Information
April 22, 2011 |
VICTORY SCHOOL OF WRESTLING – MISSION STATEMENT
Victory School of Wrestling aims to build championship wrestlers with championship character, tremendous work ethic, high morality and integrity.
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VICTORY SCHOOL OF WRESTLING – CLUB TRAINING MODEL
Emphasis on winning at a young age creates an avenue to take shortcuts to success. Winning at the youth level has many different facets than winning at elite levels. Victory School of Wrestling chooses to sacrifice winning at the youth level for the sake of development in order to see more success at older ages, but it’s still not about winning. After examining programs all over the world, we have organized our program the following way:
1. Fundamentals - this is the beginning stage of development and the emphasis is on FUN. Fun is important at every level, but is primarily focused on athletes in grades K-3. If an athlete does compete in tournaments/events at this age, those competitions need to focus on having fun and spending quality time with the family. These competitions should be local, but going to practice and having fun is key. We want to make sure every athlete loves practice and wants to come to the next practice. The kids should leave with more energy than they came with.
2. Basic movements – this stage is about understanding and exercising basic movements of athletics, not technique. This would include, but is not limited to, agility, tumbling, falling and running. A lot of the focus is still on having fun. In wrestling, skills can be introduced in a fun, games approach way. I believe competition still should not be encouraged, however, the idea of competing needs to remain local and continue focusing on quality family time and fun.
3. Skill development – when athletes begin to understand how their body works and have the mental capacity to learn skills and strategies, technique can be introduced. At Victory School of Wrestling, this happens in grades 5-8. The focus becomes 75% training/25% competition. The competition is to asses skill development. It’s an evaluation tool so the emphasis is still not on winning.
4. Train to train – as athletes mature physically and mentally, the maturation of each athlete begins even. This is when we can teach the principles of training. Everyone needs to learn how to train properly. There’s a lot involved in training and we continue focusing on fundamentals and skill development. This generally happens when an athlete enters high school. They inherit a lot of new responsibilities in high school, so training goes hand-in-hand with their emotional development. Still, we do not emphasize winning, although winning becomes more important.
5. Train to compete – this stage is very tricky and sometimes goes alongside training to train. An athlete needs to understand how to drill well and train properly before they train to compete. This stage can start as early as ninth grade, but sometimes is not realistic until one is in college. Training to compete is not training to win. It’s about understanding a new level of training. Periodization cycles and peaking at the optimum time are central to this stage.
6. Train to win – obviously, this is the highest level of competition. In wrestling, this is done at the collegiate level or the international level. There are still a lot of great learning opportunities in sport for adult athletes, however if winning isn’t a priority at the highest levels, it’s time to move into another season of your life. This attitude can be fostered in the first five stages and allows the athletes that to train to win and not to place their significance in winning. Along with periodization cycles and peaking, tactics and game plans for specific athletes are practiced.
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VICTORY SCHOOL OF WRESTLING – CODE OF ETHICS
Victory School of Wrestling conveys life skills development presented in a way that is safe, technically competent and helps instill the values in participants through teaching and example.
Participants are expected to represent their community, Victory School of Wrestling, their state and country in a positive fashion by maintaining a strict Code of Ethics.
At Victory School of Wrestling, wrestling is important, but not too important. What matters is that good sportsmanship is displayed, character acquired and development is taking place.
As an athlete, coach or parent at Victory School of Wrestling:
- I will respect all other individuals and their property regardless of gender, origin, ability, achievement or conviction and I will expect to be treated accordingly.
- I will always be my best and do my best.
- I will be cooperative.
- I will choose to be a positive influence and set a good example as a mentor and role model.
- I will conduct myself in a professional and ethical manner.
- I will strive to be knowledgeable of the life skills embodied by Victory School of Wrestling
- I will strive to be technically competent.
- I will live with high standards in all areas of my life.
- I will be kind and courteous to others.
- I will remember that participating at Victory School of Wrestling is an honor and privilege (not a right) as well as an opportunity to learn and have FUN.
Athlete Signature:_______________________________________________ Date:________
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VICTORY SCHOOL OF WRESTLING – COACHES CODE OF ETHICS
At Victory School of Wrestling, we desire to develop championship wrestlers with championship character and a tremendous work ethic with high morality and integrity. The same is true for our coaching staff. As leaders of young men and women, we are in the position to set the standard of excellence and portray a picture of what we would like our athletes to become. Our role is extremely important and not to be taken lightly. Below is an outline of the Coaching Code of Ethics at Victory School of Wrestling.
1. I will be an example to my athletes. As a coach, I have a position of influence and young athletes can be very impressionable. I will be a positive role model and demonstrate the character and work ethic that I desire to see in my athletes.
In the same way, encourage the young men to live wisely. And you yourself must be an example to them by doing good works of every kind. – Titus 2:6-7
2. I will use a positive coaching style. My approach will be to encourage and build-up athletes instead of discouraging and tearing them down. I will focus on their strengths and what they do well as we work together to improve their overall athletic ability and wrestling skills.
Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise. – Philippians 4:8
3. I will demonstrate patience in the practice room and at competitions. It is imperative that I represent my athletes and Victory School of Wrestling well. Some athletes will understand concepts sooner than others and I will treat all of them as individuals. In addition, my mat side contact is extremely important and I will maintain an understanding that everyone is learning and able to become better, including athletes, coaches, officials, etc.
Fools vent their anger, but the wise quietly hold it back. – Proverbs 29:11
4. I will be a source of encouragement for my fellow coaches and athletes. Positive attitudes and outlooks are contagious and I will do my best to help those around feel better about every situation so they can achieve more.
So encourage each other and build each other up, just as you are already doing. – 1 Thessalonians 5:11
5. I will be honest to myself and my athletes. Trust is built out of honesty with athletes. I will be true to who I am and upfront about my assessments. I will also recognize my strengths as a coach and leader and be truthful when I do not know the answers or have the abilities to complete certain tasks.
Be honest in your evaluation of yourselves, measuring yourselves by the faith God has given us. – Romans 12:3
6. I will be a life-long learner. Education is essential at every level and coach’s education will be a passion of mine. I will seek to become educated by staying current with technique and training strategies. I will also have an objective outlook in life because I can learn from anyone at any given time.
Cry out for insight, and ask for understanding. Search for them as you would silver; seek them like hidden treasures. – Proverbs 2:3-4
7. I am no longer an athlete, my role as a coach is not about my success, but the athlete’s success. My competitive years are behind me. I am now a leader of young men (and women) and will put their needs above mine while training and competing. Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others.
Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too. – Philippians 2:3-4
8. I am created by God to do great things. I am currently coaching because I have God-given abilities that help me manage, lead and guide athletes in the sport of wrestling. God has created us with design for a purpose and I have the potential to be a great wrestling coach.
Always be joyful. Never stop praying. Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ. - 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
9. I will capture the heart of each athlete in a loving, caring way. Love is a verb and requires action. I will choose to care for all athletes, regardless of their ability level. Each athlete deserves my affection no matter how difficult it may be.
Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears. When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me. Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known. And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love. – 1 Corinthians 13:4-13
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VICTORY SCHOOL OF WRESTLING – BEST PRACTICE PROCEDURES
- Parents are encouraged to appropriately support their children’s wrestling experience.
- All wrestling practices are open to observation by parents.
- Two-deep Leadership: One coach member and at least one other adult are present at all practices and other sanctioned club activities whenever one or more athlete is present.
- Open and Observable Environment: An open and observable environment is maintained for all interactions between adults and athletes. Private, or one-on-one situations, are avoided unless they are open and observable.
- Open Door Policy: If a circumstance arises that requires confidentiality and an athlete enters the coach’s office, the door will remained open and the coach will be viewable from outside the office.
- Coaches will not invite or have an athlete(s) to their home without the permission of the athlete’s parents (or legal guardian).
- Non-athlete adult members should respect the privacy of athletes in situations such as changing of clothes, showering, etc. Non-athlete adult members should protect their own privacy in similar situations. In application, adults are not permitted in the athlete locker rooms and coaches use separate locker rooms from the athletes.
- Communications between non-athlete adult members and athletes should not include any topic or language that is sexual or inappropriate in nature.
- Coaches and other non-athlete adult members should avoid horseplay and roughhousing with athletes unless it is formally included in the curriculum.
- When a coach touches an athlete as part of instruction, the coach should do so in direct view of others and inform the athlete of what he/she is doing prior to the initial contact. Touching athletes is minimized outside the boundaries of what is considered normal instruction. Appropriate interaction would include high fives, handshakes, fist bumps and side-to-side hugs.
