Are wrestling schools hurting teams?

[Big House]

Totally agree.  My kids have gone to World Gold and some Askren camps and loved both.  They also like wearing the clothing lines and I think it is a lot about the "edge" they believe they have when others see them wearing it.  It is more about the partners than the actual training to me and I tell the kids I have helped bring into the wrestling world to take every advantage they can.  Some have and some haven't depending on the beliefs of those parents.

However, when it comes to who they go under there has never been a choice.  Same goes for the club kids that I have brought up over the years.  I had one that went under an "elite" club one time(unless they were on the dual teams of course) and I expressed my dislike for that.  It hasn't happened since....school pride is number 1 to me and you should show it 12 months a year.

No insult to those that run the clubs but I think many times it puts a wedge between coaches and those clubs because of going under that particular name.  Maybe some don't care....I do.

Beautiful Padre!

[littleguy301]

I would say 250 for 6 weeks is the going rate around here also. I know of a few that offer something like 30 weeks, 1 night a week for 1000$. Which in turn is around 30+ a time.

The regional training center as far as I know isnt close around here but I do believe that it runs in River Falls but on a limited time. Please correct me if I am wrong.

When you figure in travel, gas and such it adds up.

It should also be in a families budget. An extra 1000 is not in some budgets or even an extra 250. Not that they are trying to cheat their children their are family choices to make also.

Also, as parent it is a buyer be wear situation. All because your child goes to these schools does NOT mean a state champ is going to come out. No fault of the coaches but is your child going to put in the extra effort it takes, are they going to get the full workouts and listen to the advice of the coaches. Not blaming the coaches because your child also has to be on board and sadly I see some children that are going through the motions or are doing it because of the parents.

Example: my son is in 4th grade. I think an outside wrestling school is in the cards for him but not this year. As a parent you also have to see where your child is at mentally and physically to handle the challenge of a wrestling school. It is fair to your child, the coaches and they other children that are in there to make sure your child is ready for that kind of training.

These are all a factor in a wrestling school.

[ramjet]

All that said Wrestling Schools are not bad for wrestling neither is Greco or Freestyle

The Greco clubs we have trained at have said "I do not care who's name put down just be respectful and a good sport and have fun."

Our coach could care less about it as well in the off season in fact he would use much of what was learned in those camps and schools to try and improve the room.

You should embrace things that improves the wrestling in you're room.

[ramjet]

Travel is required no doubt but that was great time for my son and I.

Especially in the northern part of the State.

Heck I know many groups that car pool to go to Northern Exposure switch off driving.

[Big House]

Maybe I should start advertising my elite school ... The Big House School of Wrestling!

We have a statement in our brochure guaranteeing a state title or your money back.

[imnofish]

I would say that high school teams participation is fully contingent on 2 things.

1) Coaches ability to relate to the kids
2) Coaches willingness to put effort forth in recruiting.

A great example of this I think is Brookfield Central HS.  They have never been a wrestling power, do not have a strong kids program, but yet because they have a young energetic coach are getting big numbers.  I believe they are around 50 kids this year, while they are not top 10 in the state or anything they have been making great progress and are a solid team.

As far as kids enjoyment levels I think their expectations need to be equivalent to the effort they put out.

For example if a kid wrestles 3 months a year and expects to be a state champ, that will not work out so well for him.  At our academy we have kids who wrestle year round and have high expectation and are very satisfied.  We also have kids who just come in for a month or two, now while their expectation levels are not as high they are still satisfied by what they get out of the sport.

Love to hear feedback.
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Ben Askren
Askren Bros Wrestling
Assistant Coach at AWA
askrenbros@gmail.com
www.askrenbros.com

I would like to say "Well Said" and that the wrestlers themselves can go a long way recruiting as well.

Good point.  To what extent do we see the best kids on our teams recruiting teammates?  I'm not implying that they aren't; just wondering what coaches have observed, in this regard.

[ramjet]

Maybe I should start advertising my elite school ... The Big House School of Wrestling!

We have a statement in our brochure guaranteeing a state title or your money back.

That would make you unique.

[Street Glide]

The Fester wrestling training facility may be causing a disturbance in Pierce County.  The kids seem to no longer want to sit in the house and watch TV, or play video games, or text unlimited amount of times.  They seem to now want to workout outside climbing silos, or running with log chains attached to their waist.  The real go getters get to go in the corn picker simulator and practice driving it back from Indiana.  That must be the mental toughness part of the program.  Anyway, there seems to be some concern that these kids might be getting something beneficial.    

[imnofish]

Maybe I should start advertising my elite school ... The Big House School of Wrestling!

We have a statement in our brochure guaranteeing a state title or your money back.

That would make you unique.

...and guarantee financial deficits for your school.   

[DocWrestling]

The wrestling schools are a huge bonus compared to the past for all those wrestlers that want to wrestle year round.  This was not always a possibility.  It costs money but the access is much greater than it ever was prior.

It also really helps those better wrestlers because they can hopefully find better practice partners and challenges than they might have in their own HS practice room.

I still think quality practices with great practice partners is much better than matches.

The WIAA should allow or maybe coaches have this opportunity already and could just count it as an event.  Invite 6 teams to your gym/wrestlingroom on a Friday night or Saturday morning.  Run a 3 hour practice with some breaks and you can get all the matches and training you want in a short time.  Sure beats going to a tournament for 8 hours and having to weigh in for 3-4 matches or 20-25 minutes max of wrestling.

[imnofish]

The wrestling schools are a huge bonus compared to the past for all those wrestlers that want to wrestle year round.  This was not always a possibility.  It costs money but the access is much greater than it ever was prior.

It also really helps those better wrestlers because they can hopefully find better practice partners and challenges than they might have in their own HS practice room.

I still think quality practices with great practice partners is much better than matches.

The WIAA should allow or maybe coaches have this opportunity already and could just count it as an event.  Invite 6 teams to your gym/wrestlingroom on a Friday night or Saturday morning.  Run a 3 hour practice with some breaks and you can get all the matches and training you want in a short time.  Sure beats going to a tournament for 8 hours and having to weigh in for 3-4 matches or 20-25 minutes max of wrestling.

In Illinois, back in the 1960's, we used to do this a couple of times per season.  It was great!

[Oldtimer]

Please show me where your going to an elite school for months for $35.

When my son wrestled with the Wisconsin Wrestling Club it was $20 for the season.  Covered use of the blue warmups.  After 8th grade he switched to Victory and the cost was much higher.  Difference was the WWC had volunteer coaches, Kevin Black was operating a business.

Point is... there are or can be cost effective opportunities if you can find people to run the program.

[schneider]

I think if a wrestler is going to AWA or another wrestling school, it could really help the actual school they wrestle for quite a bit. That wrestler is learning new techniques and getting better, which should in theory make the kids he wrestles in practice better as well. Also, that wrestler can share the techniques learned at the wrestling school to further benefit the team.

[whatever]

Simple answer to the original question:

NO.

[Big House]

Maybe I should start advertising my elite school ... The Big House School of Wrestling!

We have a statement in our brochure guaranteeing a state title or your money back.

That would make you unique.

...and guarantee financial deficits for your school.    

I was thinking of hiring you too ... maybe not after that remark!

$20,000 for the season and I GUARANTEE a state title.  There's 42 state champs in Wisconsin ... I'll bet I could at least get 3-4 of them from my elite team.  I'll make enough to teach the others for free!