Next Generation of Wrestlers?

[Johnpsulions]

Seems to be quite a few wrestlers these days that don't stick it out/refuse to cut weight/complain about dropping 3 pounds to help their dual team

 

Any coaches out there experiencing this?

 

Back in my day, we didn't let this fly. We held eachother accountable and had a killer mentality!

 

Am I just turning into the old man that blames everything on the next generation or am I on to something?

[Ahawkeye]

I'm a grade school coach, we get a lot of little kids out and some are really good, about 3rd or 4th grade the drop like flies. Now, I don't ask any of my grade schoolers to drop weight but I could see asking a high school kid to drop 3 lbs, most can drop that in a tough practice. I agree, it isn't like it used to be. 

[TripleB]

It's a new breed. The weight cutting thing has always been shifting away from that dynamic. My kid is an 8th grader, he cuts for some bigger tournaments but wrestles whatever for Jr. High in season. 

 

I've heard tons of stories already this year that makes my eyes roll. 

 

Here's the deal, kids are different, parents are. Don't be soft and don't cuddle your kids. 

 

I used to tell my parents when I coached youth - let's go get beat up, let's get a fat lip, let's get smoked. Today's parents don't like to hear that!

 

 

[Ahawkeye]

1 hour ago, TripleB said:

It's a new breed. The weight cutting thing has always been shifting away from that dynamic. My kid is an 8th grader, he cuts for some bigger tournaments but wrestles whatever for Jr. High in season. 

 

I've heard tons of stories already this year that makes my eyes roll. 

 

Here's the deal, kids are different, parents are. Don't be soft and don't cuddle your kids. 

 

I used to tell my parents when I coached youth - let's go get beat up, let's get a fat lip, let's get smoked. Today's parents don't like to hear that!

 

 

Sad but true.

[HawkinIndy]

The level of soft with kids these days is comparable to that of a nice roll of Charmin.

[Lawdiggity]

Curious about thoughts on here with the original comment about dealing with kids refusing/complaining about dropping 3 lbs to help the dual team. Not attacking that post at all but curious on how coaches balance the dual v individual side of this sport. We all know this sport is both a team and individual sport. And there are lots of good lessons in sacrifice for the good of the team and helping those around you (as well as yourself) get better. My question is whether or not anyone times this mentality along with what point of the season you’re in. In other words, are there kids you ask to cut weight for the dual season (team) while allowing them after the holidays to stop cutting if their ambition for the state series is a higher class with less scale watching?  Do you let them wrestle off at that higher class and get some experience there as the duals wind down and conference and sectionals get ready to start?  Or do you promote little to no movement after pecking order is established. 

[DrunkMachineGunner]

It's a symptom of the times we live in and the “progress” we are reaching as a society. We are reverting our children into a state of complacency and coddling that will fail them into their adult years. It is a scary reflection. Addiction to technology has rendered most kids a false sense of superiority and confidence that crumbles under adversity. 

 

If the Marine Corps is getting soft, you already know the rest of society is in a downward spiral. The issues I witnessed during my last years under General Amos (eviscerated the Old Breed) were a grandiose sense of entitlement, lack of effort, lack of maintaining traditions, lack of respect, lack of respect for long-standing rituals, lack of courage, and lack of intellect. 

 

The issues I experienced in the education system explain the problems and the turd-like behavior of a new generation of Marines who are morally cannibalized for being unfit for the realities of combat deployment. 

 

The reality is there are not enough fathers and young leaders to teach their children the way of the warrior. The education system and horrible parenting are lying to kids about the realities of life and the challenges they will face.

 

As the years roll by and young men age, they realize they've been living under an illusion of stability in a world that is stranger than fiction. They'll become even more disillusioned than they are now. 
 

“Never fear the truth. No bad can come of discussing a true subject.”

- John Basilone

 

 

[Y2CJ41]

I can't believe all these parents who grew up in the tougher times have produced such wimpy kids.

[Gasman]

I will be using that quote 

[MattM]

Hey kids get off my lawn!!!!!

[ILUV2PIN]

Ahhh yes, the classic cliché of a question "Why are younger people wimps today when I was such a hardass back in the day?"

  
 

[DrunkMachineGunner]

6 minutes ago, ILUV2PIN said:

Ahhh yes, the classic cliché of a question "Why are younger people wimps today when I was such a hardass back in the day?"

  
 

Ahh, the classic lack of self-awareness that has participated in the gradual decline of American society. Love it XD

[TripleB]

20 hours ago, Lawdiggity said:

Curious about thoughts on here with the original comment about dealing with kids refusing/complaining about dropping 3 lbs to help the dual team. Not attacking that post at all but curious on how coaches balance the dual v individual side of this sport. We all know this sport is both a team and individual sport. And there are lots of good lessons in sacrifice for the good of the team and helping those around you (as well as yourself) get better. My question is whether or not anyone times this mentality along with what point of the season you’re in. In other words, are there kids you ask to cut weight for the dual season (team) while allowing them after the holidays to stop cutting if their ambition for the state series is a higher class with less scale watching?  Do you let them wrestle off at that higher class and get some experience there as the duals wind down and conference and sectionals get ready to start?  Or do you promote little to no movement after pecking order is established. 

 

You have to be careful in today's times. Let kids declare weights, once trust is gained and assuming you are being safe with a kid, then you can lean on them about making a sacrifice for the team. 

 

If you have support of family and the kid believes, it's not an issue. But if either aren't aligned, it's not worth it. Grab a cold one and sit on the porch and cuss the kid......

[Silence Dogood]

https://www.sciencetimes.com/articles/24099/20191019/kids-these-days-effect-illusion.htm

[ILUV2PIN]

53 minutes ago, DrunkMachineGunner said:

Ahh, the classic lack of self-awareness that has participated in the gradual decline of American society. Love it XD

Projecting your own insecurities much, tough guy?? 

[DrunkMachineGunner]

13 minutes ago, Silence Dogood said:

https://www.sciencetimes.com/articles/24099/20191019/kids-these-days-effect-illusion.htm

 

This is an interesting article regarding the neurobiology behind cognitive bias theories that occur in the human mind but fails to connect the dots between cognitive biases and the historical natural inclination/declinations of human civilizations/societies.

It is becoming more obvious to the general population that the state of Western Civilization is begining to decline from within, and we are merely seeing this decline being accelerated by technology and deindustrialization that began in the 1970s.

[DrunkMachineGunner]

2 minutes ago, ILUV2PIN said:

Projecting your own insecurities much, tough guy?? 

I'm not interested in arguing over the internet. Once you change your name to "ILUV2READ," maybe we can have a civil conversation about the reality of American society changing for the better or worse.

[ILUV2PIN]

37 minutes ago, DrunkMachineGunner said:

I'm not interested in arguing over the internet. Once you change your name to "ILUV2READ," maybe we can have a civil conversation about the reality of American society changing for the better or worse.

Agreed, DMG. Does no good to argue on high school wrestling message board. I just don't have such a negative view of the youth in this country like you. Rather than bitch about how you perceive the youth of America, how about become a coach or instructor so that you can pass on traits such as toughness and grit to the future generations? That is way more productive than pissing and moaning about it on a high school wrestling message board. And, if you already coach, then you should know we have a lot of power to make the changes this post is talking about. 

[Silence Dogood]

29 minutes ago, ILUV2PIN said:

Agreed, DMG. Does no good to argue on high school wrestling message board. I just don't have such a negative view of the youth in this country like you. Rather than bitch about how you perceive the youth of America, how about become a coach or instructor so that you can pass on traits such as toughness and grit to the future generations? That is way more productive than pissing and moaning about it on a high school wrestling message board. And, if you already coach, then you should know we have a lot of power to make the changes this post is talking about. 

"Does no good to argue" ... Proceeds to argue... 

[ILUV2PIN]

Just now, Silence Dogood said:

"Does no good to argue" ... Proceeds to argue... 

 

Never said I wouldn't argue! LMAO 

[Tcarter]

Plenty of progress made here, I feel like the problem is solved.  Congrats to all involved.

[casualwrestlingfan]

On 12/5/2023 at 1:52 PM, Ahawkeye said:

I'm a grade school coach, we get a lot of little kids out and some are really good, about 3rd or 4th grade the drop like flies. Now, I don't ask any of my grade schoolers to drop weight but I could see asking a high school kid to drop 3 lbs, most can drop that in a tough practice. I agree, it isn't like it used to be. 

Witnessed this trend the past 3 years. Usually 4th grade year they don't come out after having success. Most responses evolve around losing to 1 kid at a couple tournaments. The kid will have placed 1st at 4 of the 6 tournaments and then finished 2nd or 3rd at the other 2 to the stud. Parents think their kid has hit their ceiling and can move on. Think parents are the ones getting tired & not the kids, but kids suffer. Definitely getting more parents that are soft in the past 3 years compared to the parents before them from 7 or 8 years ago. More kids missing practice than ever before and that's in all sports. Feel it won't be any better with the parents in years to come.

[Y2CJ41]

37 minutes ago, casualwrestlingfan said:

Witnessed this trend the past 3 years. Usually 4th grade year they don't come out after having success. Most responses evolve around losing to 1 kid at a couple tournaments. The kid will have placed 1st at 4 of the 6 tournaments and then finished 2nd or 3rd at the other 2 to the stud. Parents think their kid has hit their ceiling and can move on. Think parents are the ones getting tired & not the kids, but kids suffer. Definitely getting more parents that are soft in the past 3 years compared to the parents before them from 7 or 8 years ago. More kids missing practice than ever before and that's in all sports. Feel it won't be any better with the parents in years to come.

You have to sell the parents just as much as the kids on the sport(really any sport). If the parents don't buy in, it will be hard to get them to practices and meets.

 

The way our youth tournaments are ran make it a very difficult sell for many parents. Most other sports it is an hour to hour and a half commitment for an event. However, for wrestling we pride ourselves in a 12 hour long tournament(note a little sarcasm, but not much).

 

In order to evolve we need to have our events be PARENT friendly as much as it is child friendly.

[casualwrestlingfan]

38 minutes ago, Y2CJ41 said:

You have to sell the parents just as much as the kids on the sport(really any sport). If the parents don't buy in, it will be hard to get them to practices and meets.

 

The way our youth tournaments are ran make it a very difficult sell for many parents. Most other sports it is an hour to hour and a half commitment for an event. However, for wrestling we pride ourselves in a 12 hour long tournament(note a little sarcasm, but not much).

 

In order to evolve we need to have our events be PARENT friendly as much as it is child friendly.

Definitely. We avoid double elimination tournaments at all costs for our newer youth club in Ohio. Nothing ticks parents off more than driving an hour away and sitting for 4hrs while beginner Johnny wrestles 2 matches for maybe a combined minute against folkstyle state champ and freestyle state champ. Parents love the team duals & I agree with them!

[Ahawkeye]

3 hours ago, Y2CJ41 said:

You have to sell the parents just as much as the kids on the sport(really any sport). If the parents don't buy in, it will be hard to get them to practices and meets.

 

The way our youth tournaments are ran make it a very difficult sell for many parents. Most other sports it is an hour to hour and a half commitment for an event. However, for wrestling we pride ourselves in a 12 hour long tournament(note a little sarcasm, but not much).

 

In order to evolve we need to have our events be PARENT friendly as much as it is child friendly.

Alcohol sales at tournaments would keep parents involved. I kid of course, but you are right on, it's hard as a parent to wait those long hours in a gym and not have an hour or so to unwind. However a well run tournament at the high school level can really energize anyone in the stands.