Wrestling makes us mentally strong and independent.  When our coach asks us to run through a wall we simply ask "Head first or shoulder first?"  However, we tend to believe that we don't need any help when it comes to running our program.  We can do it all ourselves.  We did it as competitors and we'll do it as coaches- or CEO's- of our program.  I can do it all. I NEED to do it all.

If you think of your program as a business executive thinks of his business then you will see that you shouldn't do it all.  You probably have a to-do list a mile long and only get 60% of it done if you're lucky.  THAT IS WHAT'S HOLDING YOU BACK.   Where is your time best spent?  What tasks can only you do?  What tasks should only you do? 

Running practices?  Then spend your time developing the best practices possible!
Planning the season?  Then develop a season plan and make sure your program is adhering to it on a daily, weekly and monthly basis.
Administrating? Then fill out the forms your admin wants in a timely manner!
Fund Raising?  Then plan and implement it flawlessly.
Marketing?  Then build a marketing plan, consult an expert and make a difference!
Recruiting?  Then think about the best ways to do it, plan it out and get after it in a big way!

Is there a better way?  Can someone else do some of these tasks?  Sure, they may not do it as good as you do- in fact they won't do it as well as you do.  Accept that and move on.  The fact is that your program will be better off with you doing the tasks that YOU have to do. 

I hear the excuse already...  you don't have anyone to help. If you don't have an assistant then what about a manager, an intern, a teacher whose class needs a project, an alumnus, a booster, your wife, your kids, the annoying local die-hard wrestling fan that has been asking how he can help.  It's only an obstacle and you're a wrestler- figure it out.

Or you can stay where you are, continue working hard instead of smart and operate at 60% capacity. 

The National Wrestling Coaches Convention last month had a discernable theme of helping coaches run their program as if they were the CEO.  The idea is that they don't have to do everything- they just have to oversee everything.  This means different things depending on whether you're a D1 coach in the Big Ten vs. a D3 coach vs a high school coach.  You may have paid assistants or you may be a volunteer head coach.  Regardless, if you find ways to leverage the time and resources of those around you then you'll be able to get more done.  More coaching, more fundraising, more promoting.... more everything. 

For this reason leadership are more important to coaches than simly knowing how to do a single leg. Learn to lead- your athletes, your fans, your staff- and you'll be a more effective coach. 

Action steps:

1. Define the human resources that you have available to you (staff, students, volunteers, friends in key positions). Get creative here.  Is there a business class that requires students to do a field experience? 
2. Define a job description for this person.
3. Make it a win-win.  Think "wifm"... what's in it for me.  Put yourself in their shoes.  Create an environment where they want to help.

The first ever WWR National Web Wrestling Coaches Clinic is a great way to leverage your time.  Learn from the best while sitting at home or in your office. 

Jim Harshaw

"The greater the problem, the greater the chaos, the greater the opportunity"

There is a problem in wrestling.  Maybe several.  The one on which I choose to focus is the lack of marketing of our sport.  The lack of an organized system to market our sport.  Sure... I've seen your efforts... you run a promotion and it kinda works.  You call the newspaper and maybe you get an article.  You start a blog, post for a month and then trail off. 
There is chaos.... or at least a lack of a system.  This is a GREAT OPPORTUNITY for you and your program and all of those that care for your program!

End the chaos.  Create a system then hand it off.  If that is too daunting, ask us to help. 

(Quote Credit: either Tony Perkins, CEO of AlwaysOn; Tim Draper, Founder and Managing Director of Draper, Fisher Jurvetson; and Michael Moe, Founding Partner of ThinkEquity.... they were all talking on a podcast and I couldn't tell which one said it!)

"With great power comes great responsibility" Stan Lee, creator of Spiderman

In practical terms what does that mean to you and I?  Well, if you're the coach then you hold the reins to your program- not just teaching single legs and double legs.  But being the leader of your alumni, your fan base, your athletes, your parents.  How do you lead them?  You lead best by serving. 

A few weeks ago our pastor talked about how the Roman soldiers used to be able to basically comandeer citizens to carry their heavy hear- sword, shield, etc. for one mile.  During that mile the soldier is in charge.  At the end of that mile he would take the gear back and continue on his way.  What if the citizen said, "No, I will continue to carry your gear for another mile."  Who is in charge that second mile?  
Exactly.  You become a leader by serving. 
Serve your people. 

Make it easy for them to be a fan.  Create a Facebook page.  Create a blog.  Add video content to your page.  Send press releases regularly to the media.  Create fun and exciting events to bring them together.

What's that?  You're too busy already?   Well, yes.  I know.  Coaching is more time consuming and difficult than anyone outside the profession will ever know (except the spouses).  That's why you need systems to grow.  Just like any successful business.  It's not run by the seat of the owner's pants.  It's run by systems.  That's why the Riot is so successful.  It's built on systems.

Ray Kroc has not been to all 28,000 McDonald's.  Nor did he create the first McDonald's burger.  What he did was discover a great idea, created a series of systems that enabled him to repeat what was being done on a vastly profitable scale.

What about you?  What's holding you back in your program?  Where is your weakness?  What do you know how to do but hate doing?  Do it once and write down the steps.  Now you have a system.  Do it 3 more times and re-write your system as necessary.  Then, pass it on to someone else. 

You know that your program needs to be marketed.  Create the systems to grow your program.... because it takes more than teaching single leg takedowns.