As the result of a concerted effort to accommodate the growing number of female wrestlers, the 2020-21 high school wrestling rules changes are headlined by significant adjustments to weigh-in protocol and appropriate hair length requirements. The National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) Wrestling Rules Committee met April 5-6 and recommended 11 rules changes […]

The list of 21 things I’ve learned could be 51 or 101. I have learned so much over the years about coaching and working with people that it easily could consume an entire book (which I am working on). Below are 11 of the 21 most impactful concepts, ideas, and practices I have learned in […]

I have been a high school wrestling coach for the past 21 years. I have coached youth lacrosse, soccer, and wrestling when my kids were young. This is not a bash on parents. I am a parent as well. It is only a justification from a coach’s standpoint on why it makes the “coach’s” job […]

At times there is discussion on both state and national message boards about the merits of “classed” individual state wrestling tournaments. At the simplest level, the debate may center on if the state wrestling tournament be conducted as one event regardless of school enrollment size. On a secondary level, discussion may shift towards the “proper” […]

Private lessons are now offered in almost anything imaginable, from music to art to chess to sports. While the sport of wrestling has primarily been taught in team practice settings, private lessons in wrestling are growing in popularity.  Parents and wrestlers are often times faced with the decision of whether or not to pursue private […]

It’s 2008. I’m sitting in an arena in Minnesota, there to watch my youngest son wrestle in a national tournament. He’s a freshman in high school and he’s made it to the finals. He will face one of Minnesota’s studs, a wrestler he had faced many times before and never beaten. Behind me is a […]

In the sport of wrestling, summer is prime freestyle and Greco-Roman season. With the Cadet and Junior Nationals taking place at the end of July, top wrestlers from across the country are preparing to compete against the nation’s best and for the right to be called a freestyle or Greco-Roman All-American or national champion. Other […]

BASE Wrestling is a system developed by Olympic freestyle wrestlers Jake Herbert and Andy Hrovat to test and teach the natural wrestling progression. It combines athleticism, drilling, flexibility, live wrestling, and world-class technique to set up wrestling clubs and wrestlers with the foundation to be successful on and off the mat.Here are five tactics used […]

Having been in the wrestling world for most of my life, both as a competitor and as coach, I have been exposed to all there is out there. I have seen the promise of great talent in an 8-year-old get used and drained and thrown to the wayside by the time he is 13. I […]

MatBoss recently caught up with Grimm and talked to him about national rankings, Division II wrestling, his daughter Emma, competing against Lincoln McIlravy and what it’s going to take to finish the season with a team trophy.

I heard of a movement called “Drive Like Your Kids Live Here.” The concept, as I’m sure you’ve already gathered, is that no matter how you ask or tell people to do something, if it doesn’t mean much to them, your comment is probably falling on deaf ears. The fix? Find a way to word […]

Since 1994, the number of women who participate in high school wrestling has increased from 804 to 13,900 (according to National Federation of High School statistics). There are now 36 women’s collegiate wrestling programs. And recently, thanks to the hard work of organizations like USA Wrestling, the U.S. Olympic Committee, Wrestle Like A Girl, the […]

In 2008, Chris Bono, who was serving as head wrestling coach at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, received a surprising request. After Nate Gallick, one of Bono’s assistant coaches at the time, was forced to withdraw from the Midlands Championships at Northwestern University shortly before the prestigious holiday wrestling event, Midlands founder and director Ken […]

The 2016-17 college wrestling season came to a close this past Saturday night with the NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships in St. Louis, Mo. College teams using MatBoss performed exceptionally well at the national championships across all divisions of wrestling this season. Thirty-two college programs using MatBoss finished among the top 25 at their respective […]

Wrestling is a sport that is constantly fighting for attention. And the media plays a pivotal role in providing coverage of the sport. That makes the relationship that coaches and wrestlers have with the media an important dynamic. I worked in media relations for nearly 10 years as the communications manager at USA Wrestling. Prior […]

MatBoss, a game-changing wrestling videostats app, was launched this fall and several of the nation’s top college and high school wrestling programs are already using it. MatBoss’ growing list of wrestling programs using the app include two defending NCAA championship wrestling programs, Ohio State University (NCAA Division I) and Augsburg College (NCAA Division III), along with […]

Jason Moorman knew little to nothing about women’s wrestling when King University started a women’s wrestling program in 2009 and he was appointed the program’s head coach. Moorman began researching the history of women’s wrestling, and read up on men’s coaches in other sports who transitioned from coaching men to coaching women. “Anson Dorrance from […]

Four years ago, Melissa Simmons was coaching at a national team training camp when Olympic bronze medalist Clarissa Chun asked her if she knew of anyone interested in a director of operations position. “I was an assistant coach at Oklahoma City at the time and honestly had no intention of switching careers,” recalled Simmons, a […]

Twenty NCAA Division I wrestling programs are using MatBoss, wrestling’s premier VideoStats app, including five of the nation’s top 10 programs in InterMat’s preseason rankings.  Below is a season outlook for each of the 20 NCAA Division I wrestling programs currently using MatBoss.Iowa Tournament Ranking: No. 2Dual Meet Ranking: No. 2 Outlook: Expectations are high […]

Wrestling is the greatest and the oldest sport dating as far back as 20,000 years ago. I believe, and I hold it in my heart, that nothing can compare to it when developing young men and women. I understand that I have an extreme bias toward wrestling. I have been in the sport for 36 […]

Tony Gwynn, a Hall of Fame baseball player, helped pioneer the use of film study in Major League Baseball. Gwynn, who passed away in 2014, took a portable video cassette player on the road, a practice that began in the early 1980s. He went on to collect 3,141 career hits in his career and earn […]

“If you host it, they will come.” That’s the philosophy of a number of college wrestling programs that assumes fans will show up at their wrestle-offs, dual meets and tournaments with minimal advertising, promotion and media coverage. That idea may work at some powerhouse programs with a long-established tradition of fans finding their way to […]

Wrestling has been called “man’s oldest and greatest sport” and it continues to be passed down from generation to generation. Fathers are coaching their sons and daughters at all levels of wrestling. At the NCAA Division I level, Tom Ryan led Ohio State to its first national championship in wrestling this past season. His son […]

Weight cutting has been a major part of the sport of wrestling for many years. Wrestlers will cut weight in an attempt to gain a size or strength advantage over their opponents. But is weight cutting necessary in wrestling? Many of the nation’s top wrestlers don’t believe so. In addition, there are countless examples of […]

With the folkstyle wrestling season approaching, MatBoss caught up with Jeff Pape, owner and president of WrestlingGear.com, to discuss what goes into purchasing wrestling gear, from shoes to singlets, to headgear and other wrestling accessories. Shoes ASICS, Adidas and Nike are the three major brands in the wrestling shoe market. Each brand offers models that […]

The sport of wrestling is said to be one of the most demanding sports. It requires hard work, dedication and discipline. It can be both physically, mentally and emotionally exhausting. In addition, wrestlers must maintain their weight to compete in a specific weight class. “Every human being only has a certain life span in wrestling,” […]

This week — and in the coming weeks — wrestlers across the country will be on a holiday break from school. For many high school and college wrestling programs, the holiday break signifies a midway point on the wrestling calendar. How wrestling programs treat the holiday break can vary significantly. Lockport (Ill.) High School, one […]

Jeremy Spates attended Norman (Okla.) High School and had plans to wrestle for his father Jack Spates at the University of Oklahoma. Spates, a state champion and three-time Junior All-American, spent his first year out of high school taking classes at OU and training with the Sooners’ freestyle wrestling team. The plan was for Spates […]

During Mark Branch’s first week of wrestling practice at Oklahoma State University he was approached by Cowboy great and new teammate Alan Fried. Fried asked Branch his name and where he’s from. After the lanky 167-pound freshman from Oklahoma shared his name and hometown, Fried asked, “How did you do in Fargo?” “I said, ‘What’s […]

The wrestle-off was once a staple of college and high school programs and considered the most fair way to select a starting lineup. But that mentality has changed, greatly. Find out why below.  When it comes time to selecting a starting lineup, there are many approaches college and high school wrestling coaches/programs take to determine […]

How does a wrestling coach determine what wrestling camp is the best fit for the individual wrestler within its club or program? Start by focusing on two major areas, says Troy Nickerson, head coach at the University of Northern Colorado and director of Troy Nickerson’s Northern Colorado Wrestling Camps. “For younger wrestlers and those who are inexperienced, […]

Ask any dedicated coach, and chances are, they relish the chance to develop and build the average athlete, just as much as they do the chance to lead the star athlete. While the star athlete may bring wins, program recognition, and put a team and/or coach in the spotlight, the long-term success of any athletics […]

It happens in every sport, at every level: Kids transfer from one school to another. At the high school level, there can be numerous factors. A parent moves to a new city or new state to take a new job. A family isn’t happy with a child’s current situation, so they move them from one […]

The sport of wrestling is unique in many ways. It’s an individual sport with a team component. But in sports like football, baseball, softball and basketball, there are many circumstances where a backup may get into the game. In football, a backup can contribute on special teams, or get in some snaps to give the […]

There are many wrestlers who have a laundry list of wrestling credentials. State champion, national champion, All-American, and so on. But success on the mat doesn’t always translate to success as a coach. At the same time, there are several successful wrestling coaches who did not achieve a high level of success on the mat […]

On Saturday, Nov. 12 the South Saint Paul, Minnesota High School wrestling team hosted a wrestling fundraiser. The event? A professional wrestling match at South Saint Paul High School. It was a fun evening for wrestling fans and the local community. It raised money, and helped promote the sport of wrestling. It helped the team […]

This article is in response to Todd Martin’s column, The Bottom Line: A Strange Concept, which challenges the claim that Henry Cejudo — or in fact any wrestler, no matter the wrestling resume — could be considered the greatest multi-combat-sport athlete ever. Wrestlers were upset with the article, obviously, because wrestlers are a defensive mob […]

MINNEAPOLIS — Each year, MatBoss, wrestling’s premier videostats app, awards $500 scholarships to high school or college wrestling managers. This year’s MatBoss Manager Scholarship recipients are Julianne Metzgar (North Warren Regional High School, N.J.), Karla Mejia-Garcia (Basalt High School, Colo.), and Perla Muro (Sioux Center High School, Iowa). MatBoss Manager Scholarship recipients are chosen based […]

MatBoss, wrestling’s premier videostats app, is pleased to announce the addition of Lauren Traxler as the company’s new marketing intern. In her new role with MatBoss, Lauren will be involved in several projects, including the launch of a new website, social media content and follower engagement, email campaigns, digital content creation and editing, as well […]

For high school wrestlers, parents and college wrestling coaches, the college recruiting process can be a time-consuming, stressful, confusing process filled with pressure. Now a wrestling club in Brighton, Michigan, is helping high school wrestlers navigate the recruiting process while at the same time providing a benefit to college wrestling coaches.Legacy Wrestling is offering high […]

Mikayla O’Connor (left) and Jinshi Lu (right) recently joined the MatBoss team. MatBoss, wrestling’s premier videostats app, announces two new hires to support the growth of the company. Mikayla O’Connor has been hired as a customer success associate, while Jinshi Lu has joined the MatBoss team as a software developer. Mikayla O’Connor As a customer […]

One of the primary skills of being a wrestling coach is being a juggler … as in having to juggle multiple jobs that go beyond coaching and training wrestlers. You have to be a camera operator, a statistician, a bookkeeper and more as you film footage of your wrestlers in action … while keeping score […]

Opportunity Overview MatBoss is a rapidly-growing sports tech company seeking a full-time Associate Software Engineer/Technical Support Engineer to aid our customer support team by building out our customer support tools and performing any needed customer support tasks. During the off season this role will act as more of a full-time Software Engineer and will work […]

The wait is over: MatBoss is now available for download from the App Store! MatBoss can be found by visiting the App Store on an iPad and searching ‘MatBoss’ (no spaces). The app will appear for download and installation. This week MatBoss customers will receive an email with login credentials and directions on how to […]

MatBoss caught up with Lausier and talked to him about raising the standard at Davidson, what makes Davidson special, Steph Curry, Chris Ayres, Ty Eustice and more. 

MatBoss caught up with Brenton Hamm and talked to him about this season, his team and coaching staff,  Mike Duroe, Cornell adding a women’s wrestling program and more. 

Dalton Jensen guided the Nebraska-Kearney wrestling program to a runner-up finish at the 2021 NCAA Division II Wrestling Championships. UNK finished just 1.5 points behind St. Cloud State. It marked the sixth time the Lopers have finished second at the NCAAs. MatBoss caught up with Jensen and talked to him about this past season, expectations […]

Damion Hahn, head wrestling coach at South Dakota State, has a wrestling resume that speaks for itself. A two-time NCAA champion and four-time All-American as a competitor at Minnesota, Hahn quickly became one of the nation’s top assistant coaches at Cornell, where he spent 12 seasons and helped the Big Red to eleven top-10 finishes. […]

Daniel Elliott is entering his 10th season as Gardner-Webb’s head wrestling coach. The former GWU standout guided the program to a share of the Southern Conference title in 2016. Elliott has had a dozen NCAA qualifiers during his head coaching tenure, including three in 2016. MatBoss caught up with Elliott and talked to him about his team, competitive career (including his victory over Gregor Gillespie), SoCon, expectations and more.

Danny Irwin guided West Liberty’s wrestling program to a fourth-place finish at the 2021 NCAA Division II Wrestling Championships. The Hilltoppers qualified six wrestlers to the NCAAs and finished with four All-Americans, including a pair of national champions. 

MatBoss caught up with Malecek and talked to him about the WIAC, winning the National Duals title, Division III wrestling, training with Dave Schultz and more.

Dax Charles has spent over 30 years at CSU-Pueblo as a student-athlete and wrestling coach. As a competitor, Charles won a national championship at CSU-Pueblo (then University of Southern Colorado) in 1992 and earned All-America honors three times. He was inducted into the NCAA Division II Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2012 and the CSU-Pueblo […]

Dennis Papadatos has had a successful career in wrestling both as a competitor and coach at Hofstra University. Papadatos, a two-time NCAA qualifier for the Pride, took over as Hofstra’s head wrestling coach in 2014 after serving on coaching staffs at Hofstra, Northern Illinois, Binghamton and North Carolina.    In seven seasons as Hofstra head coach, […]

MatBoss caught up with Newberry’s head wrestling coach talked to him about the season, winning the Super Region II title, recruiting, expectations for NCAAs and more.

MatBoss caught up with Beasley and talked to him about this season’s team and results, coaching staff, Pat Popolizio and what it’s going to take to break into the top 25.

Duke’s wrestling program has seen considerable success under the guidance of head coach Glen Lanham. The Blue Devils had consecutive top-25 finishes (2018-2019) and put together a streak of six consecutive years with an All-American (2015-2020). MatBoss recently caught up with Lanham to discuss this past season, Finesilver family, Jacob Kasper, expectations for this coming […]

MatBoss recently caught up with Grimm and talked to him about national rankings, Division II wrestling, his daughter Emma, competing against Lincoln McIlravy and what it’s going to take to finish the season with a team trophy.

Jake Stevenson, a 2007 NAIA national champion and four-time All-American, has guided Morningside’s wrestling program to a 77-40 dual meet record in his nine seasons as head coach. He has led the Mustangs to three Great Plains Athletic Conference championships and five conference runner-up finishes. Morningside is consistently ranked among the top-20 NAIA wrestling programs […]

MatBoss caught up with Kisgen and talked to him about this past season, McKendree’s top wrestlers, Sam Schmitz leaving the program and expectations for next season.

MatBoss caught up with Jay Weiss, Harvard’s head wrestling coach and talked to him about his team, coaching philosophy, Ivy League, Muzaffar Abdurakhmanov and more. 

MatBoss recently caught up with Favia and talked to him about this past season, which included a fifth-place finish at the NCAA Division III Championships and crowning his first individual national champion, as well as his coaching staff, program expectations and more.

MatBoss caught up with Norton and talked to him about the historic season for the men’s and women’s wrestling teams at North Central, recruiting, challenges of running two wrestling programs and more.  

MatBoss caught up with Greenlee and talked to him about the Bobcats, Hunter Stieber, MAC, Bruce Baumgartner and more. 

JohnMark Bentley guided the Appalachian State wrestling program to a record-breaking season in 2021. App State set a school record with seven NCAA qualifiers and tied a school record with five conference champions. In addition, Jonathan Millner (149) became Bentley’s fourth All-American at App State by placing eight at 149 pounds at the 2021 NCAA […]

MatBoss caught up with Bellanca and talked to him about this season, his coaching philosophy, why character matters, differences between Division III and Division II wrestling, current state of college wrestling and more. 

Kyle Ruschell has helped carry on the strong wrestling tradition at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga since he was hired to lead the Mocs in 2018. Ruschell led UTC to a share of the conference dual meet championship in his first season (2018-19). He has compiled a 15-5 conference dual meet record in three […]

Luke Smith’s wrestling journey has taken him all over the country. Smith, a Wisconsin native, competed collegiately at Central Michigan and spent a year on the coaching staff at his alma mater. He moved on to coaching stints at Old Dominion and Eastern Michigan before arriving at CSU Bakersfield in 2018. After two seasons as an assistant coach CSU Bakersfield, Smith was promoted to interim head wrestling coach in October of 2020 before being named the permanent head coach this past April.

MatBoss caught up with Rogers and talked to him about F&M’s success on and off the mat, being a wrestling father and what it was like going through the college recruiting process with his son Caden, changes he would like to see in college wrestling and more.

MatBoss caught up with Shearer and talked to him about the team’s performance at the Southeast Regional, their two NCAA qualifiers, training facility, Ohio Northern coach Ron Beaschler and more.

Roger Chandler has taken the Michigan State wrestling program from out of the cellar and turned it into a perennial top-30 wrestling program that is competitive in the Big Ten, the nation’s toughest wrestling conference. In the season prior Chandler taking over as MSU’s head wrestling coach, the Spartans finished 2-14 in dual meets and scored negative points at the NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships. Since Chandler was elevated to head coach in 2016, he has guided 21 wrestlers to the NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships. Last season, Michigan State qualified eight of their 10 starters to the NCAAs.

MatBoss caught up with Ryan Smith and talked to him about this season, his top wrestlers, recruiting and what makes Newman University a special place.

MatBoss caught up with Scott Moore and talked to him about last season, this season’s team, women’s wrestling, building a fanbase, coaching staff and what fans can expect to see from the Bald Eagles in 2021-22.

Purdue head wrestling coach Tony Ersland has a strong track record of national success and consistency. Ersland, a former Iowa wrestler, has helped the Boilermakers finish in the top 25 in the final poll in six of his seven seasons as head coach. He has qualified 45 wrestlers to the NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships, […]

Columbia returns to competition in 2021-22 after not competing in the 2020-21 season due to COVID. (The Ivy League canceled its 2020-21 winter season.) The Lions are led by Zach Tanelli, who is entering his sixth season as Andrew F. Barth Head Coach of Wrestling at Columbia. Tanelli, an All-American as a competitor for Wisconsin, […]

MINNEAPOLIS — MatBoss and Trackwrestling are partnering to integrate wrestling statistics and results captured within MatBoss directly into Trackwrestling, it was announced on Friday. The development of this integration is underway and will be available for the upcoming 2015-16 wrestling season. “Trackwrestling is the leading wrestling event management platform available on the market,” said Jeremy […]

Day after day, practice after practice, coaches in all sports consistently preach to their athletes about the importance of believing in themselves, and building the confidence needed to achieve success. In wrestling, high school and college coaches are constantly looking for a mental edge for their athletes, hoping to find a way to motivate, push, […]

Greg Kerkvliet, a three-time state champion and multiple-time Cadet world medalist in freestyle, is featured on the MatBoss splash page for the 2018-19 season. It marks the fourth straight year the nation’s No. 1 recruit by InterMat has been featured on the MatBoss splash page. Kerkvliet, who attends Simley High School in Inver Grove Heights, […]

Oklahoma State has won more national championships in wrestling than any other program in Division I wrestling history. St. Cloud State has captured more NCAA Division II national championships in the past five years than any other program. Augsburg has finished among the top two teams at the NCAA Division III level 25 times since […]

Many of the nation’s top college wrestling programs are using MatBoss, wrestling’s premier video and statistics app, for the 2017-18 season. “It has been very exciting to show some of the top college wrestling programs in the country our MatBoss software,” says MatBoss co-founder Tyler Hemmesch. “These programs are finding that MatBoss gives their wrestlers […]

Sixteen of the nation’s top 50 high school wrestling programs used MatBoss, wrestling’s premier videostats app, during the 2016-17 season. St. Edward (Ohio), arguably the most storied high school wrestling program in history, headlines the group of nationally ranked teams using MatBoss. Since 1978, the Eagles have captured 60 state championships and 11 national championships. […]

Wrestling began as a varsity sport at Ohio State in 1921. Ninety-four years later, in 2015, Ohio State captured its first national championship in wrestling. The Buckeyes followed up that national championship season with another team trophy, a third-place finish, at the 2016 NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships at Madison Square Garden in New York. […]

National championship teams from all three NCAA divisions used MataBoss, wrestling’s premier videostats app, during the 2018-19 season. In Division I, Penn State, a MatBoss user, captured its fourth straight national title and eighth national title in nine seasons. The Nittany Lions claimed the national championship in Pittsburgh by 41 points. Winning individual national titles […]

The NCAA Playing Rules Oversight Panel approved allowing wrestlers to compete in shorts designed for the sport and removing all language in the sport’s rules book regarding the length of a wrestler’s hair. The changes are effective for the 2019-20 academic year. NCAA Wrestling Rules Committee members wanted to make the rules for hair less […]

The NCAA Wrestling Rules Committee offered some proposed rule changes Monday to address some hot-button issues that have made headlines — and rankled some athletes, coaches and fans. Among the sometimes controversial issues these rule-change proposals take on: the matside video review process … medical forfeits … and calls for stalling, and for hands-to-the-face. What’s […]

The 2015-16 college wrestling season is about to start … and with that new season, some new rules to address issues such as injury timeouts, concussions, stalling … along with clarification as to how to deal with scoring or timeclock issues like those in the 157-pound quarterfinals match between Cornell’s Brian Realbuto and Kent State’s […]

As a wrestling coach, you want — and expect — your wrestlers to constantly improve. To gain new skills. To perform better each time they step out onto the mat. In the highly competitive environment that is wrestling, maintaining the same level of performance just isn’t good enough. That same idea of continuous improvement drives […]

INDIANAPOLIS, IN — In an ongoing effort to minimize the risk of injury in high school wrestling, additional time will be given to evaluate head and neck injuries when an appropriate health-care professional is present at a match. In addition to the 1.5 minutes of injury time allotted for each wrestler, an appropriate health-care professional […]

Jeff Buxton is one of wrestling’s all-time great coaches. He served as Blair Academy’s head wrestling coach from 1982 to 2012, winning the Prep National championships in each of his 30 seasons. His Blair Academy teams were ranked No. 1 in the nation 10 times, beginning in 1995 and running through 2012. He has coached […]

Photo by: Simon Jimenez John Smith has been there and done that many times over to where if you wanted to debate whether his plain-as-milk name is synonymous with wrestling, you’d be sure to lose because, after all, there is a move named after him. The John Smith low single is part of his sport’s lexicon, […]

Mark Schwab spent 23 years as a college wrestling coach. He started his college coaching career at Purdue, where he spent two seasons on staff before becoming an assistant coach at Minnesota. In nine seasons at Minnesota, Schwab helped lead the Gophers to seven top-three finishes and two NCAA titles. He coached 55 All-Americans at […]

Mike Krause is a nationally renowned youth wrestling coach. He is the head coach of Team Shamrock, a feeder program for Detroit Catholic Central (Mich.), a national high school wrestling powerhouse. He has also been head coach of NXT LVL Wrestling Academy since 2003. Krause conducts wrestling clinics and camps all over the country. The […]

There are many opportunities for high school wrestlers to continue competing in folkstyle wrestling in college. This past year, 232 colleges sponsored NCAA wrestling across the three divisions. In addition, there were 57 NAIA wrestling programs, 44 NJCAA wrestling programs and 162 NCWA wrestling programs. But what if a high school wrestler wants to pursue […]

Yet again the fall is here, which means it is almost the scholastic wrestling season. However, these days, there is no such thing as a true offseason. There have already been a few preseason tournaments, mostly Super 32 Challenge early entry qualifiers, but the preseason tournaments begin in earnest very soon. The following is a […]

Yet again the fall is here, which means it is almost the scholastic wrestling season. However, these days, there is no such thing as a true offseason. There have already been a few pre-season tournaments, mostly Super 32 Challenge early entry qualifiers, but the preseason tournaments begin in earnest very soon. The following is a […]

On July 1, 2011, my youngest son came back from his off season wrestling practice with a letter. Inside that letter was an offer from a Division I school. Assistant coaches from the school met him at practice, the very first thing in the morning, on the very first day the NCAA rules allowed them […]

Every wrestling coach has dealt with that one parent who makes things difficult. In fact, many coaches may cringe when they think of the difficulties they have had with certain parents over the years. Perhaps not as difficult as dealing with Lavar Ball, who USA Today just declared the worst sports parents ever.But nonetheless — […]

The oldest and greatest sport continues to welcome growing numbers of participants at the high school level. The number of girls and boys participating in high school wrestling showed continued growth during the 2018-19 school year, bucking a trend of lower participation rates in high school sports overall, according to a report issued by the […]

What’s the difference between a wrestler who falls victim to nerves during a match and one who is able to stay aggressive on the mat under pressure? Mental confidence and mindset is what most people respond with. An athlete who is able to stay calm and focus on being aggressive has a huge advantage compared […]

Below is a look at the rule changes for college (NCAA) and high school (NFHS) in the 2017-18 season.  College: NCAA Wrestlers who violate NCAA weight certification protocols, use prohibited weight-loss practices or commit a severe weigh-in or medical examination violation will face stiffer penalties in the 2017-18 season. The NCAA Playing Rules Oversight Panel […]

Selecting clinicians to instruct at a wrestling camp can be a difficult but important decision. Wrestling clinicians bring different backgrounds, philosophies and strengths to the table. So how do you choose a clinician?

It is always about progressing and learning more. Getting better each day. As I watched the Olympics, my eye was on the little things. The small details that will pay big dividends later on.

If you haven’t written your personal philosophy, I advise you to do so. It is your mission and “why.” And when times are tough, it will remind you of the reason you are doing it. Here are 12 questions to ask yourself that will guide you in developing your coaching philosophy.

For many wrestling programs, team captains are selected to be leaders of the program. The selection process — as well as the role of a team captain — can vary by wrestling program. But it’s role that is held in high regard by many wrestling coaches.

Every wrestling coach has dealt with that one parent who makes things difficult. In fact, many coaches may cringe when they think of the difficulties they have had with certain parents over the years. Use these tips to help when such situations inevitably arise.

Here are nine ways to enhance the qualities of your practices. When the quality improves,
so does its effectiveness. As a result, you get more done, and your team will be more
engaged.

Wrestling teams at all levels keep stats, but are you putting your data to work for you and maximizing your statistical advantage?

According to the National Wrestling Coaches Association, women’s wrestling is the fastest growing high school sport in the United States. In addition, the growth of women’s wrestling in American colleges has seen a 400 percent growth in the past five years.

Check out our eight common technical errors and bad habits. Once you prioritize “fixing” these errors, your team will have more success. As a result, the “buy-in” will increase. Your wrestlers will drill harder with more focus on doing things the right way. Although nothing in this guide is a massive surprise to the seasoned coach, a higher level of awareness from paying attention to these errors can elevate your wrestlers. Smart wrestling wins matches.

Backups, or reserves, play a key role on a wrestling team, but it can oftentimes be a challenge to keep them motivated, especially if they are seeing very little action in competition. Learn how to get the most out of your backups and keep them motivated.

Our sport can be confusing and complex at times, even for those coaching and competing. There are constant changes to the rulebook and different interpretations. Download our free guide for a list of often confused or misinterpreted rules.

It happens in every sport, at every level: Kids transfer from one school to another. At the high school level, there can be numerous factors. A parent moves to a new city or new state to take a new job. A family isn’t happy with a child’s current situation, so they move them from one school to another. Check out our quick guide on how to best handle transfers.

With many camps of varying styles to choose from, selecting the right one can be a tricky and time-consuming process. Check out our helpful guide for choosing the best camp for your wrestlers.

The use of film study has become increasingly widespread in virtually every sport, including wrestling.

We’ve compiled a list of great ideas for creating excitement around your home wrestling events. These ideas have already worked for some mat programs, and might just work at your school too.

Accountability is a modern-day buzzword. It is thrown around team locker rooms, business
meetings and in schools. But what is it really? Find out John Klessinger’s take on accountability by downloading our Coaching Guide.

Nine points of emphasis that I have found pay big dividends if you want to be a successful coach. First, however, it is time that you must put into it. Nothing genuinely worthwhile ever comes easy. Nor does coaching a successful wrestling program.

Every season, college wrestling coaches around the country face difficult decisions on whether or not to redshirt incoming recruits or wrestlers who have not redshirted. These redshirting decisions have immediate and future implications on both the individual and team.

We can learn a lot about the mindset of an individual by listening to them talk about their performance. The best time is to listen is when they are unedited and honest. Think Spencer Lee after the NCAA final match last year. “Excuses are for wussies.” Right there is Lee’s mindset. We can learn from that one simple statement. Not what he said but his beliefs. He believes in not making excuses and those that make them lack mental toughness. Or A.J. Ferrari. Looking at the content, aside from the comical display and 600-pound deadlift, you can tell he is open and enjoys wrestling. He wrestles like he is having fun, which translates to a higher level of mental toughness few have. He wrestles to win with no apparent fear of losing. Download our free guide for developing mental toughness with your wrestlers and let’s explore this topic together.

Preseason workouts are an integral component of a wrestler’s training. These workouts can vary greatly in format and focus.

The question is how do we develop a winning culture? By winning I am not necessarily
referring to your record and stats. Certainly that is a part of any program and why we even
compete. However, winning matches or games is a by-product of a strong culture. Winning
becomes like your mission. It becomes your expectation and standard when you have an
established culture in place.
Here are six ways to create a winning culture in your program.

The sport of wrestling continues to change and evolve. Watch a wrestling match from the 1940s or 50s and it can look much different than a wrestling match today. As wrestling evolves, coaches must evolve as well, which means staying current on techniques and tactics from the developmental level to the Olympic level.daltonjensen680.jpg

John Klessinger reflects on his experience with The Program, a leadership and team-building company for high school, college and professional teams, and shares ten of his most critical takeaways.

The following are 10 techniques, positions, or areas of emphasis to help your program. The
list is not exhaustive. I know more can and should be included if you are looking for a
comprehensive list. Also, there is no particular order of the list. There is only a list that runs
through my mind each day that I want my team to know.

Check out the ten ways to make teaching wrestling more effective for your team. Teaching is an art and the best instructors make basic and advanced techniques simple to learn.

The best five ways to interact with your team to maximize performance. A modern-day buzz term in education is “growth mindset.” Unfortunately, it is frequently an overstated solution to problems in the educational system. “Teacher/coaches need to have a growth mindset in dealing with children in the 21st century or in a post-covid environment.” Indeed, it is a true statement. Teachers and coaches must be willing to adapt and grow. Times change. People change. Society changes. The solution isn’t necessarily having a growth mindset. A growth mindset is an attitude. The key is that you are willing to do whatever it takes to get the best out of your people. Check out our top five tips for maximizing your team’s performance through interaction.

Wrestlers aren’t the only ones who need mental motivation and training. Coaches too, in fact, also need mental training, and to learn how to focus on the mental aspects of coaching to become better coaches.

When it comes to coaching, Measuring success is different for everyone. Some define success as a winning percentage. Others by the lives they have impacted. Ultimately, a good coach develops a system they feel is effective, a consistent work ethic and a willingness to adjust and make changes if something isn’t working.

Here are nine suggestions I believe are essential for designing an effective offseason
wrestling strength and conditioning program.

This year’s NCAA Division I tournament was arguably the best ever. If not the best, it comes pretty close. Spectators and fans saw a tournament filled with upsets from the first session. Anytime you see a seed in the 20s and 30’s knock off a higher seed, it is exciting. We have a tendency as fans to think the higher seeds are safe during the early rounds. The 2022 tournament showed otherwise. Check out our free guide for some key coaching takeaways from this year’s event.