Coaching With Purpose
There's an old, common saying about athletics that you're probably familiar with; it goes, "practice makes perfect." I wish that were true, but it isn't! The better saying, I think, is "practice makes permanent." Practice incorrectly and you'll develop incorrect skills. Practice in a way backed by intention, science, and experience, though, and achievement can be at anyone's fingertips. It's with this mindset that a coach, regardless of sport, must approach their craft. There's a reason that most of the world's top athletes never become the world's best coaches, just like the worlds leading scientists, writers, or entrepreneurs don't necessarily make the best teachers. Knowing how to coach is more than just knowing what you're coaching, it's understanding what's beneath the proverbial hood making the sport and our athletes work.
Below you'll find links to work and research that I've put together to inform how I coach high school wrestling and community youth boxing teams. Please click on each drop-down menu to read a brief description before following the links to the left of each item.
A Deep-Dive of Double-Leg Takedowns
In this somewhat lengthy breakdown I discuss the intricacies of performing the beginning movements of wrestling's most common takedown- the double leg. With this analysis I show the depth with which coaches must understand even common techniques in their sport.
A common pitfall of new or ineffective coaches is "showing, not telling." While the opposite may be ideal in writing, coaches training youth athletes must make careful note to explain the secondary (and tertiary, etc) elements that go into proper form. While it may be easy for a new wrestler to observe a takedown and note how many legs they should grab, it's important that a coach understand why they do the things that they themselves may no longer have to intentionally consider. Small adjustments in body positioning and directional force are usually the difference between a successful takedown and a botched one.
An Analysis of Mechanics, Force, and Energy for a Straight Cross Punch
Here, I showcase my understanding of the basic science and physics of the sports I coach. This article focuses on just one move in boxing, the common straight cross punch, and discussing the skeletal and muscular mechanics that drive it. Deep-dives such as these are an example of the depth with which coaches need to understand each element of their sport. Mechanical breakdowns of common movements and techniques not only improves direct coaching and instruction of said moves, but also informs road maps and best practices for weight room training and safety precautions.
Injuries in Wrestling
In this brief analysis and reflection, I delve into my understanding of levels of force and how they vary from situation to situation in wrestling. As a coach, it is important to know not only technique, but the intricacies of how those techniques can be used in both safe and unsafe ways. Beyond understanding techniques and helping develop the fitness level of athletes, a coach must understand and appreciate the way that situational awareness and and safety interact with aggression, contact, and the rules of the sport.