[3] A preliminary meeting was held at O'Hare Airport in January 1968, chaired by Dr. Albert de Ferrari, in his role as the delegate from the United States to UWW, then known as the International Federation of Associated Wrestling Styles (FILA).

Steering and finance committees soon met together to discuss a constitution and bylaws for the new organization and a proposed budget, which called for national offices and an executive director.

In the summer of 1968 between July 31 and August 1, another conference at O'Hare Inn in Chicago set the stage for the founding of the United States Wrestling Federation (USWF).

Technique and coaching clinics, membership forms, and event sanctions were established and in 1972 Bob Dellinger was appointed assistant executive director.

[3] Steve Combs, a suburban Chicago high school wrestling coach, succeeded Roderick as executive director in 1974 and from then on membership increased tenfold.

Combs sought to strengthen the state wrestling federations and provided them with literature, films, clinics, and other educational resources to promote the sport.

The Amateur Sports Act of 1978 specified the operations of the United States Olympic Committee (USOC; now USOPC) and the national governing bodies.

William E. Simon, the USOC's president at the time, convened on September 23 a panel to create the new United States Wrestling Association (USWA).

The AAU eventually refused to participate, but the new executive committee established a board of directors and a national structure built on the state federations.

Officers were elected and the association was recognized as a Group A member of the United States Olympic Committee and as the official representative to FILA.

[3] USA Wrestling today has more than 159,000 members, composed of wrestlers, coaches, officials, state federations, and others interested in the sport.

The organization is governed by a board of directors, including of a President, the preceding past President, two Vice Presidents, a Secretary, a Treasurer, and various members, including active wrestlers, the chairman of the state chairmen's council, representatives from the Kids and Junior Divisions, and representatives from the NCAA, the NAIA, the NFHS, the NJCAA, the National Wrestling Coaches Association, the Armed Forces Sports Council, the United States Wrestling Officials Association, and other associations that may be involved in amateur wrestling.