Thursday Thoughts: The Breakdown: 8 Ways to Motivate Young Wrestlers

The Breakdown: 8 Ways to Motivate Young Wrestlers

1. Set clear goals and expectations.
2. Provide regular feedback and recognition.
3. Encourage a growth mindset and emphasize the importance of effort.
4. Create a positive and supportive team culture.
5. Offer opportunities for skill development and improvement.
6. Make training and competition fun and enjoyable.
7. Provide role models and mentorship opportunities.
8. Encourage persistence and resilience in the face of setbacks and failures.

So how do you set clear goals and expectations?
To set clear goals and expectations, you can follow these steps:
1. Identify the outcome you want to achieve: Start by defining what you want to achieve and make it specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART).
2. Communicate with stakeholders: Ensure everyone involved understands the goals and expectations by clearly communicating them, either through a meeting, email or some other means.
3. Establish a timeline: Create a timeline for when the goals and expectations should be met, along with interim deadlines and milestones.
4. Assign roles and responsibilities: Make sure everyone knows their role and what they are responsible for in achieving the goals and expectations.
5. Monitor progress and adjust if necessary: Regularly check in on progress and make changes if necessary to ensure that the goals and expectations are met.
6. Celebrate success: When goals and expectations are met, celebrate and acknowledge the achievement. This helps to build a positive team dynamic and motivation for future success.

How do you provide regular feedback and recognition?
There are several ways to provide regular feedback and recognition:
1. One-on-one meetings: Schedule regular one-on-one meetings with young wrestlers to discuss their performance and provide feedback.
2. Wrestler surveys: Conduct anonymous surveys to gather wrestler feedback and use it to recognize and reward good performance.
3. Public recognition: Make public recognition a regular part of your culture by using tools such as sport-wide emails or team meetings to highlight young wrestler achievements.
4. Performance reviews: Conduct regular performance reviews to formally assess wrestler performance and provide feedback. Don’t be afraid to use social media.
5. Reward and recognition programs: Implement reward and recognition programs that incentivize good performance and reward wrestlers for their achievements. End of the year award is a good tool to implement.
Remember to make feedback and recognition a regular part of your culture, and to tailor it to the individual needs and preferences of your wrestlers.

How do you encourage a growth mindset and emphasize the importance of effort?
Encouraging a growth mindset and emphasizing the importance of effort in wrestlers can be done through the following ways:
1. Focus on the process, not just the outcome: Emphasize the importance of hard work, dedication, and improvement over winning or losing.
2. Celebrate effort: Recognize and praise wrestlers for their hard work and perseverance, even in the face of failure.
3. Teach the power of persistence: Show wrestlers how persistence and effort can lead to growth and improvement, even when results are not immediate.
4. Embrace challenges: Encourage wrestlers to see challenges as opportunities for growth, rather than obstacles.
5. Foster a positive environment: Create a supportive and encouraging environment where wrestlers feel free to take risks and learn from their mistakes.
6. Model a growth mindset: Lead by example and demonstrate a growth mindset in your own behavior and attitudes.
7. Encourage reflection: Encourage wrestlers to reflect on their performance, identify areas for improvement, and set goals for future growth.

How do you create a positive and supportive team culture?
To create a positive and supportive team culture in young wrestlers, consider the following steps:
1. Establish clear expectations and rules for behavior and teamwork.
2. Encourage open communication and active listening among team members.
3. Foster a growth mindset by emphasizing effort over results.
4. Celebrate everyone’s successes and contributions, both individually and as a team.
5. Provide opportunities for team building activities and bonding experiences.
6. Lead by example and demonstrate positive attitudes and behaviors.
7. Address conflicts promptly and fairly to maintain a positive and inclusive environment.
8. Recognize and value the unique strengths and perspectives of each team member.
9. Create a safe and supportive environment where everyone feels comfortable to express themselves.
10. Continuously assess and strive to improve the team culture by seeking feedback from team members.

How to offer opportunities for skill development and improvement.
To offer opportunities for skill development and improvement in wrestling, consider the following steps:
1. Hire a qualified coach: A coach can provide structured training and offer feedback on techniques.
2. Organize workshops, clinics and camps: Workshops, clinics and camps provide a hands-on learning environment where wrestlers can practice and receive feedback from experienced wrestlers and coaches.
3. Encourage participation in tournaments: Tournaments provide opportunities for wrestlers to apply their skills against other competitors and receive feedback from referees and coaches.
4. Offer individualized training: Individualized training can help wrestlers focus on specific areas of weakness and receive tailored instruction.
5. Provide access to resources: Offer access to instructional videos, books, and other resources that can help wrestlers develop their skills outside of training.

How do you keep it fun?
Here are some ways to make training and competition in wrestling fun and enjoyable:
1. Set achievable goals: Set both short-term and long-term goals for yourself and track your progress. Celebrate your achievements along the way.
2. Train with a partner: Having a training partner can make practices more enjoyable and help push each other to improve.
3. Variety in training: Mix up your routine with different drills, exercises, and training methods to keep things fresh and exciting.
4. Create a positive atmosphere: Encourage and support your teammates, and make sure to have fun and enjoy the sport.
5. Focus on personal improvement: Instead of focusing solely on winning, try to focus on getting better every day and learning new techniques.
6. Reward yourself: Give yourself a treat or take a break after a hard workout or competition.
7. Have a positive mindset: Believe in yourself and your abilities, and focus on the things you do well rather than your weaknesses.
Remember, wrestling should be fun and enjoyable, so find what works for you and have a great time!

How do you provide role models and mentorships opportunities for young wrestlers?
Here are some suggestions for providing role models and mentorship opportunities for wrestlers:
1. Invite successful wrestlers to speak. This provides a unique opportunity for the wrestlers to learn from the experiences of the role model and ask questions.
2. Create mentorship programs where wrestlers can be paired with experienced wrestlers or coaches who can offer guidance and support. This can help build trust and foster long-term relationships.
3. Offer internships or shadowing opportunities for wrestlers to work with experienced professionals in the field. This has worked in our USA wrestling referee program. This can give wrestlers hands-on experience and help them understand what it takes to succeed.
4. Encourage wrestlers to take leadership roles within their teams. This can help them develop communication, problem-solving, and leadership skills, as well as provide a platform for them to serve as role models for other wrestlers.
5. Provide access to educational resources and opportunities for wrestlers to expand their knowledge and skills. This can help wrestlers develop a more well-rounded understanding of the sport and their own strengths and weaknesses.
Overall, providing role models and mentorship opportunities can help wrestlers develop confidence, motivation, and the skills they need to succeed both on and off the mat.

And finally, I address a tough part of wrestling and that is bouncing back from set-backs.
Encouraging persistence and resilience in young athletes requires a combination of approach that may include:
1. Fostering a growth mindset: Teach the athlete to view failures and setbacks as opportunities for growth and learning, rather than personal shortcomings.
2. Celebrating effort over outcome: Emphasize the importance of putting in effort, rather than just focusing on winning or losing.
3. Promoting resilience skills: Teach coping strategies such as problem-solving, goal-setting, and self-reflection to help the athlete bounce back from setbacks.
4. Encouraging self-care: Help the athlete to understand the importance of taking care of their physical and mental health, and provide them with tools to do so.
5. Providing support: Create a supportive and encouraging environment where the athlete feels valued and heard. Offer praise and recognition for their efforts, and encourage them to seek help when needed.
6. Modeling behavior: Lead by example and show the athlete how to handle failure and setbacks in a positive way.

Thanks for listen to me ramble on as I write this article with lots of points. Many people search for answers and just want good ideas for motivation. I have gone down the rabbit hole a few to many times when doing research on motivation. What I have found to be the key is one thing and one thing only. Be a “life-time learning” the thing that works today might help tomorrow but as you grow and learn what works for you will always be changing and challenging. Are you up for the challenge?

By Jon Gums Owner and Editor Dakota Grappler