Getting youth numbers up
- Thread starter pinem07
- Start date
define from the first minute you are not a babysitting service
I dont believe in brainwashing kids to think its all fun and games. let them know what the sport is and the ones that like to wrestle will stay around. The ones who are looking for play time and parents only want a babysitter wont be around long anyways.
set and constantly review short and long term goals so kids know what they are working for.
Without goals, what the heck are you doing. Coaches that dont acknowledge the goals the kids set can not properly prepare. It has to be the kids goals, not the parents or coaches
I dont believe in brainwashing kids to think its all fun and games. let them know what the sport is and the ones that like to wrestle will stay around. The ones who are looking for play time and parents only want a babysitter wont be around long anyways.
set and constantly review short and long term goals so kids know what they are working for.
Without goals, what the heck are you doing. Coaches that dont acknowledge the goals the kids set can not properly prepare. It has to be the kids goals, not the parents or coaches
watchmykidwrestle
Member
It's super important to be upfront with the parents about what it takes to be successful at youth wrestling: Weight-cutting so Joey can beat the 41 pounders in the 45# weight class, wrestling 150 matches every year, training at numerous locations because your kid has no one who can hang with him, wrestling year round and avoiding other sports, and most important, repeating 6th grade and justifying that it's for maturity reasons. That's about it.
Agree with your thoughts. My additions:
- The program will exhibit "success" if it is teaching kids how to wrestle, not play dodge ball. "Games" are fine as long as they provide some sort of training benefit (Sumo-style king-of-the-ring, or relay races that require strength or fitness, etc.).
- Temper the definition of success. It's not necessarily being a state placer for every 7 year-old. Maybe it's learning several moves from neutral, top, and bottom this year, and then entering local-level competition next year.
- Not everyone has to compete right out of the gate. Some kids are ready, and some aren't. Getting "appropriate-level" competition is what is important ... where you win some and lose some. Step up the competition level when the kid is ready and willing.
iamjacksuglythrowaway
Active member
It depends on ones goals.
To win the little kiddies tournament and talk bout being a ‘real’ coach. With “hardcore” training…
Or..
Is it to get as many of the kids still wrestling in high school or beyond as possible.
This is leaving out the pages and pages of physical development literature that says play and games that build skills is better than hardcore training for the younger ages.
When you look at “who” is “usually” the most critical of the idea that elementary wrestling shouldn’t be treated like wannabe college practice. And when you look at how almost every actual college and hall of fame caliber high school coach handles little kid wrestling… it becomes pretty clear people need to calm down and understand their coaching 8 year olds not hs or college. Stop pretending it is
And btw.. if you get off the high horse about the word “fun” and “games” and see them as a means to an end.. and not the end.. you can get the “soft” “not cut out for wrestling kids” training pretty damn tough.
I’d be less acerbic if the retention rates from youth to hs were even slightly higher and burnout was way less common
To win the little kiddies tournament and talk bout being a ‘real’ coach. With “hardcore” training…
Or..
Is it to get as many of the kids still wrestling in high school or beyond as possible.
This is leaving out the pages and pages of physical development literature that says play and games that build skills is better than hardcore training for the younger ages.
When you look at “who” is “usually” the most critical of the idea that elementary wrestling shouldn’t be treated like wannabe college practice. And when you look at how almost every actual college and hall of fame caliber high school coach handles little kid wrestling… it becomes pretty clear people need to calm down and understand their coaching 8 year olds not hs or college. Stop pretending it is
And btw.. if you get off the high horse about the word “fun” and “games” and see them as a means to an end.. and not the end.. you can get the “soft” “not cut out for wrestling kids” training pretty damn tough.
I’d be less acerbic if the retention rates from youth to hs were even slightly higher and burnout was way less common
MPhillips
Well-known member
I'd say, you nailed it.
I'd only add a strong, "social media presence."
cruiser_96
Well-known member
Energy & organization.
If you have those two things, good things WILL happen.
Also, Wade Schalles once wrote an article discussing running the first two or three years of youth teams more like martial arts clubs. Teach, teach, teach, and then test the kids ability to hit technique. Set up 5 to 7 stations and require a kid perform a technique three times the way it should be in order to receive a “passing mark”. They would then move on to the next station.
Interestingly, it wasn’t all techniques. Another part of it was (a station or two dedicated to) history or rules of the sport, as well as knowledge of the their body (tumbling).
I’ll try to find the article.
Found it: http://wadeschalles.com/youth-wrestling-how-stupid/
If you have those two things, good things WILL happen.
Also, Wade Schalles once wrote an article discussing running the first two or three years of youth teams more like martial arts clubs. Teach, teach, teach, and then test the kids ability to hit technique. Set up 5 to 7 stations and require a kid perform a technique three times the way it should be in order to receive a “passing mark”. They would then move on to the next station.
Interestingly, it wasn’t all techniques. Another part of it was (a station or two dedicated to) history or rules of the sport, as well as knowledge of the their body (tumbling).
I’ll try to find the article.
Found it: http://wadeschalles.com/youth-wrestling-how-stupid/
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iamjacksuglythrowaway
Active member
While I’ll quibble minor points. I love Schalles blog because he doesn’t mince words or try to spare feelings. He states the reality of how wrestling is doing
getting the youth football coaches to really push it is huge. You Have to have parents buy in. Without the parents buying in to it not being a babysitting service it is a real struggle. Thats why i said to value early success. The parents will buy in if their kids are having success. Now, early success can mean doing well at the smallest local tournaments you can find. Dont let the parents be fooled that because they are crushing it at a local youth tournament they are gonna go to state and do well. If I ever start a youth program again, and with my own 3 year old, I will not even talk about state tournaments until they are 10ish ( maybe later). I started my first son early and wish I wouldnt have. It can be very deflating if a kid who has been a monster goes to state and then gets crushed. Once you have gone to state and performed well, its very hard to cut back on what you do and have the same kind of success. Once you are in you cant really go backward. Dont go all in early
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Cruiser:
I remember reading that Wade Schalles article. His idea of using "Katas," like used in Karate & Tae Kwan Do, seems like a great structure for youth wrestlers, and perhaps beyond. After reading his article, I thought it may be fun for the kids to get different colored belts or certificates after they pass a "kata" (a series of techniques from basic to more advanced) like in Karate & Tae Kwon Do.
- Innoshape (Resume: High yellow belt in Tae Kwon Do, White belt in folkstyle wrestling)
I remember reading that Wade Schalles article. His idea of using "Katas," like used in Karate & Tae Kwan Do, seems like a great structure for youth wrestlers, and perhaps beyond. After reading his article, I thought it may be fun for the kids to get different colored belts or certificates after they pass a "kata" (a series of techniques from basic to more advanced) like in Karate & Tae Kwon Do.
- Innoshape (Resume: High yellow belt in Tae Kwon Do, White belt in folkstyle wrestling)
Wrestling is the only sport I ever participated in where "winning" is not only "required", it is "demanded."
There is no worse feeling in all of sports than "losing" a wrestling match.
The only way to keep a kid enthused about continuing with wrestling is too devise tournaments and competitions where at some level every kid gets to win a few, however you do that. Some way to "handicap" the competition like golf or bowling. Maybe by age, maybe by weight, maybe by experience, I don't know. But a kid MUST experience the thrill of victory or he won't keep wrestling. Period.
Think of golf. The only thing that keeps a complete "hack" (like me) returning to the golf course is to at least one time per 18 holes hit one great drive! Those are my thoughts...
There is no worse feeling in all of sports than "losing" a wrestling match.
The only way to keep a kid enthused about continuing with wrestling is too devise tournaments and competitions where at some level every kid gets to win a few, however you do that. Some way to "handicap" the competition like golf or bowling. Maybe by age, maybe by weight, maybe by experience, I don't know. But a kid MUST experience the thrill of victory or he won't keep wrestling. Period.
Think of golf. The only thing that keeps a complete "hack" (like me) returning to the golf course is to at least one time per 18 holes hit one great drive! Those are my thoughts...