Secrets of a Wrestling Powerhouse
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by Matt Krumrie
Every sport has “that” program.
The powerhouse program that gets the job done. Names change. Results don’t. They win, consistently. Year after year. There’s several in the sport of wrestling.
How do they do it?
To start, they set high expectations, says Eric Keller, head coach at NCAA Division III powerhouse Wartburg. The Knights have won seven national championships under Keller since 2010, and 14 team national titles since 1991.
“Coming to Wartburg you are held to a higher standard,” says Keller. “The level of tradition here is unprecedented in Division III. We seek out guys who not only want to be a part of something special and make history, but also who are willing to do what it takes to reach that pinnacle. Winning championships is one of the hardest things to do, which is why it is so amazing when you do it. It takes everyone on the same page, doing their part, living the lifestyle, and striving for excellence. That is ultimately why guys choose Wartburg, they desire excellence and to be a part of history.”
Keller continues: “How each guy gets there is often very different from person to person. But the expectation is clear. Setting the bar high and helping guys see what is possible in their lives by thinking different, thinking at a higher level, and not letting them waiver from that when it gets hard or they encounter adversity. How you overcome adversity often defines you. We instill a set of beliefs in them, hold them accountable to those beliefs, and work to attain them. That is life changing which is ultimately the big picture. Changing lives allows great things to happen year in and year out.”
What else do powerhouse programs do to achieve success? Several coaches break it down.
Invest at the youth level
Kyle Martin, a Pennsylvania USA Wrestling Gold Certified coach, Pennsylvania USAW National Team coach and PAUSAW Cadet Director, says there is one thing all powerhouse wrestling programs have in common:
They invest in development at the youth level.
He then rattles off a list of Pennsylvania high school state powers—Canon McMillan, Nazareth, North Allegheny, and Council Rock. All have large numbers in their elementary school/youth programs and another common denominator: The high school head coach of these programs spends time in those rooms, working with and getting to know the kids in the program as early in their career as possible.
“Invest in the youth, and reap the benefits in the future,” Martin says.
Surround yourself with great people
Jim Jackson spent 32 years coaching at Minnesota’s Apple Valley High School and was head coach from 1995–2012. As head coach Jackson led the Eagles to two national championships and 16 team state championships. Jackson is now the head coach at Minnesota’s Shakopee High School, where he has since led the Sabres to two consecutive Class AAA state team championship.
“You must have a plan or vision for every level of your program,” Jackson says. “Then go to work.”
Jackson will be the first to admit building a powerhouse program isn’t done alone. Year in and year out Jackson puts together a talented coaching staff that makes an impact at all levels of the program—youth, middle school, and high school.
“Putting together your staff—the right staff, is a crucial cog in your program,” says Jackson. “I could go on and on about this. Surround yourself with great people. All coaches need to check their egos at the door. It’s about what is best for your team and student athletes.”
Then, says Jackson, “build positive and productive relationships with everyone. It takes a community.”
Get buy-in and support
Steve Costanzo, head coach at Division II national powerhouse St. Cloud State agrees with Jackson.
In the article the secret sauce to a successful wrestling program, Costanzo said: “I don’t think building a successful wrestling program at any level is any secret. There are several components to success that every program needs but it starts with support.”
Costanzo resurrected the St. Cloud State University wrestling team when he took it over in 2007, taking a program that was at the bottom of the NCAA DII wrestling scene - and possibly on the verge of being eliminated and building it into a perennial national powerhouse that won NCAA team titles in 2015, 2016, 2018, and was ranked #1 in the nation heading into the 2020 NCAA tournament that was cancelled. Prior to that, Costanzo turned around the Dana College wrestling program, winning an NAIA national title in 2006.
Costanzo will also admit he hasn’t and can't do it alone.
“Great programs come from a great support team such as family, friends, alumni, administrators, community members/groups, role models, mentors, and more,” says Costanzo. “Each program needs to build a team of supporters whom they can count on for help, a team of experienced and non-experienced individuals. So, start building relationships and make everyone on your team feel a sense of belonging and purpose.”
Invest in freestyle and Greco-Roman
There’s something else all the powerhouse programs have in common: They are active and encourage their wrestlers to compete in freestyle and Greco-Roman wrestling.
Martin, this time, lists off some of the top coaches in Pennsylvania—Joe Throckmorton (Waynesburg), Scott Green (Wyoming Seminary), Sanshiro “Sunny” Abe (North Allegheny), and Bill Evans (Chartiers Valley).
“All of these coaches are coaching through the freestyle and Greco seasons,” says Martin. “They do not force their athletes to compete, but encourage it and not just with words, they are at the tournaments and the training camps. Clearly, there is a connection to freestyle and Greco training and competition and success with folkstyle wrestling in the winter. The coaches with successful programs have active engagement with freestyle and Greco.”
Consistency and willingness to risk failure
Eric Juergens overseas the Young Guns Wrestling Club in Iowa, Illinois, and Wisconsin. His former college teammate Jody Strittmatter (along with brothers John and Joey), meanwhile, have developed Young Guns, Pennsylvania, into one of the premiere wrestling clubs in the nation. Juergens previously served as head coach at Augustana College (Rock Island, IL) and was a four-time All-American and two-time NCAA Champion at the University of Iowa under legendary coach Dan Gable.
Translation: He’s been around powerhouse programs at every level of wrestling.
And when you look at successful programs at any level, there are a few common denominators, says Juergens, including consistently in doing things the right way, and the willingness to risk failure to do something great.
Those who aren't willing to do things the right way—and coaching staffs that let them get away with it—will suffer.
“You can always spot the programs that are starting to bend to the will of certain parents or wrestlers,” says Juergens. “Whether it is shortcuts, favoritism, poor leadership, poor decision making, or simply not doing things the right way all the time, it catches up with programs. It comes across as harsh, but we call those people cancers. They want people to bend the rules to fit their agenda or schedule, or sometimes to make the practice more adaptable for their wrestler or the parent themselves. You risk losing a solid wrestler not making those people happy, but the reality is you can never make those people happy. They usually are upset over lack or performance or improvement, but will always have excuses for what their wrestler is not doing right. Those excuses never go away, they just change based on where they go to next. The blame never goes on the individual, which makes it hard for an athlete to learn accountability in life.”
The willingness to risk failure to achieve something great is something not every coach, wrestler, or parent will do, says Juergens. But it is an area where the powerhouse programs excel.
“You see a lot of parents and coaches try to shelter their wrestler, or only take them to local or smaller tournaments,” says Juergens. “This is great if you are talking about building some confidence in the beginning, and for getting started in a season, but I refer more to the Scared to Lose Syndrome. Learning to lose is as important as learning how to handle the success that comes with winning. Get wrestlers involved in tournaments where the possibility exists for them to lose, and if/when they do, show them it is ok to lay it on the line and still be proud of yourself at the end regardless of the results.”
Create a family atmosphere
Creating a culture of family and brotherhood is crucial, says Keller. At Wartburg, they work to accomplish this with every person who is a part of the program - wrestling managers, team members, athletic trainers, maintenance staff, office/administrative, coaches and their families, alumni, boosters, and more.
“We want it to be a family and something to be proud to be a part of,” says Keller. “Each championship we have won is special and ties each group together in a way that is unexplainable. Accomplishing the ultimate in this sport is life changing.”
Good coaches teach technique, make average wrestlers good and good wrestlers great. But the coaches at powerhouse programs also build lifelong relationships with guys who know you're in their corner for life. That's the best part of his job, says Keller —building relationships.
“When you have that special bond and relationship with guys they know you would run through a wall for them, and in return they would for you,” Keller says. “It is vital to know what motivates each guy, what they personally need to be at their best, and how to help them overcome perceived roadblocks/limits that they may put on themselves. Every guy is different. What is that special ingredient needed to help them excel? Find it!”
Wrestling is a lifestyle
The powerhouse programs get buy-in that wrestling as a lifestyle. Not a two hour practice after school and a meet or tournament once a week.
“Doing the right thing when no one is looking,” says Juergens. “Getting knocked down, and getting back up. Goal setting, staying focused, commitment, dealing with stress, learning to work for your dreams, taking pride in your hard work. Learning to respect your opponent, the sport, the fans, the very fact the sport is bigger than any one person, school, program, country.”
Make it fun
‘It is still a sport,’ says Keller. ‘Even at the highest level, it is still a sport. I believe in enjoying the journey. If you are so fixated on the end you miss all of the golden moments and little celebrations along the way. Winning is fun, don’t get me wrong, but there are a lot of things to celebrate daily. Life is short. Enjoy the ride.”
The powerhouse program that gets the job done. Names change. Results don’t. They win, consistently. Year after year. There’s several in the sport of wrestling.
How do they do it?
To start, they set high expectations, says Eric Keller, head coach at NCAA Division III powerhouse Wartburg. The Knights have won seven national championships under Keller since 2010, and 14 team national titles since 1991.
“Coming to Wartburg you are held to a higher standard,” says Keller. “The level of tradition here is unprecedented in Division III. We seek out guys who not only want to be a part of something special and make history, but also who are willing to do what it takes to reach that pinnacle. Winning championships is one of the hardest things to do, which is why it is so amazing when you do it. It takes everyone on the same page, doing their part, living the lifestyle, and striving for excellence. That is ultimately why guys choose Wartburg, they desire excellence and to be a part of history.”
Keller continues: “How each guy gets there is often very different from person to person. But the expectation is clear. Setting the bar high and helping guys see what is possible in their lives by thinking different, thinking at a higher level, and not letting them waiver from that when it gets hard or they encounter adversity. How you overcome adversity often defines you. We instill a set of beliefs in them, hold them accountable to those beliefs, and work to attain them. That is life changing which is ultimately the big picture. Changing lives allows great things to happen year in and year out.”
What else do powerhouse programs do to achieve success? Several coaches break it down.
Invest at the youth level
Kyle Martin, a Pennsylvania USA Wrestling Gold Certified coach, Pennsylvania USAW National Team coach and PAUSAW Cadet Director, says there is one thing all powerhouse wrestling programs have in common:
They invest in development at the youth level.
He then rattles off a list of Pennsylvania high school state powers—Canon McMillan, Nazareth, North Allegheny, and Council Rock. All have large numbers in their elementary school/youth programs and another common denominator: The high school head coach of these programs spends time in those rooms, working with and getting to know the kids in the program as early in their career as possible.
“Invest in the youth, and reap the benefits in the future,” Martin says.
Surround yourself with great people
Jim Jackson spent 32 years coaching at Minnesota’s Apple Valley High School and was head coach from 1995–2012. As head coach Jackson led the Eagles to two national championships and 16 team state championships. Jackson is now the head coach at Minnesota’s Shakopee High School, where he has since led the Sabres to two consecutive Class AAA state team championship.
“You must have a plan or vision for every level of your program,” Jackson says. “Then go to work.”
Jackson will be the first to admit building a powerhouse program isn’t done alone. Year in and year out Jackson puts together a talented coaching staff that makes an impact at all levels of the program—youth, middle school, and high school.
“Putting together your staff—the right staff, is a crucial cog in your program,” says Jackson. “I could go on and on about this. Surround yourself with great people. All coaches need to check their egos at the door. It’s about what is best for your team and student athletes.”
Then, says Jackson, “build positive and productive relationships with everyone. It takes a community.”
Get buy-in and support
Steve Costanzo, head coach at Division II national powerhouse St. Cloud State agrees with Jackson.
In the article the secret sauce to a successful wrestling program, Costanzo said: “I don’t think building a successful wrestling program at any level is any secret. There are several components to success that every program needs but it starts with support.”
Costanzo resurrected the St. Cloud State University wrestling team when he took it over in 2007, taking a program that was at the bottom of the NCAA DII wrestling scene - and possibly on the verge of being eliminated and building it into a perennial national powerhouse that won NCAA team titles in 2015, 2016, 2018, and was ranked #1 in the nation heading into the 2020 NCAA tournament that was cancelled. Prior to that, Costanzo turned around the Dana College wrestling program, winning an NAIA national title in 2006.
Costanzo will also admit he hasn’t and can't do it alone.
“Great programs come from a great support team such as family, friends, alumni, administrators, community members/groups, role models, mentors, and more,” says Costanzo. “Each program needs to build a team of supporters whom they can count on for help, a team of experienced and non-experienced individuals. So, start building relationships and make everyone on your team feel a sense of belonging and purpose.”
Invest in freestyle and Greco-Roman
There’s something else all the powerhouse programs have in common: They are active and encourage their wrestlers to compete in freestyle and Greco-Roman wrestling.
Martin, this time, lists off some of the top coaches in Pennsylvania—Joe Throckmorton (Waynesburg), Scott Green (Wyoming Seminary), Sanshiro “Sunny” Abe (North Allegheny), and Bill Evans (Chartiers Valley).
“All of these coaches are coaching through the freestyle and Greco seasons,” says Martin. “They do not force their athletes to compete, but encourage it and not just with words, they are at the tournaments and the training camps. Clearly, there is a connection to freestyle and Greco training and competition and success with folkstyle wrestling in the winter. The coaches with successful programs have active engagement with freestyle and Greco.”
Consistency and willingness to risk failure
Eric Juergens overseas the Young Guns Wrestling Club in Iowa, Illinois, and Wisconsin. His former college teammate Jody Strittmatter (along with brothers John and Joey), meanwhile, have developed Young Guns, Pennsylvania, into one of the premiere wrestling clubs in the nation. Juergens previously served as head coach at Augustana College (Rock Island, IL) and was a four-time All-American and two-time NCAA Champion at the University of Iowa under legendary coach Dan Gable.
Translation: He’s been around powerhouse programs at every level of wrestling.
And when you look at successful programs at any level, there are a few common denominators, says Juergens, including consistently in doing things the right way, and the willingness to risk failure to do something great.
Those who aren't willing to do things the right way—and coaching staffs that let them get away with it—will suffer.
“You can always spot the programs that are starting to bend to the will of certain parents or wrestlers,” says Juergens. “Whether it is shortcuts, favoritism, poor leadership, poor decision making, or simply not doing things the right way all the time, it catches up with programs. It comes across as harsh, but we call those people cancers. They want people to bend the rules to fit their agenda or schedule, or sometimes to make the practice more adaptable for their wrestler or the parent themselves. You risk losing a solid wrestler not making those people happy, but the reality is you can never make those people happy. They usually are upset over lack or performance or improvement, but will always have excuses for what their wrestler is not doing right. Those excuses never go away, they just change based on where they go to next. The blame never goes on the individual, which makes it hard for an athlete to learn accountability in life.”
The willingness to risk failure to achieve something great is something not every coach, wrestler, or parent will do, says Juergens. But it is an area where the powerhouse programs excel.
“You see a lot of parents and coaches try to shelter their wrestler, or only take them to local or smaller tournaments,” says Juergens. “This is great if you are talking about building some confidence in the beginning, and for getting started in a season, but I refer more to the Scared to Lose Syndrome. Learning to lose is as important as learning how to handle the success that comes with winning. Get wrestlers involved in tournaments where the possibility exists for them to lose, and if/when they do, show them it is ok to lay it on the line and still be proud of yourself at the end regardless of the results.”
Create a family atmosphere
Creating a culture of family and brotherhood is crucial, says Keller. At Wartburg, they work to accomplish this with every person who is a part of the program - wrestling managers, team members, athletic trainers, maintenance staff, office/administrative, coaches and their families, alumni, boosters, and more.
“We want it to be a family and something to be proud to be a part of,” says Keller. “Each championship we have won is special and ties each group together in a way that is unexplainable. Accomplishing the ultimate in this sport is life changing.”
Good coaches teach technique, make average wrestlers good and good wrestlers great. But the coaches at powerhouse programs also build lifelong relationships with guys who know you're in their corner for life. That's the best part of his job, says Keller —building relationships.
“When you have that special bond and relationship with guys they know you would run through a wall for them, and in return they would for you,” Keller says. “It is vital to know what motivates each guy, what they personally need to be at their best, and how to help them overcome perceived roadblocks/limits that they may put on themselves. Every guy is different. What is that special ingredient needed to help them excel? Find it!”
Wrestling is a lifestyle
The powerhouse programs get buy-in that wrestling as a lifestyle. Not a two hour practice after school and a meet or tournament once a week.
“Doing the right thing when no one is looking,” says Juergens. “Getting knocked down, and getting back up. Goal setting, staying focused, commitment, dealing with stress, learning to work for your dreams, taking pride in your hard work. Learning to respect your opponent, the sport, the fans, the very fact the sport is bigger than any one person, school, program, country.”
Make it fun
‘It is still a sport,’ says Keller. ‘Even at the highest level, it is still a sport. I believe in enjoying the journey. If you are so fixated on the end you miss all of the golden moments and little celebrations along the way. Winning is fun, don’t get me wrong, but there are a lot of things to celebrate daily. Life is short. Enjoy the ride.”
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