Wednesday, April 27, 2011

Baseball and the other sports that don't start with Wr...

...and end with estling.

Let me start with some straightforward statements to make sure there isn't any confusion.

Here are some simple things I believe that I don't say a whole lot:

I like basketball, volleyball, football, cross country, soccer, and all sorts of sports other then wrestling (not necessarily in that order).
I'm slowly learning to appreciate baseball.
Can you play a spring sport and be good at wrestling in the winter? YES!
Can you go on vacation all summer and be good at wrestling in the winter? YES!
Can you play a fall sport and be good at wrestling in the winter? YES!
Skyline will not win the district without athletes in the lineup that only wrestle 3 months a year (instead of forfeits)

Here are some simple things I believe that I probably say too much:

Some sports, like football and long-distance running, are good cross-training sports for wrestling.
Some sports, like baseball, are not.
The only way I know to be better then the other guy is to work harder then the other guy.
Can you be the best that you could possibly be at wrestling if you only wrestle in the winter? NO!
Skyline will not win the district without a group of year-round wrestlers in the lineup.

So let me summarize...

You can play [insert sport] in the [insert season] and wrestle in the winter.  You will still win matches, be a productive part of the team, have fun, and so forth.  In fact, without you the other bunch of guys that wrestle year-round won't be able to do much as a team.  We need you.

Here is the thing though.  I'm a comptetitive guy and I like to see my guys win every match I think they are supposed to.  I'm going to ask you to go to team camp.  I'm going to ask you to go to spring tournaments.  I'm going to ask you how often you lift.  I'm going to ask you to wrestle some in the fall.  I'm going to ask you to do those things and others because I know what it takes to make you the best wrestler you can be.  I care about your success and I'm willing to do the extra things to reach it.

Isn't that the sort of wrestling coach you want?

Wednesday, April 20, 2011

Have a Plan

If you couldn't figure it out, I'm a TYPE A personality (aka Control Freak).  There are some negative consequences that result from this, but I like to think the positives out weigh them.  One of the positives is that I have a hard time not having a plan.  Often I have a plan B and C for most situations also.

I would encourage you to embrace your inner control-freak. 

HAVE A PLAN!

The great thing about planning things out is it helps to give you a clear set of steps to reach your goal.  And those steps give you confidence.  You might not be a state champ now, but you know what it takes to get there and you are following those steps.  That gives you confidence.

Start BIG and go from there.  Have a dream.  It doesn't necessarily need to be realistic.  It is a whole lot easier to be a state champ when you WANT to be an all-american.  Then set a long-term goal and dedicate yourself to it.  Make sure it is a realistic goal based on your talent but make it a BIG goal.  Do some research.  Tell your coaches and parents your goal and how bad you want it.  Ask them what it takes.  Find people who have done it (or at least got really close).  Ask them what it takes to get there too.

Now setup short term goals and tests.  To get where you need to be, what do you need to do in the next year?  The next three months?  This week?  Today?  Focus on the short term plans with all of your might.

How do you know if you are getting there?  What is your lifting goal over the next 3 months?  How many matches are you going to wrestle this spring?  How many matches are you going to win at team camp?  Spring Nationals?  Super 32?  How many miles are you going to run this summer?  Focus on your short term goals with all of your might.

Sometimes you will get discouraged because you haven't yet reached your BIG goal.  Stick to the plan.  Reach your short-term goals and make sure those goals are based on what the experts told you.  Do not give up if it doesn't come fast enough.  Important things take time.

The biggest hurdle you will face is yourself.  Are you going to CHOOSE to do what you need to do?  Or are you going to waste time on distractions that keep you from reaching your short-term goals?  I find most kids who do not reach their goals in wrestling can look back to the last 12 months and find some specific distractions that they could have CHOSEN not to do.

Quick Review:
  • Write down your dream
  • Write down your BIG long-term goal
  • Ask experts what it takes to reach the BIG goal
  • Set short-term goals that will lead you to the BIG goal
  • Make plans that will help you reach your short-term goals
  • Stick to the plan when you get discouraged
  • Focus with all your might by removing distractions that won't help you

Saturday, April 2, 2011

Talent and Opportunity

I recently studied Matthew 25 and there is a wrestling lesson in there too.  Talent and Opportunity. Everyone is blessed with a certain amount of both. 

So lets start with talent.  Basically, how good could you possibly be?  You don't have any power over how much talent you received. Don't pay too much attention to what other people think about your talent, but you only have so much.  But you do have talent.  The modern word for talent came from the Bible. It originally represented a specific amount or money (about $1,000)  The translation develop because the expectation was to make an investment. If you just sat on your talent you are lazy.

This is how we get to opportunity. You are also blessed with the opportunity to invest your talent.  You are given a chance. The funny thing about opportunity is that it has an expiration date. You only get four seasons in high school. The post season and the cross town dual only come once a year.  Everyday is an opportunity to get ready.  What have you done this month, this week, or today?