Hi 👋

Welcome to Week #62 of the Wrestling Snacks Newsletter.

I hope everyone enjoyed their Christmas—we sure did!

This week’s newsletter is short and sweet. I came across a great article about Cael Sanderson and wanted to share an excerpt because it’s packed with valuable tips for parents, athletes, and coaches.

If you don’t know who Cael Sanderson is, he’s widely considered the greatest college wrestler of all time, with a 159-0 record. Undefeated through all four years of college, he won four national championships and captured three Hodge Trophies. (The Hodge Trophy is the wrestling equivalent of football’s Heisman Trophy.) After his collegiate career, he went on to win an Olympic gold medal at the 2004 Olympics.

But his legacy doesn’t stop there. Transitioning to coaching, Cael has led his Penn State team to 11 national championships in the past 14 years. While he isn’t yet officially considered the greatest college wrestling coach of all time—he trails Dan Gable, who led the Iowa Hawkeyes to 15 national championships in 21 years—Cael is still actively coaching, and his story is still being written.

Let’s GO 💪

News Bites

• NCAA DI Rankings Updated (12/24/2024)

• #5 Overall Senior Gilchrist Commits to Brown

• #14 Junior Bechtold Commits to Lehigh

• Weekend Dual Results (12/22/2024)

• Dozens Of Upsets In Week 8 Of The 2024-25 NCAA Season

• Keegan O'Toole Defeats Levi Haines In Battle Of NCAA Champions

• 2024 Reno Tournament Of Champions Wrestling Results And Brackets

• Ranked Wrestlers At The 2024 Midlands Championships

• The third annual Soldier Salute and the 60th annual Ken Kraft Midlands Championships will live stream exclusively on B1G+, Dec. 29-30.

Snacks

This week's Snacks come from Cael Sanderson: 4X High School State Champion and 1994 Cadet World Bronze Medalist. 4X NCAA National Champion (undefeated 159-0), 3X Dan Hodge Trophy winner, and 4X BIG 12 Champion while wrestling for Iowa State. 2003 World Silver Medalist and 2004 Olympic Gold Medalist. He’s currently the Head Coach at Penn State, where he has led the Nittany Lions to 11 National Team Championships in the past 14 years.

Below is an excerpt from an article published in Deseret Magazine in November 2024, along with key takeaways and tips that can be applied to improve yourself as a Coach, Athlete, or wrestling Parent.

"Sanderson wants his two sons, a high school senior and an eighth grader, to believe they’re destined for success, too, whether in athletics or anything else. But that can be challenging. Overwhelming, even, especially in today’s high-stakes youth sports atmosphere. He often recalls his own parents, and what they taught him about the value of athletic competition. “We were very competitive. … We worked hard,” he says. “But I don’t remember (my dad) yelling at me, or being upset with me, when I didn’t win.” His dad just wanted his sons to try hard; the results, he figured, would follow naturally. Just like his father before him. “He was always positive,” Sanderson says. “And that really goes a long way.” So with his own kids — both biological and on his Penn State squad — he tries to follow that model. Because if not, he believes the result is a warped, unhealthy view of what competition should be. “You just can’t make winning more important than it really is,” says the winningest athlete and coach in the history of sports. “Because the real value that comes out of sports, and a sport like wrestling, isn’t whether you win or lose. And if your focus is on winning and losing at an early age, I think that really steals your enthusiasm.”

When those kids get to the collegiate level, he’s observed, they crumble. “Kids (who) put the most pressure on themselves usually aren’t the ones that compete the best in the big moments,” he says, “because they may have made it … more important than it really is. And the weird, strange effect is that that holds them back.” The antidote is what he told Retherford all those years ago: Train hard, work hard, compete hard — but have fun! Make mistakes! Sports are supposed to be about the act; not just the result. And inverting that formula, he believes, has far-reaching consequences. “They’re more afraid to lose,” he explains, “than they are excited to go win.”

It all sounds so simple, but the incentives of youth sports and “amateur” collegiate sports make it hard to implement on a wide scale. Even outside of sports, in any discipline requiring a high degree of expertise and experience to be successful, worrying too much about winning most often manifests as a fear of losing. As burnout. And what Sanderson tries to instill in his wrestlers is that life is a lot fuller than a fear of failure. So work hard. Train hard. Try your best. Absolutely! But try to worry less about the result, and more about what’s happening in each moment."

Origin Story Tip: Value positivity and encouragement over pressure. Sanderson attributes much of his success to his father's unwavering positivity and focus on effort rather than outcomes. This approach built a foundation of confidence and resilience, showing that fostering a healthy mindset early on can shape a successful trajectory.

Parent Tip: Encourage effort over results. Sanderson recalls that his father never yelled or became upset when he didn’t win but instead emphasized trying hard. By prioritizing effort and a positive outlook, parents can help their children develop a healthy relationship with competition and avoid being overstressed.

Coaching Tip: Focus on the process, not just the outcome. Sanderson teaches his athletes to train hard, compete hard, and have fun while keeping the emphasis on the act of wrestling rather than solely on winning. This approach reduces fear of failure and creates an environment where athletes thrive in high-pressure moments.

Athlete Tip: Don’t let the fear of losing overshadow the joy of competition. Sanderson explains that athletes who focus too much on winning often hold themselves back. Embrace the process, enjoy the moment, and understand that mistakes and losses are part of growth.

Negative Impact Tip: Avoid making winning the ultimate priority. When athletes focus excessively on results, they risk developing a fear of failure that leads to burnout and diminished enthusiasm for the sport. Instead, balance hard work with a mindset that values effort, learning, and enjoying the journey.

Growth Bite

This week's Growth Bite comes from a quote by Cameron Hanes:

Community Treat

This week's Community Treat comes from a Twitter post by Adam Tirapelle: