The Front Page
Friday, May 14th, 2010
PICKING THE RIGHT COLLEGE
By Carl Adams, 14 May, 10 @ 11:42am
PICKING THE RIGHT COLLEGE
Picking the right college is not as easy as you might think. It is a decision that will affect you for the rest of your life. There is a lot to be considered and you need to spend quality time investigating which college might be your best match.
First and foremost, it is important to understand that wrestling in college is serious business. College coaches generally have a great passion for the sport and there is more pressure for them to win than what you might find in high school. So, if you plan to wrestle in college, it is extremely important to find a college that can best meet your needs on and off the mat.
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Thursday, April 15th, 2010
What do college coaches look for?
By Carl Adams, 15 Apr, 10 @ 12:16pm
What do most college coaches look for?
I was at a state tournament this year. I was there to watch wrestlers I had already recruited and to identify new talent. There is no better way to figure out how good a prospect is than actually watching him compete at high level competition. A coach has an opportunity to see wrestlers compete in multiple matches and also learn about every aspect of what makes a wrestler tick.
At the state tournament I mentioned above, I saw a wrestler that I was recruiting throw his head gear in disgust after losing a match. That really caught my eye. My point here is that a wrestler’s character is very high on the list for most college coaches. College coaches do not want to put up with an athlete who will damage his program or the sport of wrestling. Most of us know that one bad apple can bring down an entire program.
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Thursday, April 8th, 2010
Wrestling at the next level
By Carl Adams, 08 Apr, 10 @ 08:45am
Wrestling at the next level
There are many young wrestlers that have aspirations of wrestling in college but do not have much information about what it takes to compete at the college level. I have coached at the college level for 37 years at three different institutions. In my next few blogs, I am going to share information about all aspects of preparing to compete and competing at the college level.
I want to start off by telling you that most high school wrestlers have not even scratched the surface as far as their wrestling potential is concern. Of course, there are the truly elite high school wrestlers that can compete immediately upon entering college. I would put that percentage at about 5%. For example, Kyle Dake, of Cornell University won the 2010 NCAA tournament as a true freshman. This accomplishment is truly remarkable. This may happen about once every 5-6 years.
I have found that incoming freshman improve more in the first two months of being in a good college room than they have over their entire high school wrestling career. The main reason they improve so rapidly is because the skill level, speed, strength, mental approach and intensity level is so much higher than what they experienced in high school. They are forced to improve or they probably will not make it at the college level. No one likes to get beat on day after day.
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Wednesday, April 7th, 2010
This was why we started the season
By Carl Adams, 07 Apr, 10 @ 12:05pm
It has been about three weeks since the NCAA Division 1 National Tournament and about one week since the National High School Wrestling Tournament. The Flo Wrestling National Tournament also took place a little over a week ago.
Boston University had representation at the NCAA Tournament and I went to the High School National Wrestling Tournament to recruit. Both events reminded me why we start the wrestling season. It is an awesome experience to see wrestlers perform at their best when everything is on the line. All of the inspiring pep talks about setting goals, the hard work, the sacrifices, belief you must have in yourself, the perseverance, emotions and unshakable desire comes to the forefront during the State and National competitions.
These events give all of us perspective on what it takes to be a champion. These championships should also give us inspiration for the upcoming season. For all of the careers that come to an end, we own a legacy. Next season will be here before you know it. What would you like your legacy to be?
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Saturday, March 13th, 2010
Next Season will be here before you know it.
By Carl Adams, 13 Mar, 10 @ 04:53pm
Most states have concluded their State Championships. Congratulation to all who made it to their state tournament. That alone, is an accomplishment that many can be proud of. To those who actually won the state championship, you deserve a special congratulations.
I can still remember winning the New York state championship in 1968. It was difficult but one of the great high points of my wrestling career. It is an achievement that puts a wrestler in a special category that does not need to be explained.
Many of you are still training and looking forward to the post season. There are numerous local, regional and national level competition coming up. These competitions offer an opportunity to compete in Freestyle, Gerco Roman and Folkstyle. This competition will certainly help prepare wrestlers for college competition and for the 2011 high school season.
Post season competition will help improve your wrestling and it will also teach you how to compete more effectively. However, in my oponion, the most profound improvement happens when young wrestlers attend a good wrestling camp. For example, at our wrestling camps you will spend in excess of six hours a day learning from outstanding instructors in a system designed to maximise your learning opportunity. You will also have an opportunity to wrestle live every day and wrestle against students from all over the country. My point is that the opportunity for improving your wrestling is much greater at a good wrestling camp.
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Wednesday, March 10th, 2010
What do you want to become? (Todays quote!)
By Carl Adams, 10 Mar, 10 @ 12:36pm
Act the way you want to become and you will become the way you act.
Tuesday, March 9th, 2010
The dust has almost settled
By Carl Adams, 09 Mar, 10 @ 12:02pm
There are only a hand full of high school state tournaments left. The college season will also come to a close over the next couple weeks. The grand finally for most coaches and wrestlers is the division one national tournament. That takes place March 18-20.
I have only missed one national tournament in the last 42 years. The only reason I missed that tournament was because I was out of town wrestling in te World Cup. The division one national tournament in my opinion, is one of the greatest sporting events in the world.
Congratulations to every wrestler who started and finished the season. The fact that you finished the season says a lot about your character and your determination. You have done something that by most standards, is extremely difficult.
I hope that you enjoyed your season and I hope that you were able to learn from the great lessons that pour sport offers. I also hope that you achieved some of the goals that you set out to accomplish.
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Friday, February 12th, 2010
We are different from many camps on the market.
By Carl Adams, 12 Feb, 10 @ 01:17pm
This is our 31st annual wrestling camp. We offer more special features than any other camp. We also feel that we have put in more planning hours than any other program. We did this to make sure that we maximize the learning opportunity at our camps.
Our philosophy is to work with each student individually as much as possible. We know that the one-on-one work pays off within a camp setting. One of the ways we cater to individuals is with our Evaluation Process. Our 12 and 19 day students are evaluated coming in and upon leaving camp. This gives us an opportunity to find out as much as possible about each camper before each camper starts the instructional phase pof camp. It also allows us to recommend the best program fit.
We were the first to implement our specific evaluation process. A few other camps have tried to copy our system, but no other camp is as thorough as we are with this process. We feel that the evaluation process is a big part of our program. It allows us to do so much more with each individual camper. From this process, we identify specific techniques from each of the three wrestling positions for our campers to concentrate on during their stay. We teach the campers how to drill the techniques and we also make sure that the campers are performing the skills properly.
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Wednesday, February 10th, 2010
Today's inspirational quote - Yesterday is gone forever
By Carl Adams, 10 Feb, 10 @ 08:43am
Yesterday is gone forever; tomorrow may never come; today is yours, use it to the best of your ability.
Tuesday, February 9th, 2010
The Final Grade
By Carl Adams, 09 Feb, 10 @ 03:46pm
The Final Grade
We are closing in on the end of the wrestling term. For many, that final grade can carry a lot of weight. It can determine the success or failure of your season.
Some will try to coast through and do just enough to get by. Some can’t wait until the season is over. Some are willing to do only what the coach ask them to do. lastly, some will wait until the last minute to cram in all of their study the night before the final test. None of the above will serve as the best formula to get you on top of the champion’s podium.
The wrestlers with a champion’s mind set are so excited that this phase of the season has arrived. They are more focused than ever and are doing their best to have their best possible performance when it really counts. These are the individuals that have kept their focus and want to be champions.
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