Category Archives: Coaching

How To Run Your Wrestling Program On A Tight Budget

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Years ago, when athletic budgets were much healthier, wrestling programs could afford custom singlets and custom warm ups.  In fact there were always a few accounts that purchased custom knee pads and head gear back in the day when they had to be ordered 8 weeks in advance.   Recent budget cuts across the country have taken a big bite out of wrestling budgets.  Many of my long time accounts have had to pay for their uniforms with booster money which gets pretty tricky when you’re already paying for travel expenses and other necessities with funds raised by boosters.  So what can you do to look sharp on the mat and keep under budget?  Let’s look at a few options that could help.

Custom, custom, custom. Custom uniforms are great because they ensure that you will look different on the mat than all of the opposing teams.  Of course the downside being that custom singlets and warm ups get really pricey.  The first way to keep your budget under control is to go with stock wrestling singlets and warm ups.

Finding stock wrestling singlets with a custom look is easy now.  Most manufacturers offer stock lycra singlets with color blocking patterns so you can save money by selecting one of these styles and then adding your imprinting.  I recommend sticking with 1 color print if possible.  Printing can get expensive.  The more colors in you logo the more it costs.  Usually single color printing looks great on a contrasting color singlet so there’s really no need to waste valuable funds on 3 or 4 color designs.

While there will always be wrestling teams wearing $200 warm up suits custom made by the leading factories you can look just as sharp with stock warm up suits these days.  Check out the selection of stock warm up suits at www.morleyathletic.com.  Tons of styles to chose from that look like they’re custom sewn.  Once your logo is added no one will know that you paid less than half the price for yours.

One benefit of modern technology is that the new headgear styles allow you to get custom head gear shipped in the same amount of time as stock headgear and it really only costs a fraction more.  So when it comes to head gear if you need to go custom it’s a great budget area to do so.  You’ll only spend a couple bucks more per head gear and you won’t run into another team with a matching design.

So it’s possible to look like you spent a ton of money on custom products for your wrestlers while keeping that budget under control.  Today’s product selection is much larger than that of the past so going with stock uniforms doesn’t mean you have to look boring on the mat.  You can achieve any look you want with stock uniforms whether you want your wrestlers to look fast, tough or sharp you will find what you’re looking for in the vast selection of products available at www.morleyathletic.com  A family tradition since 1931 and your one stop source for all of your wrestling needs.

MAXIMUM PRESSURE FOR MAXIMUM PERFORMANCE AT ALL TIMES

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Whether it’s a volleyball, football, basketball, playground ball, water polo ball, soccer ball, rugby ball, etc., etc., all inflatable balls feature a maximum pressure stamped right into the ball.  This number can usually be found in close proximity to the inflation valve on the ball.  A lot of individuals completely ignore this number until that fateful day when the ball they are inflating explodes in their hands, a scary and dangerous situation.  Other see this number as a warning only.  DO NOT INFLATE TO MORE THAN XXX POUNDS OF PRESSURE.  At least they will not have to worry about the previously mentioned explosion.  To those of us in the know however this number is more of a “sweet spot”, the pressure at which that particular ball will perform its best.  In some cases you may find that a slightly different pressure performs better to you, your own custom “sweet spot”.

Don’t think that ball pressure is that important to your game?  Have you ever bounced an under inflated basketball?  Ever tried to get a spiral out of a football that needed some more air?  Try spiking an under inflated volleyball.  Ever kick a soccer ball and wonder why it didn’t travel in the correct direction.  Under inflation could have been the problem.  Inflation pressure is important not only to the longevity of the product but also its performance.

A lot of research money has gone into making sure that the bladder and valve on your ball will hold air correctly.  Huge amounts of money have gone into developing new bladder technologies, that’s how important air retention is when it comes to inflatable sports balls.  The sports balls of today don’t require nearly as much re-inflation as they used to which is good news.  Another big stride taken against under inflated sports balls is the ability to purchase some very small hand pumps to keep your sports balls inflated to the proper level even on the fields.

Many products are available and they can all get the job done.  The pocket pump, pocket pistol, double action hand pump, the 10”ball inflator.  There are dozens of styles to choose from.  There is one problem with most designs however.  They can inflate the ball but they don’t tell you the current pressure.  You need a separate inflation gauge for that.  That is until now. 

The new Pocket Pump With Gauge offers the handy size and easy to use design of the pocket pump with a built in pressure gauge so that you know when you have inflated the ball to its “sweet spot”.  You can pick up your Pocket Pump With Gauge at www.morleyathletic.com where you will find all of the supplies and equipment you need to run a successful sports program.

VOLLEYBALL TRAINING IN A SMALL PACKAGE

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Anyone involved in the sport of volleyball knows that there’s no lack of available volleyball training aids.  Block trainers, spike trainers, jump trainers.  The majority of these items are relatively large items which makes them expensive and bulky.  That’s not to say that they’re not worth it.  Most of them have been on the market for years and a lot of coaches swear by the technique that they teach.  Sometimes training devices that take up a little less space and require a little less investment are sought after by the individual player so they can practice in the back yard or local gym.  Here is a short list of a few items that won’t drain your wallet but will still offer some good training.

The Pass Rite is an easy to use training tool that utilizes a durable elastic band that attaches to the passer’s wrists and ankles preventing excessive upward arm movement. The small, lightweight Velcro wrist cuffs were designed to minimize ball contact interference. The elastic band is adjustable to accommodate any passer’s height.   This simple device is lightweight, easy to use and helps with muscle memory to ensure proper form on the court.

The Volleyball Pal is a useful device that allows for hours of practice without the need of another person. It consists of a Velcro strap that secures around the waist, a neoprene pouch that holds the volleyball, and an elastic cord connecting the waist strap to the ball pouch. The smooth action of the elastic cord guides the ball back to the player every time. Use the volleyball pal to practice serving tosses or arm swing technique without ever having to chase a ball! The volleyball pal is really an efficient way to practice.  Not having to chase volleyballs around means more time for focusing on skills.

Like the Pass Rite above the Perfect Passer is a must for every volleyball coach. The original perfect passer was developed as a learning tool to eliminate excessive upward arm movement while performing a fore arm passes. Durable elastic bands are attached to passer’s wrists and ankles. Color coded Velcro® cuffs with symbols for hands and feet reduce confusion for 1st time users. Easily adjusts to accommodate different student heights. Made in the USA by the original designer. It’s the hand and foot symbols that set this model apart making it perfect for younger or beginner players.

Tachikara’s TB-18 “The Setter” Volleyball is a popular weighted training ball that was created to specifically help setters build hand/finger strength through repetitions.  This “pound of volleyball” is a vital training aid for teams that are serious about improving their setting skills.  The additional weight helps build a setter’s strength while helping them develop proper position and form.

That’s four training items that are easy to use, can be used by a single player and won’t break the bank.  In fact you could buy all four of these items for the price of one larger piece of training equipment.  You will find the four training items above along with all of the more traditional types of volleyball training equipment and your other volleyball needs including custom uniforms at www.morleyathletic.com.

FOLDFAST® GOALS FOR SHRUNKEN YOUTH SOCCER FIELDS

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Youth soccer participation is on the rise and with so many young players clambering to get some time on the field the inevitable is happening around the country.  The smallest of our soccer stars are playing on shrunken fields.  It’s a simple concept.  Since the kids are so small and just learning the basic skills of the game you can safely shrink the field size and team size down without extending the learning curve.  The bottom line is that you can get more of the soccer mites learning the skills they will need to play U8 level the following year.

So that’s a great idea and all but more fields mean more goals.  I have seen a lot of pop up goals out there on the field and that’s fine but they do lack a real soccer feel and usually don’t even come close to the shape of a real soccer goals.  My recommendation for leagues that can afford a bit more than pop up goals is the FoldFast® soccer goals.

FoldFast® soccer goals come in two sizes a 4 foot by 6 foot size and a 4 foot by 8 foot size.  They are shaped more like a real goal and best of all they do what the name implies… fold fast.   The best part is in clubs where the U8 fields are shrunken down a bit too, such as our local youth soccer club the FoldFast® goals are durable enough to be used at this level of play if needed.  Unlike most pop up goals FoldFast® soccer goals remain stable even when they’re not staked down. 

FoldFast® soccer goals offer durable construction and a super strong 5 mm net with 4 inch openings.  The net attaches with durable bungee net fasteners and remains attached after the goal is folded.  When folded the goals become and L shape that allows you to store a bunch of them in small space.  You can transport them in the trunk of a car, back of a pickup truck or in a van.  If you have storage facility at the field you won’t take up too much space with FoldFast® soccer goals.

FoldFast® soccer goals are also great for backyard games or to take to the park for family picnic.  They can be used for high school or college level practices and can become a valuable tool when a player needs to work on their skills alone.  So if you’re in the market for some new small sides soccer goals. If you need to get more fields set up in a small space FoldFast® soccer goals are certainly an option worth looking into.  You will find a complete selection of FoldFast® goals at www.morleyathletic.com along with a product video showing their ease of use, customer testimonials and a FAQ section that will answer any of your questions before you buy.

Save Money, Burn Fat, Build Muscle

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Everyone wants to keep in shape.  Some of us go to the gym 3 times a week others build a gym in their own house.  Some people buy DVD’s and try to get fit doing what the guy on the TV tells them.  Anybody who has tried to stay in shape knows the same thing.  It takes work and dedication.  One thing it doesn’t take is a ton of money, contrary to what Sunday morning television would teach us.  You won’t get anywhere unless you come up with a routine that you can stick too.  Believe me I have tried dozens if not hundreds of times to stick to a complicated eating and exercising routine and while that may work for some it’s just not for me.  A guy on a bodybuilding forum once gave me the best advice.  He said that what he did to get in such great shape was to make sure that he did something every day.  Just something, whether it be a two hour routine or the more likely 10 minute quickie workout.  Great advice that we can all actually stick to..  Just do something, because something is always better than nothing.

There are a ton of simple workouts that can be done without anything more than our own body weight as resistance.  No need to expensive contraptions, machines or high tech fitness tools.  So pick a few exercises from the wealth of information online and start working those larger muscle groups in the privacy of your own home for free.  No need to hit the gym.

One piece of equipment I do recommend is the kettlebell.  The easiest  use for kettlebells, and what works for me is the kettlebell swing.  The basic idea is you stand with your legs apart and swing your kettlebell straight in front of you.   The trick being that you’re not going to use your arm muscles but rather a hip thrust motion that will make muscles throughout your body lift the kettlebell and swing it in front of you.  You can find videos of this move on any respectable video sharing website.  It’s that popular.

Once you reach your maximum weight it won’t take many reps to get your heart rate up, the sweat flowing and your muscles fatigued.  I use kettlebells as a major part of my fitness routine simply because I feel like I get a great workout in only a couple of minutes.  Seriously just a couple of minutes and I’m feeling the burn.  It saves me a ton of time.   Now the time I would normally spend doing several different exercises with higher reps and sets I can spend with my son and daughter.  That’s what i call quality time.

I suggest that you educate yourself on the use of kettlebells and then start with a low weight until you can get your form right after which you should move up in kettlebell weight to increase your workout intensity.  There are new vinyl coated and even Rhino soft rubber kettlebells available to make sure your floors are not damaged.  You will find a complete selection of kettlebells at www.morleyathletic.com.