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FloWrestling Interview with Tim Darling
Link to Interview With RAW's Tim Darling after Senior Nationals...
Ten Year Old World Champs!
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The Secrets of Instant Success Revealed RIGHT HERE?
All parents seem to want it. All parents seem
to crave it. That unmistakable “instant success” paradigm. It is
so overwhelming and prevalent in the wrestling community, it’s
actually the norm. Although parents who have wrestled up until
high school or “for fun” while in college may have the
misconception that they are leading their son down the right
path by pushing and pushing him --- I suspect that is not
necessarily the one and only “correct” method.
As the director and creator of RAW 241 (also its one and only
coach), I have encountered numerous parent/son combinations.
None more compelling than that of 2 separate 2-time NCAA
Champions/sons combinations, Brett Matter and Jake Schalles. It
is clear to see that Andy Matter (Penn State University) and
Wade Schalles (Clarion University) both see the value of the RAW
241 system. In essence, these two parents (although both more
qualified as wrestlers than I ever was, were the two most
hands-off parents I’ve ever had. Why? How can parents
with so much knowledge and understanding be so patient and
willing to allow their child to advance at his own pace?
I have used the example before: “John Smith and Tom Brands will
not be knocking on your door because you have a ten year old
world champion.” They know the development of each individual
athlete is variable. Smith knows he had an Olympic Silver
Medalist from his camp (Team at OSU) that did not win a state
title in high school or become an All-American in college.
When eventual 6 time NBA World Champion Michael Jordan of the
Chicago Bulls was in high school, he was CUT from the
varsity team as a sophomore. My point is, it is a big world.
Everyone is different…we all learn differently. The fallacy that
we all (should) develop the same is a mistake many are making …
big time.
Howard Gardner
describes our Multiple Intelligence dilemma as
this:
* Visual / Spatial Intelligence
* Verbal / Linguistic Intelligence
* Logical / Mathematical Intelligence
* Bodily / Kinesthetic Intelligence
* Musical /Rhythmic Intelligence
* Interpersonal Intelligence
* Intrapersonal Intelligence
Of course, one area needed for wrestling success would be Bodily
/ Kinesthetic Intelligence. The obvious strengths of someone
with this capacity would be “good sense of balance,” “ability to
control body…” “express themselves through movement,” and
“through interacting with the space around them, they are able
to remember and process information.” Gardner conceived the
Multiple Intelligence (MI) platform in effort to explain and
simplify intellectual ability. Of the seven learning styles,
Gardner only seems to believe that Bodily / Kinesthetic
intelligence can lead to an “athlete…”
As a coach, I try to tap into visual learners through use of
video etc, auditory learners by explaining nuances, and tactile
/ kinesthetic learners by drilling. This allows me to adequately
arouse athletes from all 3 learning styles.
Nonetheless, I have been criticized as a coach because some
parents (not 2 time NCAA Champion fathers) believe that I
need to add much more live wrestling. I couldn’t agree more.
Once your son learns and executes all I have to
offer at practice, he’s ready. For now, if he shoots with his
head down repeatedly, lacks set-ups, won’t use motion, can’t
finish shots, etc. We have work to do until then.
In Michael Jordan’s book, I Can’t Accept Not Trying, he
has a chapter on “Fundamentals” --- at RAW 241, the fundamentals
are things such as motion, set-ups, stance, positioning,
shooting head up, etc. Jordan says, “the minute you get away
from the fundamentals, the bottom can fall out.” He goes on to
say, “I don’t care what you’re doing or what you are trying to
accomplish; you can’t skip fundamentals if you want to be the
best.” He professes that people look for short cuts: “They’re
looking for instant gratification, so maybe they skip a few
steps…you can get away with it through the early stages, but
it’s going to catch up with you eventually.”
So, I am again asking parents to trust in the system here at RAW
241 that has embodied excellence and simply put raised the bar
to levels I don’t think will again (by any others) be reached.
The #1 recruiting class in the country (VT.) has to thank RAW
241 for its billing. (Three RAW 241 kids are in that recruiting
class, bolstered by #1 overall recruit Cody Gardner.) Not
solely, but partially. In addition, the Four Horsemen ( Gardner,
Meade, Mason & Jones) say it all with their #1 High School
rankings.
Let your son go…”hand him over” as Cody Gardner’s dad says. I’m
qualified. Wade Schalles (Hall of Famer), the greatest pinner in
the history of the sport, believes so. Eventual NCAA Champion
Brett Matter has a dad that thinks so. Why can’t you?
Brett Matter won 4 NJSIAA titles right? Nope. Three? Nope. Ok,
so he was an All-American as a freshman in college? Nope.
Sophomore? No. In other words, time controls this. Let your
child flourish in his own time.
I suggest parents become more poised and put the cataclysmic
thoughts away regarding your son’s pace of learning wrestling.
At this point, if he isn’t on par with where you think he should
be, and you are in desperate need for him being ahead of the
curve take a page out of Andy Matters’ book, or Wade Schalles’
book, or even Michael Jordan’s book. Ten year old world
champions are an aberration. If you haven’t made a
commitment to a coach (remaining loyal) embraced that
coach’s system, adopted his contagious energy, shared an
affinity to details as he does and speak the same language of
domination --- then you are handicapping your son’s ability to
embrace the formula of success.
This is Not Your Father's Sport
The sport of
wrestling in America is really changing. The question is, is it
changing for the better? I won’t debate that here and now. I’m sure
the NCAA’s greatest pinner Wade Schalles would like to see more pins
and turns and feel the excitement that comes with those things.
Think back about five years when Lehigh’s Rob Rohn overcame a
disastrous 14 - 2 deficit to pin Oklahoma’s Josh Lambrecht in the
NCAA finals. That was excitement. It brought fans to their feet. It
was awesome. So did Mark Ironsides' comeback victory over Cary Kolat
in the 1996 All-Star match in Iowa. Ironside was down 6 - 2 and won
9 - 8 with a series of takedowns in the third period! This also
brought fans to their feet. So, what have we established? Nothing
except excitement and success has different forms.
As of 2007, college wrestling is leaning heavily towards deleting
turns from top mat wrestling. So much so that even the better top
wrestlers are having difficulty turning on top, let alone pinning
against the tougher opposition. When the best meet the best,
turns in wrestling seem to disappear. Please click below to examine
the results of top-flight wrestlers locking horns and the resulting
shut-down of folk-style turns from the top.
Full Article with Details & Analysis:
Impressed Yet?
Well, not everyone thinks the RAW 241 systems of training works… those people have been neatly nestled under a rock for 10 years but none the less… some just don’t think Takedowns can do it all. Let’s say this (or watch, I have the DVD’s to prove it), in the 2004 Olympiad, 3 of the 7 Gold medal winners were simply takedown artists: Cael Sanderson was turned on bottom and even reversed on top during his Gold Medal run. How did he win? Taking people down. The 133 lb. Gold Medalist, Yandro Quintana (Cuba) was also very Takedown oriented. His finals match ended 4-0… all of those points from 1 point takedowns (freestyle). The 211 lb. champ’s story is pretty much the same. He gave up no takedowns to his opponent in the final. Read on - Microsoft Word format, Adobe Acrobat format...
Be sure to check out Jonathan's personal Companion Site, JROCK241.com
Q & A With Coach Johnson
In this section of the web site, we will present regular Question and Answer sessions with Coach Johnson. Jonathan will discuss interesting topics that related to his experiences in wrestling and life.
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Our initial Q&A session deals with Jonathan's answers to the following questions:
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What was your most regrettable decision in the sport?
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What was your biggest accomplishment?
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What was your biggest decision in the sport?
Read on!
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Q: What is your most regrettable decision in the sport?
A: I had the opportunity to wrestle 142lbs. for Iowa State! You know--- Dan Gable, National Championships, Big 12, Iowa Public TV (each home match) etc. I was encouraged by ISU's 150lb. #1 ranked Torrea Jackson to fill their rather weak 142 spot. I opted to stay loyal to TSC's coach Dave Icenhower. That same season I lost by 2 pts. (4-2) to the eventual #1 seed and beat a returning All-American at that weight who only lost 8-7 to eventual champion Lincoln McIlravy. I feel I would have fit in very well at that weight... especially with Bobby Douglas being the head coach. (He was an Olympic Head Coach- beat Dan Gable as a wrestler.)
Q: What was you’re biggest accomplishment?
A: Being the #1 seed in D3 I wrestled the #1 seed in D1--- I won. He actually had beaten me by 4-2 score previously (2 yrs. prior) and I hadn’t scored a T.D. The rematch had me score 5 T.D.’s to his 1!!
Q: What was your biggest decision in this sport?
A: Actually trying out for the team with no experience at all- as a 15yr. old freshman in H.S. at Moorestown. I moved to N.J. the summer prior and was truly bent on football and basketball. I was on the freshman basketball team and whispers guided me to try out for the “Varsity” spot and pinned in my first ever match!
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