Takedown Report

Klessinger Coaching Notes (part 2)

21 things I’ve learned in 21 years as a head wrestling coach: Part 2
Disclaimer: I am not an expert coach and I struggle at times getting my teams to perform at the level I expect from them. But I have been more successful the past ten or eleven years than the first ten or eleven because I’ve recognized that I needed to keep learning more and get better. There is so much we can take from coaches like Cael Sanderson, Tom Ryan, and Cary Kolat and many others. If you are a coach, watch and learn from those guys. If you are a wrestler, watch and learn from Spencer Lee, Yianni Diakomihalis, or Daton Fix. We can absorb so much by merely observing them. Listen to interviews of coaches and wrestlers. What are they saying that you can use to up your game? Peoples’ words reflect their thoughts. Everything we do starts with our thinking. Being successful begins first in our minds with an idea, followed by an action. Modeling the behaviors and thinking of the best is a quick way to improve performance.
Related:Part 1 | “Strong Mind Strong Body” ebook

12. Be consistent in your communication and behavior
Consistency in your actions, what you say, and your day to day interactions with your team builds trust. From trust, your team will respond more effectively. Loose cannon outbursts and erratic behavior puts people on edge and can be counterproductive when working with your team. However, I believe there are moments when we should deviate from our regular routines. A good “rant” every so often can light a fire in your kids.

13. Be loving, kind, and grateful
I know there is a belief that our society is getting “soft.” Being kind and caring to your kids may perpetuate the development of lack of toughness if we mistake love and kindness as taking it easy on them. I look at being loving and kind as holding your team accountable. People that genuinely love us want us to be successful. They go the extra mile to help us. They are also the ones who let us know when we aren’t giving our best effort. Gratitude is an extension of love. It is recognizing and appreciating that we become better through challenges and hard work.

14. Be hard on them when they win and love them harder when they lose
I stole this from a book years ago. Ironically, a book by a basketball coach. I think most people do the opposite — be tougher on them when they lose. However, when you are winning, your attitude is in the right place, and you are more motivated. When you lose, a flood of negative emotions can surface — doubt, fear, insecurity, and questioning of commitment. No one likes to lose. The natural defense mechanism is to downplay a loss and say, “It is not a big deal.” But losing hurts. After a team or individual loss, it is always good to step back and evaluate your team’s mindset. It may be a good time for a light practice, a team meeting, or a general morale boost. The statement does not reflect my belief about poor effort. A poor effort is not the same as giving your best and losing.

15. The more I’ve learned, the more success we’ve had
There is so much to learn about wrestling and coaching. As I said in the opening paragraph, we can learn from watching the greats. When I was a younger coach, I was hard-headed and thought I knew a lot about wrestling. I admit I had a very good youth league, high school, and college coaches. I learned a lot from them, but when I opened my eyes to other methods and practices, my knowledge expanded, and we began to win more. I continue to learn from great coaches and leaders in wrestling and outside of wrestling about leadership, culture, technique, communication, and more.

16. Parents will support you if you challenge their children to be better
Better said, the majority will be on your side if they know you are looking out for their child’s best interests. Dealing with parents can be a juggling act at times.  … rest of story and list at … https://intermatwrestle.com/articles/23724?mc_cid=c0a731c968&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

July 1, 2020 Posted by The TakeDown Report | Uncategorized | Leave a comment