"A leader takes people where they want to go. A great leader takes people where they don't necessarily want to go, but ought to be." - Rosalyn Carter
*********
I've been around far too many shoulder injuries over the past two years. I've seen athletes of mine have their dreams dashed because of torn rotator cuffs, separated a-c joints, etc. So, as I was discussing recovery options with one of my athletes yesterday, I became curious of where we're going with all of this stuff. What I mean is, does someone, somewhere have a method to the madness that is high school wrestling?
This particular athlete that I was talking to does everything right. He works hard, works smart, is a good student and a great kid. He's in great cardiovascular shape and is on a reliable strength training program. Athletes like him shouldn't get hurt, right? Obviously, "freak" accidents happen, but are we wearing our athletes out? Think about it.
I went through rigorous training in high school and college. I beat my body like a slave. A few surgeries later, the neck of a 70 year old, and early signs of arthritis in my fingers and knees (and maybe right hip), I can't fathom how I'd feel if I competed more than I did. However, high school athletes are competing almost twice as much as me. This scares me and I think it's time that leaders step-up to do what's best for these athletes and compete less.
An area high school team hosted an annual "quad" dual meet on Tuesday. This means that athletes wrestled three times that evening. They spent a full day in school, traveled to a different community and competed three times. That's a full day. I'm not surprised that one of my top athletes (great kid who does everything right) suffered an injury. Another one of my athletes only competed once because of a sore back. To me, the sad part of all of this is it's not the fault of these young athletes, it's the adults who make the schedules. High school athletes are not built to endure 60 wrestling matches in a season and shouldn't compete more than they practice.
I've instructed one of my athletes to take some time away from Victory because of his demanding upcoming schedule. After the new year, he'll compete on Saturday, Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday, Tuesday, Saturday. He'll have 12+ matches in 14 days. When does he get a chance to recover? Is training or learning skills even important to the individual who made this schedule?
How will an athlete become better at his/her sport if they don't have the opportunity to learn skills and strategy, recover from competition, take a break from the pressure of competing (pressure to win) or spend an evening/weekend with their family? It concerns me.
Obviously, I'm a wrestling coach and concerned most with the development and health of my athletes, but let's look at it from a different perspective, too. Aren't we faced with budget cuts and constantly seeing wrestling on the "chopping block?" More competition means more expenses, right? If we're trying to save our sport, let's compete less. Seems simple.
At a simple dual meet, consider the costs of the official, ticket takers, school officials, building operation cost, traveling costs for the visiting team, etc., etc. If 200 spectators attend the meet(don't we all wish), the admissions costs won't cover the expenses. As wrestling leaders, we can be proactive to help our districts be financially responsible.
I'm also noticing a lack of interest from spectators. To support your local team, you need to use valuable vacation time to travel across the state, not to mention keeping track of the local competitions. Not only are we wearing out the athletes, we're wearing out the parents and fans. Remember, they're not just interested in wrestling (like I might be). This happens all year in other sports, too. Spectators don't even get the opportunity to watch CSI: Miami or college football?
Everyone's worn-out. I wish every coach communicated well with their athletes and treated them all kindly, but that's not the case. I see a lot of negative coaching, yelling and over-correcting because coaches are at their wits end. Imagine a 15 year old kid being yelled at and corrected over 50 times in a year. There are a million reasons retention is a problem in wrestling, but this contributes more than anything, in my opinion. It's all part of the equation with too many competitions. Athletes, coaches and parents are too tired.
I'd love to see a few prominent coaches lead by example to the less-educated coaches and begin steering the ship back on course. Wrestling can do many great things for individuals, but it has the potential to do harm as well. We might be the reason for the demise, too. I always say wrestling people are wrestling's worst enemy, not administrators, budget cuts or hockey/basketball.
We need to be forward thinking and visionaries. Please, no more short-sighted decisions that undermine the development of men (and women). Seriously, what's our plan? What's the method to the madness? Where are we going?
Thursday, December 24, 2009
Saturday, December 19, 2009
What I learned at Steamboat Springs
During my weekend getaway, I'll be skiing at three major resorts in three days before returning to the real world in Wisconsin. Yesterday, I skied Steamboat Springs in Colorado. It was a two hour drive from the condo. Steamboat Springs is one of the oldest resorts in the United States in an old mining town. The scenery was spectacular. Here's what I learned:
I learned how to ski
I joined ski club in fourth grade and skied Afton Alps all winter through seventh grade when I started focusing on wrestling during those months. I've always been able to get from the top of the hill to the bottom, sometimes because of gravity alone, but I never took lessons. I got to this point by watching and "feeling it," but yesterday it clicked.
I watched one of the guys we were skiing with (Travis) and I noticed him shifting his weight downhill and keeping weight on both feet. I asked him a few questions and with a quick lesson, my day turned bright. I could ski. I'm excited to put my new technique into action today.
Know your limits
The first time I skied in the mountains was two years ago when I went to Winter Park. The weather was miserable and we didn't spend a lot of time on the mountain. Steamboat Springs is known for tree skiing. I was with experienced skiers and snowboarders who love the trees, so I followed. I have enough athleticism to avoid the trees, but that wasn't the case for a certain gentleman named "Carl."
We were on our way through the trees and Tony and I saw a man lying on the ground in a heap next to a tree. He had Sonny Bono-ed a small pine tree and couldn't move. We attended to him for a short time before getting the ski patrol. He was boarded to the bottom. This old-timer definitely didn't know his limits (see picture below...it's not just a picture of Tony. Carl provided background scenery).
I'm tough, but not that tough
I get cold. So what. My whole life I've been "that guy," so I bundled up and had no shame. My core was a bit sweaty, but my toes and fingers still got cold every now and then. I also had a moment when the bottom of both of my feet cramped, but I worked through it. My quads also burned and that ended up taking us back to the car. I wasn't the only one whose legs grew weary, though. It was much wiser to be safe than sorry. When people begin to fatigue, injuries creep in (alas, Carl). I would rather be "smart" than "tough," but I am tough!
Skiing on powder is better than skiing on ice
In the Midwest, we typically ski on man made snow and it turns to ice throughout the season. Individuals in the mountains are very self-righteous about being able to snow in powder. They don't comment often on the 300-foot elevation drop at our local resorts, they dis the icy slopes. Skiing was not intended to be done on ice and I experienced this yesterday. Fresh snow is fun.
Clothing is optional at Strawberry Park Hot Springs
Steamboat Springs is known best for the world-class skiing, but also for the hot springs. We drove up the switchback road to see the springs. It was during the day, so we didn't witness people in their birthday suits, but allegedly clothing is optional after 9:00pm. I have no interest in sitting in hot springs with others in all of their glory, but I'd love to go in the daytime in the future.
There are a lot of rich people
Boy oh boy, there were some amazing homes along the slopes. That's all I'm going to say about that. These people have a bunch of money.
I learned how to ski
I joined ski club in fourth grade and skied Afton Alps all winter through seventh grade when I started focusing on wrestling during those months. I've always been able to get from the top of the hill to the bottom, sometimes because of gravity alone, but I never took lessons. I got to this point by watching and "feeling it," but yesterday it clicked.
I watched one of the guys we were skiing with (Travis) and I noticed him shifting his weight downhill and keeping weight on both feet. I asked him a few questions and with a quick lesson, my day turned bright. I could ski. I'm excited to put my new technique into action today.
Know your limits
The first time I skied in the mountains was two years ago when I went to Winter Park. The weather was miserable and we didn't spend a lot of time on the mountain. Steamboat Springs is known for tree skiing. I was with experienced skiers and snowboarders who love the trees, so I followed. I have enough athleticism to avoid the trees, but that wasn't the case for a certain gentleman named "Carl."
We were on our way through the trees and Tony and I saw a man lying on the ground in a heap next to a tree. He had Sonny Bono-ed a small pine tree and couldn't move. We attended to him for a short time before getting the ski patrol. He was boarded to the bottom. This old-timer definitely didn't know his limits (see picture below...it's not just a picture of Tony. Carl provided background scenery).
I'm tough, but not that tough
I get cold. So what. My whole life I've been "that guy," so I bundled up and had no shame. My core was a bit sweaty, but my toes and fingers still got cold every now and then. I also had a moment when the bottom of both of my feet cramped, but I worked through it. My quads also burned and that ended up taking us back to the car. I wasn't the only one whose legs grew weary, though. It was much wiser to be safe than sorry. When people begin to fatigue, injuries creep in (alas, Carl). I would rather be "smart" than "tough," but I am tough!
Skiing on powder is better than skiing on ice
In the Midwest, we typically ski on man made snow and it turns to ice throughout the season. Individuals in the mountains are very self-righteous about being able to snow in powder. They don't comment often on the 300-foot elevation drop at our local resorts, they dis the icy slopes. Skiing was not intended to be done on ice and I experienced this yesterday. Fresh snow is fun.
Clothing is optional at Strawberry Park Hot Springs
Steamboat Springs is known best for the world-class skiing, but also for the hot springs. We drove up the switchback road to see the springs. It was during the day, so we didn't witness people in their birthday suits, but allegedly clothing is optional after 9:00pm. I have no interest in sitting in hot springs with others in all of their glory, but I'd love to go in the daytime in the future.
There are a lot of rich people
Boy oh boy, there were some amazing homes along the slopes. That's all I'm going to say about that. These people have a bunch of money.
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
What is my purpose?
What is my purpose? This is one of the oldest questions mankind faces. It's also one of the most important questions an individual will ever ask. This is what we challenged our athletes with last week at Victory School of Wrestling. We asked them two simple questions: 1) What is my purpose? 2) What are my goals?
These two questions are central to the motivation of a high school wrestler. Notice, the questions are asked separately because they demand different answers. When our purpose and goals are the same, we run into many problems. Essentially, if our goal is our purpose, we will do anything necessary to reach those goals, including compromising our character and integrity.
Our purpose must be much higher than our goals and bigger than ourselves. At Victory, we talk about possessing a "transcendent cause." As young men and women, each athlete must expect the greater reward. Our purpose includes character and significance, what we're about and who we are. Wrestling is what we do. It's not who we are.
I was very fortunate to experience success in high school athletics. I won multiple state titles and enjoyed the feeling of achieving my goals. However, if winning state titles was my purpose, the day I stood on top of the podium would have been very disappointing. Individual success as an athlete will always let one down if value is expected to be found in those goals. Again, purpose is about character and significance, goals aren't.
It becomes difficult for high school athletes to see the "big picture" when we talk about our purpose. Often times, they haven't been challenged to assess their lives in this manner, so we bring this idea to the table and encourage them to put this question foremost in their lives as athletes.
Everyone of us is created with uniqueness and distinction and fully equipped for greatness. It's our responsibility as human beings to determine where that is. We need to find our purpose to be great. As a Christ-follower, I believe my purpose is to glorify God in all that I do. My life is about His name and His renown, not my name or fame. My status in this world is fleeting, but God's is everlasting. I strive to take advantage of the opportunity to contribute to God's everlasting glory...it's pretty amazing.
My life is rooted in the confession of Isaiah 26:8. It says, "Yes, LORD, walking in the way of your truth, we eagerly wait for You, for Your name and Your renown are the desires of our souls." Amen.
At Victory School of Wrestling, our purpose is outlined in our mission statement. We aim to build championship wrestlers with championship character, tremendous work ethic and high standards of excellence, morality and integrity, because even in defeat, you can still be victorious! Our purpose is to build great men of women.
What is your purpose?
These two questions are central to the motivation of a high school wrestler. Notice, the questions are asked separately because they demand different answers. When our purpose and goals are the same, we run into many problems. Essentially, if our goal is our purpose, we will do anything necessary to reach those goals, including compromising our character and integrity.
Our purpose must be much higher than our goals and bigger than ourselves. At Victory, we talk about possessing a "transcendent cause." As young men and women, each athlete must expect the greater reward. Our purpose includes character and significance, what we're about and who we are. Wrestling is what we do. It's not who we are.
I was very fortunate to experience success in high school athletics. I won multiple state titles and enjoyed the feeling of achieving my goals. However, if winning state titles was my purpose, the day I stood on top of the podium would have been very disappointing. Individual success as an athlete will always let one down if value is expected to be found in those goals. Again, purpose is about character and significance, goals aren't.
It becomes difficult for high school athletes to see the "big picture" when we talk about our purpose. Often times, they haven't been challenged to assess their lives in this manner, so we bring this idea to the table and encourage them to put this question foremost in their lives as athletes.
Everyone of us is created with uniqueness and distinction and fully equipped for greatness. It's our responsibility as human beings to determine where that is. We need to find our purpose to be great. As a Christ-follower, I believe my purpose is to glorify God in all that I do. My life is about His name and His renown, not my name or fame. My status in this world is fleeting, but God's is everlasting. I strive to take advantage of the opportunity to contribute to God's everlasting glory...it's pretty amazing.
My life is rooted in the confession of Isaiah 26:8. It says, "Yes, LORD, walking in the way of your truth, we eagerly wait for You, for Your name and Your renown are the desires of our souls." Amen.
At Victory School of Wrestling, our purpose is outlined in our mission statement. We aim to build championship wrestlers with championship character, tremendous work ethic and high standards of excellence, morality and integrity, because even in defeat, you can still be victorious! Our purpose is to build great men of women.
What is your purpose?
Wednesday, December 9, 2009
My Best Decade Ever...Part 1
I was born in September, 1979, so I got just over three months of the 70's followed by three decades full of life. For me, each 10-year period has been better than the previous, which makes 2000-2010 my best decade ever.
The 80's provided me with many things that shaped me into who I am today. New brothers and sisters arrived, I started participating in youth sports while going to school and developed a farmer's work ethic. The 90's brought me rap music, driver's license, Super Bowl XXXI and an understanding of training. The 2000's, however, brought me lifelong treasures such as my wife, my son, my business and a large appreciation for education.
In part one of My Best Decade Ever, I will outline my greatest moments of the past ten years. Enjoy.
Liz said, "YES!"
On July 5, 2003, Elizabeth Susan Reusser became my wife. Not only was she the most beautiful bride that I had ever seen, together we started to forge a life that has been full of excitement. Our vows were very clear that we desired to amen and echo what God was already doing in our individual lives, and together we could do more for the advancement of God's Kingdom than we could on our own. Plus, she's hot!
Announcing Isaiah James Black
September 19th, 2008 was the second greatest day of my life. Isaiah James Black was born after 27 hours of labor. It took a c-section to finally bring the bundle of joy into this world at 7 pounds, 9 ounces. In my bias opinion, he's the best baby that a family could have. Liz and I are very, very lucky in many ways, but I'll do my best not to rub in the fact that he's slept through the night all but three times in his 15 months!
Victory School of Wrestling opens the Victory Training Center
It was a seven month project renovating the location that is now home to Victory School of Wrestling. There were many, many tireless hours of destruction, re-building, painting and cleaning. Finally, we opened the doors on March 1, 2007. It's been an amazing facility for an amazing group of athletes.
I finally met Mickey Mouse
I had to wait until I was 27 years old, but it made my Disney experience amazing. It was truly a magical moment. Liz and I took our pictures with the famous Mickey and Minnie Mouse ears, but we never bought them...we took the pictures in the souvenir shop. Smart, huh? We enjoyed the tree house from Swiss Family Robinson, Pirates of the Caribbean, It's a Small World and the tea cups, of course. I can't wait to go back in May.
Walking the Great Wall of China
Wrestling brought me to Beijing in 2006 and I took the opportunity to walk on the Great Wall of China. The whole China experience was wonderful and I'm so happy I had the chance to see one of the modern wonders of the world. The Ming Tombs, silk factory and Forbidden City were also very valuable experiences, not to mention the food.
No luggage...again!
Azerbaijan, Poland and Russia were amazing countries to visit (thanks to wrestling, again). I'm sure I would've enjoyed my experience in each country even more if my luggage would've arrived in those countries with me. The hotel workers in Baku, Azerbaijan found it laughable that I wore the same Oregon State wrestling t-shirt six days in a row at the World Championships in 2007. We all know orange doesn't flatter anyone.
Rodgers, welcome to the United States
It was very rewarding for Liz and me (and our families) when our dear friend Rodgers finally arrived on American soil to begin a life. I met Rodgers at the World Championships in New York in 2003 and we corresponded via e-mail up to the time he arrived in Madison on a Greyhound bus. From Uganda, it took him 29 hours to land in New York and over 30 hours on the bus to Madison. He was hungry, jet-lagged and completely worn out. So, naturally, we took him the Badgers' wrestling golf outing to gorge ourselves on brats and Mountain Dew. The next day we drove 6 hours to River Falls (usually took only 4) and he joined us at the Black Family Reunion. On the menu: brats and Mountain Dew.
There are definitely other memorable moments that I left out and someday I would love to share with you more about them and how they impacted me. Namely, the following:
The 80's provided me with many things that shaped me into who I am today. New brothers and sisters arrived, I started participating in youth sports while going to school and developed a farmer's work ethic. The 90's brought me rap music, driver's license, Super Bowl XXXI and an understanding of training. The 2000's, however, brought me lifelong treasures such as my wife, my son, my business and a large appreciation for education.
In part one of My Best Decade Ever, I will outline my greatest moments of the past ten years. Enjoy.
Liz said, "YES!"
On July 5, 2003, Elizabeth Susan Reusser became my wife. Not only was she the most beautiful bride that I had ever seen, together we started to forge a life that has been full of excitement. Our vows were very clear that we desired to amen and echo what God was already doing in our individual lives, and together we could do more for the advancement of God's Kingdom than we could on our own. Plus, she's hot!
Announcing Isaiah James Black
September 19th, 2008 was the second greatest day of my life. Isaiah James Black was born after 27 hours of labor. It took a c-section to finally bring the bundle of joy into this world at 7 pounds, 9 ounces. In my bias opinion, he's the best baby that a family could have. Liz and I are very, very lucky in many ways, but I'll do my best not to rub in the fact that he's slept through the night all but three times in his 15 months!
Victory School of Wrestling opens the Victory Training Center
It was a seven month project renovating the location that is now home to Victory School of Wrestling. There were many, many tireless hours of destruction, re-building, painting and cleaning. Finally, we opened the doors on March 1, 2007. It's been an amazing facility for an amazing group of athletes.
I finally met Mickey Mouse
I had to wait until I was 27 years old, but it made my Disney experience amazing. It was truly a magical moment. Liz and I took our pictures with the famous Mickey and Minnie Mouse ears, but we never bought them...we took the pictures in the souvenir shop. Smart, huh? We enjoyed the tree house from Swiss Family Robinson, Pirates of the Caribbean, It's a Small World and the tea cups, of course. I can't wait to go back in May.
Walking the Great Wall of China
Wrestling brought me to Beijing in 2006 and I took the opportunity to walk on the Great Wall of China. The whole China experience was wonderful and I'm so happy I had the chance to see one of the modern wonders of the world. The Ming Tombs, silk factory and Forbidden City were also very valuable experiences, not to mention the food.
No luggage...again!
Azerbaijan, Poland and Russia were amazing countries to visit (thanks to wrestling, again). I'm sure I would've enjoyed my experience in each country even more if my luggage would've arrived in those countries with me. The hotel workers in Baku, Azerbaijan found it laughable that I wore the same Oregon State wrestling t-shirt six days in a row at the World Championships in 2007. We all know orange doesn't flatter anyone.
Rodgers, welcome to the United States
It was very rewarding for Liz and me (and our families) when our dear friend Rodgers finally arrived on American soil to begin a life. I met Rodgers at the World Championships in New York in 2003 and we corresponded via e-mail up to the time he arrived in Madison on a Greyhound bus. From Uganda, it took him 29 hours to land in New York and over 30 hours on the bus to Madison. He was hungry, jet-lagged and completely worn out. So, naturally, we took him the Badgers' wrestling golf outing to gorge ourselves on brats and Mountain Dew. The next day we drove 6 hours to River Falls (usually took only 4) and he joined us at the Black Family Reunion. On the menu: brats and Mountain Dew.
There are definitely other memorable moments that I left out and someday I would love to share with you more about them and how they impacted me. Namely, the following:
- Modern technology - cell phones, computers, social networking, DVR, iPod
- Graduation from the University of Wisconsin-Madison
- Owning our cars debt-free
- All-American honors
- Emily accepting Christ
- Stephanie and Amy's weddings (plus Sophia Marie)
- Liz's graduation from Pharmacy school
- Purchasing our first home (minus the post-purchase drama)
- Sailing in Tampa
- One Day '01 and One Day '03
- Pseudo-date with Liz
- My first mountain bike race
- Deanna and Alaina making the World Team (the same day Isaiah was born)
- Pike's Peak
I'm certain that I left some very significant moments out by accident. It's difficult to recall 10 full years in a short amount of time. In the next few days, I'm going to do my best to list a few more memories from my best decade ever. Thanks for your interest.
Tuesday, December 8, 2009
Musing lazily on college football...Roll Tide
Pardon me as I take a break from writing about serious matters and venture into my satirical mindset and ponder on one of fall/winter loves - football. As I was driving around town yesterday, I began musing lazily on college football. I thought about players bigger than life like Nebraska's Ndamakung Suh, among others. He just might win the Heisman Trophy this weekend. However, what my mind couldn't understand was who to cheer for in the BCS Championship game on January 7th.
My logic might be flawed, but I'm planning on cheering for Alabama. Shouldn't I be cheering for Texas, though? Afterall, Colt McCoy, the quarterback for Texas, is a genuine Christ-follower. His face has been on the front page of the Athletes in Action webpage for months shares his personal testimony online. I'm the AIA representative on the campus at UW-River Falls, so I owe my alegiance to Texas, right? I should be chanting "Hook 'Em" the rest of December, but I can't stop thinking "Roll Tide."
To make matters worse, 'Bama destroyed Florida in the SEC Championship game to take over the nation's top ranking. In doing so, they crushed Tim Tebow's platform to share his faith in Christ on national television. Seriously, Tebow has been the face of Christianity in college sports for four years. Not only did he win a Heisman and a national title, he also helped circumcize orphans in Africa...and he brought his coach with him! This guy's a saint and the Crimson Tide hammered him. Isn't that sacreligious?
If we break it down, what do we even know about Greg McElroy (for those who didn't know, he's the quarterback for Alabama)? Are there prominent Christians on the Alabama team roster? They are in the Bible Belt, but is Mark Ingram wearing a cross? Does Terrance Cody listen to Lecrae during his pregame rituals? Is Rolando McClain leading a football team Bible study in the locker room? Certainly, Javier Arenas must be washed in the blood of the Lamb, I mean, that guy's awesome and has a sweet name. What about Nick Saban? Nick Saban! Didn't he leave his team in the Bayou at a time when they needed him most? Just think how close "Saban" is to "Satan." Hmmm?
Aren't these important things to consider as a Christian? I always feel obligated to cheer for my brothers-in-Christ no matter what, but why is that? I'm happy that we get to meet each other in heaven, but shouldn't I be cheering for the "lost" while I can. I can cheer for Colt McCoy or Tim Tebow for an eternity in heaven. That's not why I'm picking Saban's team, though.
I want to see Alabama win a national title because they represent so much of what we love about college football. My boy Rod-the-Bod in Birmingham has no professional football team to cheer for. It's 'Bama or that other team down the street (say it quietly, Auburn). They have a very rich tradition - Bear Bryant's hats, George Teague's interception, Forrest Gump, etc. - and the greatest Green Bay Packers player of all-time is an alumni of Alabama (Bart Starr).
So, here it is: Roll Tide!
I must openly confess to BamaNation that I did cheer for Texas in the 2006 BCS Championship Game against USC. Please, let me explain: Liz and I made a bet on the game and SHE picked USC because I always led ladies go first. As a consolation, I had the Horns. The winner of the bet was rewarded with an one-hour massage. I was thankful for Vince Young. But I swear, even though I wear a LiveStrong bracelet at times, I'm not a Texas fan. I promise. So, if I run for President of the United States in 2028, I better win Alabama (and Texas).
My logic might be flawed, but I'm planning on cheering for Alabama. Shouldn't I be cheering for Texas, though? Afterall, Colt McCoy, the quarterback for Texas, is a genuine Christ-follower. His face has been on the front page of the Athletes in Action webpage for months shares his personal testimony online. I'm the AIA representative on the campus at UW-River Falls, so I owe my alegiance to Texas, right? I should be chanting "Hook 'Em" the rest of December, but I can't stop thinking "Roll Tide."
To make matters worse, 'Bama destroyed Florida in the SEC Championship game to take over the nation's top ranking. In doing so, they crushed Tim Tebow's platform to share his faith in Christ on national television. Seriously, Tebow has been the face of Christianity in college sports for four years. Not only did he win a Heisman and a national title, he also helped circumcize orphans in Africa...and he brought his coach with him! This guy's a saint and the Crimson Tide hammered him. Isn't that sacreligious?
If we break it down, what do we even know about Greg McElroy (for those who didn't know, he's the quarterback for Alabama)? Are there prominent Christians on the Alabama team roster? They are in the Bible Belt, but is Mark Ingram wearing a cross? Does Terrance Cody listen to Lecrae during his pregame rituals? Is Rolando McClain leading a football team Bible study in the locker room? Certainly, Javier Arenas must be washed in the blood of the Lamb, I mean, that guy's awesome and has a sweet name. What about Nick Saban? Nick Saban! Didn't he leave his team in the Bayou at a time when they needed him most? Just think how close "Saban" is to "Satan." Hmmm?
Aren't these important things to consider as a Christian? I always feel obligated to cheer for my brothers-in-Christ no matter what, but why is that? I'm happy that we get to meet each other in heaven, but shouldn't I be cheering for the "lost" while I can. I can cheer for Colt McCoy or Tim Tebow for an eternity in heaven. That's not why I'm picking Saban's team, though.
I want to see Alabama win a national title because they represent so much of what we love about college football. My boy Rod-the-Bod in Birmingham has no professional football team to cheer for. It's 'Bama or that other team down the street (say it quietly, Auburn). They have a very rich tradition - Bear Bryant's hats, George Teague's interception, Forrest Gump, etc. - and the greatest Green Bay Packers player of all-time is an alumni of Alabama (Bart Starr).
So, here it is: Roll Tide!
I must openly confess to BamaNation that I did cheer for Texas in the 2006 BCS Championship Game against USC. Please, let me explain: Liz and I made a bet on the game and SHE picked USC because I always led ladies go first. As a consolation, I had the Horns. The winner of the bet was rewarded with an one-hour massage. I was thankful for Vince Young. But I swear, even though I wear a LiveStrong bracelet at times, I'm not a Texas fan. I promise. So, if I run for President of the United States in 2028, I better win Alabama (and Texas).
Sunday, December 6, 2009
Observations from a day in the bleachers
I spent the day on Saturday sitting in the bleachers at a high school wrestling tournament. It was a nice change of scenery for me. I wear many different hats in the wrestling community and it's not too often that I can be a spectator without any other responsibilities. I sat in the front row and enjoyed myself.
The best part of the day was being reminded how great high school athletics are. It's remarkable watching teenage athletes come together for a common cause bigger than themselves. They compete for each other and to represent their community. It's grassroots and it's pure. Parents, grandparents and other fans show their unwavering support for their team by proudly displaying their colors no matter how well their team does. They love the athletes and the athletes love each other. You don't see this at the collegiate or professional level. That's what I liked most about Saturday.
I have also come to appreciate athletes doing the best that they know how. I missed out on this simple form of greatness when I was an athlete because I was most concerned about what I needed to do on those Saturdays. Now that I'm removed from life as an athlete, I can those who are champions because of effort alone. There were wrestler who took first place who didn't "leave it all" on the mat that day, but I witnessed others who placed 8th who did. That's pretty inspiring. It forced me to check my perspective on what's most important. Doing your best to be your best is pretty awe-inspiring.
Another important component to high school sports is younger spectators aspiring to greatness, too. They follow their high school team around the state and watch their tangible heroes. They emulate their every move and dream about the day they will sport that team singlet and have the opportunity to represent their community and feel their support. One of the biggest heroes of my lifetime was a River Falls High School wrestler. I wanted to be like him in every way and the best part was he knew my name and asked me how I was doing at his tournaments. High school athletes have a great privilege to build into the lives of young athletes and this hero did for me.As I appreciated the great moments transpiring all around me, I couldn't avoid other disturbing occurrences. I saw a lot of "negative coaching," arguing, complaining, yelling and poor examples of sportsmanship from coaches. It was a wake-up call for me as a coach. I sat in those stands and constantly re-evaluated my purpose as a coach and the role I have in the lives of athletes. I asked myself if I was making these same mistakes as a coach. It appeared that many of them didn't enjoy what they were doing and didn't even like their athletes at times. It was scary. And sad.
I took these actions to heart and remembered that I coach to help these high school athletes become great men and women of character, integrity and morality. Am I demonstrating how to do this? Am I speaking greatness into my athletes are offering empty praises with no vision for their future. I noticed the "good job" coach got tuned out as much as the negative coach. What does good job mean? What's good about the job is what the athlete need to know. It's my responsibility to make sure they know my thought process. Empty praise is nice and preferred to negative coaching, but it's difficult to change lives this way.
My final two observations went hand-in-hand. I want to encourage coaches to choose their battles wisely. There's no need to argue every call made by an official. Athletes need to know that their coach has their back and will stand up for them, however officials shouldn't face the verbal abuse that coaches willingly lash out. It's glaringly evident that we need more quality officials. They're going to be difficult to find in the future if part of their responsibility is to endure these harsh words from coaches. Coaches need to exercise self-control and demonstrate to their athletes how to treat others by treating officials kindly.
This Saturday I will be traveling to another wrestling tournament. It's a team tournament so the dynamics will be different than the individual tournament I recently attended. I plan to write about my observations of the event even though I might be at the water park watching my family more than in the arena watching wrestling.
Thursday, December 3, 2009
Communication
Thank you to everyone who has followed this "blog series." I have received a lot of positive feedback and I'm eager to implement many of these ideas into my club. I hope you continue having conversations about topics like these. We do have the power to change the culture of youth sports and allow everyone to benefit from the advantages of competing in athletics.
This topic seems very anti-climatic as I conclude the 7 biggest issues is youth sports with the problem of communication. However, I believe this is a perfect place to end because communicating is what will keep these thoughts moving forward. We need to be proactive and clearly communicate our ideas at local youth club meetings, tournaments and everywhere else we go.
The problems in communication come from everyone involved in sports - coaches, parents, athletes, officials, spectators, etc. Individuals draw conclusions based on gossip, here say and simple assumptions. In sports, there needs to be a concrete way to make sure everyone is on the same page. We all need to communicate better.
The best way to assure that everyone understands each other is to be proactive, transparent and clear on expectations. I believe it's the coach's responsibility to take initiative on each of these. Outlining the team's philosophy, mission and expectations at a parent-athlete-coach meeting is the best place to start. It can't end there, though. The problem with communication ... is the illusion that it has been accomplished - George Bernad Shaw. Communication lines need to continuously be open and constantly happening. If the coach doesn't take on this responsibility, it's important that a parent kindly asks the coach what his/her expectations are.
Being proactive is addressing potential issues, conflicts and questions before they happen. It means putting into place principles that allow individuals and teams handle situations when they arise and to make decisions free from emotions. It's easy to hold others accountable when guidelines are clear.
Transparency is also an important component to communicating in sports. There are varying degrees of transparency and the individual needs to be comfortable with their amount. I always encourage coaches to share their coaching philosophy with parents and athletes. This way, parents are more supportive when decisions are made. It's also nice for parents to know the thought and effort that goes into those decisions. E-mails, websites, blogs, facebook, etc. are all great ways for coaches to show parents and athletes what's at the core of the decision making process, or who they are as people. To offer assistance, here is my Coaching Code of Ethics at Victory School of Wrestling. It's based on my coaching philosophy.
Expectations also need to be clear. What coaches expect of athletes and parents and what parents expect of coaches and athletes is extremely important if the season is going to go well. It's best to be upfront about expectations before the season begins. It's also valuable to know what athletes expect of coaches and parents. Most important is what each individual expects of themselves. All of this can be accomplished during a preseason meeting. If the meeting isn't satisfactory, surveys, journals, individual meetings and other ideas are also great steps to understanding expectations.
Communication is key in every relationship. Words are a great way to convey information and one can't forget the impact of non-verbal communication and actions. My dad always told me, "actions speak louder than words." All aspects of communication need to be consistent. Not only in what we say, but how we listen. Listening is part of communicating as well.
Quotes on communication:
"People do not care how much you know until they know much you care." - John Maxwell
"Seek first to understand, then to be understood." - Stephen Covey
"To listen well is as powerful a means of communication and influence as to talk well." - John Marshall
"Argument is the worst sort of communication." - Jonathan Swift
"Wise men talk because they have something to say; fools, because they have to say something." - Plato
"Communication leads to community, that is, to understanding, intimacy and mutual valuing." - Rollo May
"To effectively communicate, we must realize that we are all different in the way we perceive the world and use this understanding as a guide to our communication with others." - Tony Robbins
"The colossal misunderstanding of our time is the assumption that insight will work with people who are unmotivated to change. Communication does not depend on syntax, or eloquence, or rhetoric, or articulation but on the emotional context in which the message is being heard. People can only hear you when they are moving toward you, and they are not likely to when your words are pursuing them. Even the choices words lose their power when they are used to overpower. Attitudes are the real figures of speech." - Edwin Friedman
This topic seems very anti-climatic as I conclude the 7 biggest issues is youth sports with the problem of communication. However, I believe this is a perfect place to end because communicating is what will keep these thoughts moving forward. We need to be proactive and clearly communicate our ideas at local youth club meetings, tournaments and everywhere else we go.
The problems in communication come from everyone involved in sports - coaches, parents, athletes, officials, spectators, etc. Individuals draw conclusions based on gossip, here say and simple assumptions. In sports, there needs to be a concrete way to make sure everyone is on the same page. We all need to communicate better.
The best way to assure that everyone understands each other is to be proactive, transparent and clear on expectations. I believe it's the coach's responsibility to take initiative on each of these. Outlining the team's philosophy, mission and expectations at a parent-athlete-coach meeting is the best place to start. It can't end there, though. The problem with communication ... is the illusion that it has been accomplished - George Bernad Shaw. Communication lines need to continuously be open and constantly happening. If the coach doesn't take on this responsibility, it's important that a parent kindly asks the coach what his/her expectations are.
Being proactive is addressing potential issues, conflicts and questions before they happen. It means putting into place principles that allow individuals and teams handle situations when they arise and to make decisions free from emotions. It's easy to hold others accountable when guidelines are clear.
Transparency is also an important component to communicating in sports. There are varying degrees of transparency and the individual needs to be comfortable with their amount. I always encourage coaches to share their coaching philosophy with parents and athletes. This way, parents are more supportive when decisions are made. It's also nice for parents to know the thought and effort that goes into those decisions. E-mails, websites, blogs, facebook, etc. are all great ways for coaches to show parents and athletes what's at the core of the decision making process, or who they are as people. To offer assistance, here is my Coaching Code of Ethics at Victory School of Wrestling. It's based on my coaching philosophy.
Expectations also need to be clear. What coaches expect of athletes and parents and what parents expect of coaches and athletes is extremely important if the season is going to go well. It's best to be upfront about expectations before the season begins. It's also valuable to know what athletes expect of coaches and parents. Most important is what each individual expects of themselves. All of this can be accomplished during a preseason meeting. If the meeting isn't satisfactory, surveys, journals, individual meetings and other ideas are also great steps to understanding expectations.
Communication is key in every relationship. Words are a great way to convey information and one can't forget the impact of non-verbal communication and actions. My dad always told me, "actions speak louder than words." All aspects of communication need to be consistent. Not only in what we say, but how we listen. Listening is part of communicating as well.
Quotes on communication:
"People do not care how much you know until they know much you care." - John Maxwell
"Seek first to understand, then to be understood." - Stephen Covey
"To listen well is as powerful a means of communication and influence as to talk well." - John Marshall
"Argument is the worst sort of communication." - Jonathan Swift
"Wise men talk because they have something to say; fools, because they have to say something." - Plato
"Communication leads to community, that is, to understanding, intimacy and mutual valuing." - Rollo May
"To effectively communicate, we must realize that we are all different in the way we perceive the world and use this understanding as a guide to our communication with others." - Tony Robbins
"The colossal misunderstanding of our time is the assumption that insight will work with people who are unmotivated to change. Communication does not depend on syntax, or eloquence, or rhetoric, or articulation but on the emotional context in which the message is being heard. People can only hear you when they are moving toward you, and they are not likely to when your words are pursuing them. Even the choices words lose their power when they are used to overpower. Attitudes are the real figures of speech." - Edwin Friedman
Wednesday, December 2, 2009
Emphasis on winning
I want to be upfront right away. I love winning. I try to win in everything I do. Whether I'm playing Scattegories at home or coaching at the World Championships, I want to win. In fact, the only thing I don't try to win at is my marriage (sidenote: my wrestlers joke with me and say that's because I've never won in that arena, and that might be true, but I assert that marriage is about collaboration, not about being right or winning). I want to win. In high school, I won four state titles and didn't lose a single match in my career. So, you might ask how and the heck can I say we place too much emphasis on winning? What credibility do I have to make this claim?
As much as I love winning, it has NEVER been my purpose in athletics. Clearly, it's been extremely important and many of my goals include winning. However, my goals and my purpose are not the same thing. Our purpose is bigger than wins and losses, it's about a cause bigger than ourselves, and our goals are small by-products of our purpose. When one's goals and purpose become the same thing, problems occur. Emphasizing winning as our purpose is flirting with disaster because then anything will be done to win.
We live in a society that possesses a "race to the bottom" mentality. We try pushing everything down to younger ages. We have national championships for 8 year old kids when they don't even know what "national" means. I hear parents explain to me that their son/daughter's dream is to win the kid's state tournament when, in actuality, they just want their name on the back of a t-shirt and the opportunity to swim in the hotel pool. We push everything down because the parents want to win the national title or the state championship, not the kids.
What does an emphasis on winning do to young kids? It gives them a false perception of reality and encourages performance-based acceptance. This leads to individuals who question their value and significance. Scary, huh? I cringe when I see the fold-out poster in USA Wrestling Magazine with the 8-year old, 55 pound wrestler showcased as "All-Americans" or "Future Olympian" or when I read youth rankings in The Crossface. Future Olympian? Seriously? We're putting far too much pressure on little children and too much pressure on winning.
We have a system that rewards the early bloomer. Kids gain national recognition because they physically or mentally develop more quickly than others. This short changes the kid's development and it's not his fault. What happens when that 8-year old isn't the strongest kid in his weight class any longer? He gets beat and loses hope. When we lose hope in the future, we lose power in the presence.
Bobby Bowden says we have a "peak by Friday mentality." We look for instant success, measured by victories, and don't put in the time necessary to develop the total athlete - body, mind and soul. At young ages, we skip the skills and go right into strategy because the adult wants to win the game/championship this weekend.
Emphasis on winning at a young age creates an avenue to take shortcuts to success. Winning at the youth level has many different facets than winning at elite levels. I choose to sacrifice winning at the youth level for the sake of development to see more success at older ages, but it's still not about winning. After examining programs all over the world, I've organized my program the following way:
3. Skill development - when athletes begin to understand how their body works and have the mental capacity to learn skills and strategies, technique can be introduced. At my club, this happens between grades 5-8. The focus is now 75% training/25% competition and the competition is only to see if skills are developing. It's an evaluation tool so the emphasis is still not on winning. I tell my athletes and parents that I'm afraid to see these athletes win state titles at this age. Again, I love winning and expect everyone to try their best, but if they win a state title, why did they win? In addition, what impact will that have them in the future. This is important to think of to maximize their future potential.
4. Train to train - as athletes mature physically and mentally and the maturation of each athlete becomes more even, we teach the principles of training. Everyone needs to learn how to train properly. There's a lot involved in training and we continue focusing on fundamentals and skill development. I believe this happens when an athlete enters high school. They inherit a lot of new responsibilities in high school, so the training goes hand-in-hand with their emotional development. Still, we're not emphasizing winning, although winning becomes more important.
5. Train to compete - this stage is very tricky and sometimes goes alongside training to train. An athlete needs to understand how to drill well and train properly before they train to compete. This stage can start as early as ninth grade, but sometimes is not realistic until one is in college. Training to compete is not training to win. It's about understanding a new level of training.
6. Train to win - obviously, this is the highest level of competition. In wrestling, this is at the collegiate level or the international level. There are still a lot of great learning opportunities in sport for adult athletes, however if winning isn't a priority at the highest levels, it's time to move into another season of your life. This attitude can be fostered in the first five stages and allows the athletes that to train to win and not to place their significance in winning.
This is the formula we follow at Victory School of Wrestling and I hope every other program uses something similar. Parents want their children to do their best and be their best. So do I. This is the best way to help student-athletes grow so they can be all they were created for and designed to be.
The pressure to win at all costs needs to be overcome by the conviction to help athletes be the best that they can be.
As much as I love winning, it has NEVER been my purpose in athletics. Clearly, it's been extremely important and many of my goals include winning. However, my goals and my purpose are not the same thing. Our purpose is bigger than wins and losses, it's about a cause bigger than ourselves, and our goals are small by-products of our purpose. When one's goals and purpose become the same thing, problems occur. Emphasizing winning as our purpose is flirting with disaster because then anything will be done to win.
We live in a society that possesses a "race to the bottom" mentality. We try pushing everything down to younger ages. We have national championships for 8 year old kids when they don't even know what "national" means. I hear parents explain to me that their son/daughter's dream is to win the kid's state tournament when, in actuality, they just want their name on the back of a t-shirt and the opportunity to swim in the hotel pool. We push everything down because the parents want to win the national title or the state championship, not the kids.
What does an emphasis on winning do to young kids? It gives them a false perception of reality and encourages performance-based acceptance. This leads to individuals who question their value and significance. Scary, huh? I cringe when I see the fold-out poster in USA Wrestling Magazine with the 8-year old, 55 pound wrestler showcased as "All-Americans" or "Future Olympian" or when I read youth rankings in The Crossface. Future Olympian? Seriously? We're putting far too much pressure on little children and too much pressure on winning.
We have a system that rewards the early bloomer. Kids gain national recognition because they physically or mentally develop more quickly than others. This short changes the kid's development and it's not his fault. What happens when that 8-year old isn't the strongest kid in his weight class any longer? He gets beat and loses hope. When we lose hope in the future, we lose power in the presence.
Bobby Bowden says we have a "peak by Friday mentality." We look for instant success, measured by victories, and don't put in the time necessary to develop the total athlete - body, mind and soul. At young ages, we skip the skills and go right into strategy because the adult wants to win the game/championship this weekend.
Emphasis on winning at a young age creates an avenue to take shortcuts to success. Winning at the youth level has many different facets than winning at elite levels. I choose to sacrifice winning at the youth level for the sake of development to see more success at older ages, but it's still not about winning. After examining programs all over the world, I've organized my program the following way:
1. Fundamentals - this is the first stage of development and the emphasis is on FUN. Fun is important at every level, but is primarily focused on athletes in grades K-3. If an athlete does compete in tournaments/events at this age, those competitions need to focus on having fun and spending quality time with the family. These competitions should be local, but going to practice and having fun is key. You want to make sure every athlete loves practice and wants to come to the next practice. The kids should leave with more energy than they came with.
2. Basic movements - the second stage is understanding and exercising basic movements of athletics, not technique. This would include, but isn't limited to, agility, tumbling, falling and running. A lot of the focus is still on having fun. In wrestling, skills can be introduced in a fun, games approach way. I believe competition still should not be encouraged, however, the idea of competing needs to remain local and continue focusing on quality family time and fun.3. Skill development - when athletes begin to understand how their body works and have the mental capacity to learn skills and strategies, technique can be introduced. At my club, this happens between grades 5-8. The focus is now 75% training/25% competition and the competition is only to see if skills are developing. It's an evaluation tool so the emphasis is still not on winning. I tell my athletes and parents that I'm afraid to see these athletes win state titles at this age. Again, I love winning and expect everyone to try their best, but if they win a state title, why did they win? In addition, what impact will that have them in the future. This is important to think of to maximize their future potential.
4. Train to train - as athletes mature physically and mentally and the maturation of each athlete becomes more even, we teach the principles of training. Everyone needs to learn how to train properly. There's a lot involved in training and we continue focusing on fundamentals and skill development. I believe this happens when an athlete enters high school. They inherit a lot of new responsibilities in high school, so the training goes hand-in-hand with their emotional development. Still, we're not emphasizing winning, although winning becomes more important.
5. Train to compete - this stage is very tricky and sometimes goes alongside training to train. An athlete needs to understand how to drill well and train properly before they train to compete. This stage can start as early as ninth grade, but sometimes is not realistic until one is in college. Training to compete is not training to win. It's about understanding a new level of training.
6. Train to win - obviously, this is the highest level of competition. In wrestling, this is at the collegiate level or the international level. There are still a lot of great learning opportunities in sport for adult athletes, however if winning isn't a priority at the highest levels, it's time to move into another season of your life. This attitude can be fostered in the first five stages and allows the athletes that to train to win and not to place their significance in winning.
This is the formula we follow at Victory School of Wrestling and I hope every other program uses something similar. Parents want their children to do their best and be their best. So do I. This is the best way to help student-athletes grow so they can be all they were created for and designed to be.
The pressure to win at all costs needs to be overcome by the conviction to help athletes be the best that they can be.
Tuesday, December 1, 2009
Weight management
As a wrestler, the words "weight management" are all too familiar. In my sport, there is a negative connotation to when these words are paired together. Horror stories of individuals cutting weight come to mind for many people. Today, my focus will primarily be on the sport of wrestling.
Weight management is a very touchy subject in wrestling. Promoting a healthy life style and an awareness of exercise and nutrition has the potential to be a great attribute to our sport. We have the ultimate form of accountability with weight classes. If done the correct way, one can learn an abundance of good discipline and knowledge of their body that will help them remain healthy their entire lives. It also has the potential to do the exact opposite.
In a video I watched ten years ago, Greg Strobel, a former USA National Team coach, spoke of telling his athletes that they're members of the wrestling team, not the weight cutting team. Often times, I see coaches and athletes focus more on making weight than they do on wrestling. If making weight consumes the energy of athletes and prohibits them from participating well in practice, then it's a problem. I personally know coaches who believe that every wrestler on their team must cut weight. The body fat testing becomes a licence for them to direct their athletes to go to their minimum weight because they honestly believe that is their healthiest weight! This is unbelievable. I also know coaches who use their practice prior to a competition as a weight cutting day, also unbelievable. We have precious time with each athlete and should be taking advantage of it.
Practice should not be used to "cut weight." This basic principle alleviates a lot of the weight cutting problems. It forces individuals to keep their weight under control, feel well and eat healthy. If these aren't in check, practice (and competition) will not go well. It should always be in an athlete's best interest to feel great for practice at all levels, youth through college and international levels.
Competing at the collegiate level requires one to pay attention to all facets of training, such as nutrition. It wasn't until I was in college that I truly understood the science behind weight management. I was fortunate that I had a nutritional science course first semester of my freshman year. I understood that maintaining my weight helped me perform better. I didn't let my weight "balloon" between competitions because I had adjusted my natural body weight. It was also important that I ate regularly. The foods that I chose to put into my body were high in nutritional value. It's helped me eat well now that I am finished competing, too. I educated myself on nutrition and it made a big difference in how I felt during competitions.
Many times that I talk to someone not involved in wrestling about our sport, they tell me a story of an athlete that cut weight in a very unhealthy way. It's their perception of the sport. I usually ask them if the person they're talking about won on a regular basis, but they don't know how to answer. When one cuts weight in an unhealthy way, they usually don't reach their potential. High school boys have a machismo attitude that says they're tough, manly, etc. (insert your own macho adjective) if they can cut a lot of weight, like they're earning their stripes or it's a badge of honor, but it's flat-out stupid. It doesn't make you more of a man or tougher, it makes you stupid. Doing something that harms your body as you try to become a better athlete and person doesn't help you. Sorry to be so harsh, but it's stupid.
I've been doing some amateur research on the correlation between cutting weight and state championships. It's very difficult to find the information I'm looking for, so I would appreciate any insight or help (maybe I should call Koy). I wonder how many state champions in Wisconsin each year actually compete at their minimum weight class according the 7% body fat rule. I'm not entirely interested in that number as much as I'm interested on how many of them "dropped" a weight class at the end of the season.
When I was in high school, I wrestled the first dual meet of the season at the same weight class I competed at in the state tournament (I did pretty well at the state tournament each year, too). I used the "growth allowance" at Christmas as a growth allowance...novel idea, huh? I didn't suck my body down further when the season was most difficult. As I recall teammates close to me who were state champions, they did the same. They used the growth allowance. The most successful wrestlers in my club in terms of state championships over the past three years wrestled the same weight class all season. The growth allowance shouldn't be viewed as a reason to drop another weight class, it should be used to promote health at the end of the season.
Weight management is an issue in other sports, too. In cross country, track and field, football and other sports, an athlete's weight has a huge impact on performance. Sports that are physically revealing or image-driven also have pressures of weight management. However, in high school, no sport has the microscope on weight like wrestling does. Unfortunately, this has the power to be a "black eye" in our sport. On the other hand, if done properly and in a healthy way, wrestling has the potential to educate athletes about wellness far more than any other sport.
Which avenue are you going to take? Sometimes doing what's right requires much more energy and attention, but doing what's right is never wrong and is worth the effort.
Weight management is a very touchy subject in wrestling. Promoting a healthy life style and an awareness of exercise and nutrition has the potential to be a great attribute to our sport. We have the ultimate form of accountability with weight classes. If done the correct way, one can learn an abundance of good discipline and knowledge of their body that will help them remain healthy their entire lives. It also has the potential to do the exact opposite.
In a video I watched ten years ago, Greg Strobel, a former USA National Team coach, spoke of telling his athletes that they're members of the wrestling team, not the weight cutting team. Often times, I see coaches and athletes focus more on making weight than they do on wrestling. If making weight consumes the energy of athletes and prohibits them from participating well in practice, then it's a problem. I personally know coaches who believe that every wrestler on their team must cut weight. The body fat testing becomes a licence for them to direct their athletes to go to their minimum weight because they honestly believe that is their healthiest weight! This is unbelievable. I also know coaches who use their practice prior to a competition as a weight cutting day, also unbelievable. We have precious time with each athlete and should be taking advantage of it.
Practice should not be used to "cut weight." This basic principle alleviates a lot of the weight cutting problems. It forces individuals to keep their weight under control, feel well and eat healthy. If these aren't in check, practice (and competition) will not go well. It should always be in an athlete's best interest to feel great for practice at all levels, youth through college and international levels.
Competing at the collegiate level requires one to pay attention to all facets of training, such as nutrition. It wasn't until I was in college that I truly understood the science behind weight management. I was fortunate that I had a nutritional science course first semester of my freshman year. I understood that maintaining my weight helped me perform better. I didn't let my weight "balloon" between competitions because I had adjusted my natural body weight. It was also important that I ate regularly. The foods that I chose to put into my body were high in nutritional value. It's helped me eat well now that I am finished competing, too. I educated myself on nutrition and it made a big difference in how I felt during competitions.
Many times that I talk to someone not involved in wrestling about our sport, they tell me a story of an athlete that cut weight in a very unhealthy way. It's their perception of the sport. I usually ask them if the person they're talking about won on a regular basis, but they don't know how to answer. When one cuts weight in an unhealthy way, they usually don't reach their potential. High school boys have a machismo attitude that says they're tough, manly, etc. (insert your own macho adjective) if they can cut a lot of weight, like they're earning their stripes or it's a badge of honor, but it's flat-out stupid. It doesn't make you more of a man or tougher, it makes you stupid. Doing something that harms your body as you try to become a better athlete and person doesn't help you. Sorry to be so harsh, but it's stupid.
I've been doing some amateur research on the correlation between cutting weight and state championships. It's very difficult to find the information I'm looking for, so I would appreciate any insight or help (maybe I should call Koy). I wonder how many state champions in Wisconsin each year actually compete at their minimum weight class according the 7% body fat rule. I'm not entirely interested in that number as much as I'm interested on how many of them "dropped" a weight class at the end of the season.
When I was in high school, I wrestled the first dual meet of the season at the same weight class I competed at in the state tournament (I did pretty well at the state tournament each year, too). I used the "growth allowance" at Christmas as a growth allowance...novel idea, huh? I didn't suck my body down further when the season was most difficult. As I recall teammates close to me who were state champions, they did the same. They used the growth allowance. The most successful wrestlers in my club in terms of state championships over the past three years wrestled the same weight class all season. The growth allowance shouldn't be viewed as a reason to drop another weight class, it should be used to promote health at the end of the season.
Weight management is an issue in other sports, too. In cross country, track and field, football and other sports, an athlete's weight has a huge impact on performance. Sports that are physically revealing or image-driven also have pressures of weight management. However, in high school, no sport has the microscope on weight like wrestling does. Unfortunately, this has the power to be a "black eye" in our sport. On the other hand, if done properly and in a healthy way, wrestling has the potential to educate athletes about wellness far more than any other sport.
Which avenue are you going to take? Sometimes doing what's right requires much more energy and attention, but doing what's right is never wrong and is worth the effort.
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