A. Build Wrestlers B. Win Matches What sets a West Monona Wrestling team apart from other teams is not just how we train, or the techniques we use, nor the tactics we employ. It's something more primal - it's a fighting spirit. It's our determination to win, our eagerness to fight, and our high standard of excellence.
We will direct our wrestlers toward self-actualization (reaching their full
potential). This type of
student-athlete will find success on the mat and in life. The Spartan Wrestling program will enable our
wrestlers to become the best wrestlers they can
possibly be at the high school level. We
will direct our wrestlers to become good citizens within their community,
country, and world; effective within their future workplace; and competitive
in global/real world situations. We
believe great wrestlers are self-made with the help of encouragement from family and coaches (nurture), and not simply born with the genetics (nature) to be successful. However,
genetics do play a role, and we will direct our wrestlers to maximize their physical
abilities. We
know the sport of
wrestling is the perfect vehicle for delivery of life’s lessons to the 21st
century learner. Wrestling is as
relevant today at developing leaders, problem solvers, and communicators, as it
was 4000 years ago. Wrestling is
important academically, because it promotes the following life skills: 1.
Goal setting, with a positive attitude & desire to excel. 2.
Work ethic and the value of working hard. 3.
Healthy lifestyle, (nutrition & exercise). 4. Socialization, collaboration, &
leadership. 5. Motor skills, both
gross and fine. 6. Stress, anger & emotion management. 7. Cognitive, improved grades. 8. Risk taking within a safe environment. 9.
Self-defense/self-protection principles.
We believe success in athletics, academics and life is based on effort,
so developing a strong work ethic is paramount.
Once a wrestler believes success is attainable he will then put forth
the necessary effort required for him to achieve his full potential in this
very challenging sport.
We
will root our program’s foundation in effective educational strategies and
psychologies. We understand people are
initially motivated by basic human physical, safety, social, and emotional
needs. Basic human needs must first be
met (in that order) before we can successfully engage wrestlers in the higher
levels of instruction listed below.
Success in wrestling is dependent upon a wrestler’s continued growth
within the below listed components.
- Cognitive: Mental skills -knowledge, higher order thinking,
academics, social skills/real world skills, work ethic, mental toughness,
mat savvy/experience, wrestling technique, nutrition/health.
- Affective: Growth in feelings or emotional
areas -Attitude, confidence,
self-image, motivation level.
- Psychomotor: manual or physical skills -Wrestling technique, aerobic exercise
(endurance, flexibility, balance, coordination) and anaerobic exercise
(weightlifting for power, strength, speed/quickness, & agility).
- Peaking: We will bring the above components together
for a peak performance during the post-season in February using periodization training. All our practice plans and training
phases are based on the peaking philosophy.
We
will train our
wrestlers to reach their full potential by developing winning personality traits
such as: bearing, courage, decisiveness, dependability, enthusiasm, initiative,
integrity, judgment, justice, knowledge, loyalty, tact, usefulness, &
confidence. A wrestler becomes self-transcendent
when he develops the
ability to focus attention on doing something for the sake of others--A self-transcendent wrestler is a leader
who can achieve his own goals, but is also capable of helping his teammates
attain their goals. Our wrestling
coaching foundation is illustrated in the table below.
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