Lessons for coaches

by TVan

Posted on January 21, 2007

These are my thoughts regarding the Pocono Mountain head coach after his cowardly display during the match with Southern Lehigh.

Coach, you have a full line up with at least 22 kids on your roster. Every weight is filled and most are two or three deep. With this in mind, I ask, Why would you forfeit two of the weight classes during the match given the fact that we only have seven weight classes to contend. Was it because those two weights had more experienced wrestlers there? If so, that's pretty lame. The dual meet was over by the second match so that was not the issue.

Think of the kids and what you are doing to them. You bump them away from an more experienced kid to one that is less experienced expecting a win. That didn't work. Your guy gets pinned in BOTH instances. What message is that sending him? It's telling him that you don't believe he has the ability to compete with a better kid so he gets a kid with a 3-12 record. He has a good chance to compete there. He gets pinned. What does that do for his confidence?

What about the kid that gets bumped out all together? He worked all week and all year. He lost weight and watched what he ate. He made the trip down with the team and stepped on the scale and made weight. He warms up with the team and goes out for the introductions. Poof...he's not wrestling. He is bumped for a kid that can't beat a good kid, but should beat a "crappy" kid but gets pinned instead. What does he think now? I don't have to spell it out...You SHOULD know.

The lesson is...LET THE KIDS WRESTLE...They worked for...they deserve it...They earned it!!! Win or lose, they will learn from it...Most importantly, they will know that you believe in them...

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