Hi 👋

Welcome to Week #59 of the Wrestling Snacks Newsletter.

I hope everyone is doing well. Before we get started, I just wanted to let you know that there will be a 2-week break for the newsletter. We’ll be back in action on Saturday, December 14th.

I have eye surgery scheduled for next week and need to take some time away from the computer. All will be well, and I already have a few interviews lined up. We’ll return with a 2012 Olympian featured in the December 14th edition.

Let’s GO 💪

News Bites

• How to watch Iowa State vs Iowa today: Time, TV channel for college wrestling dual

• DI Live Streaming Guide (11/21 - 11/24/2024)

• Thursday's DI Dual Results (11/21/2024)

• Friday's DI Dual Results (11/22/2024)

• Sneak peak at the 2024 U17 team title world Championship rings

• Gable Steveson Speaks on Return to NCAA Wrestling

• NCAA DI Rankings Updated (11/19/2024)

• 2024 NWCA All-Star Classic Final Results

• #10 Owen Trephan Transfers To Lehigh

• Top 100 High School Girls Wrestlers In the Class of 2025

• Wartburg moves to No. 1, UW-La Crosse to No. 2 in NCAA Div. III Coaches Poll

• Grand View No. 1 in NAIA men's and women's rankings; Life tied for No. 1 among women

• Virginia Tech’s win over Missouri adjusts NWCA Div. I Coaches Poll Top 10; Steveson’s pending return bolsters Minnesota

• DeSanto to compete in Greco-Roman in Sweden and Finland

• EIWA establishes a Dual Meet Championships, grouped into two divisions

Snacks

This week's Snacks come from A.J. Schopp: 4X NCAA National qualifier, 3X NCAA All-American, 3X EWL Champion at Edinboro University. His Senior year he was the Gorriaran Award winner at the 2015 NCAA National Championships for the most falls in the least amount of time. He’s currently the Head Assistant Coach at Edinboro University.

Below are some excerpts from our conversation, along with key takeaways and tips that can be applied to improve yourself as a Coach, Athlete, or wrestling Parent.

Origin Story Tip: Sometimes, kids who experience early success in sports can lose interest over time and drift away from that sport. Early success is not always a strong indicator of future success. On the other hand, not having early success can fuel an athlete's hunger to improve. The struggle can keep them motivated, push them to work harder, and ultimately help them fall in love with the sport on their own terms.

"I started wrestling when I was four, so I’ve been around this sport for quite a while. I have a younger and an older brother, and my older brother had a good friend who wrestled. I was always along for the ride. As he went to practice, I would squeeze my way into workouts and just stuck with it. I think one of the reasons I stayed with wrestling was because I was smaller. Thinking about the future, I knew it was a sport where size wouldn’t be as much of a disadvantage.

Growing up, I played multiple sports—wrestling, basketball, football, and baseball—keeping constantly busy. I remember my dad telling me I’d have to choose between basketball and wrestling because I couldn’t do both. I always joke about my YMCA basketball days because, even though I wasn’t great, we won the championship every year. Eventually, I figured I’d won enough and moved on. Wrestling fit me better, especially since I was so much smaller than everyone else. They called me “chipmunk” because of my size. Over time, I grew into an average-sized adult, but I’ve always been a lightweight in wrestling, competing at 133 pounds.

As I got into high school, I started gravitating more toward wrestling and away from other sports. My smaller size and the time commitment required for other sports made wrestling the logical choice. I poured a lot of time into wrestling while having fun with other sports. Those experiences taught me valuable lessons—competitiveness, athleticism, and a diverse skill set. But wrestling was the one that stuck with me.

I didn’t come from a wrestling family; both of my parents played basketball. However, my older and younger brothers wrestled, and my grandfather had wrestled as well. I had great support growing up. My family was always there, driving me to practices or tournaments, sometimes an hour each way. I didn’t have immediate success in wrestling, but I developed a hunger for it. Competing in national tournaments, I’d place but never win. I got close enough to smell success, which made me want it even more.

Growing up, I was very competitive, whether it was a warm-up game in practice, video games with my brother, or anything else. I always gave my best effort and tried to win. I appreciate not having immediate success because it pushed me. I’ve seen many wrestlers achieve early success but fall off because they were pushed too hard or didn’t truly love the sport. For me, no one forced me into wrestling. I had guidance but not someone dictating my every move.

Wrestling is a rough sport that requires strong will. I believe if you’re not naturally strong-willed, wrestling can help you develop it. Going through tough paths in life and this sport teaches resilience and builds that willpower you need for success."

Parent Tip: Guide, don’t dictate. See the value in subtly guiding your kids instead of forcing decisions. For example, when a tough choice arises—like choosing between a big event and an important competition—it’s powerful to let the child evaluate their options and decide for themselves. By doing this, you help them take ownership of their path and develop a deeper sense of responsibility and commitment. It’s about giving them the tools to succeed, not just the instructions.

"I think it's going to depend, right? One person might have some success in the sport, and some people may look at what their parents did and think, "That's the way I'm going to do it." But that's not always the answer. Hearing insights from other people is really helpful because each kid is different. For me, I have two boys, and they’re completely different. I hear it all the time from people talking about how siblings are so different. It's the same as a coach—when you have 34 kids on a team, you have 34 different personalities, and they’re going to respond differently to different approaches.

My parents, especially my dad, supported me a lot, and I appreciated that. But one thing I recognize now is that he would guide me rather than tell me what to do. I think he knew that if you tell someone what to do, they’re not going to put as much effort into it because it’s not their idea. He made me feel like the decision was mine, whether it was training, competing, or anything else.

One example that stands out is when I was going into my junior or senior year of high school. I had started getting into country music and was really excited to go to a Jason Aldean concert at the Bryce Jordan Center. My dad asked me if I wanted to go to Super 32 that same weekend... My dad didn’t tell me what to do; he let me weigh the options and make the decision. That kind of guidance helped me make the right choice and taught me a lot.

Another example was his approach to motivation. If I ever expressed doubts about wanting to continue, he’d say, “That’s fine, quit. You’ll save me a lot of money.” It wasn’t combative, but it made me think, “No, I don’t want to quit.” The decision to keep going was always mine, and that made me more committed.

One area I wish I had more guidance in was nutrition. I was clueless about dieting in high school. I’d eat whatever I wanted—go to McDonald’s after weigh-ins, for example. My parents didn’t want to tell me exactly what to do with my diet, but some guidance would’ve been helpful. I grew up eating pretty well overall, snacking on raw vegetables and such, but I wish I had more knowledge about nutrition as it relates to wrestling...

Wrestling teaches a lot of confidence, and as kids get more successful, they naturally develop an edge to them. Some people call it cockiness, but it’s really just confidence. My dad was always there to keep me grounded. He’d grab my head, squeeze it, and say, “I’m not letting your head get big. You’re not that good yet.” It was his way of reminding me to stay humble and keep improving because there’s always someone out there trying to knock you down. That constant push to work harder and stay grounded stuck with me."

Coaching Tip: (1) Emphasize more mental training and teach your athletes the importance of it. (2) Understand that not every athlete in your room is there to become a state or national champion. While it's tempting to set high expectations for everyone, it's important to meet them where they are. Understand that some athletes are there for the love of the sport, to be part of a team, or to simply improve themselves in smaller ways.

"One of the things that I, as an athlete who dedicated a lot of my life to wrestling, realized is the super focus on winning and doing well. But something that wasn't talked about enough was the mental aspect—the importance of mental training. I naturally thought about the power of the mind and understood how significant it is. I didn’t have much guidance in this area, but I constantly reflected on it. I worked to develop a mental edge through self-awareness, training my mind, and talking to myself in positive ways. I reminded myself that while failure is possible, I had a chance—and that chance was worth putting everything on the line. As a coach, I wish more people emphasized mental training because it’s incredibly powerful. 

Another lesson I’ve learned, both as a coach and a parent, is the importance of empathy and understanding. My wife has helped me a lot with this. People have different lifestyles, choices, and goals. Not everyone who walks into a wrestling room wants to be a state or world champion. While everyone might love the idea, very few are willing to put in the hard work or truly believe they are capable of reaching that level.

You have to understand that some people join a team just to be part of it. Maybe wrestling has been a constant in their life, and they feel it’s all they have. But if you make wrestling your entire identity, it can lead to disappointment. Success in this sport is rare, and what defines success varies from person to person. Surrounding yourself with good people and recognizing the interconnected traits of successful individuals are crucial. These traits support and enhance one another, setting you up for growth in wrestling and beyond."

Athlete Tip: Don’t be afraid to be different. If you have big goals, you’ll need to make sacrifices that others might not understand. Skipping parties, staying disciplined, and prioritizing your training over distractions are part of what separates great athletes from the rest. It’s okay to stand out and choose a path that aligns with your dreams. Remember, short-term sacrifices lead to long-term rewards. Keep your focus on the bigger picture and trust that the work you’re putting in now will pay off in the end.

"Yeah, ​I would say in ​high ​school is where ​a ​lot ​of ​the ​foundation ​is ​built. ​I ​feel ​like ​the ​opinions ​and ​thoughts ​on ​this ​might ​be ​changing, ​but ​as ​a ​high ​school ​kid, ​especially ​if ​you're ​not ​surrounded ​by ​like-minded ​people, ​it ​can ​be ​challenging. ​The ​majority ​of ​high ​school ​wrestlers ​in ​America ​are ​not ​part ​of ​elite ​programs, ​so ​they ​don’t ​have ​many ​peers ​thinking ​the ​same ​way ​they ​do.

When ​you're ​the ​wrestler ​who’s ​not ​going ​out ​and ​partying ​or ​doing ​the ​typical ​high ​school ​things, ​it ​can ​feel ​isolating. ​But ​it's ​okay—honestly, ​it's ​good. ​By ​avoiding ​those ​distractions, ​you’re ​setting ​yourself ​up ​for ​success. ​There’s ​a ​balance, ​of ​course. ​You ​want ​friend ​time ​and ​downtime, ​but ​not ​at ​the ​expense ​of ​your ​goals.

For ​me, ​there ​were ​times ​when ​I ​wished ​I ​could ​be ​part ​of ​those ​groups ​doing ​“normal” ​things. ​But ​I ​had ​practice ​or ​other ​commitments. ​I ​learned ​that ​it’s ​okay ​to ​be ​different ​and ​not ​follow ​the ​crowd. ​If ​you ​have ​big ​plans, ​you ​must ​make ​sacrifices. ​Sometimes ​that ​means ​missing ​a ​concert ​or ​an ​event ​you ​thought ​was ​life-changing. ​Later, ​you ​realize ​it ​was ​just ​a ​moment.

Consistency ​is ​key. ​If ​you ​learn ​consistency ​in ​high ​school, ​it’ll ​pay ​off ​in ​college. ​The ​consistent ​kids ​go ​above ​and ​beyond ​expectations. ​They ​may ​not ​be ​the ​most ​talented, ​but ​their ​effort, ​nutrition, ​sleep, ​and ​work ​ethic ​make ​them ​stand ​out. ​Those ​are ​the ​kids ​who ​flourish ​and ​achieve ​more ​than ​expected.

Some ​kids ​don’t ​come ​from ​elite ​programs ​or ​get ​proper ​guidance ​early ​on. ​They ​might ​be ​average ​wrestlers ​in ​high ​school, ​but ​something ​clicks ​in ​college. ​They ​realize ​if ​they ​put ​in ​the ​time, ​they ​can ​excel. ​These ​kids ​are ​fun ​to ​coach ​because ​their ​progress ​is ​so ​drastic. ​They ​go ​from ​being ​state ​qualifiers ​to ​placing ​nationally.

It’s ​inspiring ​to ​watch ​them ​grow. ​They ​weren’t ​expected ​to ​be ​starters, ​but ​they ​become ​top ​10 ​or ​top ​15 ​wrestlers. ​Their ​journey ​shows ​that ​dedication ​and ​consistency ​can ​outshine ​natural ​talent ​over ​time."

Negative Impact Tip: (1) Excessive weight cutting can drain the love for wrestling, consuming thoughts and energy while affecting performance and relationships. Compete at your natural weight class and focus on getting better at wrestling. (2) Parents, let kids take ownership of their journey. Over-involvement can hinder independence and accountability. Passion for wrestling needs to come from within, not from external pressure. Balance support with space for growth.

"So, two things come to mind. One is weight, and it's probably talked about a lot. I was someone who, as a freshman, didn’t cut weight. As a senior in high school, I didn’t cut weight. But during my sophomore and junior years, I did cut weight. You can still have some success, but you don’t enjoy it. You don’t have fun. The only thing you think about, as any wrestler who has experienced it can attest, is food, weighing in, and how much weight you need to lose.

You’re constantly focused on whether you can or can’t have certain foods. You’re watching the Food Network, and it just consumes your mind. Sometimes I would think, “I really wish I didn’t have to weigh in because this is horrible.” It’s a bad place for wrestlers to be, especially when kids aren’t guided properly or are taught the wrong way to cut weight. For high school and younger wrestlers, I’d advise not cutting a ton of weight unless you’re a high-level wrestler with proper guidance.

If you have help, that’s great—bring your weight down slowly and maintain it. But a lot of people don’t know how to do it right. They end up with their weight going up and down, which is bad for their body, mind, and love for the sport. It can even impact relationships because you’re grumpy during that time. Many elite high school wrestlers could go up a weight or two and still compete just as well. They’d be bettering themselves for the future and preparing for college.

When you’re not cutting weight excessively, you walk into practice thinking about improving your skills, not about how much weight you need to lose. Cutting weight can consume your thoughts—how many sweats you have, how much more weight you need to lose. It’s constant. When I had bad weight-cutting seasons, I wasn’t alone in those thoughts, and I think many wrestlers feel the same...

The second thing is about relationships, particularly with parents. In my nine or ten years of coaching college wrestling, I’ve noticed that kids who don’t perform well often have unhealthy relationships with their parents. Sometimes parents love the sport more than the wrestler does. When the wrestler goes off to college, they might struggle because their parents were the ones driving their commitment, not the athlete themselves.

Kids need to learn accountability and how to do things on their own. They need to fail and realize that failure is on them. A lot of pressure often comes from well-meaning parents, especially fathers. They think they’re helping, but sometimes they do too much. Each generation tries to make things better for the next, but sometimes, in doing so, they make things harder for the athlete to develop independence and passion on their own terms."

Wrestling Growth Tip: Focus on the team dynamic to grow wrestling. Fans rally behind teams, creating energy and excitement that individuals alone can't achieve. Dual meets bring people together, building engagement and momentum. When fans are invested, they share, post, and promote the sport, drawing in new audiences and generating buzz. Incorporating more team-centered events could help wrestling expand its reach.

"I was thinking about this recently with some people a week or two ago. It’s hard because the team aspect is what people often get most excited about. A lot of the bigger events of the year have some kind of team component. Wrestlers alone aren’t what make the events successful—it’s the fans. When you get the fans involved, everything grows. Fans are the ones buying subscriptions or attending events, and that’s what makes these moments super fun and helps grow wrestling as a sport.

Something like a dual meet really brings people together. People want to rally around a team; they want to support and root for their team. In my college career at Edinboro, it was amazing to look up into the crowd at NCAAs and see a whole sea of red. I would point to them, and they would stand up and go crazy. That team atmosphere is incredible, whether people are rooting for or against you. It’s what makes events more engaging and gets people talking about them, posting about them on social media, and building excitement.

When there’s a team element, whether it’s a dual meet or a team championship, fans get more invested. Sure, people will support certain individuals, but a team dynamic attracts far more engagement. That’s when the sport gains momentum and more attention. I haven’t delved too deeply into the specifics, but it seems like incorporating a team aspect, like a dual meet or team championship, is key to growing the sport.

Even small moments of wrestling exposure in the mainstream, like in TV shows or movies, are exciting. I’ll see someone wearing a wrestling hoodie and think, “Hey, that’s awesome!” Even silly representations, like headgear and singlets in The Big Bang Theory or A.C. Slater wrestling in Saved by the Bell, make me think, “Cool, wrestling is getting some attention.” Of course, I wish the sport was highlighted in a more meaningful way, but any exposure helps.

Something like a dual meet national championship could really bring people together. I think it’s great that the sport is trying new things. Years ago, we were supposed to have a big event at Viking Stadium, and now NCAA wrestling is heading back to Minneapolis in 2028. I think that’s awesome, and it’s these kinds of initiatives that can elevate wrestling to the next level."

Growth Bite

This week's Growth Bite comes from ultra-endurance athlete Rich Roll. His words resonated with me this week as I’ve been wrestling with self-doubt. Hopefully, they can add some fuel to your fire if you're pushing through obstacles on your journey to accomplishing something important to you or your family.

"Keep running. Never give up. And watch your kite soar."

Community Treat

This week's Community Treat comes from Bloodround Wrestling. It gave me a good laugh when I saw it! If you’re not too familiar with college wrestling, it might go over your head—but if you know, you know: