What did you do in the offseason to get better?

This morning I'm writing directly to coaches. What did YOU do in the offseason to get better? Coaches expect their athletes to do a number of things in the offseason to be ready for the next, but are they willing to put in the extra time to become better themselves? In most cases, I would say, "no."

The number of good coaches in the sport of wrestling is on the decline and I would be as bold as to say that there are only a few "great" coaches left in our state. Sure, being in a leadership role with kids is special in and of itself, however, I'm tired of applauding "good intentions" and "meant well." It's time to expect more from our leaders. I just don't see enough coaches putting in the time necessary to become better coaches - or better men, husbands, fathers, etc. When these men were athletes, they understood the importance of doing the extra work and the little things right to succeed. Somehow, in those same men there's a disconnect when it comes to their role as coach. We expect excellence from our athletes, but not from our coaches. They're set on mediocrity and complacency. There are no prerequisites to coach. Continuing education is not mandatory. And, as a result, standards are essentially non-existent.

Yesterday I was a part of a new project in our state that was focused on raising standards of excellence. I had been talking to another coach about the condition of the coaches in Wisconsin and instead of waiting for someone else to do something about it, we did. We put together our state's first "Coaches Advancement Day." I was adamant about leaving the word "retreat" out of the title because we had no intentions of retreating; we want to advance. We had 12 successful wrestling coaches focusing on becoming better.

It's not an accident that these coaches have experienced great success; they're willing to put the time in to become better. I think it's fair to believe there are more than twelve coaches who want to get better, however, sadly, the same twelve individuals seem to take advantage of all of the opportunities.

As a coach, I'm postured as a learner. Trying to become the best I can be is very important to me, so I'm willing to do what it takes. It's time for more coaches to put in the same amount of time to improve as they expect from their athletes. Instructing a wrestler to attend a summer camp and not doing so as coach is unacceptable. There are many little things that can be done to improve.

Here is a small list of ideas for coaches. They're all very manageable. Coaches, you owe it to your athletes to improve. Get better or get left behind.

• Keep a journal
• Plan ahead
• Read a book (about leadership)
• Host or attend a summer wrestling camp
• Attend a coaching summit/clinic
• Find a mentor
• Watch the highest levels of wrestling on YouTube
• Use the buddy system – find another coach to share ideas with. Iron sharpens iron.
• Stay in shape
• Read articles (or books) about training athletes
• Breakdown video from previous seasons
• Challenge the status quo and think outside the box
• Study other coaches (including in other sports)
• Get to know your athletes and their parents