'Crazy' eight-hour practice conducted in Wisconsin
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by USA Wrestling
RIVER FALLS, Wis. - "You have got to be crazy," were words that Kevin Black had been contemplating for three years, taken from an article written by Steve Fraser, the U.S. National Greco-Roman coach.
Many coaches and wrestlers had read the article presented at the 2005 Silver Coaches College, but no one had taken Fraser up on the challenge.
Following his stint as a volunteer coach at the University of Wisconsin 2005, Black engaged in a conversation with a colleague about the article. In the article, seven "crazy" training ideas are presented, all of which are geared to challenge an athlete's mental toughness.
Black, the 2007 U.S. Women's World Team coach and owner/operator of Victory School of Wrestling in River Falls, Wis., decided to see if his school members were crazy enough to meet the first of seven challenges set forth in Fraser's article.
Wrestle an eight hour work day - it was that simple. Would his athletes be up to the task? Could high school wrestlers handle this? Just how crazy were these guys?
On July 7, as part of the Victory School of Wrestling Exclusive Intensive Training Camp and in preparation for the Wisconsin Wrestling Federation Cadet and Junior National Team camps, 26 wrestlers proved just how crazy they were.
"Last year we did a two-hour grind match at this camp," said Black, "and it changed their lives. I was hoping that this would have a similar effect on these guys' lives."
The idea of the two-hour grind match, famed by Fraser in his mental toughness talks and writings, is one that many coaches and wrestlers nation-wide are familiar with.
At the 2008 camp, Black decided to take it to the next level, expanding the two-hour grind match to an eight-hour "Work Day."
At the onset of camp, Black, the head women's coach for the New York Athletic Club, began promoting the idea of "Work Day," a date with destiny for his wrestlers. Thoughts of doubt immediately crept in to the Victory wrestlers' minds, and Black knew that his coaching abilities were going to be paramount.
Would the Victory wrestlers be able to handle the task of wrestling a regular work day? Wrestle for two hours, take a 15 minute break, wrestle for two hours, take an hour lunch break, wrestle for two hours, take a 15 minute break, and then wrestle for two final hours.
"I knew that my wrestlers needed to continually focus on scoring the next point," said Black. "(I knew that) we would be in trouble if they thought about the entire day of wrestling, so I had to remind them to break the day down into manageable pieces."
Tears were shed, gallons of sweat were lost, and expletives were periodically heard in the Victory Training Center, but at the end of "Work Day," 26 wrestlers were triumphant in their quest to meet the challenge set forth three years earlier by Steve Fraser.
The camp, themed "Unleash Your Potential," showed its participants that with all hard work comes profit. The profit from "Work Day" was deemed great.
Trey Bertram, a Wisconsin recruit from Hastings, Minn., was one of the 26 participants that benefitted from "Work Day."
"I was surprised that I could wrestle at that pace for that long. After the breaks, I didn't know if I could put my shoes back on," he said, "but I knew that pushing through would make me better."
Bertam, a 2006 Cadet All-American, hopes that "Work Day" propels him to the victory stand in Fargo, N.D. in two weeks.
On the day following "Work Day," the camp agenda did not call for quite as much intensity. Instead, the wrestlers were on the Kinnickinnic River, a Class One trout stream. The Victory wrestlers weren't fly fishing, however, they were kayaking.
While the wrestlers relaxed and recovered from their "Work Day," Coach Black looked ahead.
"I hope that this day not only helps them in Fargo, but in everything they do from this day forward," he said.
Steve Fraser knows that wrestling for an entire work day will do just that.
VICTORY SCHOOL OF WRESTLING "WORK DAY" PARTICIPANTS
Trey Bertram
Will Christ
Josh Cormican
David Decker
Isaiah Erickson
Jake Filkins
Alex Halvorson
Hayden Hauschildt
Corey Hodowanic
Zack Gillis
Tyler Klund
Riley Knops
Colten LaChance
Trent Larrieu
Alex Lennartson
Austin Moe
Cody Nyhagen
Joe Raygor
Zach Rohr
Porter Secrist
Matt Smith
Hunter Swenson
Jake Swenson
Luke Vaith
Zac Weyer
Brayden Wienke
COACHES
Kevin Black
Ryan Turner
Many coaches and wrestlers had read the article presented at the 2005 Silver Coaches College, but no one had taken Fraser up on the challenge.
Following his stint as a volunteer coach at the University of Wisconsin 2005, Black engaged in a conversation with a colleague about the article. In the article, seven "crazy" training ideas are presented, all of which are geared to challenge an athlete's mental toughness.
Black, the 2007 U.S. Women's World Team coach and owner/operator of Victory School of Wrestling in River Falls, Wis., decided to see if his school members were crazy enough to meet the first of seven challenges set forth in Fraser's article.
Wrestle an eight hour work day - it was that simple. Would his athletes be up to the task? Could high school wrestlers handle this? Just how crazy were these guys?
On July 7, as part of the Victory School of Wrestling Exclusive Intensive Training Camp and in preparation for the Wisconsin Wrestling Federation Cadet and Junior National Team camps, 26 wrestlers proved just how crazy they were.
"Last year we did a two-hour grind match at this camp," said Black, "and it changed their lives. I was hoping that this would have a similar effect on these guys' lives."
The idea of the two-hour grind match, famed by Fraser in his mental toughness talks and writings, is one that many coaches and wrestlers nation-wide are familiar with.
At the 2008 camp, Black decided to take it to the next level, expanding the two-hour grind match to an eight-hour "Work Day."
At the onset of camp, Black, the head women's coach for the New York Athletic Club, began promoting the idea of "Work Day," a date with destiny for his wrestlers. Thoughts of doubt immediately crept in to the Victory wrestlers' minds, and Black knew that his coaching abilities were going to be paramount.
Would the Victory wrestlers be able to handle the task of wrestling a regular work day? Wrestle for two hours, take a 15 minute break, wrestle for two hours, take an hour lunch break, wrestle for two hours, take a 15 minute break, and then wrestle for two final hours.
"I knew that my wrestlers needed to continually focus on scoring the next point," said Black. "(I knew that) we would be in trouble if they thought about the entire day of wrestling, so I had to remind them to break the day down into manageable pieces."
Tears were shed, gallons of sweat were lost, and expletives were periodically heard in the Victory Training Center, but at the end of "Work Day," 26 wrestlers were triumphant in their quest to meet the challenge set forth three years earlier by Steve Fraser.
The camp, themed "Unleash Your Potential," showed its participants that with all hard work comes profit. The profit from "Work Day" was deemed great.
Trey Bertram, a Wisconsin recruit from Hastings, Minn., was one of the 26 participants that benefitted from "Work Day."
"I was surprised that I could wrestle at that pace for that long. After the breaks, I didn't know if I could put my shoes back on," he said, "but I knew that pushing through would make me better."
Bertam, a 2006 Cadet All-American, hopes that "Work Day" propels him to the victory stand in Fargo, N.D. in two weeks.
On the day following "Work Day," the camp agenda did not call for quite as much intensity. Instead, the wrestlers were on the Kinnickinnic River, a Class One trout stream. The Victory wrestlers weren't fly fishing, however, they were kayaking.
While the wrestlers relaxed and recovered from their "Work Day," Coach Black looked ahead.
"I hope that this day not only helps them in Fargo, but in everything they do from this day forward," he said.
Steve Fraser knows that wrestling for an entire work day will do just that.
VICTORY SCHOOL OF WRESTLING "WORK DAY" PARTICIPANTS
Trey Bertram
Will Christ
Josh Cormican
David Decker
Isaiah Erickson
Jake Filkins
Alex Halvorson
Hayden Hauschildt
Corey Hodowanic
Zack Gillis
Tyler Klund
Riley Knops
Colten LaChance
Trent Larrieu
Alex Lennartson
Austin Moe
Cody Nyhagen
Joe Raygor
Zach Rohr
Porter Secrist
Matt Smith
Hunter Swenson
Jake Swenson
Luke Vaith
Zac Weyer
Brayden Wienke
COACHES
Kevin Black
Ryan Turner
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