Freestyle/GR wrestling. Why no interest in KY?

[grappler-of-old 44]

This thread is to follow up what was said in the Ky National Team thread.

The question is. Why is there little interest in FS/GR wrestling in KY? Why are wrestlers not participating in these events/tournaments?

[Mpire 76]

I think it is due to lack of structured practices and the idea and thought by many coaches that wrestling is a seasonal sport it is not ,wrestling is what you make it just like any sport .also i do not know if there are many coaches who know the styles well enough perhaps some refs could step up and run some practices they obviously know the styles if they ref them ,just a thought.

[plantmanky1 58]

Also to I don't think the kids are just interested in wrestling those styles. I know 2 years ago we tried to get all our kids on the club team into FR/GR tournaments, but when we practice it the kids just weren't interested it.

[raider 7]

Its lack of opportunity that prevents participation. There are no quality clubs locally that focus on FR/GR. Occasionally tecnique is shown in open mats but freestyle is still optional in live goes. Kids will stick to what is comfortable when given the choice. For those styles to grow locally, it will take a club that is committed to being FR/GR only in the spring and whose practices dont resemble romper room.

[grappler-of-old 44]

Mpire: That is the problem with High School Sports today. All coaches and such in all sports believe that a kid needs to be a one sport wonder and spend his whole year on that one sport. Don't get me wrong there are a few who can great at 2 sports but that is rare. If you have a kid that really wants to do the work and loves the sport that much then thats OK. But to many times the sport becomes a job and then the kids lose interest, or get burnt out. A lot of coaches have forgotten that SPORTS are fun not a job for the kids. Yeah I know you have more fun when you win everybody does. But expecting a kid to spend the entire year on one sport makes kids look for other things to do.

As for the FS/GR thing. What other high school sport has kids learn another form of their sport in the off season. Do Baseball coaches tell there players "Go play softball and Cricket over the summer and you will become a better baseball player". Or Football coaches tell their players to learn Lacross and Rugby to become better players?. Of course not. So why do expect high school wrestlers to learn Freestyle and Greco Roman wrestling to become better wrestlers? Should they also learn Sumo? I know I probably have the physique (Sp) for it.

[Mpire 76]

Actually yes they should learn sumo and ballet as well , now you know that wrestling is not other sports lol,I'm not saying do not do other sports my own boys play football Stephen won jr high state AA in Fargo and played football as a freshman in the same yr same for Austin it helps not hinders it is a burden but switching actually keeps it fun people look at it wrong in my opinion fr and gr are different but not totally look at it as becoming a defensive player rather than an offensive one in football. When I was young I was a power lifter and a bodybuilder very much alike to some but to the upper level guys it's a world of difference i would switch my training for a few months a year it kept me motivated and they helped each other I look at wrestling the same way and I would have kids do sumo as well it's actually sort of a tool in fr and gr sumo drills push the guy out score a point .

I see parents involved in our area with their youth and jr high kida these guys are going everywhere to train and practice and the kida become studs but over the years I notice when these guys hit HS the coaches seem to make them think it's not needed and they lose that passion and fire it's hard enough dealing with teens and life without those who get your kida in HS giving th bad advice and ruining yrs of work and effort dads stay involved not crazy but involved moms as well wrestling is not just a school sport .

I have seen coaches tell kids to play soccer to stay lean and some steer clear of other sports , open Matt's should beer end and coaches should t be scared of stepping on toe there is no way a wrestling practice a couple times a week is going to hurt a kid duiring football season barring injury of course just be smart.

Oh your a wrestler here be my lineman hahahah

It happens

I loved football never wrestled but had to do what I could when I was young some kids are lucky and don't know it wrestling is a great sport I would love to see it grow I see a lot of potential for scholarships and such with help from caring people I understand finances as well people can pool together and schools can make it affordable as for knowing the sport of fr and gr there are probably a few kids who could show every move imaginable or at least enough to get anyone where they want but who need some guidance and it could be done easily.

I know my vision is not everyone's but when you know something would work and it never happens its annoying .

Kevin Stephen Fauz Hiero Parrot Thompson the Jones many of rules kids and many others could all be training a couple times a week or more with coaches and dads working together and there are plenty of youth jr high kids as well of course I'm naming kids in our area but the same goes for all areas .you don't have to stick to traditional methods we did not but I'd course I'm bat shit crazy but aren't we all .

[coachteater 70]

One reason I don't think we see a ton of interest is those styles are many coaches simply do not know enough about it, myself included. Kentucky has never been a free style/greco state, so now that you are getting coaches coming up from within Kentucky, you just don't see it. You have had the occasional coach from out of state or program that pushes it, but no where near the number to make it successful. Here in Kentucky we are still working hard to build folkstyle and get numbers up. Once we get greater numbers and get to to higher level nationally in folkstyle, I think the other will start to grow. It will just be a matter of time before it builds.

[CoachC 115]

There are a lot of good reasons to not try to do something different. But wrestling is a tough sport, so the kids that are doing it for the third or fourth year you already know are tough enough to handle it and love the sport. So if everyone would not concentrate so much on negative things that cause us to not wrestle freestyle or greco and just maybe think of one possible solution that would help develop this style in your club or school maybe we could get more participation.

USA Wrestling wants Kentucky competing with larger numbers. We are going to put together some new ideas to help get participation at the regional and national level up in all three styles. I think it would really be great to see everyone at least try to build this. We don't have very good participation at the regional or national level in folkstyle either.

College coaches want to see these kids when they are in Fargo, AA or 2 and out. They like the dedication. They don't look at how you wrestle that style so much as how you compete!!

Kentucky is loaded with talent, we just need to showcase it!!

[grappler-of-old 44]

Coachteater: You are correct most coaches don't know the styles well enought to coach it. It's like any business if you hire from within you keep the same weaknesses. The coaches in Ky are mostly from Ky and have the FS/GR weakness and dislike of the styles. (myself included) I remember wrestling freestyle, I knew a few FS moves but continued wrestling folksyle in the matches. I gave up lots of back points and lost but I didn't care because I just wanted to wrestle. GR is extremely strange to me. I wrestled it in the 80's in Indianapolis and won the tourney but didn't understand why.

I would also venture to quess that many of the FS studs are not always the High School studs. I think it would be hard to be great in 2-3 different styles.

[Mpire 76]

Not arguing the point but good things come to those who wait but only those things left by those who don't. The best way to get better quickly is to jump in the frying pan .nothing good can come from saying ky is not a fr gr state or you must get better in folkstyle first it will take time but you never know one yr of good fr and gr practices and KY could have a handful of AA s the talent is there they just need some structure and the places to go

[Mpire 76]

Most kids who are adept at folkstyle take to freestyle fairly easy and Greco seems weird to a lot of kids it Is Definatly different the no leg attack bothers a lot of kids but there are ways to adjust simply still shoot but attack with body locks instead of legs there are ways around it .

[bigedcoach 27]

Freestyle was a great time to teach kid throws and hip movements that sometimes you dont get to teach during the season. Usually, Coomes and I had a varsity team with half beginners wrestling varsity so the wrestling curriculm was somewhat paired down. Spring time was the time I used to teach throws and trips and advanced moves. I wish I had a better grasp of Greco because its a great way to train a heavyweight. I summer I got to work with Brian Keck I learned a few things but didnt have the confidence to coach it. Next spring I would love to try coaching Freestyle again but I have to find a coaching job first,,,lol

[Mpire 76]

Don't be afraid to coach learn as you go if you have too it's way better than the alternative which is .... Nothing .

I would enjoy explaining one of the major principles as far as mind set goes in a lot if sports but it ruins the edge when everyone knows its but just believe in yourself and if you work your butt off it's good and you will make believers of everyone else .

In other words if you cannot out train me you cannot beat me .I have set across from NCAA champs and Olympians and coached my kids along with their coach and watched them beat the crap out if kids no one thought they would ,now getting pumped up because I liv for the thrill of awesome memories Austin is a wrestling God lol . You see the wins against kids and coaches your not supposed to beat are the great ones now believe in yourself and your state and quit having a gd loser we are not this and that attitude make sure no out if state kids ever ever enter your state again and dominate or when your kids show up out of state they say oh s(;: it's the ky kids .

I could make a powerhouse team from scratch and I'm not even remotely as knowledgable as some but I could get some kids kicking butt in HS and Fargo because when I love something no one can beat me or mine we always always win ..... always end of story and that's how you have to approach it we are going to get it done who gives a shit who has who coaching or on their team f em we will go throw rocks lift weights do shots spin drills walk the walls and go steal some protein bars if we have to to kick some a&& now give me a coaching position so I can create a bad to the bone bunch if killer bro . Lol seriously quit being down on yourselves the mind I a terrible thing to waste so don't waste it thinking something cannot b done wake up and say this is going to happen because I'm one bad a&& mo go and I don't care who like it or me but me and mine are going to ruin a lot of people's days because ain't no one gonna beat us .

I beat the hell out of everyone in Ohio in my sport when everyone said I couldn't as a kid and a man and I did it seeking perfection so much so it left me physically spent and broken I don't want that for anyone but some ego some swagger and some REAL work to make th swagger legit is worth any Olympian coach or ten state champs in the room give me 5 2nd graders with crasy parents who will give it their all and give me free range and I will give you 5 4th graders in two yrs who are ranked in the nation guaranteed .My sons who are often annoyed with me told me about a kid who beat Cortez an a bunch of others they said he was interviewed and said I get up in the morning and piss excellence well that's what kind of attitude it takes as long as after you piss you sweat blood in the gym on the Matt and live eat sleep and dream win .

[Mpire 76]

Bad thing is not many people have a kill or be killed attitude and they fall victim to the thought that there is a certain way and method of achieving a goal and to venture outside the box is blasphemy these thoughts are constantly pressed on everyone by those in position of authority who like keeping eeryone tho king their way is beat because that keeps them top honcho well ky is its own box let everyone venture outside of it try different things cut loose have some fun train harder and different then go blow the rest of the countries minds .

Not to mention any nes but there is a trainer in OH who trained David Taylor after e had already win multiple state titles and used him as a tool to reel clients in left and right same goes for some of the coaches there I was often asked are you going to send your kida to them and I was automatically insanely ticked off and I would say why the h would I do that my kids are already state champs a d the person would say they trained so and so and I would say bs anyone can train a state and national champ take a kid from scratch and make him a winner after which they would shut up quick but in my own cocky egomaniacal way I would say let me know when you think any of that posers kids can beat mine who the f do you think I am o we are .

Yes I am arrogant cocky and over the top and yes I create champs not take a champ and run him through some moves and say now go out and tell everyone how good I am .

Believe in yourself believe in who you follow and work and anyone who follows me will kick more butt than they ever imagined and if they don't have any reason to improve I will go pick a fight on some Internet sight get people talking smack and give tr

A reason to kick some butt .... Whatever it takes . Now you know I love you all I just explained how it's done and how I like it done its fool proof suffer and win .

[grappler-of-old 44]

I think everyone on this site knows exactly what it takes to be a champion. The real question is how do you get the wrestler/kid to buy into that intensive workout. There are a handful of kids who will commit to this type of grind. And those that do usually become the greats.

I've always said coaching is easy, teaching moves is easy, conditioning kids is easy. There are hundreds of ways you can do these things. The great coaches are great because they are great motivators and get the kids believing in themselves and working hard in practice. If you have motivated kids of that caliber then you can teach them to be great in anything. Give me 10 kids who are over the top motivated and have perents who are also and I could make them great Rugby players and I don't even know how the game is played, but I would find out and find people who could help me.

[Mpire 76]

Awesome post ,but i know of kids and parents out there who are like that already in KY and their kids will be champs ,the way to get those studs out there and create more is and i hate saying this because its the truth MAKE them feel that they will Win that their efforts will be rewarded "dont be a geek with a loser attitude dont make them feel they are inferiior or will lose be positive and give them a reason to listen and feel they should follow you ,make it fun for them and be charismatic over the top or whatever it takes to get them out there ,you hear all the time about generals leaders and coaches kids or people would follow to hell and back well they do that because those people ,

make them think or feel they will succeed and to do that you have to not only know how to do it but be brave enough to say hey lets do it we can do it and whoever says otherwise can eat a turd and some crow when we get it done ,

the team Ky sent to NHSCA was off the hook and there were a few studs who didnt go ,while some may downplay what they did there is no way it was not a great day for KY ,im stunned people did not use that success as a launchpad for more i mean 3rd in that tourny was a big deal a legit big deal something to be proud of and use to do even more .....Brock Kevin Fauz Jayce Lampe Polly Hamilton Rearic Hiero and those gypsy brothers along with everyone else thats a bad ass group add Fahy and the Srs and its a really bad Ass group that SOMEONE somehow should have convinced the majority of to GO to Fargo and got them there somehow they were all together all did well and very few went to Fargo ,there was your team what happened they had success and could have bonded and been KYs best ever state team out there it was a missed opportunity .they could have been the closest team in the country underdogs from KY who had already proved they could hang with the best and had they been kept together some how and had limited fr gr training together i gurantee Cooper is now an AA and a few more are as well .

And speaking of that awesome KY team had they been together say at a week camp before that nhsca tourny Kevin Stephen and Jayce along with some others win more of those close matches end up nationally ranked or ranked higher and team KY does even better ,

Now every coach parent and wrestler that was there knows im telling the truth that team was thrown together had great coaches and did very well IMAGINE had they planned it out a bit more WOW thats something to think of be proud of and use ,

I say learn from your sucess there and your mistakes plan ahead organise and train ahead .

Ky is not behind anyone its fine it doesnt have numbers of some states and hasnt had opportunities of others now let the kids know they are good and give them what they need some rooms to practice in some help here and there and let them know they can do it as some in KY have Kevin Brock Austin Faust and a few others are all national level and have made waves this year to say KY is bahind when you have underclassmen kicking butt across the country is kind of funny to me it looks like KY is getting better ,Austin Faust and Brock could all three AA the next two/three yrs be a deadly a$$ KY trio of destruction across the nation figure Kevin and Stephen doing what they can do if they work thats My five guaranteed All Americans if a few people set things up correctly im not focusing on them i simply know them better i know Rearic Killebrew and the others could get it done as well ,Heck shoot for ten AA next year Austin and Brock should challenge themselves honestly state titles are below them they should both shoot to be double all Americans next yr same for Stephen Faust Jayce and particularly Cooper who came so close this year.All could double AA do you realise how big an improvement that would LOOK like to the rest of the nation although i think its just a matter of some tweaking and planning and it could be a done deal maybe not all but certainly much of it could happen to go from 0 to 5 + kids being All Americans and a couple doubling ,that would be instant notoriety for the state and the sport and its not a big stretch ,make it happen KY usa

And i forgot the jones brothers at WV with with their staff and those two KY should have a shot at a couple more AA s ten AAs is no big stretch

[Mpire 76]

Grappler i see your point and we see a lot of things the same but NO everyone on this site does not know what it takes to be champions every so often a kid becomes great on his own No parent motivation needed and every so often an over motivated parent creates a champion that otherwise would not be one .

If everyone on this site knew what it takes to be champions Ky would have won the team trophy at fargo NHSCA duals and had a couple hundred AAs at nhsca grade nationals and 4 OW trophys one from each grade .

If everyone knew what it takes to be champions CC union and SK would all be in Iron Man next yr as teams

[workhard 28]

My wrestling room is open seven days a week with planned work outs by coach Knable or John Lampe.To our disappointment there are very few wrestlers taking advantage of it.I personally invite many of them and approach their parents as well.My sons abilities and accomplishments are known and the opportunity to train with them is free.Few want to give up the time and make the sacrafice it takes to reach their full potential.The bottom line is everyone has different ideas about what is enough, and getting all the highest level wresters from across the state together to train is hard to achieve.We have tried for the last few years and we always end up having fewer practices than planned.I do thank those who always step up and try and each year gets better .

[tiltfor3 20]

Freestyle was a great time to teach kid throws and hip movements that sometimes you dont get to teach during the season. Usually, Coomes and I had a varsity team with half beginners wrestling varsity so the wrestling curriculm was somewhat paired down. Spring time was the time I used to teach throws and trips and advanced moves. I wish I had a better grasp of Greco because its a great way to train a heavyweight. I summer I got to work with Brian Keck I learned a few things but didnt have the confidence to coach it. Next spring I would love to try coaching Freestyle again but I have to find a coaching job first,,,lol

Ah yes. No Neck Keck. Is he completely off the grid? Haven't heard about him since the World Trials in Cincinnati.

[Mpire 76]

Workhard is your school private ,not that it matters to me but i know many coaches do not want their kids going to private schools open mats for fear of losing them . no arguments its a valid point .

[workhard 28]

I was referring to our gym at our home and it only requires a usa wrestling card.My sons do go to a private school and coach Knable coaches there but what we do at my home is for anyone willing to work.One of the boys who comes the most is from Indiana and his parents drive about an hour to get him here.My son John has been home for about 3 weeks and has spent a year at a d1 program.He goes to the StX open mat on tues. and thurs but the other 5 days a week none of these highschool boys are even trying to get any time with him which is a missed opportunity.Justin and Dominic are drilling or conditioning or both everyday and anyone willing to work hard can join them.I wont respond to the private school comment I have made myself clear on that before.Success at anything takes sacrafice and effort and if an hour or two a day for boys who have the summer off is too much then life is going to be very hard on them.John has been working 10hr days framing houses ,comes home and first thing he does is a conditioning workout before he eats.My objective is to provide a place for all aspects training that allows anyone with the desire to accomplish there goals .