Make it fun

As someone who has been involved in wrestling for over 41 years, both as a coach and a parent, I have a lot of thoughts about the sport. One thing I strongly believe is that winning in wrestling isn't important when athletes are young. What's more important is nurturing the fun aspects of the sport and developing strong wrestling and mental fundamentals.

As parents and coaches, we need to nurture young wrestlers in a way that makes them want to continue with the sport as they get older. If we focus too much on winning, we risk burning them out and turning them away from the sport altogether.

I understand that winning can be a hook for some athletes, but this can also be a trap. As they seek out tougher competition, aggressiveness and strength can only take them so far. If their focus is solely on winning, they may not develop the mental and physical fortitude needed to compete at higher levels.

To quote Ricky Bobby, "if you're not first, you're last." This attitude will not work. It's not sustainable for young wrestlers in the long run. It’s ok if your young wrestlers gets 2nd, or 3rd, or whatever. Don’t focus on winning, instead, we should focus on building a foundation that will challenge them when they get older and more competitive.

Jr. titles may sound neat, but it's when wrestlers graduate from high school and are still hungry to learn that they're capable of really doing exciting things in the sport. So let's focus on nurturing a love of wrestling and building a strong foundation, rather than just winning at all costs.

-We can’t wait to see you at camp

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