using video

[James_Oliva]

I've ran an experiment with my guys over the years. As a big video guy, I shoot everything. All of my guys matches are on video. On Thanksgiving morning I have the guys over to my house for breakfast and we watch video from the previous met and I use it to study the athlete. Some respond really well to watching video. They pour over it and ask questions. Others just want to see a move or two. It's a coaches job to find what works for the individual athlete.

Some guys really like video study and scouting video study. Other guys hate it. They hate watching themselves wrestle or they hate watching future opponents wrestle because it takes them out of their game because they worry more about what the opponent will do rather than what they will do.

I personally think everyone should want to use this tool, but that's just not the case. Your job as a coach is to take the knowledge that you see in the video and work into that particular athlete's routine.

[restling]

When I wrestled in the 80's everyone had one tape. At the end of the meet you could take it home and watch it. I found it very helpful. One tape per person would make things simpler, than trying to edit or copy for a whole team.

[Mr. White]

I only had like 4 or 5 of my matches videotaped. We didn't have our coach watching with us, we just watched ourselves. I can tell you it looks a whole lot different than it feels. I remember watching one match in particular, I thought I looked terrible. The night of the match I thought I wrestled well, but watching myself, I couldn't believe how slow I looked and how sloppy some of my shots were. It made me realize how much better I needed to be and inspired me to work harder. In my case, just seeing it myself made me critique everything.

I would still recommend having a coach view it with the kids though. I was my own worst critic, but now a lot of kids aren't like that. Many of the kids I coach now, even with the evidence staring them in the face, will still deny doing anything wrong. I'm not saying the coach should be there to tear the kid down, but a coach could definitely help analyze details and find points to improve.

[HomeGrownFan]

I agree with Greenskin that film can be time consuming. I don't think it needs to be edited down though. A lot of it depends on the level and wrestling knowledge of the kid. Like I said early our coach walked us through the first viewings and showed us what to look for and how to break it down. Once an athlete gets the hang of that most of the work is on the athlete and then the coach can review the kids analysis with them and add any thoughts of his own.

[Greenskin]

I was first exposed to it back in 1971 on b & w reel to reel machine. Poor quality but very high tech for the time. We all loved it but it was underutilized.

I plan on utilizing video in practice this year. I have taped matches in the past and have used it as a tutorial for my son. I haven't used it for other team members. It is very time consuming and difficult to edit to the point that it is efficient. It should be a powerful tool. Most kids think they are doing one thing when they are actually doing something else.

I hope its use will make a difference for somebody this year.

[HomeGrownFan]

In your opinion what is the best way for a coach to use video from previous competition?

What have you done or seen done that works well?

Should it be shown to the team as a whole?
Should it be shown to each individual?
Should only clips be shown?
Should each wrestler be responsible for their own viewing?
When should it be watched?

Is it worth the time and energy involved?

I have had it work in many different ways. As a participant I have had my coach pull up clips both good and bad and talk them through before I veiwed it and then let me watch the match all on my own. As i got better at veiwing tape he'd let me watch my own matches and then break it down with him after the viewing.

I learned so much from watching my own matches. I learned my flaws, but even more important I stole most of my offensive moves from watching what worked against me and then copying the techniques. Getting beat by the bearhug... easy turn it around and be the one doing it.

Most of the tape viewing I have done as a coach and participant is on a one on one basis between coach and athlete and not a team wide breakdown. That does not mean that it couldn't have a place though, especially if you know a team does a move really well and you want to show it in advance.

Some of my friends on the team would get together and we'd watch film, but honestly this normally turned into who could have the best throw on film or the best pin, etc.

I hope this helps.

[calotofwrestling]

Review the whole match with the wrestler also have a pen and paper that you can write down things you noticed both good and bad.You can now go to the room and review what he did wrong and show him how to correct it but remember to also point out the good things he did. If after every video session all you do is tell him he did this wrong and that wrong after the 3rd or 4th session they wont even want to be there.Hope this helped imagine you will get tons of good responses and you can find what works for you.

[eagle]

In your opinion what is the best way for a coach to use video from previous competition?

What have you done or seen done that works well?

Should it be shown to the team as a whole?
Should it be shown to each individual?
Should only clips be shown?
Should each wrestler be responsible for their own viewing?
When should it be watched?

Is it worth the time and energy involved?