Well you don't see many coaches speaking up in here and that is because no one really knows what goes on in their wrestling room but them. I know from being a wrestler, being a fan and being a coach that no one truely knows or understands what happens in the wrestling room.

Many many kids come through the kids program and are coached several different ways in their life. In rural Kansas it could be a different coach every couple of years and to get people or coaches to commit to a long kids wrestling career is very tough in places.

When the kid gets to Jr. High I am sure they are all told how important it is to be the one getting the take downs. I haven't been around one coach that says - stall in neutral and pin from the top (except for me and a heavy weight or two). I know from the top position you can dominate your opponent many ways in the heavier weights and being on your feet when the other guy is 40 plus pounds heavier is very tough. The level the junior high kids are it is very different for each wrestler and sometimes you find it difficult to get them all thinking alike. Sure you can get strict and lose half the wrestling tteam which starts out at only 9 kids and probably lose your wrestling program in High School which only has 4 kids right now. Or you can encourage them to get better and show them the right and wrongs in wrestling. I am guessing we spend 2/3 of our time in Jr High showing take downs and drilling but that doesn't mean we are great at it by any means and maybe the ones that come from the kids program haven't been taught take downs wins matches yet they are kids that are the best in your program- so tell me what you do- change them and lose them or let them wrestle their style that has worked for years.

I think the kids program is very key and teaching the take down at this level is where we need to start. I would love to see these people that want to help Kansas wrestling come across Kansas and put on Take Down clinics for a small fee and not the high price most camps cost. I would send all my kids to a camp that was 30 bucks and they learn take downs- matter of fact have 3 of those a year and I will try and get them each time but spending 350 is not acceptable in areas where wrestling in not the primary sport. If you really want to help Kansas wrestlign get together some great High School wrestlers and put on Clinic all over the state that everyone can afford- The High School kids would learn from teaching and they would also be giving back to the sport they got so much help in as well.

So as a coach I would say that you can preach about wanting to help Kansas wrestling or you can get out and actually help kansas wrestling which is what much wrestling coaches are trying to do. Is there a coach out there that doesn't want their wrestler to get take downs- let me know