international/college wrestling

[Zeus 117]

I just have to say something as I read things here on the site.  While I know that this is a Kentucky message board and the main focus is on high school wrestling here in Kentucky I am disturbed by the lack of interest in international/college wrestling.  When I went to college my eyes were opened to many things in the wrestling world.  The two that stand out are technique and the mental aspect.  Having wrestled in college I was exposed to many different styles from other parts of the country.

I also became interested in Division I college wrestling and international wrestling.  It was here where I was able to watch videos of high profile athletes who were executing the techniques at a high level that I worked for so many years to perfect.  I have spent hours and hours studying video of the Brands brothers, John Smith, Nate Carr, and so many others.  I believe this made me a better wrestler and will make me a much better coach.

This all being said I want to encourage our coaches and wrestlers to pick a college team or athlete and follow them, root for them, attend their matches if you can.  Your interest is what the sport needs in order to grow.  At the same time you will benefit yourselves from being exposed to so many things.  Also attend the US Nationals or World Team Trials if you can.  Over the years I have been to only a handful World Team Trials and I have met Dan Gable, Terry Brands, Melvin Douglas, Nate Carr, John and Ben Peterson, Kenny Monday, Ramico Blackman, Eric Jeurgens, Jody Stritmatter and a few others.  Now this is undoubtedly because I was there with Coach Carr and he knows many on the national scene personally (he and Gable are actually on a first name basis, we saw him walking around the World Team Trials one year.)  However I would not have met these people had I not attended.  I wouldn't trade any of the experiences for anything.

Here is really the important thing; take your kids, younger brothers, teammates, friends, whoever to national events.  If we only are exposed to Kentucky high school wrestling then that's all we shoot for.  One of the things that drives Harrison Courtney is the dream of wrestling in the Olympics.  I still remember when this dream began, at the Olympic Trials in 2004 watching Cael Sanderson wrestle in the mini-tournament and avenge his loss to Lee Fullhart in the best of three series.

I know I am rambling a bit but my message is to shoot for the stars.  Don't get me wrong I enjoy reading and posting on here as much as the next guy.  But I also am an avid reader of the message boards on USA Wrestling's website www.themat.com.  That's where I got the idea of the signature bets (they call them sig bets).  They also break down matches, post results as their happening and give insights as to what's happening on the national scene.