Wrestling: Opportunities to Succeed

University of Northern Iowa Assistant Wrestling Coach Mark Schwab wrote an excellent article on winning themes in the 2011 NCAA Wrestling Championships.

Check it out here   http://theguillotine.com/wp/?p=4638 .


As I read the article it came to me that theses themes dovetailed nicely with my theory that wrestling is the sport that causes us to achieve the most in life no matter our level of expertise or ability. I have borrowed Schwab's 10 winning themes and expanded them to regular life.

10. Stance Mobility and Discipline- Schwab makes the point that those who win are those that stay in an athletic stance and employed correct repetition. This is also true in our everyday life..winners employ good habits and keep themselves positioned to win at all times. Losers let themselves relax and get out of the correct position. Life's winners keep their eye on the ball.

09. The winners moved forward or circled- Controlled but not reckless, successful people show relentless forward progress in their affairs. Winners continue to set goals for themselves on a daily, weekly, and yearly basis. When you quit moving forward you lose.

08. The winners have a defense that is rarely penetrated- Our defense means a strong financial situation, family, and faith life. Being able to fall back on these strong defensive measures in bad times will separate the winners and the losers.

07. The winners wrestled through the period and kept their butt to the center- Essentially this is telling us to fight to the end, never quit and always look to go on the offense. If you get knocked down look at it as an opportunity to learn and grow. Quitters never win.

06. The winners attacked the bottom position- When you are down you need to explode from the bottom. You need to be aggressive and persistent in facing life's challenges.Make it hard to keep you down.

05. The winners kept their opponent down- Once we have surmounted an obstacle or problem we need to keep it from reappearing. keep the pressure on and learn from your mistakes so as not repeat them.

04. I cannot tell you how many points were scored on the edge of the mat or in the closing seconds - Once again never quit. Also never relax until the problem is solved don't let your guard down and get an unpleasant surprise.

03. The athlete who tried to hold on to or protect a lead often lost- Relentless forward progress. Everyday is a job interview as I like to say. You cannot rest on your laurels because our society is very much what have you done for me lately. Prove yourself everyday.

02. The winners are physically strong and conditioned- Keep yourself in shape both mentally and physically so that you can handle issues as they arise.

01. Strong Body language- Those that appear confident and expect to win often do. Mental focus and a strong desire coupled with the confidence to realize our goals eventually result in victory.

Wrestling instills these values. Winners in wrestling and life attempt to use them constantly.