How to keep 2nd string out for the team?

[rigger101]

Against my better judgement, but here I go anyway....

(not the coaches) determine the weight class in which they desire to challenge for a starting position. There are multiple wrestle offs scheduled throughout the season. One wins their way into the starting lineup as did Mr. Shuford at 189. Mr. Shuford along with all the other wrestlers are not pawns with which the coaches toy and manipulate to their liking. The coaches train (quite successfully) all 50+ wrestlers to maximize their abilities which has proven to be the core success of the Baylor program through the years. As a result, Baylor regularly has 1st year starters who are seniors (2 this year). Why do these young men plug away in a JV role for 3 years instead of giving it up? Because they have been treated and coached the same as if they were starting and they know they will get a fair shot to win a starting position each and every season.

I've been around High School Wrestling for 11 years thru 4 different High School programs. The post from WV onj another post made me write this.

 

When I was in HS you were expected to be 2nd string/JV before you had a shot at starting. For the last 7 years I've seen kids with talent come out for 3 different HS programs and quit when they did not win the wrestle off?

It is very fustrating to see these kids with talent just quit.

What are some ideals on how to keep these kids out for the programs?

Edited December 28, 2006 by rigger101

[Raider76]

I've been around High School Wrestling for 11 years thru 4 different High School programs. The post from WV onj another post made me write this.

 

When I was in HS you were expected to be 2nd string/JV before you had a shot at starting. For the last 7 years I've seen kids with talent come out for 3 different HS programs and quit when they did not win the wrestle off?

It is very fustrating to see these kids with talent just quit.

What are some ideals on how to keep these kids out for the programs?

ask Baylor, Soddy, or Ooltewah

[rigger101]

ask Baylor, Soddy, or Ooltewah

I am. What's yor feeling's?

 

I know things have changed since my day and kids expect instant gratification but IMO it takes coaches talking to these kids and explaining why they are a crucial part of the team and then getting them in JV matches and tourneys.

[mhhjnh]

I think the key is getting them as many matches as possible. That way they don't feel like practice dummies. I was lucky enough to be part of one of the top programs in the state. I was a starter but I know without any one of our 2nds we couldn't have done as well as we did. Our coach continuously found ways to get them in the line up. In fact he wasn't even scared to put them up against top knotch competition because he new that they could probably be starters at many other schools and they practice the same as us so they were prepared. I can't ever think of a time that it backfired against us either. When it came time for the state duals some of those seconds even got matches then as well. Coach knew they were prepared. Again it did not backfire on us. We didn't win the duals but I don't think we could have done any better than we did.

 

Also I don't ever remember calling anybody JV. We didn't view them as JV just because they weren't the starter. You were either varsity or freshman. However, if you had certain goals that had to be achieved to earn a varsity letter. Again, I can't remember a time that the non-starters didn't acheive those goals and they were not easy goals either.

[RMC]

Our program tells the kids when they enter 9th grade they can expect to work up to JV-1 by the time they are a Junior. We currently have 2 9th graders on varsity and 3 9th graders on JV-1.

 

We field a varsity, JV-1, JV-2, and 9th grade teams. We keep them involved by getting them as many matches as possible. My son is in the 9th grade and on the JV-1 and has already had 22 matches, and 4 of those varsity.

 

We wrestle in JV traditional and dual tournaments. We also wrestle our JV-1 in a couple of varsity tournaments each year. The typical JV-1 wrestler will get about 40 - 50 matches a year. The JV-1 kids can and are called upon to fill varsity spots in the event of illness and injury.

 

At the end of season we host a "JV King of the Hill" tournament which amounts to a JV state tournament and the kids will wrestle through a tough 32 man bracket. It's not uncommon to see the King of the Hill winners place at state the next year.

 

We try to schedule other large teams so the we can get the kids matches. We have allot of kids and try to stay at least 5 deep in every weight class, but some have more.

 

We wrestle many of our JV-1 in the region Duals and State Duals too and always take both teams to state.

Edited December 28, 2006 by RMC

[mhhjnh]

RMC,

 

How awesome it must be to be part of a program that big. That is great. I know you probably receive great money from the school system too. You must have some pretty awesome parents to be able to keep a program like that going. Koodoos.

[matskils101]

This is only my third or fouth year around the mats, and i understand what your saying. I have noticed at my sons school they have a wrestle-off every two weeks. I think if they would have one say every monday then all the kids might get a few more matches because sometime the number 1 seeds are going to falter and that kid behind them is going to get the opportunity to step up for that week anyway. What do you think?

[RMC]

RMC,

 

How awesome it must be to be part of a program that big. That is great. I know you probably receive great money from the school system too. You must have some pretty awesome parents to be able to keep a program like that going. Koodoos.

The school system?......Maybe I should have said you need a great booster club too. We have 5 coaches and 2 of them are paid for by the school system. Almost everything else is paid by the booster club including the other 3 coaches.

[rigger101]

What I see every year is about 40 to 50 kids coming out for the team. Then after a few weeks it drops down to about 20+.

What these kids need to hear is that without then the team can't win! From being quality practice partners to being the back up for the kid who is sick, hurt or doesn’t make weight.

 

Every year I've seen teams by mid season be depleted by sickness and injuries. If those teams had had a strong back ups the teams could have competed all season. Instead I've seen teams that were missing half their line up not able to compete.

[RMC]

You got to get them matches....that's the only way to get them involved.

 

We'll have the The Rookie Duals on Thursday for 9th grade and 1st year 10th grade kids. The JV-1 we'll be in a varsity tournament on Friday and Saturday where they'll get 10 matches. The Varsity will host the in the Kyle Maynard Duals this Saturday.

[rigger101]

You got to get them matches....that's the only way to get them involved.

 

We'll have the The Rookie Duals on Thursday for 9th grade and 1st year 10th grade kids. The JV-1 we'll be in a varsity tournament on Friday and Saturday where they'll get 10 matches. The Varsity will host the in the Kyle Maynard Duals this Saturday.

IMO- you're right. Last year a few of the Farragut JV kids went to SD and wrestled in the JV Tourney. They brought home medals and you could see the pride they had. Some of those same kids didn't return this year but maybe they can get them back their senior year.

[DAKEKO]

RMC,

 

How awesome it must be to be part of a program that big. That is great. I know you probably receive great money from the school system too. You must have some pretty awesome parents to be able to keep a program like that going. Koodoos.

What's wrong with wrestling off before every match? That's the way it was when I was in school. If you didn't bring your best stuff to wrestle offs a couple of times a week, then you didn't wrestle the matches. That should be enough motivation to want to keep your starting spot, and more than enough opportunity for the second or third sringers to get a chance to wrestle varsity