Ask Cael: I will not allow them to wrestle for any reason but themselves, however, which areas would you recommend for a young wrestler to focus on?

Story Published Monday, April 19th, 2010

Question from Wertz: What are the first thing a young wrestler should be developing, beside having a good time? I have two young son, which may wrestle, they are under four. I will not allow them to wrestle for any reason but themselves, however, which areas would you recommend for a young wrestler to focus on?

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Teach defense first.

My dad ran a very successful youth program and I’ve had this conversation with him several times.  He tells me, and I agree, that young wresters should learn defense first.  Teach them how to sprawl, keep their hands and head down in their stance, and then have some ways to score points after they stop the shot. Most young wrestlers come out shooting whether they know how or not.  If you can teach your young wrestler to sprawl and run around behind he will most likely have success.  Success is easy to build off of.  Then advance from there.  I think the first move my brothers and I learned was a quarter-nelson.  After you stop the shot you throw the quarter-nelson on and put them on their back.  This sounds kind of mean haha, but I’ve heard my dad say it many times, that young kids don’t have very strong necks so they are vulnerable to the quarter nelson.  The half-nelson is probably the same.  Again you teach the kids what works and build off of success.  The fundamentals win even though they are not always the most fun thing to work on.

Offensively I would teach them how to do a proper penetration step and how to keep crawling on their knees after they shot to find a way to finish.  Getting and keeping their head up is a huge key in that.  Simple set ups like

Also, I would teach the young wrestler the shot and finish together as one move.  Most kids learn the shot and then later learn the finish so they develop the habit of shooting and stopping instead of the finish being part of the original motion.  Getting wrestlers to drill the set up, shot, finish (and backpoints if there) would be a huge advantage as well.  I have a technique clip on how to drill that will give you a better idea on what I’m talking about.

Also, when I get a chance I will shoot a another penetration shot that we learned from a camp in Jr. high from Coach Bobby Douglas. This is a great penetration shot for young wrestlers.

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