WIN Magazine Coach's Corner: Olympic gold medalist Kevin Jackson and the art of the fight

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Kevin Jackson sent me a video on counter-offense techniques. It was from 2019—a live video from the World Championships in Kazakhstan. The video begins with Dan Gable discussing his loss to Larry Owings in the 1970 NCAA Championship—Gable’s only loss in his college career. Everyone considered it a sure thing that Gable would win the match and finish his Iowa State career undefeated.

What Gable said in a short sentence or two summed up what Jackson and I spoke about for nearly an hour. Gable said, reflecting on the Owings match and later his World and Olympic titles, “I learned after the match that I am not good enough to win by just being tough. I got to start learning the sport a little more.”

“Gable called it the art of the fight. I really liked that quote,” said Jackson. Jackson called it “shut-out mode.” Sometimes, part of the “game” is relying on defense and controlling tie-ups, which then leads to counter-offense. Jackson admired Gable’s mindset for wrestling—his deeper understanding of the sport from watching world-class competitors from Russia or Iran.

“Those countries hit elite-level skills because they’ve developed their baseline skills and fundamentals at an early age,” Jackson highlighted. “Sometimes we teach a little backward with offense first, but not all of us have that ability like a Jordan Burroughs,” he added.

That’s the number one mistake in Jackson’s opinion—not mastering the basic fundamental skills of wrestling. “We are an offense, offense, offense country,” said Jackson. Oftentimes that singular approach keeps wrestlers from mastering the basic skills necessary to compete at a high level. Jackson looks at Japan’s recent success and is confident it is due to their mastery of fundamental baseline skills.

“Don’t misunderstand me—our young Americans making U17, U20, and Senior World Teams have mastered these fundamental skills. Their coaches are teaching these skills here in America. I’m speaking to the general audience,” explained Jackson.

From there, Jackson gave a prescription for any coach to build a successful wrestling program. It was more of a dissertation. Jackson was fine-tuned in his knowledge and explanation, similar to a surgeon performing a complex operation—detailed and precise.

A native of Lansing, Mich., Jackson was a two-time Michigan state champion. After earning three All-American honors (3rd, 3rd, 7th) at Louisiana State University (LSU), Jackson transferred to Iowa State when LSU dropped their program in 1985. Jackson helped Iowa State win the 1987 NCAA Championship after his runner-up finish at 167 pounds.

“Although I never won an NCAA title, I never lost how great I thought I was,” said Jackson. An Olympic gold medalist in 1992 and twice a World champion in 1991 and 1995, Jackson is an American icon as a wrestler and coach. He is one of only six American wrestlers to win three World and Olympic gold medals.

Currently an assistant coach at Michigan, Jackson was the Iowa State head coach from 2010-2017, coaching NCAA champions Kyven Gadson, Jon Reader, Dave Zabriskie, and Olympic gold medalist Jake Varner during his senior year at ISU. He coached three Olympic gold medalists while being a resident and National Team coach for USA Wrestling in Brandon Slay, Cael Sanderson and Henry Cejudo.

Our discussion centered on Jackson’s Basic Skills that all wrestlers should master. “A coach’s training plan needs to emphasize the importance of baseline skills and working on them daily,” said Jackson.

Stance and motion. A wrestler should maintain a hand-to-mat relationship. A wrestler's hand(s) should be able to touch the mat without breaking position. Furthermore, a wrestler can hold position and stop shots from distance.

Head and hands reaction. The first line of defense involves the head and hands, including down and cross blocks.

Sprawling, shuffling, and clearing position. “If I do the correct skills when someone attacks me, my counter-offense is inevitable,” said Jackson. The basic skills include go-behinds, spinning, front headlocks, chest lockdowns, and other counter-offense maneuvers. “A young wrestler needs to be an expert in that position.”

He went back to the idea that not everyone has a great offense. A wrestler must be an expert in that position. “I watch young wrestlers for 10 to 20 seconds; someone always shoots. I have to anticipate, not hesitate, when he does and score when a guy tripods up. It is a superior position,” said Jackson.

Controlling ties, hand fighting, attacking the tie-up, clear tie-ups, and countering tie-ups. “Hands and feet never stop moving until you have dominant control,” Jackson said. Also, Jackson said dominating the tie-up includes fakes, snaps, thumb blocks, and controlling elbows.

Penetration steps involve inside and outside steps. Wrestlers must be able to cover distance when shooting for legs.

Leg-attack finishes and progressions. “It curbs me when a wrestler takes a shot and doesn’t progress to the next position,” said Jackson. Jackson said all wrestlers should know how to finish leg attacks from all positions—low (mat), mid, and high-level finishes and understand when to transition from one to the next. Jackson said you often see a wrestler stop when he is locked on a leg and extended, and then that becomes a defensive guy's advantage (see sprawling and clearing position).

Jackson said wrestlers should learn finishes before set-ups and attacks. Something we get wrong in our country. He said that at all levels, people can get to legs. But they can’t always finish.

Mat wrestling. Stand-ups, sit-outs, and hip heists for folkstyle; that includes defending the par terre position. “Defending is a must. Scoring in par terre isn’t.”

Competing in all positions. “There is no substitute for aggression. You don’t have to be a great athlete to train to be a great wrestler,” encouraged Jackson.

The mental side of wrestling. He tells wrestlers that everyone gets nervous or has butterflies; learning to embrace that feeling matters. For the unprepared or untrained, that feeling turns into anxiety and fear. When prepared, nerves turn into confidence and excitement. This helps athletes compete freely. It’s about being “clear” in every situation. Jackson means: Can you wrestle in all positions, thinking clearly without panicking? Will you do what you know and are trained to do, not what you feel? I ask athletes, “Are you trained or untrained? If he's trained, let your training take over.”

“At the end of the day, it’s a sport. Nobody’s going undefeated in a combat sport,” said Jackson. He said that although Cael Sanderson was undefeated in his college career, he lost matches during his redshirt year and before winning an Olympic gold medal. Jackson said most wrestlers decide whether they'll lose before the match is even over. “A big part of wrestling is embracing the fight. It is the essence of wrestling,” said Jackson.

Jackson said wrestling promises two things and two things only—heartache and pain. He clarifies that is okay and should happen when you sacrifice and put in the work. Everyone will lose in practice and competition. However, you only disrespect the sport by giving up.

“If the worst thing in life is losing a big wrestling match, you are going to live a really good life,” says Jackson. Jackson knows it is a tough sport. He said everyone struggles at times. He tells wrestlers to win for themselves. It is hard enough to win for yourself, let alone for your parents or your team.

He advises parents to be parents, not managers. After a competition, leave it in the gym. Don’t talk about wrestling on the car ride home unless it is to celebrate. Find the right coach and let them coach your son or daughter. Love is stronger than coaching and will help athletes grow faster. Wise words from one of the greatest American wrestlers of all time. n