WIBN Announces New Pilot Program - YOUR NEXT MATCH

Wrestlers in Business Network (WIBN) has announced a new pilot program to help connect high school and college wrestlers with early career opportunities. The program, titled “Your Next Match”, will help connect current and recent high school and college wrestlers with companies looking to employ wrestlers. Your Next Match represents a deliberate approach by WIBN to help connect wrestlers with career opportunities as a way to help further the growth of wrestling.

In 2023, WIBN began hosting college career fairs to connect current college wrestlers with career and internship opportunities. Over the past year, WIBN has attracted over 80 companies to the sport looking to hire college wrestlers. The three initial career fairs hosted by WIBN attracted over 3000 men and women college wrestlers.

The high school initiative is designed to help those wrestlers who elect not to matriculate to colleges and universities. WIBN has recognized the increased decline in the number of high school students furthering their education at four-year institutions and this program will address and assist those wrestlers with finding early career opportunities. Initially, WIBN will partner with approximately a dozen regional and national companies who are looking to employ wrestlers because of the intangible qualities these have developed through the sport.

“We believe that the ultimate outcome for our sport is preparing wrestlers to be successful in whatever path they pursue,” said Mike Moyer, Executive Director of WIBN. “Your Next Match represents a deliberate strategy by WIBN to create a cradle-to-grave relationship with wrestlers by first instilling in them the great qualities they learn through the sport and then connecting them with careers where they can demonstrate those qualities they learned while wrestling.”

An operating division of the National Wrestling Coaches Association, WIBN is uniquely positioned to administer Your Next Match due to its’ close connection with high school and college wrestling coaches. According to Moyer, “There are so many amazing college and high school coaches who fundamentally understand that their primary responsibility is to develop wrestlers to be successful in life. We will leverage these great coaches and influencers to help generate awareness of the great opportunities Your Next Match can provide to their athletes.”