Four Observations From the Dome

As we wrapped up the Washington state high school tournament a week and a half ago, I have since reflected on some key observations I took note of on my phone. Firstly, the importance of simple hand fighting and head position cannot be overstated. Too often, wrestlers struggled to penetrate their opponents defenses because they neglected these fundamentals. Slow down, get position, control the dance then score! It is crucial to prioritize hand fighting to gain advantageous positions on the mat.

Secondly, I noticed a common struggle among wrestlers in getting off the bottom. Many wrestlers seemed like statues when faced with even a bad leg ride, many of these kids lacked the technique and grit to escape. Where was the urgency to get off bottom? This offseason do yourself a favor, focus on getting off the bottom. This is essential for improvement and winning big matches.

Thirdly, sticking with what works is vital. I witnessed wrestlers with significant leads going into the third round falter because they abandoned their successful offensive attacks. If you got a big lead by scoring points, guess what? KEEP SCORING POINTS! Score a million points. All I’m saying is, stick with what got you the lead until your opponent can prove to stop it, don’t stop it for them.

Lastly, the role of officials couldn't be ignored. In my opinion, many of the best officials were on the sidelines with clip boards. So, who’s on the mat? Officials maybe you’ve never seen. While I respected their decisions, it is essential for the wrestler to take control of matches by continually scoring points. Keep the official out of the match. Don’t let the officials dictate the result of your match. Score a million points and you’ll never be called for stalling. I think that’s what the officials prefer anyway. So, this takes us back to my third observation, just keep scoring.

At our upcoming summer camp, we'll address these areas and focusing not only on technique but also on championship mindset. Join us to hone your skills and mindset for success on the mat. Register early to secure your spot at www.southsoundwrestlingcamp.com. The journey to improvement begins now.

-The dude abides.

PS: Put the best officials in the finals, not on the sidelines, especially in the finals