WIN as in What’s Important Now to wrestlers and coaches
By Jon McGovern, University of Dubuque Coach, World Wrestling Resources.
Spring is here and most state and national season-ending tournaments have been completed. At the end of the scholastic season, head coaches should evaluate your wrestlers, staff, and program because an evaluation helps expose what is and is not working in your program.
World Wrestling Resource has coach evaluation forms available if you need them. E-mail me at JonMcGovern@hotmail.com or access our website at www.WorldWrestlingResource.com.
The months of March and April should also include on emphasis on strength training which at this time of year is typically 3-5x/week depending on your freestyle calendar and any injuries you may be healing up on from the season.
This is also a good time to have wrestlers work on any weaknesses which need development. Drilling 3-4x/week — even if it’s just 45 minutes to an hour will continue development. Remember to seek continuous improvement and drill moves to perfection. The 10,000-hour rule is the idea that it takes 10,000 hours to master any skill. According to this theory it would take 10 years of training three hours a day to become a master in any subject matter. With the theory of mastery in mind, if you have trained from 8-18 years of age every day 3 hours non-stop — you would have mastered the sport. Wrestlers who reach the 10,000 mark are usually a bit older — but this is why some of our best wrestlers in the USA are over 25 years of age. Another point to note on consistent training, most wrestlers who win big events need to be dangerous in a few attacks not every attack. A move drilled over 30 times, 3/week can add up to 1,000 + reps quickly. There is less danger from the wrestler who drills 10,000 different moves 1 time, than the wrestler who has drilled the same move 10,000 times.
At any rate, March/April are great months to get a jump up on the 10,000-hour mastery mark — continue to improve and reach your goals in the season ahead.
