executionery4145 1 Report post Posted February 28, 2019 Does a coach need to had compete at a high level in order to have a successful high school wrestling program? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
1032004 1,416 Report post Posted February 28, 2019 No Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Bryan 49 Report post Posted March 2, 2019 On 2/27/2019 at 10:41 PM, executionery4145 said: Does a coach need to had compete at a high level in order to have a successful high school wrestling program? No but I do believe that to be very successful they must have been on a college team Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CoryS 2 Report post Posted March 6, 2019 The most important thing, by far, is an ability to talk to kids. Ignoring, in some cases, Admin is also a critical skill. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Blackblade 0 Report post Posted April 4, 2019 I think no. But the path to coaching expertise is not well understood Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BobDole 1,193 Report post Posted April 4, 2019 It really depends on your criteria for defining "high level." In reality, no you do not. Good coaches need to be able to motivate the athletes, teach moves, and deal with the others(AD, parents, etc). Being able to hit a double leg doesn't mean you can break it down for a kid to learn it. If you can't hit a good double leg in competition, it also doesn't mean you can demonstrate it and break it down. More than anything good coaches can communicate with their athletes along with showing them good technique that you can honestly pick up at camps, clinics, or on videos. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
leshismore 216 Report post Posted April 5, 2019 On 3/1/2019 at 10:16 PM, Bryan said: No but I do believe that to be very successful they must have been on a college team My coach never wrestled. His teams were some of the most successful in NY history. He became an assistant Olympic coach and is in the wrestling hall of fame. As others had said, he knew how to talk to people and motivate them. I have known MANY successful D 1 wrestlers that could not coach at all. 2 Panther78 and BadgerMon reacted to this Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
oldcougar 59 Report post Posted April 7, 2019 My high school coach never wrestled in high school, started as a freshman in college and never made the team again. By the time he was a senior he was the team manager. He could barely play tennis and was too small for football. When I was in school, his wrestling team was undeated, his football team was undefeated, and his tennis team was un-scored on. That means all singles and doubles were undefeated in matches, and he had the doubles state champs. He is in the PIAA wrestling hall of fame. A coach needs to communicate and inspire, regardless of the sport. Another coach I was a camp councilor for, was the most successful coach in Long Island history. He never wrestled, but he kinda founded the sport in New York State. National Wrestling Hall of Fame member. So, no, a coach doesn't have to have been a star wrestler. But he better be knowledegable. 2 TobusRex and BadgerMon reacted to this Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TobusRex 2,108 Report post Posted April 10, 2019 Depends on what your definition of "high level" is. I don't think college experience is required for HS coaching. There are lots of talented technically gifted wrestlers who never wrestled in college, anyway. I'd expect the coach to have, at least, competed at the level he's coaching. If he's a HS coach he should've at least been a HS wrestler, preferably a good one. For the little guys (grade school) I'd expect their coach to have a strong sense of basic stuff, like standups, single/double legs, how to ride, etc. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BadgerMon 226 Report post Posted April 10, 2019 http://www.sdshof.com/inductees/tom-long/ My high school coach never wrestled- learned it out of a book! 1 Panther78 reacted to this Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Lurker 2,033 Report post Posted July 26, 2019 We had a pretty successful program, were in the top 10 in the state pretty regularly as well as having a few All-Americans at Cadet and Junior Nationals (this was back in the Warrensburg/Northern Iowa days). My HS Head Coach was not only a coach but also developed into one of the top International Officials in the world, and never wrestled a day in his life. Was a football guy and spent many years as an assistant, just because, before the HC wanted to step down. He took it over and took the program to another level. 1 BadgerMon reacted to this Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BadgerMon 226 Report post Posted August 7, 2019 On 4/5/2019 at 8:54 AM, leshismore said: My coach never wrestled. His teams were some of the most successful in NY history. He became an assistant Olympic coach and is in the wrestling hall of fame. As others had said, he knew how to talk to people and motivate them. I have known MANY successful D 1 wrestlers that could not coach at all. KISS is the name of the game when it comes to high school coaching Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MDogg 273 Report post Posted August 7, 2019 Absolutely not, at least not at the high school level and below. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
d- 9 Report post Posted August 7, 2019 Clearfield HS, PA legendary coach Art Weiss never wrestled. http://www.rodfrisco.com/2011/05/art-weiss-dies-at-102-coached-31-piaa-wrestling-champions/ 1 BadgerMon reacted to this Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
