I would like to offer a few observations and thoughts on this topic. This year I have seen more Kansas wrestlers tying up in the neutral position than in the past, I believe too much. I do accept the fact that we need to have our wrestlers work more on setting up shots on their feet. Do not take this wrong but the best I have seen at this, this year is little Trent Cox. I used to box and noticed that Trents� foot work at one tournament was more like a boxer than a wrestler, he was setting up shots beautifully and was being very effective.
Now don't get this wrong, but Trent is not the fastest wrestler in the world, but if you ever want to see a technically brilliant wrestler, watch this soon to be 9th grader work. He does as good a job of setting up his shots as anyone I have seen wrestle this year, including high school wrestlers. I spoke to his dad, who also used to box, and asked him if Trent had been working boxing foot drills, and he affirmed to me that he had. There is benefit to cross training.
Now to riding time; I have had my son work on two specific rides, wrestlers wrestling him will have to figure out those rides. I have him working on two specific styles though to have him perfect, as much as possible, those two styles and then to be alternate between styles depending on the wrestler he is wrestling. I also have him working rides to work to a pinning combination, but in close situations at the end of periods, I have him working on riding to end the period, especially in close matches if he has the lead.
Now as to one of the weaknesses, I have observed this year more than anything else that I haven't noticed comment on; Hand Control. I think that some of us as coaches are getting a little lazy, on all levels in drill situations. I don't think any of us can stress the importance of drilling appropriately enough. We drill takedowns but don't complete the take down in the drill, we drill all types of situations but don't stress the importance of things like good referees positions, good stance, hand position, etc. I have noticed this especially with hand control. Now these are obviously generalizations and there are many who do stress each of these areas in a practice situation and work on developing complete wrestlers. These are just my observations that I have noticed many wrestlers getting beat with, not clearing the hand on a stand up, getting hand control while on the bottom, etc.
On a last note, I have had conversations with many at high school meets this year and even at the state meet where our wrestlers (all ages of Kansas wrestlers) are tying up more than they need to. I have noticed this to be true especially when observing wrestlers from other states wrestle. There is definitely a time to tie up but there are times not to. Frankly, I love it when a kid ties up with my son, especially if he is not as strong. At that point, I like to have Nathan show that wrestler the benefit of summer Greco Wrestling.