New Mexico Wrestling - USA

DECEMBER 15, 2024

TO:          SOUTHERN PLAINS COACHES, OFFICIALS & LEADERS

FR:          RUSTY DAVIDSON

RE:          NATIONAL COACHES’ COUNCIL UPDATE

Coaches, Officials and Leaders,

I hope summer and fall have treated you well, and that you celebrated a wonderful Thanksgiving.  Please accept my apology for being out of touch for a few months.

There’s actually Good News behind that.  Your National Coaches’ Council has been rather dormant.  With the success of our Regionals, Duals, Fargo and International Championships… at all age groups… we haven’t had significant crises on our radar.

As we enter our scholastic season, we’re obviously in for some great excitement in the various levels of the Collegiate scene… both Women and Men.  Combine that with the success of our Olympic and World Championship performances and we can offer our developing athletes some magnificent new Heroes to emulate !

I’ll simply offer up a couple of thought provokers for you to consider, through the High School / Middle School / Youth Club season.  For the most part, NFHS’ 24-25 Rule Changes are being well-received.

Spectators and Athletes seem to really like the adoption of a Three-Point Takedown, as well as greater opportunity to add Near Fall points.  As we mold these concepts to individual talents and styles, they fit a pretty good cross-section of kids.  

If I’m good on my feet… Three for One let’s me put distance on you in a hurry.  If I’m good with my Tilts, the Two, Three, Four point NF let’s me put distance on you in a hurry.

I’ve been watching both College and High School Referees adapt.  They, too, seem to “Get It”.  I see referees slowing down, just a tic, on awarding escapes… making sure the escapee has a legitimate chance to make offense.  This is good !  Referees, keep it up.

I also notice refs being, just a touch, more greedy about repetitive tilts… making sure Bottom can make legitimate Defense / Offense.  This is good !  Referees, keep it up.

Coach, I’m sure you’ve already started incorporating these Tactical approaches in both your drills and live goes.  Information is Power… for both Top and Bottom.  This is good !  Coaches, keep it up.

NFHS also CLOSELY mirrored the Collegiate view of Out of Bounds.  This application deserves closer scrutiny.  Defining IN as One Point of Contact is awesome… if you’re on a single 42x42 mat and working with an Assistant Referee.

In small-town, High School America, we don’t always have that luxury.  Please expect your Referee Team to continue to value Safety First.

When we butt mats together and leave out ‘Tweener’ sections, in order to get one more on the floor for our tournament, the totality of this Out of Bounds definition is shot.  Referees, meet with your team… then with your Coaches… before first whistle.  Develop and apply a reasonably consistent application that will maximize scoring opportunity while focusing on safety.

Coach… Hammer your practice goes with Scoring In the Center.  When you eat a call, going into the next door mat… Sit Down and Smile, just a little.  Your kid can still wrestle net week !

Girls High School Coaches… This is another great chance to introduce / remind those athletes who aspire to compete collegiately, that they will wrestle Freestyle.  Help them digest the different needs for productive Edge Management, between the two styles.

Things are good… better than good… Sport-Wide.  Don’t miss a chance to Thank our Girls and Women for helping our sort make itself new again.  We can’t even measure the increase in popularity that our Girls are bringing to attendance.

Done !  Make sure you take care of Yourself and your Family.  That’s a must, when we seek to care for others.  Enjoy a warm Christmas Season, however short your break may be.  Remind athletes to demonstrate the value of Family.

Challenge the New Year to be a positive one… in the room, on the mat, in the classroom, at the mall.  Remind ourselves and those we guide, just how lucky we all are to have this beautiful sport guide our destiny.

Best to You and Yours,

RD