NWCA provides space for valuable learning & conversations at annual Women’s Leadership Academy
The National Wrestling Coaches Association is committed to providing continued learning opportunities and access to educational resources for wrestling coaches.
They just completed their annual CEO Leadership Academy and Convention in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. In an extended weekend of keynote speakers, focus group breakaway sessions and convention panelists, coaches were provided a space to hone in on learning objectives.
The CEO Leadership Academy curriculum was developed by Dr. Dan Gould at Michigan State with other coaches, administrators, and business leaders. They created what is recognized as a gold standard program to help college coaches, “strengthen their CEO skills, strengthen alignment of wrestling programs with educational values—i.e. maintaining solid eligibility and graduation rates, ensuring a strong commitment to community service, developing life skills in athletes, promoting sportsmanship and citizenship, etc.—and insulate their programs from being discontinued” (NWCA).
The landscape of women’s wrestling is volatile and quickly developing. “Today, coaches have to be communicators, fundraisers, marketers/promoters, organizers and more to entrench/protect their programs” (NWCA).
New coaches partake in a mentorship program and are assigned to work with a veteran coach or administrator to help guide the learning process and bookmark as a contact moving forward. And, in preparation, those accepted to the academy complete online learning modules, a 360-degree evaluation and walk away from the event with a marketing/promotion kit developed by Dr. Coyte Cooper.
Coaching is a really complex gig, so, if there’s a resource that tenured coaches keep going back for year after year there’s probably good reason to look into it.
Lee Miracle, head women’s wrestling coach at Campbellsville University, said he gets to learn something new every year. Part of what’s so special about going back, “is the reminder through the stories of others that no one goes through this [wrestling & coaching] without blemishes and adversity”.
The Academy
The first part of the event was geared toward coaches attending their respective leadership academy (Women’s, Men’s, FCA).
University of Wisconsin—Stevens Point graduate assistant Jessika Rottier said, “they talked about things people never tell you is going to be hard [fundraising, recruiting, building relationships, communication, promotion, branding, etc.]”. Which is an echo of what Miracle offered as a reason coaches should be applying for a spot at the annual event.
Even amidst the opportunity, Rottier did notice the lack of women in attendance. Being outnumbered by men in a room is something many women deal with on a regular basis; individual women can show up, but until there are more in attendance, it might be difficult for them to stand up and provide enough normalcy to be heard.
The Convention
With so many options, coaches had to strategically choose where to best utilize their time for the second part of the event.
Panelists and speakers varied, and topics to choose from included nutrition for wrestlers, strength & conditioning, the mental match, adding value to your wrestling program, technology in wrestling, the momentum & success of girls wrestling, OPC orientation, RTC informational sessions, what today’s athletic directors are looking for, and many more.
Life University head coach Ashley Sword went back for her third time this year, joining the convention as a panelist to help lead the discussion on how to build a successful women’s program. Other head coaches on the panel included Missouri Baptist University head coach Brian Jackson, Adrian College head coach Cliff Cushard and Campbellsville University head coach Lee Miracle.
What’s nice about a single space for the men’s and women’s events is that all coaches get to learn from and collaborate with each other, crossing gender lines in the sport the way that they should—as collaborators, not competitors.
- On the women’s side of collegiate wrestling there are a lot of new faces managing programs, and the shared space offers them the opportunity to learn from some of the best across all divisions;
- The men’s wrestling world gets an in-person introduction to common ground from the women’s collegiate scene, and that recognition can act as validation to current struggles & the movement that women’s coaches are going through;
- Women’s coaches can offer a unique perspective for the sport, especially if they haven’t coached on the men’s side at all because they come in able to offer experiences without the bias from coaching the men’s side.
“There is more that people need to learn about, and from, the women’s wrestling community that can be learned through the academy and convention; it will help corral fans of the sport” (Lee Miracle).
Coach Sword said the event this year seemed to provide a refreshing outlook; she mentioned being able to feel the welcome reception of women’s wrestling from the men’s side. Men’s coaches were asking women’s coaches about their stories, their success.
“Coaches from the men’s side were asking coaches from the women’s side about their stories because they’re successful, too” (Ashley Sword).
Select conversations to carry forward
Nutrition & OPC requirements: Erin Sparrold was a panelist that talked about performance nutrition for wrestlers. This brought up great questions about the relationship between weight management and women’s wrestling paired with the OPC requirement. Sword mentioned the importance of digging into the science behind weight loss for female athletes beyond personal experience. As the sport progresses, we should expect studies to explore the impact of improper weight management on the female athlete triad (menstrual dysfunction, low energy availability and decreased bone mineral density). This article does a great job explaining the triad, which is generally uncharted territory for coaches working with developing women wrestlers.
OPC requirements are only in place for NAIA schools. Other women’s programs in the WCWA do not have to abide by the OPC descent plan standards. Miracle said the OPC is the best thing we have, right now. From an outsider’s perspective, it makes sense that the OPC should be required for all active WCWA member schools.
NCAA status & the growth of women’s wrestling: Maybe the golden egg of all conversations. what’s going on with women’s wrestling and the NCAA? When it comes to the growth of women’s wrestling, it seems like everything is up in the air, uncertain and just seems to happen, or not happen. For context about what it feels like internally for the vast majority of those involved, “no one really knows what’s going on exactly; it’s kind of like being a baby without their center of gravity”. Expect to hear more from Transition Wrestling on the NCAA and where it’s headed.
All structured learning aside, can you imagine the opportunity of just being around some of the best coaches in the nation to network with? Shout out to the NWCA for making it possible.
