Philosophy
of Skills
|
Skill
development is a very important aspect of our wrestling program. Without
adequate technique of the basics all
other individual attributes are limited. |
||
| The
first objective
in developing skill is to emphasis basic concepts (mental) and techniques
(physical) that will enable the athlete to understand what is to be
accomplished and how and why it should be. A knowledge
of the basics gives the wrestler direction in that they will be able to
analyze and apply their technique to various situations. Building a strong
foundation is critical in the long term success of a wrestler and a
program. |
The
second objective
in teaching skill is to group similar skills together and teach them in a
sequence. This method simplifies the learning process since the athlete
has already learned and practiced the basic parts of the move.
With the basic skill of a move already complete, the wrestler can
give full concentration to the new techniques to be learned. |
The
third objective
is to establish the learned skill as a habit and this can only be
accomplished through repetition. The move must be practiced over and over
again without pressure or competition. We stress the importance of being a
good partner when drilling and knowing when to increase the intensity of
the drill as the wrestlers ability improves. This will allow the wrestler
to develop proper technique, then as they work
towards a more realistic intensity they will learn to react
instantaneously to any given situation. |
| The
last objective
is to teach moves in a chain which means that the wrestler can flow from
one move to the next without having to stop and think about it. A chain
wrestler should always try to put moves together that culminate into a
pinning combination. All moves should lead to a pinning combination, the
ultimate goal in wrestling. Chain wrestling enables the wrestler to be
aggressive and keep constant pressure on their opponent. |
Other
factors
that contribute to development of technique are the coach’s attitude
toward and methods of correcting errors in technique, practice time, and
healthy lifestyle’s. Correcting the major errors first is important so
the athlete can compete to their ability, then the minor errors can be
eliminated. Using video of the actual matches is a great tool in the
development of improving a wrestlers technique.
The amount of practice time is also important in skill development,
practices are kept short (1 1/2 to 2 hours) to facilitate concentration
while working. Quality is stressed
over quantity. |
To
develop a winning program the skill development needs to start
at a younger age. Running camps for younger athletes is vital in building
a strong program. Another important area is working with the middle
schools in the area, not only with the athletes but also the coaches.
Getting athletes involved in the local free style wrestling club is also
beneficial to your program as well as for the sport of wrestling as a
whole. |