featuring Mike Clayton, USA Wrestling National Coaches Education Program Manager; Former Head Coach at Stevens Institute of Technology; 2008 NCAA Division III Rookie Coach of the Year
Coach Clayton breaks down several areas that focus on long term athlete development. He discusses the physical, technical and psychological development of athletes through all stages of their athletic career. Coaches and parents will understand what to focus on during each of the stages and where to go to get more information if needed. You'll learn a variety of techniques to make wrestling practice enjoyable and beneficial for all age groups.
Coach Clayton discusses how to ease the pressure and fear, felt by wrestlers and coaches, through self-awareness. He gives three keys to building confidence and strengthening resilience, and lays out a step-by-step plan for coaches and parents to follow that will create a healthy learning environment for their child or athlete. Not only will this develop athletes into successful wrestlers, but also into successful people as they advance into the young adult and adult phases of their lives.
Mental Training Workshop: Training for Toughness On and Off the Mat
with Steve Fraser, 1984 Olympic Gold Medalist in Greco, former US National Team-Greco-Roman Head Coach
Coach Fraser has always been known for being mentally tough. Once we define what toughness is, we can search for our ideal competitive state. What gets us hyped appropriately to compete at the ideal level? How do we "force" ourselves to get into that state in which we are ready to compete? This video explores toughness and how we can track it.
Learning to break your opponent begins with your training partners in the room. The training tool that Coach Fraser loves to use is the grind match. These are anywhere from a 1 hr to 2 hr match in which there is no stopping. This teaches wrestlers to slow down and continue wrestling when they are tired, as well as how to explode when they are physically beat!
Achieving 'Flow' in Wrestling
with Matt Lindland, US National Team-Greco-Roman Head Coach; 2000 Olympic silver medalist and 2001 World silver medalist
Matt Lindland teaches you how to create a practice environment to get into the flow state. You'll find out how to get your athletes to love the sport by keeping practice times limited. Let athletes want more, and they will come to practice energized and excited! Emphasis is placed on creating a hunger for athletes to want to learn more. Wrestlers in this system are encouraged to find what techniques work for them, and how they can make techniques their own. Coaches should realize that not all techniques work (or work the same) for all wrestlers. Wrestling is a martial art, and coaches should encourage their athletes to become artists.
Building a Positive Team Culture
with Nick Mitchell, Grand View University Head Coach, 2016 NAIA Champions - Five straight NAIA National Titles (2012-15); 2016 NAIA National Coach of the Year - 3x NAIA National Coach of the Year
Want to build a team culture that is based on proven success? Coach Mitchell discusses his philosophy of the championship lifestyle, where students are encouraged to be the best, everyday, at everything they do, regardless of outside pressures. He describes three areas coaches need to concentrate on in order to create a positive team culture: creation of a vision for your program, creating clear expectations for your program, and developing your personal coaching philosophy. He offers practical applications and shared ideas that will make your team and program better immediately.
Building an Athlete-Centered Coaching Philosophy
with Gary Mayabb, Staley (MO) High School Head Coach, 2006 Cadet Greco-Roman Coach of the Year, Missouri State Champion Coach at Oak Park (MO) High School
Frequently, coaches are challenged by having to manage the different needs and characters of a variety of athletes on their teams. Frequently, coaches have to choose between developing their most experienced wrestlers at the expense of their newest wrestlers, or holding their advanced athletes back in order to dedicate time to novices. Gary Mayabb shares his techniques for getting the most out of every wrestler, no matter their skill level or attitude.
Wrestling: The Bigger Picture
with Mike Uker, 2x All-American at the University of Iowa; Volunteer Coach at Olympic Training Center; Former Augsburg College Assistant Coach
and Pete Bush, Davenport (IA) Assumption High School Head Coach, 6x State Dual Champions; National Champion at the University of Iowa; 3x Big Ten champion
Today's athletes are a different breed than past athletes. Many are bigger and faster, but the mentality has also evolved as times have changed. Coaches Uker and Bush give their perspectives on ways to help athletes grow in the sport and in life. They share their own personal stories and philosophies to help any coach become better at their craft.
- Passion: Coach Uker covers the importance of passion, that only wrestling can create, that will be beneficial for life. Coach Uker discusses what athletes are searching for today and ways to help them find what they're looking for.
- The Bigger Picture: Coach Bush illustrates how his view of coaching has changed throughout his years of wrestling. He shares how he has positively changed, and how that helped him turn around his former high school. This change has created wrestlers who have become successful on the mat and in life.
Produced at the 2016 USA Wrestling Silver Coaches Clinic in Iowa City (IA).
389 minutes (6 DVDs) 2017.