Mike Powell: Why A Wrestling Coaches And Officials Convention?
For years I had the privilege to go travel around the country presenting at various state coaching conventions. They were outstanding events where I learned a ton about coaching. I took several things from each experience and applied them to our program, my coaching style, our technique system.
But after each one, the same question came up: Why doesn’t Illinois do something like this? We have the second most USA wrestling members in the U.S. and as a state, we are at the top in terms of competition. It makes sense that we would have a robust and large convention.
It was a no-brainer. So we created one.
And here we are. Through our coaches and officials convention, Beat the Streets Chicago and the IWCOA hope to do our part to build a vibrant and healthy wrestling culture in Illinois.
These conventions offer much more than great technique and program-building seminars. It is a chance to be with like-minded coaches and officials, to network, and to immerse yourself in the sport. I always left the conventions feeling fresh, energized and optimistic about the coming season. I would leave the conventions and immediately call a coaches meeting, hoping that I could share some of these great feelings and ideas with the others on our staff.
I learned more from socializing with other high school coaches during lunch and at evening socials than I did from the NCAA champs and college coaches who presented (though they were great, too). The conversations consisted of things like dealing with difficult parents, politicking with school administration, practice structure and fundraising. Those conversations were gold.
I hope that our convention will inspire you, too.
There isn’t much difference between having a 5 and a 4 on the scoreboard at the end of a match. It really does come down to the little things. We want to help the coaches who attend the convention make those small but important adjustments that will help their guys come out on the right side of the 5 to 4 semifinal matches.