An Insider/Outsider Perspective on Coaching High School Wrestling

By Jeff Kirk, aka Coach Fatboy

Monroe High School (MI) Wrestling

This is a little insider/outsider look into what it takes to be a Coach or be part of a Coaching Staff. Most of the examples I'll reference are based on Coaches I know from Monroe County, since this is one of the biggest hot beds of wrestling in the state of Michigan.

I've read dozens of books and articles on Coaching Wrestling, and most of them all stress the same thing:

Keep the encouragement high and the details or specifics to a minimum during a match!

Most wrestlers have a hard time hearing a Coach when they're on the mat anyway. Their major focus should be on what they've worked on in practice, and look to the sideline at critical moments for direction. You as a Coach are NEVER going to tell a kid how to wrestle a competitive match if he hasn't worked on the specifics, technique, conditioning, etc. in practice.

When it comes to pure emotion on the side of the mat, there is only one person who comes to mind right off the bat:

COACH REGNIER from Temperance Bedford!

When he got excited his voice would start cracking and you could hear him clear across the gym. You knew his voice. You COULDN'T block it out! When he got to this point of excitement, you knew you better kick it in gear because you were either behind, out of time or just because he was disgusted or ticked off about how you were wrestling. And brother he didn't hesitate to let you know about it! The ULTIMATE MOTIVATOR! Only someone who's wrestled for COACH would understand. It's a BEDFORD thing! 30+ years ago I wrestled for the guy he scared me then and he scares me now. I've never had so much respect for anyone in my life! N-E-V-E-R!

Watch Denny Brighton and Dan Ditty, the current coaching staff at Bedford. In the corner, Brighton is the brains, the technician, the guy who works the referee, and the guy who's handling the specifics of the match. Ditty is the M-O-T-I-V-A-T-O-R! He knows how to push buttons on the kids to get them moving. His voice is distinctive too! When Danny gets excited, you can hear him halfway across the State. It's an excellent combination of personalities and Coaching Styles. And it obviously works! The only guy I know in a current coaching position that might have more knowledge of the sport than Brighton is Roy Hall from Davison. He's another Coach who shows his emotion on the sideline. I love it!

The most underrated and unappreciated Coach in Monroe County, in my opinion is Jake Shulaw from New Boston Huron. This is another GREAT Coach and has a GREAT Assistant in his brother. He and Dave Steffen made a super Coaching duo at Flat Rock. Recently I saw Jake at the Sheriff's Invitational back in the corner after one of his guys lost and he was crouched with his head in his hands. I said, "Jake are you alright?" He looked up at me and said, " FATBOYthese guys just don't understand that it hurts me as much as it hurts them when they lose!"

I couldn't have said it better myself. Now T-H-A-T'S a COACH, buddy!

Tim Roberts and Frank Davis are another excellent Coaching duo at Dundee! Watch Tim with his body language and demeanor when he coaches. I swear his hands must hurt after a Dual or Tournament because he claps so hard! You don't usually hear a bunch of detailed coaching during a match from those 2. It's usually encouragement for the most part. Except when Tim gets ticked off and then get out of the way. Roberts is NOT funny when he's upset. And that's the way it should be! Great Coaching staff, Great tradition Great end results!

When I worked for Tom Nowitzke and Daryl Scott at Monroe, it was one of the most rewarding experiences I've ever felt in my life. Tom was the emotional one, the diplomat, and the match specifics guy. We called Daryl 'Meat and 'Tatoes' because quite frankly, he was the Meat and Potatoes of our Coaching staff. That's also why I still call him Coach to this day! Great combination Great effort and dedication and Great end results!

My point is this if you want to be successful as a High School Wrestling Coach, then you might try paying attention to how some of these people run their programs and how they coach their athlete's. Give recognition where recognition is due. Let your assistants be a part of your decision making process. Nobody knows it all. And nobody can do it all by themselves. I know each and every one of the men talked about above would tell you the same thing. These are the types of Coaches you want to emulate. These guys KNOW what it takes to win!

Last but not least, look to your alumni for help. These are young guys who have graduated, have the experience and are usually able to get on the mat and mix it up with some of your team without getting hurt. Take advantage of this bottomless pool of enthusiasm. Get them to buy into the program and encourage their involvement. Where else are they supposed to get experience? These are the guys you want to get involved in your youth and J.V. tournaments and matches. Let them get the feel for what it's like to be in the hot seat. That's what a Good Head Coach does for his program.

A GOOD HEAD COACH delegates!

Try it once you might be surprised at the end result.