SUMMIT FALCON WRESTLING PRE SEASON
"Pre season wrestling makes winter champions"

The coaching staff is really excited about the solid base of returning wrestlers and state qualifiers, that we have the ability to continue to improve the depth of our program. We can make this team into a top 4 team in the state. This will NOT happen if we don't work hard as a team. We need 100% participation from all returning and incoming freshman. Parents, we need you to stay on your kids during this time and keep the schedule around and volunteer to help with travel.

Steps to Success:

  1. Weightroom: You need to get into advanced weight lifting during school. The TEAM will be lifting Monday-Tuesday-Thursday after school on wrestling specific lifts and auxiliaries. I will keep track of each wrestler with a sign up poster in the weightroom.

  2. Freestyle/Greco Roman Wrestling: High school and college wrestling is "folkstyle," but Olympic wrestling is freestyle or Greco Roman. This will help you finish your shots faster, be stronger on bottom, and learn more point scoring moves from your feet. It will help you become a better all around wrestler.
    Check out --WHAT WILL FREESTYLE WRESTLING DO FOR YOU?
    If you are not in a spring sport it is strongly suggested for you to be in this club. Middle school kids are welcome. You can't get better by NOT wrestling, this is where you make your gains. I-44 Wrestling Club is meeting at Summit Tuesdays/Thursdays 6-7:30 pm From March 9 through May 20th. $85 only about 4 bucks a session with Coach Collum! I-44 Wrestling Club registration

  3. Tournaments: As a part of the I-44 Wrestling Club you WILL wrestle in at least 5 tournaments, and one of them being Brute Nationals in Kansas City (April 2-4) Missouri FS/GR state, ---see flier---, the Granite City takedown series, Eureka takedown series. Coaches are willing to travel if necessary, but will need assistance from parents. We need to wrestle good competition to get better. Look inside for specific forms and dates. These are big points for the Mat Rat challenge.

  4. Team Camp: June 20-24 at the University of Illinois in Champaign. I would expect to have a Varsity and a JV team there. We will take a bus to and from the camp. We will need a $100 deposit from each wrestler by March 31st to reserve your spot bc space is limited. This is an excellent camp with a lot of instruction from All-American wrestlers and coaches, plus we will wrestle 10 duals and a tournament on the last day. Would like to have a spring fundraiser to help Offset the cost in April or May. We will have a team camp prior to the Illinois Camp to prepare our bodies, details to follow. CAMP FLIER
    -------------------------- ONLINE REGISTRATION --------------------------

  5. Future Falcon Camp: July 5-8 4:00-6:30pm We need everyone there to help individualize instruction. We want this to have two camps in one, one for experienced wrestlers and incoming freshman for them to learn our system, plus a side for kids who are new to the sport. We need to work on getting the younger kids excited about this sport. You are responsible to get one new kid to the camp. Keep our program strong for years to come.

  6. Team Bonding: Team Captains are encouraged to coordinate one team building activity per month to keep the team together and motivated during the off season. Movie night, swim night, baseball game out, etc.

  7. Dead Period-July 10-18 please plan vacations accordingly.
WHAT WILL FREESTYLE WRESTLING DO FOR YOU?

1. Freestyle wrestling is Fun. It is very exciting, creative, and dynamic because you can score points from almost anywhere. You will receive more points for a spectacular throw, 5 points, than you do a normal takedown, 1 point. Freestyle takes less control of your opponent to score points. Flip him to his back and get two points. You don't even have to hold him on his back to score but if you do you will get more points. Throw a guy over your head, which is legal, and you will score 5 points for grand amplitude. Many wrestlers that we have spoke to love freestyle because its fast, exciting, and it was easier to score points. Most freestyle matches also are mostly on your feet in the neutral position. Everyone loves to go takedowns. That's 80% of freestyle wrestling.

2. If your goal is to be a state champion or state placer, (or a great referee or coach) and a lofty goal I might add, freestyle increases your chances dramatically. If one wrestler is getting 40 matches a year in the high school or junior high season and 30 matches in the freestyle season whom do you think is going to get better at a faster rate? More matches will improve your technique, skill, and mat strategy. More minutes on the mat = more wins. Are your high school or junior high opponents going to these tournaments and getting ahead of you? The best wrestlers in the state are going to these tournaments. Are you going?

3. Freestyle wrestling allows the best kids in the state a chance to compete against the best in the nation. Most of the best tournaments in the nation are freestyle wrestling.

4. Freestyle wrestling will increase your opportunity to earn a college wrestling scholarship. Because most of the NCAA Division I college coaches recruit at The Junior Nationals, a freestyle and Greco-Roman event in Fargo, ND, the need to learn and excel in freestyle wrestling, is even more important. Unless you are a multiple high school state champion from Pennsylvania, Ohio, or New York you will need to wrestle freestyle to gain the exposure so college coaches will believe you can compete at a national level. Beat a state champion from Pennsylvania, Ohio, or New York in a freestyle tournament and you will receive strong consideration for a college wrestling scholarship. In other words, if you are a West Virginia, Arizona, or Nevada State champion, your chances of getting a wrestling scholarship is minimal to none. Wrestle freestyle and increase your chances of earning a scholarship dramatically.

The time is now to learn freestyle wrestling. Whether you just want to improve your wrestling technique and skill, want to become a state placer or champion, or even want to become a World and Olympic Champion, freestyle wrestling is mandatory to become successful. If you have high wrestling goals, freestyle wrestling must be a part of your yearly wrestling plan. We are committed to helping you learn freestyle, and you, we're sure, will find it exciting.
We look forward to seeing you at the freestyle tournaments!