Why a Youth Wrestling Dad Should Become a USA Wrestling Bronze Level Coach

Why a Youth Wrestling Dad Should Become a USA Wrestling Bronze Level Coach

Today I was excited to tweet that I got my USA Wrestling bronze coaching card in the mail today.

I went through a whole season of coaching my 7 year old son before I decided I needed to take the coaching class and become officially certified.

If I could do it again, I would have done this day one.

Even though I wrestled throughout middle and high school, I found out there was a ton I didn’t understand about how to properly engage a child when coaching them through a sport as demanding as wrestling. I also learned that there were some basic skills I forgot to teach my little guy that put him at a disadvantage.

The material USA Wrestling teaches through the Bronze certification class was worth every bit of time and money spent during the process.  I spent a full day (nearly 8 hours) on a weekend taking an in person class that covered everything from sportsmanship, to training techniques, to real wrestling moves on the mat. I also spent several more hours studying and taking the test.

I left that class armed with more than a few new tools in the belt to help my son continue his progress learning how to become a better wrestler, a better athlete, and a better person.  What’s more, while studying to take the certification test I was able to explore and gain an understanding of some complex topics I would have never touched otherwise.

It’s tough being both a dad and a coach in an intense sport like wrestling. Now that I’m educated however, I’m more than ready to take on the challenge to help my son enjoy the sport of wrestling while not getting burned out by its physical and mental demands.

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