New Wrestling Program

R

RedMachine

Member
I just accepted my first teaching position at a small rural school. Graduating classes of about 30-40 students. They have never had wrestling before, but have asked me to try and start up a program. I am also a football coach, which helps, but any ideas, tips, tricks, etc. to starting a program? More specifically at a small school where getting athletes out will already be a struggle.
 
 
With only 30-40 in a grade level, go see the counselors and have them print you a list of the entire student body from 7-12. Start having a conversation with each kid. Should take a month or two until you can narrow down a potential roster.

Being a football coach will help as you will be able to get many of those kids as long as they aren't good basketball players.
 
Push it through football. Wrestle a JV schedule (until post season) so the kids aren't taking beatings all year...30 losses helps no one. start a youth club ASAP and build through that.

What school if you don't mind my asking?
 
Not to give away any of my future plans but...

Find a student (or more) who has and knows how to use a camera. Create a website to which these pictures can be uploaded and viewed. (If good enough, you could (eventually) sell them, but small steps first.) Then create a QR code for the website. Have those cameras at as many practices, scrimmages, and competitions as possible. Take photos. Upload them to the website. Post the QR code around the school.

Students in the school can use their phone to scan the QR code and view the photos.

The hope is to create a "buzz" about your programs and kids. Then, hopefully, use that momentum to attract other kids to the teams/sports.

That my plan.

Oh, and @rr23724 - don't go shooting down my idea, making fun of it with the staff, or ripping down my QR codes. I'm trying to get some momentum here. ;) ;) ;)
 
Make the local media aware of your/your school's intentions..........................never know who's watching, listening, reading. Do it often.
 
rr23724 said:
Push it through football. Wrestle a JV schedule (until post season) so the kids aren't taking beatings all year...30 losses helps no one. start a youth club ASAP and build through that.

What school if you don't mind my asking?
Click to expand...
Ridgemont High School. Very small school in Mt. Victory, Ohio.
 
First of all, Congrats on starting a wrestling program! In a way, starting a new program could be better than trying to rebuild an existing program.
You get to create the positive culture and mission of your program which is an honor.
There are many ways to do it and so many ideas out there. May seem overwhelming, but rewarding.
IMO: Start out thinking and writing what you want your culture to be like so kids will buy into it.
Write down your ideas in steps.
Don't try to do everything yourself.
Surround yourself with good people willing to help who care about the kids first and the program. Find some kids who can help lead the charge. Those kids will likely be your future team captains.
Delegate & monitor progress.
First step; Get the word out that wrestling has arrived in Mt. Victory & Ridgemont.
Have a school assembly and also talk to the kids one on one like suggested by Coach Treon above. Call or meet with the parents to get them excited and involved to form a nucleus to form a booster club. Get permission from the Plaza Inn, drive-thru and other places in town to post flyers about you and your wrestling team. Get the local media involved as suggested as said above. Pictures, website and QR codes (whatever those are) like Cruiser suggested.
Network with other area wrestling coaches- They will be happy to help I am sure.
It's all about the kids. Build a good foundation and it will grow.
There was a thread on here a while ago similar to this with many good ideas so I will try to resurrect it.
Just my 2c

Good luck!
 
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Try and round up some kids and get them to a small camp this summer and build on that. If they like it try and get to a bigger camp near end of summer and keep them going with open mats somewhere in fall.

If you can handle it run biddy, jr high and high school together so they are all learning the same things and routine.

And gets some volunteers!
 
Conduct practices at the same time in the same room (jr high & high school right after school).

Youth kids will need to go later to avoid “distractions”. Hopefully you have the right people to run this for you while you oversee everything.

Find people you like and trust to coach with you.

It may be best to put your focus on the jr high for a while, and go to high school meets/tournaments when you are free from the jr high.
 
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