sure space is available or if you have any further questions regarding this camp.
Kansas City Area Summer Takedown Machine Scoring Camp
Camp Testimonial:
“My son has worked with Tony for several years on a weekly basis. Each time he attends the Takedown Machine Camp, he comes back more refined and with improved technique. You can’t beat the hundreds if not thousands of reps that they get drilling during this week. It is the best money I spend each summer to help my son improve.” — Eric C.
Why This Camp:
Est. in 1999
This camp will have 40-50 dedicated wrestlers, not 300.
At the Kansas City Takedown Machine summer wrestling camp, we cover an efficient scoring system and will not have a different clinician teaching his best stuff every session. Though it’s nice for the kids to get autographs and meet the newest top wrestlers, this format does not allow the kids to ‘train’ while at camp. By training I mean explosive drill sessions — working to memorize what was taught and working to make the new skills second nature.
What we cover on Day 1 will also be covered on Day 5. This is a drill camp, and the evening session will be an intense drill session reviewing everything taught from the previous sessions and days. THIS is how kids learn — through repetitions. My camps are successful and draw many repeat customers because my format has a focus on “learning” wrestling, and not being “shown” wrestling.
I encourage all the parents to watch the last session of the camp, which will be a hard drill session of what was covered at the camp. Parents should be impressed with what their kids are able to do, and this will show parents whether we did our jobs. I know of NO CAMP in the country that encourages parents to view the last session so they can see what their wrestler learned after the five-day summer wrestling camp.
“If you’ve picked up one or two things from camp, then it was worth it.” This is a common phrase in wrestling regarding camps. To me, if your son/daughter only remembers 1-2 things from a camp, then you should ask for your money back.
Who is able to attend:
This camp benefits youth and high school wrestlers of all skill levels. Kids that struggle technically will benefit more from this camp format as opposed to a large university camp in which the clinicians go extremely fast and cover tons of techniques briefly without ever allowing the kids to continually drill the new skills through the week.
What about good wrestlers, those who are already successful? Like I tell my kids; Jordan Burroughs wins Olympic and world titles with a double leg, and don’t you know a double? They say yes, and I say, “How many of you can win a state title or national title with your double, your single, etc.?” Bottom line: we as wrestlers and coaches have to focus on shoot and score/block and defend wrestling. We have to get the kids confident enough to attack their toughest opponent, and not only display confidence when they are in a mismatch.
What is covered:
- Core attacks
- Secondary attacks, such as ducks, trips, ankle picks, controlled ties.
- Defense
- Front headlock
- Set ups from common positions and ties
If you watch college wrestling, you will notice that they get into the SAME POSITIONS as youth wrestlers. They get into the same ties (collar ties, inside, elbows, wrists), same shots, same defensive positions, etc. Tony Purler was on 2 U.S. world teams and coached Division I wrestling for nine years. And even at those levels the coaches focus on positions that ALL wrestlers find themselves in. This camp will be the same, as are all of my summer wrestling camps.
I hope you gained some insight in to my camp philosophy, and like what you have read. I do my best to get the kids to remember what was covered, and to give them a scoring routine from all the positions they (and all wrestlers) constantly find themselves in. If you cut away the ‘clutter’ of random moves and techniques, and just focus on common positions, it’s much easier to become a great, confident, and consistent wrestler. And this Kansas City area summer wrestling camp hopes to help your wrestler with just that. Sign up today to become a Takedown Machine.
Takedown Machine Scoring Camp:
- What: An overnight summer wrestling camp which runs 5 days for ages 9-18 (for 8 year olds, please call first)
- Where: Tony’s Home Training Center
- 7710 SE Moore Dr. Holt, MO 64048
- Just 30 minutes north of Downtown Kansas City
- Approximately 45 minutes from the Kansas City International Airport – airport pick up/drop off available for a nominal fee
- Cost: $475 per week
- Sleeping accommodations and meals are included in the camp fee
Typical Daily Schedule
- 7:15 a.m.: Wake up
- 8:00 a.m.: Breakfast
- 9:00 a.m.-11:30 a.m.: Technique
- Noon: Lunch
- 2:30 p.m.–4:30 p.m.: Technique and drilling
- 5:00 p.m.: Supper
- 7:00 p.m.–9:00 p.m.: Technique and drilling
- 10:00 p.m.: Movie
- 11:30 p.m.: Lights out, sleep and prepare for next day
(We will train a total of 25 hours at this camp.)
Check In
First day of camp between 5:30 p.m. and 7 p.m. Please do not show up prior to 5:30 p.m. Parents are to drop off their wrestler and depart prior to the start of the 7 p.m. evening session. Unfortunately, we have NO ROOM to accommodate parents, video cameras, etc. So please expect to drop off your wrestler and quickly depart and enjoy your break as well!
Check Out
Last day of camp at Noon. The final two session will run from 9:00-11:30 a.m. Parents are free to show up at 9:00 a.m. to view the last practice.
Tony’s thoughts on the Takedown Machine Scoring Camp
I’ve done the Kansas City-area Takedown Machine Scoring Camp for 15 years. It’s a high-repetition drill camp with a focus on the fundamentals. There is nothing flashy about the camp technically, however the kids will get great at the core skills required in the sport and they will remember them. Everything that we worked on the first session will be worked on during the last session. Most camps have clinicians teach sessions at camps, and once that clinician is done showing his techniques the kids never re-drill the new taught skills. None of us learn well this way, especially kids.
Therefore, I only run technique camps that cover a scoring system so the kids will have a ‘routine’ of what to do from the common areas they find themselves in during every match. Whether a wrestler finds himself in a good position or a bad one, he still needs to know how to build position and wrestle out of it. Watch college wrestling and you will see that they get into the same positions as youth and high school wrestlers, only the college wrestlers are more knowledgeable at wrestling, recovering, and scoring from these very common areas.
This is what the Takedown Machine Scoring Camp is all about and why people speak so highly of it. After attending the Takedown Machine summer wrestling camp, wrestlers will become fundamentally sound in the core positions they find themselves in during every match. By only focusing on this aspect of the sport, and not showing a ton of moves that they rarely need, the drill time is freed up to turn the later sessions into a training environment where the kids are hitting explosive reps, as opposed to being circled up around me learning new moves every session.
I get a lot of questions about which wrestling camp would be the most beneficial for their wrestler. I hope this explanation helps make your decision a clear one. My business focus has always been on creating repeat customers and positive word of mouth. I get a lot of both due to how I operate my camps. Your wrestler will learn and retain a lot from my approach to training, which is what parents and wrestlers want when committing to a camp. Please contact me with any questions at 816-304-0313 or tony@tonypurler.com.
Check out some pictures of Tony’s Home Training Center for a closer look.
Camp Focus
Preparation for the upcoming State Tournaments. Focusing on shots and finishes. Get your Athlete ready for State!
Camp Fee
$60 per athlete (does not include paypal fees)
No Refunds – ONLY Camp Credit Given
**Walk-in fee – $75 per athlete**
Please register and pay online to secure your spot
Session Time
10:00am – 3:30pm (1:00-1:40 break for lunch – bring your own lunch)
“Tony provides top notch wrestling instruction. He provides a safe and comfortable environment conducive to learning for the beginner and the advanced wrestler.
We have been attending Tony’s PWA weekly for a number of years and the level of understanding my son has of wrestling could not be achieved without the skill sets he has developed by attending.
Tony provides numerous wrestling camps throughout the year and these high level, drill intensive training opportunities expose wrestlers of all ages to high level coaching that they don’t get anywhere else.
Tony teaches wrestlers “how” to wrestle a system. This approach is different than many other money grab camps that only show kids a bunch of random moves that they don’t remember two weeks later.
By far, attending PWA every week and going to a variety of Purler summer camps has prepared my son for a successful high school wrestling career. Thank you again Tony Purler.”
Johnie M.
Tony Purler’s Takedown Machine ‘Xtreme Hammer’ Camp
The evolution of wrestling camps is here. Tony Purler is taking his highly successful Takedown Machine Scoring Camp to another level. The Takedown Machine ‘Xtreme Hammer’ Camp is for the advanced, year round wrestler, ages 11-18. The camp will be fast paced, technically intensive, coupled with live wrestling with the most talented wrestlers in the nation.
TDMX is an Exposure Camp
Instead of learning 1-2 core fundamentally sound skills from say an elbow control, we will cover several, and let your son drill, learn, and be exposed to several attacks. From there, it will be up to him if he wants to master all the new skills, or focus on mastering the 2-3 that best suit him and his style. This focus will take place after the 8 day camp ends, but during the camp he will hard drill and learn an ‘insane’ number of attacks! Just what a high level youth-middle school or HS wrestler needs.
What does advanced mean?
I have kids in my rooms that I feel are “hammers”. Yet they haven’t won national meets yet and maybe haven’t reached the state finals yet. But they take their wrestling serious, are very clean in executing all the core leg attacks we all cover on a daily basis in practice. The advanced wrestler can see a new skill and basically go out and do it! Kids that are hammers don’t quit the sport 8 months a year, they stay on the mat 10-12 months a year. But kids that need constant attention from coaches in their typical practices need to attend the Takedown Machine Camp, not this one. Save this camp for the next year. It is up to the parents to choose the correct camp. If you travel extensively, wrestle through the summer and your son is skilled, then the ‘Xtreme Hammer’ Camp is the camp to consider. Those ready for this camp WILL get crazy good in the 8 days.
Why the ‘Xtreme Hammer’ Camp?
If your son is tired of attending camps where the same shots and defenses are covered, and is wanting to be exposed to an insane amount of offensive takedowns, set ups, defenses, etc, then the ‘Xtreme Hammer’ Camp is a camp to consider. Techniques like duck-unders, trips, throws, ankle picks, touch and goes, controlled ties offense/defense, will all be covered. Also, training sessions from elbow control, chest to chest, etc, will be covered. Basically, I will expose the kids to all the offenses and defensive clears and counters they will need from all the core positions they wrestle in, whether it’s outside wrestling, wrists, collars, elbows, under hooks, 2 on 1’s, etc. Plus….clearing and scoring, from your opponents wrist controls, collar ties, elbows, under hooks, 2 on 1’s, etc. I personally took my knowledge base to a very high level during my 21 years of wrestling. I was extremely well rounded and dangerous from every area of the sport. Though I failed in my ultimate goals of winning a world level medal, I feel that having a crazy number of ways to score was beneficial and made the sport fun. SO…if you think your advanced wrestler needs an ARSENAL of weapons, and not just a good single or double, then this camp is for you.
Note: We will go fast paced in the learning and drilling, yet we will constantly go back and touch the new found techniques in the other sessions, but we will go fast. And we will wrestle live 1 hour each day of the 6 1/2 hours on the mat. The Takedown Machine Extreme Hammer Camp is truly for the advanced and serious wrestler.
Have an awesome 10 yr old?
Please call if you feel he can keep up with the 11-18 yr olds. All 8-10 year olds would be better off attending the Takedown Machine Camp, NOT this one.
Cost: $775 per athlete
Check in: 5:30pm on Sunday
Check out: Noon on Sunday