Why Football Players should wrestle

[rigger101]

I saw a story on Roddy White, WR, Atlanta Falcons today on the NFL pre game show about the Atlanta Falcons great year and Roddy White being a - 2x SC State Champ & (First Round Pick). Said his family all wrestled in HS and were State Champs. Went to read about it on the net and made me think.

 

I've been around 4 different HS wrestling programs and know of other programs that do not allow their football players to wrestle or discourage them.

I don't understand this. I had the reverse as a FB player. WE had to go out for wrestling if we didn't play another sport.

The days of cutting weight are gone.

Most coaches want a strong grappler at the correct weight.

The TSSAA requires weight certification.

Heck most FB players can't makee through a wrestling practice when they do come out. They have to get into wrestling shape.

If you have lineman it's a given to have them on the mat.

 

Link to story

 

With list of names that may surprise you,

 

I watched Nick Reviez of UT Football came out his Soph yr in HS for wrestling and watched his fustration trying to transfer his FB skills to the mat. He had a learning curve but by end of the season he had placed 2nd in the region. Then became a 2X State Champ at 215lbs.

 

The Coaches Perspective

 

??? ???I draft wrestlers because they are tough, I have never had a problem with a wrestler.??? - Joe Gibbs, Hall of fame Football Coach

 

??? "I would have all of my Offensive Lineman wrestle if I could."- John Madden, Hall of Fame Football Coach

 

??? ???I love wrestlers, they are tough and they make great football players.??? Mike Stoops, National Championship Football Coach - University of Oklahoma.

 

??? ???Wrestlers make coaching football easy, they have balance, coordination, and as a coaching staff we know they??™re tough.??? - Tom Osborne - College Hall of Fame Football Coach - University of Nebraska

 

 

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"Well-respected by coaches and teammates for his tough, aggressive nature (comes from his prep wrestling background)"

- NFL Draft Scout on Alex Stepanovich

 

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"One of the messages Denney hopes to relay to the Valley high school coaches and athletes is that wrestling is the perfect complement to football. While football is in its offseason, wrestling provides the perfect opportunity for the athletes to remain active, while working on their agility and conditioning, Denney said.

 

Shawhan can attest to Denney??™s theory, also having an extensive gridiron background. Along with playing semi-pro football, Shawhan also has years of being an assistant football coach throughout the Rio Grande Valley (Mission High, Harlingen High, PSJA High, McAllen Memorial and McHi).

 

"In Texas, everyone knows that high school football is king," Denney said. "I??™m telling you, though, Texas is catching up in wrestling. And a lot of the football coaches are realizing how much wrestling can help their football team. And believe me, that??™s the truth. I know it firsthand. You have to remember when I started out I was a football coach in high school, and I would go to the wrestling team and get everyone that could to sign up for my football team."

 

- By Wade Baker,The McAllen Monitor MCAllen, Texas.

 

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"My football coach told me, 'You better get in wrestling or I'll beat you up,'"

-- Tim Lee, Texas High School All-American

 

Lee said that wrestling helps him on the football field because he knows he has to stay low.

 

"In wrestling, you've got to have self-discipline and self-motivation. As a lineman, it's the same thing ... me vs. you. He brings that mentality to the football field."

- Lee's High School Football Coach, Tim Howard

 

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"Some of Matt Roth??™s intensity can also be attributed to his successful run as a state-champion wrestler in high school. Many coaches, scouts and wrestlers-turned-football-players will laud wrestling for the leverage and quick hands it provides for football. Roth credits wrestling for the never-say-die attitude it gave him.

 

"It??™s the attitude. (Wrestling) helps you with your hips, your hands and your balance, but more than anything it helps you with your attitude," he said. "A lot of these kids that are basketball players, we eat those kids up. It??™s just our mentality - you??™re going to get the job done and you??™re going to punish them."

 

Roth said his dream partner on the wrestling mat would be Ravens LB Ray Lewis, himself an accomplished high school wrestler."

 

-- By Chris Neubauer, Pro Football Weekly

 

 

Crossover Skills:

 

??? Many of the positions and skills are absolutely transferable between both sports

??? Some of those skills include but are not limited to footwork, hand-eye coordination, mental toughness, explosive movements, and balance

??? Learning the ability too beat the man in front of you can not be ignored.

 

 

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A Look at The Numbers

 

??? 32 Professional Football Teams

??? 65 Man Rosters

??? 2080 Professional Football Players

??? 185 Wrestlers in the NFL

??? 11.24% of the NFL has a wrestling background

??? 5% of the Hall of Fame inductee??™s

 

 

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The Link Cannot Be Dismissed

 

??? The relationship between wrestling and football is real.

??? There are too many legends in both sports who have proved it.

??? Hall of fame football coaches and players espouse the benefits of wrestling for football players.

??? Football never made a wrestler a better wrestler BUT Wrestling made every football player a better football player!!!

 

 

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Influence of Wrestling in the NFL

 

??? 10 Hall of Fame Football Players

??? 43 Multiple Pro-Bowlers

??? 60 Individual State Championships

??? 13 NCAA Wrestling Championships

??? 3 Heisman Trophy Winners Wrestled

??? 14 1st Round Draft Picks Wrestled

??? 23 RB??™s / 20 LB??™s / 2 QB??™s / 66 Lineman / 6 DB??™s / 1 K / 54 NP

[matback]

great post I've said for years that wrestling will not only make you a better football player but it there is not a sport out there that wrestling will not make you better at!

[THEANIMAL]

I THINK WRESTLING WILL MAKE YOU A BETTER FOOTBALL PLAYER AND FOOTBALL WILL MAKE YOU A BETTER WRESTLER. I WAS A BELOW AVERAGE ATHLETE AS A FRESHMAN IN HIGH SCHOOL. I WAS IN THE BAND AND DECIDED TO TRY WRESTLING AFTER THE BAND MARCHING SEASON. I WAS NOT ANY GOOD BUT FOR SOME REASON I LOVED IT. WRESTLING GAVE ME A GOOD WORK ETHIC AND A GOOD BASE TO BECOME A GOOD FOOTBALL PLAYER AND WRESTLER. ONCE I STARTED WRESTLING, I WRESTLED ALL YEAR AROUND. I WRESTLED DURING THE WRESTLING SEASON, THEN I WRESTLED ON THE FOOTBALL FIELD DURING SPRING FOOTBALL PRACTICE. AFTER THAT I WRESTLED ALL SPRING AND SUMMER IN FREESTYLE. I WRESTLED DURING FOOTBALL PRACTICE AND THE GAMES IN THE FALL. I WAS ALWAYS TRAINING AND LOOKING FORWARD TO THE NEXT SEASON.

 

I WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN AS GOOD OF A WRESTLER AS I WAS IF I HAD NOT PLAYED FOOTBALL.

 

THE ANIMAL

[JGarvin]

I played football before and thought it was the crap and was the toughest sport ever. I wished I would of done wrestling my freshman year so bad now that I'm out of highschool, Its the only sport I miss so much. Wrestling showed me what football and other sports never did. It showed me what real motivation is and hard work and what it gets you. In football you can win a game as a team and you feel great. But I never knew the feeling of having your hand raised in a match(just yourself) and your opponent not having his raised. It lets you know this is what your hard work has got you and how good it feels. Wrestling practice was the most physically demanding sport I've ever did. My first year my sophomore year, I got hurt so much. I had broken ribs because of wrestling. I got slammed and hurt, I'm like wow this sport is amazing. I completely stunk my first year, but I wanted to get better, I always wrestled the toughest people I could in practice, because I believe firmly how tough & hard your partner in practice is, is how hard you will work and how much better you will become, to be the best you have to wrestle the best. I want to credit one individual greatly for making me want to get better, he was one of my opponents I wrestled. Charlie Arrington from Greeneville highschool, this guy kicked my butt my first year & 2nd year of wrestling. I told myself, I want to be as good as this guy and better, I will get better. He was one of the motivators I had. Instead crying like some did of loses, I learned and seen what I did wrong in attempt to do better next time. I noticed however in practice I seemed at my best always I was loose and just went after someone, however in match I could get nervous and be like if I do this I might end up there & such not. If I would wrestled like I did in practice I would of done so much better all them years, especially last year, I got pinned twice my Senior year, which i chouldn't of got pinned at all, I got pinned my two times in Chattanooga against Jake Young in the 2nd Period and guy from Georgia. I wanted to Wrestle Charlie last year so bad last year. The Region tournament I seemed to of had a meltdown. I didn't wrestle like I did all year, I was more nervous than i ever was and I failed at my goal. Josh Richardson a guy i beat earlier in the year 2-1 beat me 3-1 at the tournament, I had his leg up in the air the last few seconds but didn't finish, I would of tied it and went into over time if I would have finished it. He went on to the finals and faced Charlie and won the Region Tournament. I lost all my will to win with that loss and felt horrible, I never felt that bad after loss before.Next match my moral was lost and had no real will and I went on to face Xavier King for 3rd/4th and I was winning 2-1 and I got lazy in 3rd and thought do hip throw to get more points and I did it lazy and he reversed with his hipthrow and put me on my back for the final 30 seconds and I lost 6-2, and I pinned him earlier in that year to. I was so disappointed in myself.

 

However, even now that I am out of high school. I go back and help my team some in the practice room. I'm no coach and don't want no one say I am. I'm just a person who wants to help & see my team do good. I want them to do the things I wish I could of done and could now do. As the time has passed from last year, I feel I'm a better wrestler now than I was last year, it seems my talent naturally keeps growing over time and the more I wrestle. I just wish I could go back out there again on the mat and have a match against someone I don't know and to remember that feeling you get before the match and everyone knows what i'm talking about, it can be excitement, nervousness and the unknown and the feeling after the match. I'm going to northeast state now and would like to transfer to King if I could afford it in two years, just because I want to wrestle again. I'm glad I've got the biggest disappoint in not achieving what I wanted in wrestling in high school now, because it has motivated me so much now. If I get the chance I will wrestle how I always should of, confident & firm.

 

Sorry I blabbered on but that article just inspired me to tell my story of what wrestling has done for me.

[noonesfool]

I played football before and thought it was the crap and was the toughest sport ever. I wished I would of done wrestling my freshman year so bad now that I'm out of highschool, Its the only sport I miss so much. Wrestling showed me what football and other sports never did. It showed me what real motivation is and hard work and what it gets you. In football you can win a game as a team and you feel great. But I never knew the feeling of having your hand raised in a match(just yourself) and your opponent not having his raised. It lets you know this is what your hard work has got you and how good it feels. Wrestling practice was the most physically demanding sport I've ever did. My first year my sophomore year, I got hurt so much. I had broken ribs because of wrestling. I got slammed and hurt, I'm like wow this sport is amazing. I completely stunk my first year, but I wanted to get better, I always wrestled the toughest people I could in practice, because I believe firmly how tough & hard your partner in practice is, is how hard you will work and how much better you will become, to be the best you have to wrestle the best. I want to credit one individual greatly for making me want to get better, he was one of my opponents I wrestled. Charlie Arrington from Greeneville highschool, this guy kicked my butt my first year & 2nd year of wrestling. I told myself, I want to be as good as this guy and better, I will get better. He was one of the motivators I had. Instead crying like some did of loses, I learned and seen what I did wrong in attempt to do better next time. I noticed however in practice I seemed at my best always I was loose and just went after someone, however in match I could get nervous and be like if I do this I might end up there & such not. If I would wrestled like I did in practice I would of done so much better all them years, especially last year, I got pinned twice my Senior year, which i chouldn't of got pinned at all, I got pinned my two times in Chattanooga against Jake Young in the 2nd Period and guy from Georgia. I wanted to Wrestle Charlie last year so bad last year. The Region tournament I seemed to of had a meltdown. I didn't wrestle like I did all year, I was more nervous than i ever was and I failed at my goal. Josh Richardson a guy i beat earlier in the year 2-1 beat me 3-1 at the tournament, I had his leg up in the air the last few seconds but didn't finish, I would of tied it and went into over time if I would have finished it. He went on to the finals and faced Charlie and won the Region Tournament. I lost all my will to win with that loss and felt horrible, I never felt that bad after loss before.Next match my moral was lost and had no real will and I went on to face Xavier King for 3rd/4th and I was winning 2-1 and I got lazy in 3rd and thought do hip throw to get more points and I did it lazy and he reversed with his hipthrow and put me on my back for the final 30 seconds and I lost 6-2, and I pinned him earlier in that year to. I was so disappointed in myself.

 

However, even now that I am out of high school. I go back and help my team some in the practice room. I'm no coach and don't want no one say I am. I'm just a person who wants to help & see my team do good. I want them to do the things I wish I could of done and could now do. As the time has passed from last year, I feel I'm a better wrestler now than I was last year, it seems my talent naturally keeps growing over time and the more I wrestle. I just wish I could go back out there again on the mat and have a match against someone I don't know and to remember that feeling you get before the match and everyone knows what i'm talking about, it can be excitement, nervousness and the unknown and the feeling after the match. I'm going to northeast state now and would like to transfer to King if I could afford it in two years, just because I want to wrestle again. I'm glad I've got the biggest disappoint in not achieving what I wanted in wrestling in high school now, because it has motivated me so much now. If I get the chance I will wrestle how I always should of, confident & firm.

 

Sorry I blabbered on but that article just inspired me to tell my story of what wrestling has done for me.

 

Nice heartfelt post. Now for the good news / bad news. Sorry but wrestling is in your blood for the rest of your life. I'm almost 55 and I still relive matches on occassion. The best thing about wrestling is the life long relationships that grow and grow.

[JGarvin]

Thanks, wrestling has left the biggest impression on me. I wish I would of done it my freshman year. Coach Hill has taught me alot and I thank him for everything and hope repay that by helping the team out as much as I can. I'm not done with wrestling yet, I still got many things to do

[calebsdad]

Wrestling helped my son in football, along with several others on his football team.

 

Consider the East side of the Toyota East vs. West High School footbal game on Saturday:

 

Four lineman with wrestling ties.

1. Caleb Leonard - Knox Halls

2. Kevin Revis - Rhea County

3. Miquel Sanchez - Red bank

4. Tyler Eady - Smyrna (quit after 9th grade but was an 8th grade state champ and Team Tennessee)

[Wrestlersdad]

I played football before and thought it was the crap and was the toughest sport ever. I wished I would of done wrestling my freshman year so bad now that I'm out of highschool, Its the only sport I miss so much. Wrestling showed me what football and other sports never did. It showed me what real motivation is and hard work and what it gets you. In football you can win a game as a team and you feel great. But I never knew the feeling of having your hand raised in a match(just yourself) and your opponent not having his raised. It lets you know this is what your hard work has got you and how good it feels. Wrestling practice was the most physically demanding sport I've ever did. My first year my sophomore year, I got hurt so much. I had broken ribs because of wrestling. I got slammed and hurt, I'm like wow this sport is amazing. I completely stunk my first year, but I wanted to get better, I always wrestled the toughest people I could in practice, because I believe firmly how tough & hard your partner in practice is, is how hard you will work and how much better you will become, to be the best you have to wrestle the best. I want to credit one individual greatly for making me want to get better, he was one of my opponents I wrestled. Charlie Arrington from Greeneville highschool, this guy kicked my butt my first year & 2nd year of wrestling. I told myself, I want to be as good as this guy and better, I will get better. He was one of the motivators I had. Instead crying like some did of loses, I learned and seen what I did wrong in attempt to do better next time. I noticed however in practice I seemed at my best always I was loose and just went after someone, however in match I could get nervous and be like if I do this I might end up there & such not. If I would wrestled like I did in practice I would of done so much better all them years, especially last year, I got pinned twice my Senior year, which i chouldn't of got pinned at all, I got pinned my two times in Chattanooga against Jake Young in the 2nd Period and guy from Georgia. I wanted to Wrestle Charlie last year so bad last year. The Region tournament I seemed to of had a meltdown. I didn't wrestle like I did all year, I was more nervous than i ever was and I failed at my goal. Josh Richardson a guy i beat earlier in the year 2-1 beat me 3-1 at the tournament, I had his leg up in the air the last few seconds but didn't finish, I would of tied it and went into over time if I would have finished it. He went on to the finals and faced Charlie and won the Region Tournament. I lost all my will to win with that loss and felt horrible, I never felt that bad after loss before.Next match my moral was lost and had no real will and I went on to face Xavier King for 3rd/4th and I was winning 2-1 and I got lazy in 3rd and thought do hip throw to get more points and I did it lazy and he reversed with his hipthrow and put me on my back for the final 30 seconds and I lost 6-2, and I pinned him earlier in that year to. I was so disappointed in myself.

 

However, even now that I am out of high school. I go back and help my team some in the practice room. I'm no coach and don't want no one say I am. I'm just a person who wants to help & see my team do good. I want them to do the things I wish I could of done and could now do. As the time has passed from last year, I feel I'm a better wrestler now than I was last year, it seems my talent naturally keeps growing over time and the more I wrestle. I just wish I could go back out there again on the mat and have a match against someone I don't know and to remember that feeling you get before the match and everyone knows what i'm talking about, it can be excitement, nervousness and the unknown and the feeling after the match. I'm going to northeast state now and would like to transfer to King if I could afford it in two years, just because I want to wrestle again. I'm glad I've got the biggest disappoint in not achieving what I wanted in wrestling in high school now, because it has motivated me so much now. If I get the chance I will wrestle how I always should of, confident & firm.

 

Sorry I blabbered on but that article just inspired me to tell my story of what wrestling has done for me.

 

That was a wonderful testimony My kids don't play football as they are small, but I agree, wrestling teaches kids much more from a life perspective about hard work and the benefits of it. I've not been on this sight long, but your response....essay.....was the best I've read. I hope other parents will share this with their children as I will mine. Be extremely Blessed!!!!