Preparing Your Leaders for Next Year!
PREPARING FUTURE LEADERS:
The “off season” is an excellent time to begin preparing your leaders and coaches for next year. A great first step in this process is to have all of the program leaders and coaches attend the 2016 NWCA Convention at the Westin Beach Resort and Spa (Ft. Lauderdale, FL) from July 29th -31st. This is a time to see the latest in techniques and tactics as well as presentations that deal with the latest issues in our sport (e.g., the middle/high school uniforms, weight classes, weight management, etc.).
Beyond that I suggest holding program development meeting(s) which involve all program leaders from the youth setting through high school and determine an overall philosophy, goals and objectives, practice schedules, practice plans, and competition schedules. Leaders for next year should also make a concerted effort to involve those athletes who play football. And why should we do this now?
RUGBY TACKLING TECHNIQUE:
“It involves aiming for the area between the bottom of a ball carrier’s jersey number and the top of the knee, hitting with the shoulder instead of the heat by attempting to put the tackler’s cheek on the ball carrier’s butt cheek, and emphasizing the arm clamp and a tight wrap (1).”
If you are a wrestling coach, what does that technique resemble to you? If you can’t answer that; watch Jordon Burroughs hit his double leg, or any effective double leg takedown. The above description is that of a perfect rugby tackle that is currently being taught to American football players as a means to cut down on the concussion issues. I suggest that it is time for wrestling coaches to invade the football coaches’ offices and propose that we in wrestling have the perfect environment to teach their players how to tackle!
(Authors note: As a high school football player, I never understood the head in the middle of the numbers tackle technique as it just hurt my neck. Fortunately as a wrestler, I just used my double leg technique to tackle and had a successful high school football career.)
Check out the Wrestling Coaches Resource Manual at NWCA for more information regarding how prepare leaders. Also go to the following website to register for the NWCA convention: http://www.nwcaonline.com/nwcawebsite/events/nwcaconvention.aspx
“Find a way and make it happen”….dj
References:
Uthman, D. (2015, April 22). The philosophy that transformed Washington’s defense. Received from:http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/ncaaf/2016/04/20/washington-huskies-rugby-style-tackling-chris-petersen/83251200/
Dennis A. Johnson, EdD
Associate Professor-Jamestown Community College (SUNY)
Former Wrestling Coach & Author of Wrestling Drills for the Mat and Mind
DennisJohnson@mail.sunyjcc.edu