Sometimes I feel like my posts lean on the side of bashing the sport that I love. To be fair, I promote the positive side of wrestling throughout my daily endeavors. This blog serves as my outlet sometimes, though. And I need to vent.
I got on an airplane earlier today and headed to the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs for a wrestling tournament. After a few minutes into the flight, I pulled out the most recent issue of Wrestling USA. I feel obligated to subscribe to every wrestling publication because I'm wrestler and we support our own. I do my best to read what others across the nation have to say about our sport. Taking up eleven pages in the center of the magazine were the "December 2011 Youth Rankings!" (exclamation point is included in the page heading).
Here's the criteria: "World of Wrestling presents the Cliff Keen/Wrestling USA National Youth Rankings. These are based on national tournament results only, no bias or prejudice involved. If you wish to be ranked to accumulate the required points then your chance is in Tulsa, OK at the 57th Annual Tulsa Nationals."
I guess this is a valiant effort to be objective. But correct me if I'm way off base, but shouldn't there only be one national tournament and not a bunch to facilitate a rankings system? Whatever...moving on...they have a 6 & under age group starting at 37 pounds! Come on, seriously? This is ridiculous on so many levels that I don't have the energy to write about them. Does this really make sense and are these kinds of things going unnoticed in youth wrestling or in youth sports in general? How can a major publication endorse national rankings for a 37 pound kid under the age of 6?
Imagine the pressure on these young children for the rest of their athletic careers. Does a 6 year old who is already crowned "The Best of the Best" have much to look forward to? Is "The World Series of Wrestling" the pinnacle? "The Real National Champion" is a toddler, not Jordan Burroughs or Cael Sanderson? That's what it says in this magazine. I wonder how many of the athletes at the Olympic Training Center this week have held these titles and been on "The Ultimate Triple Crown" poster.
The irony is that at the beginning of the issue, the editor's letter explained the difficulty in ranking wrestlers at the high school level. With over 280,000 high school wrestlers last year, it's hard to create objective standards and keep in perspective that "not all states are created equal in the depth of competitive wrestlers." I agree. How much more difficult is it to rank children who need help putting on their wrestling shoes?
I don't think I have a point today. I just wanted to vent. I was excited to read the Wrestling USA magazine today and was left with yet another awful taste in my mouth because of direction of youth sports.
Does this make your skin crawl, too? Does anyone else see a problem with this?
Tuesday, January 31, 2012
Thursday, January 26, 2012
Growth Allowance
During the Wisconsin high school wrestling season, athletes are given a 2-pound weight allowance after Christmas. It’s a magnificent gift to athletes managing their weight. As a result, the weight class listed is effectively plus two pounds. For example, the 106 pound weight class becomes 108 pounds (athletes must weigh 108 pounds or less – 108.1 pounds is overweight). On February 1st, an additional pound is given (109) and for the teams that are fortunate enough to compete at the Team State tournament, they receive an additional pound on March 1st (110).
The WIAA calls this additional weight a “growth allowance.” The logic behind the decision for the extra weight is to promote healthy weight management, understanding teenage athletes continue to grow and mature throughout the season despite the accountability of wrestling at a specific and designated weight class. It sounds good in theory. In practice, it has become is an enticement to go down a weight class at the end of the season. If a wrestler can successfully make “scratch” weight at 113 pounds at the beginning of the season when his fitness level is not best, it becomes easy for him (or his coaches or parents) to justify making 109 pounds at the end of the season when he’s in better shape. Additionally, weigh-ins are further apart during tournament time because there are no events on weeknights (except Team Sectionals), so dropping a weight class is basically expected without even considering if it’s actually beneficial.
As athletes approach the end of the season and begin their “ascent” to their performance peak, the overall well-being of their body and mind are dependent upon their workload becoming lighter. Unfortunately, “dropping” a weight class has the potential to undermine that process by requiring an athlete to add volume to their workouts. This is counter-productive to the science of peak performance training. I trust that many coaches account for this dynamic, however, I see far too many athletes lose intensity as they lose more weight. Under-intensity often is the result of poor preparation (i.e., shabby weight control habits, nutrition, strength, etc.), lack of motivation (focus becomes making weight instead of wrestling) and fatigue (not reaping the benefits of tapering). It’s not always a mental toughness issue and the consequences can cause negative overall experiences in the sport.
Wrestling is marked by a few significant “black eyes.” Weight cutting is one of them. Individuals who admit they don’t understand wrestling in the slightest are often quick to associate the sport with stories about cutting weight. Wrestlers also grow to dislike the sport that has been so good to them because of their passionate hatred towards cutting weight. Shouldn’t it be the wrestling team, not the weight cutting team? This leads to an entirely separate topic; however, the “growth allowance” contributes to that conversation, too.
My position is that a “growth allowance” should be taken at its word and allow for growth instead of a license to cut more weight. I talked to an athlete today and he asked me what my opinion was on him dropping a weight class. My response was extremely vague because, in my experience, that is a loaded question. I asked him what HE wanted to do. He said that it’s not very hard making his current weight and he doesn’t have to cut much weight right now. I replayed his answer in my head over and over and find it strange that our wrestling culture has pressured him into believing that making weight should be “hard” and that he should be cutting more weight. His statement was laced with red flags and, truth be told, had very little to do WRESTLING.
Doing my own amateur research on this topic, I’ve actually found that “dropping” a weight class at the end of the season is NOT commonly beneficial when considering only post season outcomes. An overwhelming majority of athletes who win the high school state tournament compete at their weight class throughout the season. These statistics are easy to discover on Trackwrestling. Seldom does a wrestler who goes down a weight class for the Regional Tournament wrestle to his potential. In fact, many of them underperform. Don’t believe me? This February, take a look for yourself and believe what you see instead of holding on firmly to the status quo.
The WIAA calls this additional weight a “growth allowance.” The logic behind the decision for the extra weight is to promote healthy weight management, understanding teenage athletes continue to grow and mature throughout the season despite the accountability of wrestling at a specific and designated weight class. It sounds good in theory. In practice, it has become is an enticement to go down a weight class at the end of the season. If a wrestler can successfully make “scratch” weight at 113 pounds at the beginning of the season when his fitness level is not best, it becomes easy for him (or his coaches or parents) to justify making 109 pounds at the end of the season when he’s in better shape. Additionally, weigh-ins are further apart during tournament time because there are no events on weeknights (except Team Sectionals), so dropping a weight class is basically expected without even considering if it’s actually beneficial.
As athletes approach the end of the season and begin their “ascent” to their performance peak, the overall well-being of their body and mind are dependent upon their workload becoming lighter. Unfortunately, “dropping” a weight class has the potential to undermine that process by requiring an athlete to add volume to their workouts. This is counter-productive to the science of peak performance training. I trust that many coaches account for this dynamic, however, I see far too many athletes lose intensity as they lose more weight. Under-intensity often is the result of poor preparation (i.e., shabby weight control habits, nutrition, strength, etc.), lack of motivation (focus becomes making weight instead of wrestling) and fatigue (not reaping the benefits of tapering). It’s not always a mental toughness issue and the consequences can cause negative overall experiences in the sport.
Wrestling is marked by a few significant “black eyes.” Weight cutting is one of them. Individuals who admit they don’t understand wrestling in the slightest are often quick to associate the sport with stories about cutting weight. Wrestlers also grow to dislike the sport that has been so good to them because of their passionate hatred towards cutting weight. Shouldn’t it be the wrestling team, not the weight cutting team? This leads to an entirely separate topic; however, the “growth allowance” contributes to that conversation, too.
My position is that a “growth allowance” should be taken at its word and allow for growth instead of a license to cut more weight. I talked to an athlete today and he asked me what my opinion was on him dropping a weight class. My response was extremely vague because, in my experience, that is a loaded question. I asked him what HE wanted to do. He said that it’s not very hard making his current weight and he doesn’t have to cut much weight right now. I replayed his answer in my head over and over and find it strange that our wrestling culture has pressured him into believing that making weight should be “hard” and that he should be cutting more weight. His statement was laced with red flags and, truth be told, had very little to do WRESTLING.
Doing my own amateur research on this topic, I’ve actually found that “dropping” a weight class at the end of the season is NOT commonly beneficial when considering only post season outcomes. An overwhelming majority of athletes who win the high school state tournament compete at their weight class throughout the season. These statistics are easy to discover on Trackwrestling. Seldom does a wrestler who goes down a weight class for the Regional Tournament wrestle to his potential. In fact, many of them underperform. Don’t believe me? This February, take a look for yourself and believe what you see instead of holding on firmly to the status quo.
Saturday, January 21, 2012
Picking up the pace on mental skills training
The end of January is just around the corner and things will begin falling into place in the high school wrestling world. In Wisconsin, the tournament season begins with the conference tournament and is followed by the state tournament series. There is a tournament each of the four weekends in February that young athletes put their blood, sweat and tears into with their "eyes on the prize."
From the outside, this is a very exciting time for many. Behind the scenes, however, turmoil takes over in the lives of some prominent athletes. I spend more time discussing purpose, value and significance over the next month than I do breaking down technique and video. I cherish this role because I feel like I have the opportunity to really make a difference in the lives of young men. Certainly, it's nice that those talks help clear some space in their minds and hearts to achieve their dreams, however, what's more is that they become pivotal moments in their development as men. This is when we pick up the pace on mental skills training.
I'm never surprised by what I hear from teenagers in my office. The concerns and weight they carry varies drastically. Some are simply looking for a mental edge while others are looking for ways out of the pressure they feel. Some express their dislike for the sport and want to quit when it's time to reap what they have sown. Some are scared and don't know what to do next. Some are dealing with family dynamics that are less than desirable and it greatly affects their performance. It's all become par for the course in my role. Most of the time it is as simple as comparing our behind-the-scenes to the highlight reel of others. Sometimes it's more.
Those who confront their anxiety and fears while continuing to train mentally are able to do their best when all the chips are on the table. The athletes that bottle thing up and don't address them usually become a casualty at the hands of their own mind. Even the most novice fan can pinpoint the athlete who falls short of his potential and gets tagged with "it was all mental." I seek out those cases and enjoy helping turn it around.
I have four very difficult cases already and I'm eager to see positive changes in each of them. Many more will make that sheepish knock on my office door over the next few weeks ready to dump their issues in my lap. I'm ready for all of them. In some regard, I believe the attention to mental skills is our "secret weapon" this time of year. Every high school wrestler who walks up the stairs at Victory has already put the time in from a physical stand point and have many resources to maintain their physical prowess. For us, the volume and intensity in the mental skills increases exponentially. Only those close to our program fully grasp this and understand the importance. Outsiders think becoming a champion is all about singles and doubles or being in good physical condition, but that's an extremely small piece of the puzzle.
What separates the boys from the men has nothing to do with physical output or consumption as our sports culture and society believes. Boys become men when they can recognize and handle their emotions properly and accept responsibility. Manhood has nothing to do with the outcome. It's entirely about the process.
From the outside, this is a very exciting time for many. Behind the scenes, however, turmoil takes over in the lives of some prominent athletes. I spend more time discussing purpose, value and significance over the next month than I do breaking down technique and video. I cherish this role because I feel like I have the opportunity to really make a difference in the lives of young men. Certainly, it's nice that those talks help clear some space in their minds and hearts to achieve their dreams, however, what's more is that they become pivotal moments in their development as men. This is when we pick up the pace on mental skills training.
I'm never surprised by what I hear from teenagers in my office. The concerns and weight they carry varies drastically. Some are simply looking for a mental edge while others are looking for ways out of the pressure they feel. Some express their dislike for the sport and want to quit when it's time to reap what they have sown. Some are scared and don't know what to do next. Some are dealing with family dynamics that are less than desirable and it greatly affects their performance. It's all become par for the course in my role. Most of the time it is as simple as comparing our behind-the-scenes to the highlight reel of others. Sometimes it's more.
Those who confront their anxiety and fears while continuing to train mentally are able to do their best when all the chips are on the table. The athletes that bottle thing up and don't address them usually become a casualty at the hands of their own mind. Even the most novice fan can pinpoint the athlete who falls short of his potential and gets tagged with "it was all mental." I seek out those cases and enjoy helping turn it around.
I have four very difficult cases already and I'm eager to see positive changes in each of them. Many more will make that sheepish knock on my office door over the next few weeks ready to dump their issues in my lap. I'm ready for all of them. In some regard, I believe the attention to mental skills is our "secret weapon" this time of year. Every high school wrestler who walks up the stairs at Victory has already put the time in from a physical stand point and have many resources to maintain their physical prowess. For us, the volume and intensity in the mental skills increases exponentially. Only those close to our program fully grasp this and understand the importance. Outsiders think becoming a champion is all about singles and doubles or being in good physical condition, but that's an extremely small piece of the puzzle.
What separates the boys from the men has nothing to do with physical output or consumption as our sports culture and society believes. Boys become men when they can recognize and handle their emotions properly and accept responsibility. Manhood has nothing to do with the outcome. It's entirely about the process.
Monday, January 16, 2012
They're only boys
Last week we started two new sessions at Victory. We've been entrenched in the lives of high school athletes since September and will continue to be through August. The beginning of January is when we get the ball rolling with younger athletes - middle school and youth.
The younger athletes are exciting for me. They're so vibrant and they bring a fresh energy to Victory at an optimal time. January can be a difficult month for high school wrestlers for a lot of reasons. Having the younger athletes around helps me maintain the positive energy needed to get some of the high school athletes through it. I also like working with middle school kids because they're "under the radar."
From a purely athletic standpoint, they're under the radar because many haven't accomplished the things they will when they get older. That's simple. They're also under the radar because of their potential to do great things as boys. Our culture usually writes off boys and girls because they're young, however, I believe there are great things in store from them simply because they're young.
We do our best to meet the athletes where they are and speak their language so they can understand what we're trying to build into them. We strive to give them tools to increase the likelihood of them achieving their athletic goals. We also speak life into them and speak directly to their potential as young men. This is where it gets the most exciting. Grades 6-8 are prime time for defining moments. These will shape the rest of their existence. They walk through the doors already on the hunt for wisdom and life lessons that resonate with them. I know because I have indelible memories from that age that affect my daily life today. I flood them with quotes, nuggets of truth and pieces of wisdom in hopes that I can deposit something in them so they will never be the same.
Additionally, I believe these young men are uniquely positioned to have giant-sized impact on those around them. I believe it because the Bible uses youngsters to make a difference frequently. Luke mentions that at age 12, "Jesus grew in wisdom and stature and favor with God and men" (Luke 2:52). This is a very clear objective for us to follow with these middle school boys. To empower these young men to do great things, this week we will cling to 1 Timothy 4:12, "Don't let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity."
I'm also reminded of the only miracle recorded in all four Gospels - Jesus feeding 5,000. In this story, according to John, one of the main characters is "a boy with five small barley loaves and two fish" (John 6:10). Through the resources of a boy, Jesus was able to impact over 5,000 people. This is quite profound if you think about the boy. The disciples initiated a conversation with Jesus that the large group was very hungry. Andrew pointed out a boy with some food. What's amazing to me is that this boy is the only person in the entire group who didn't need a miracle at that time. He had all of the food he needed. He was set. Then a couple of old guys with beards approached him and his food. The Bible doesn't mention what type of conversation ensued, but it is clear that this boys food reached the hands of Jesus. Jesus used this boy to initiate one of the most impacting miracles of all time. And he was just a boy.
Some of the young athletes enrolled at Victory are looking for a "miracle" in their own life or need that defining moment to help them become the men they were created to be. Others, however, will be the miracle that God is intending to use in the lives of others. Either way, I believe God is going to move in the lives of these young athletes. And they're only boys.
The younger athletes are exciting for me. They're so vibrant and they bring a fresh energy to Victory at an optimal time. January can be a difficult month for high school wrestlers for a lot of reasons. Having the younger athletes around helps me maintain the positive energy needed to get some of the high school athletes through it. I also like working with middle school kids because they're "under the radar."
From a purely athletic standpoint, they're under the radar because many haven't accomplished the things they will when they get older. That's simple. They're also under the radar because of their potential to do great things as boys. Our culture usually writes off boys and girls because they're young, however, I believe there are great things in store from them simply because they're young.
We do our best to meet the athletes where they are and speak their language so they can understand what we're trying to build into them. We strive to give them tools to increase the likelihood of them achieving their athletic goals. We also speak life into them and speak directly to their potential as young men. This is where it gets the most exciting. Grades 6-8 are prime time for defining moments. These will shape the rest of their existence. They walk through the doors already on the hunt for wisdom and life lessons that resonate with them. I know because I have indelible memories from that age that affect my daily life today. I flood them with quotes, nuggets of truth and pieces of wisdom in hopes that I can deposit something in them so they will never be the same.
Additionally, I believe these young men are uniquely positioned to have giant-sized impact on those around them. I believe it because the Bible uses youngsters to make a difference frequently. Luke mentions that at age 12, "Jesus grew in wisdom and stature and favor with God and men" (Luke 2:52). This is a very clear objective for us to follow with these middle school boys. To empower these young men to do great things, this week we will cling to 1 Timothy 4:12, "Don't let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity."
I'm also reminded of the only miracle recorded in all four Gospels - Jesus feeding 5,000. In this story, according to John, one of the main characters is "a boy with five small barley loaves and two fish" (John 6:10). Through the resources of a boy, Jesus was able to impact over 5,000 people. This is quite profound if you think about the boy. The disciples initiated a conversation with Jesus that the large group was very hungry. Andrew pointed out a boy with some food. What's amazing to me is that this boy is the only person in the entire group who didn't need a miracle at that time. He had all of the food he needed. He was set. Then a couple of old guys with beards approached him and his food. The Bible doesn't mention what type of conversation ensued, but it is clear that this boys food reached the hands of Jesus. Jesus used this boy to initiate one of the most impacting miracles of all time. And he was just a boy.
Some of the young athletes enrolled at Victory are looking for a "miracle" in their own life or need that defining moment to help them become the men they were created to be. Others, however, will be the miracle that God is intending to use in the lives of others. Either way, I believe God is going to move in the lives of these young athletes. And they're only boys.
Monday, January 2, 2012
Come as you are
My brother was in town last week and asked to borrow our car. I told him he was welcome to it if he was willing to drop a vehicle off for Liz at work. He drove to the hospital and made the change. The only hitch was Liz didn't know he was coming.
She called to tell me she had given the keys to Tony, but would have liked to have known he was coming so she could have cleaned the car first. I assured her, "it was just Tony" and he's alright with seeing who we really are.
Liz's desire to tidy-up had pure intentions, of course, however, it also revealed one of our largest insecurities we have as human beings. We want to clean ourselves up before we present who we are to the world. Often times this is good. I like that people address basic hygienic needs before they leave their home. I'm not really interested in your bad breath, but I am genuinely interested in who you really are.
When it becomes most important, though, is when we try to clean up before we go to God. As if we're loaning someone our car, we take time to clean up our act before taking the steps to walk through the church doors. Or we adamantly try to stop doing this or that before we pick up the Bible or engage in a conversation with God. I often hear people describe that they need to adjust their lifestyle before they enter into a relationship with God. We're scared to come as we are. We want to present our best side because we know God deserves it, but it just prolongs getting to actually meet him because we actually can't clean ourselves up. To those if-then people: the IF never happens and the THEN never comes.
"But God demonstrated his own love for us in this: While we were yet sinners, Christ died for us" - Romans 5:8.
Read the verse again. Jesus knows where you are and what you're about, and he still chose to love you...while you were a sinner. Never did He say you need to clean up your act first. He's passionately pursuing you in your mess of a life, just as you are today, not what you want to become tomorrow. While we were yet sinners...
I find great comfort in knowing that Jesus loves me just the way I am. And I'm encouraged to know that he loves me too much to let me stay that way. He doesn't ask us to change on the outside before we go to him. He wants us to come as is and allow for Him to change us from the inside. He's available to everyone, no questions asked. You don't have to tidy-up first, take his word for it. He remains faithful (2 Timonty 2:13).
"As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our flesh and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature deserving of wrath. But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved." - Ephesians 2:1-5
She called to tell me she had given the keys to Tony, but would have liked to have known he was coming so she could have cleaned the car first. I assured her, "it was just Tony" and he's alright with seeing who we really are.
Liz's desire to tidy-up had pure intentions, of course, however, it also revealed one of our largest insecurities we have as human beings. We want to clean ourselves up before we present who we are to the world. Often times this is good. I like that people address basic hygienic needs before they leave their home. I'm not really interested in your bad breath, but I am genuinely interested in who you really are.
When it becomes most important, though, is when we try to clean up before we go to God. As if we're loaning someone our car, we take time to clean up our act before taking the steps to walk through the church doors. Or we adamantly try to stop doing this or that before we pick up the Bible or engage in a conversation with God. I often hear people describe that they need to adjust their lifestyle before they enter into a relationship with God. We're scared to come as we are. We want to present our best side because we know God deserves it, but it just prolongs getting to actually meet him because we actually can't clean ourselves up. To those if-then people: the IF never happens and the THEN never comes.
"But God demonstrated his own love for us in this: While we were yet sinners, Christ died for us" - Romans 5:8.
Read the verse again. Jesus knows where you are and what you're about, and he still chose to love you...while you were a sinner. Never did He say you need to clean up your act first. He's passionately pursuing you in your mess of a life, just as you are today, not what you want to become tomorrow. While we were yet sinners...
I find great comfort in knowing that Jesus loves me just the way I am. And I'm encouraged to know that he loves me too much to let me stay that way. He doesn't ask us to change on the outside before we go to him. He wants us to come as is and allow for Him to change us from the inside. He's available to everyone, no questions asked. You don't have to tidy-up first, take his word for it. He remains faithful (2 Timonty 2:13).
"As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our flesh and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature deserving of wrath. But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved." - Ephesians 2:1-5
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