07/25/2026
This is something I believed in at a young age. My dad used to let me watch the late great Dave Schultz films before bed growing up. He was one of the first and few Americans who realized that there are many ways to win a wrestling match. I think Schultz would have laughed if a junior coach told him to get lower in his stance, keep his elbows in, or even sprawl when the opponent shoots a single.
Yes, the rules and fundamentals are taught to avoid making mistakes that can lead to an opponent’s score. But when we focus on not making mistakes, we are no longer in an attack mindset. Instead, we start worrying about reaching with our lead leg or hand, or whether we’re stuck ear to ear.
At the end of the day, the only thing that should matter for a high-performing wrestler is: Can you score? Can you score? Can you score on a high-level opponent? The scoreboard doesn’t care how the points got there, and neither should you. As long as the score is in your favor, you have done your job.
The rules are meant to be broken—but only if you are prepared to break them. This statement is the way I approach coaching. While the “buffet” style of coaching can overwhelm and confuse kids, I believe in giving my athletes as many tools as possible to be successful. Each athlete is built differently and thinks differently. If you try to box them into only a few options, they may be successful at the regional or youth level. But when they reach the pinnacle of the sport, will they be able to be creative and think on their feet? Will they understand the foreign attacks being done to them?
I think we are doing a disservice to our wrestlers by limiting their knowledge and the imagination that this sport can excite and inspire.
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