Building a great wrestling program

[aarons23]

Lets talk about something other than cutting weight classes.


http://wrestleclub.com/what-makes-up-a-high-school-wrestling-dynasty/

[ramjet]

That's nice article and certainly written as a one sided feel good approach to the problem.

Every community and every school has unique set of cultural and economic circumstances. Some of the programs in this State that are icons of the sport spent decades of the simular processes to build those programs.

I agree where there is will there is a way. However this sport does not have that sort of time. So this sport especially in D3 has to find some ways to fast track the increase in participation and the interest in the sport.

Show me some ideas that do fast track the saleability of High School Wrestling that does not involve cutting a reasonable number of weight classes then you have my attention. Show the ways to market the sport and garner interest to do specifically what that article says? Show me how to increase the number of students in a particular school through open enrollment and I can increase participation in that program but the other programs will suffer. Address the issue of saleability and wrestling will increase in popularity and participation to the level that can be sustained in particular geographical location.

Just remember to sell something the approach has to be market driven and make no mistake; this all about selling the sport and gaining market share.

[aarons23]

That's nice article and certainly written as a one sided feel good approach to the problem.

Every community and every school has unique set of cultural and economic circumstances. Some of the programs in this State that are icons of the sport spent decades of the simular processes to build those programs.

I agree where there is will there is a way. However this sport does not have that sort of time. So this sport especially in D3 has to find some ways to fast track the increase in participation and the interest in the sport.

Show me some ideas that doea fast track the saleability of High School Wrestling that does not involve cutting a reasonable number of weight classes then you have my attention.

Just remember to sell something the approach has to be market driven and make no mistake; this all about selling the sport and gaining market share.

And why doesn't this sport have that kind of time?  What is so bad about this sport that we need to go in panic mode and "fast track"  ?  Building good programs takes time.  Takes work....not looking for a "fast track magic " solution. The first step is to stop looking for road blocks and excuses that deter from building a competitive prigram.  And I know your going to come back with D3 numbers arent there.  I agree D3 has different enrollment problems (not all),  which is why we have coops.  Maybe more d3 teams need to coop.  Id also be ok with some sort of different format for d3 for duals. 

[Ghetto]

That's a nice article. While it talks about creating dynasties, really those are the keys to building any program. 

The key, IMO, is finding kids club guys that will stick around and can balance fun and skill building. If you can get a large group that builds from little on up, you'll build for a bubble of time that extends above and below the main group. When you sustain it, you have long term success.

[ramjet]

Aaron I like you I really do. But you can be so glib about these processes and come across very arrogant. You seem to have the magic formula even for D3 I guess we should drop ANY suggestions and just cowtow to your cut paste articles.

D3 dual meets with 3 full matches people driving an hour one way where the National Anthem takes longer than the matches is a huge and immediate problem. This type of showing is exactly why programs get cut.

Co-Ops    LOL that easy hey? This really shows how disengaged you are with the truth and the real issues.

Cut the weight classes in D3 to 10 weights wrestling will improve overnight add in the option of a different uniform you add more potential success. Do some the things long term as discribed in the article and maybe just maybe you can get things turned around. But cutting weights will increase the competition and make dual meets more competitive and exciting. 10 weights will force the use of JV for development and foster growth overall. The best way to adjust to the changing times is to change lower numbers equals lower number of weight classes.

[mike]

Lets talk about something other than cutting weight classes.


http://wrestleclub.com/what-makes-up-a-high-school-wrestling-dynasty/

Ha Ha  the first team they mention in this article is Blair Academy.....really Aaron? Different animal...Blair builds by this....willie at flo announced 2 days ago " #3 FR big board, Julian Ramirez(FL) will be going to Blair Academy next year"

[aarons23]

Aaron I like you I really do. But you can be so glib about these processes and come across very arrogant. You seem to have the magic formula even for D3 I guess we should drop ANY suggestions and just cowtow to your cut paste articles.

D3 dual meets with 3 full matches people driving an hour one way where the National Anthem takes longer than the matches is a huge and immediate problem. This type of showing is exactly why programs get cut.

Co-Ops    LOL that easy hey? This really shows how disengaged you are with the truth and the real issues.

Cut the weight classes in D3 to 10 weights wrestling will improve overnight add in the option of a different uniform you add more potential success. Do some the things long term as discribed in the article and maybe just maybe you can get things turned around. But cutting weights will increase the competition and make dual meets more competitive and exciting. 10 weights will force the use of JV for development and foster growth overall. The best way to adjust to the changing times is to change lower numbers equals lower number of weight classes.

Did you even read my response about d3?  Or do did you just need something to avoid the answering the question about why you think yhe state of wrestling is so bad that it needs a fast track?

[aarons23]

Lets talk about something other than cutting weight classes.


http://wrestleclub.com/what-makes-up-a-high-school-wrestling-dynasty/

Ha Ha  the first team they mention in this article is Blair Academy.....really Aaron? Different animal...Blair builds by this....willie at flo announced 2 days ago " #3 FR big board, Julian Ramirez(FL) will be going to Blair Academy next year"

Blair isnt the only team using these strategies....check out Kaukauna,  Coleman,Stratford, Hudson, Stoughton and many others.....they use the strategies in the,article and it works.....to dismiss it because some of those schools gets transplants is not looking at the whole picture.  

[ramjet]

Well again you talk about programs that have been doing this for decades ............

[littleguy301]

Like I have stated before, 2 division in Wisconsin, one with 12 weights and 1 with 14 weights.

24 man brackets at state with 8 sectionals sending 3 guys from each and the winners get a first round bye.

That would make it possible for a D3 school to be in the 14 weight division and a D1 school to be in the 12 man division.

For team state break it into 3 divisions, the 12 weights into 2 divisions!

also 2 matches for both individual and team!!!!!!! Wrestle for 3rd and 5th in team!

[littleguy301]

I read the article and I totally get what is says.

We have some problems that occur in the team building area.
1. Some kids that are more advanced seem to transfer out of the "building" programs.
2. The administration seems to block some schools at every step.
3. Money, Money and money!
4. See 3.

It takes time to build a program and in the smaller school cycles seem to play into that. I have seen some very good school go up and down in wrestling depending on the amount of kids going out for that sport. Heck even Rapids had a run that was awesome but in the past 5 years they seemed to take a dip but now they seem to be building back up.

Even small schools go up and down.

I have seen it in all divisions, though when teams go through a down cycle the more deep rooted programs seem to cope, deal or what ever you call it alot better than other programs. I think that makes a huge difference.

Good read and thanks for posting it, but comparing alot of schools to Blair is a tough sell to some.

[DocWrestling]

You need administrative support which is very tough to come by when you have low numbers and it becomes a viscious circle.   It is amazing how many schools do not even have year round wrestling rooms.  They get to roll the mats out someplace.

[Ghetto]

Just like in football schools should be going after the Asst coaches of these top programs. Neenah just picked up an asst coach from Kaukauna last season and he is turning the program around fast. One of the biggest issues in WI is most of the coaches have little to no experience before taking over the program.
This would not happen in Football or Basketball at the rate it does in wrestling, It's hard to build a strong program when you have no experience coaching in one.

Very true.

We have to get wrestlers into the field of education. Not just teachers, but people looking to be administrators. It's a whole lot easier to build when the person in charge has a clue what your sport is about.

I truly believe that if our last principal wasn't from a wrestling town that they would have cut our program 10 years ago.

[foose4]

Well again you talk about programs that have been doing this for decades ............

Stratford has not been doing "this" for decades.  We have had good teams and we have had no so good teams.   We had years where we were filled weights and years we did not. 

I do know our head coach (and rest of staff) recruits (in school) hard to get as many kids into our room as possible.   Still to this day he does it and I imagine will continue to do it.   We have a kid who qualified for state that two years ago was on the basketball team and was talked into trying wrestling instead of sitting on the bench in BB.   

We have kids that started in PK & K, some start in 5th & 6th.  Also have some that start in 7th or 8th or later. 

Yes most of the team now has wrestled together for 10-11 years.  The kids have worked hard and stayed committed.

But as I have read before.....the parents work hard and are committed to the team and kids.  It takes time away from your "regular" life to have things happen.  Outside practices, traveling for tournaments, meetings for fundraisers, working at fundraisers, etc.   All of it takes time, but if parents work at it and support the team, I feel you have a better chance of the kids doing it also.

[ramjet]

Well again you talk about programs that have been doing this for decades ............

Stratford has not been doing "this" for decades.  We have had good teams and we have had no so good teams.   We had years where we were filled weights and years we did not. 

I do know our head coach (and rest of staff) recruits (in school) hard to get as many kids into our room as possible.   Still to this day he does it and I imagine will continue to do it.   We have a kid who qualified for state that two years ago was on the basketball team and was talked into trying wrestling instead of sitting on the bench in BB.   

We have kids that started in PK & K, some start in 5th & 6th.  Also have some that start in 7th or 8th or later. 

Yes most of the team now has wrestled together for 10-11 years.  The kids have worked hard and stayed committed.

But as I have read before.....the parents work hard and are committed to the team and kids.  It takes time away from your "regular" life to have things happen.  Outside practices, traveling for tournaments, meetings for fundraisers, working at fundraisers, etc.   All of it takes time, but if parents work at it and support the team, I feel you have a better chance of the kids doing it also.

They developed from an excellent youth program it did NOT happen over night.