The South Hills Wrestling Academy (SHWA) offers programs for kids from pre-K through 12th grade, welcoming both beginners and advanced wrestlers. SHWA strives to offer developmental programs as well as programs designed to push kids to be able to compete at a state and national level.
SHWA operates to enhance what the community programs in the South Hills and beyond offer by providing an opportunity for wrestlers to further their training. We understand that the community/school programs are the lifeblood of our wrestling ecosystem. SHWA offers additional training pre-season, in-season, and post-season.
SHWA's Philosophy: More Than Just Wrestling
People can learn a lot from wrestling, but wrestling in itself does not always teach the lessons. Wrestling opens the door for the lessons to be taught and realized by athletes, coaches, parents and teammates. For the athlete, winning and achieving goals can be very important. As a coach, those goals are the carrot we dangle in front of the athlete to teach the bigger lessons.
Through physical challenges, competition, high standards, and goals, we strive to instill traits such as resilience, discipline, respect, effort, and an overall growth mindset.
The tree represents growth and strength. We want to focus on improvement over results. Athletes should be fierce competitors while focusing on effort, learning, being courageous, and scoring points. You cannot always control your opponent or the outcome, but you can control the process of improvement.
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Goals help motivate us, but more important than goals are the actions we take along the journey to achieve the goal. Those actions, and the process of self improvement, will stick with these kids beyond the boundary of sport. Goals should not be the only reason for doing something. What if you do not hit the goal? What if you do hit the goal? Are you satisfied - are you done or do you find a new goal? Performance goals are fleeting and can add a lot of stress and pressure to kids if they are the end all be all.
Focus on always improving, in practice and in competition (another form of practice), find joy in the work, and the process will add up to success. The Cedar tree pays homage to SHWA’s original location in the church on Cedar Blvd. in Mt. Lebanon.
Purpose:
- Change Lives
- Create the Best Childhood Possible
- Build Champions
- Make Club Wrestling More Accessible and Inclusive
To provide wrestling and strength training to supplement community/school programs by uniting wrestlers from different schools who have the desire and capacity for more. Through focused training partners, an elite coaching system, and a positive environment, we strive to give wrestlers the necessary skills to compete at a state and national level while understanding that wrestling is a sport, and only part of the total person.
A Positive and Encouraging Environment
There is no place for negative coaching in youth, or any, sports. Remember, all kids want to win. We certainly want accountability and a standard of excellence, but with a feeling of encouragement. We as coaches have the opportunity to help form the voice in the athlete’s head and promote positive self-talk. If we use negative words or even a negative tone, there is a better chance the athlete will feel frustrated, lose hope or allow doubt to overcome them.
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We want to use encouraging language to help them stay in the moment and focused on the task. Believing in a kid is the most important thing we can do as a coach. Most kids do not start out truly thinking they can be a state champ; someone they trust keeps telling them they can and shows them the way until they start to believe it themselves. We want to encourage and foster risk taking, intrinsic motivation, self-confidence, and ultimately a life-long passion for the sport of wrestling.
Not all productive work has to be a “grind”. Hard work does not have to be a burden. Wrestling is fun! Learning, improving, accomplishment, overcoming challenges, and feeling prideful are all rewarding things that the sport of wrestling provides an amazing and unique platform for. By promoting a “want to” versus a “have to” mentality, we want kids to feel that their participation, and their success, is their choice. Kids should take pride in their commitment and work, understanding the reward of delayed gratification and knowing that whether or not they fully accomplish their goals, the journey was actually the reward.
Advanced Program: Aiming for State and National Success
Our Advanced room is for wrestlers with the goal of competing at the state level and beyond. Wrestlers in this program annually win state championships, place at Tulsa Nationals, and compete at national dual events. Wrestlers should be able to execute our Intermediate Proficiency Test on command without instruction.
To be most effective, we will run practice geared to the most experienced kids in the room. To keep the high intensity and pace, we will not slow down to give private lessons during practice to kids who cannot perform basic techniques. We want to continue to push this group further to help wrestlers attain the highest goals in the sport. This room always sells out and will be at maximum capacity.
For Fall, input from SHWA and school coaches will determine the groups for Advanced and Intermediate after registration and the split will be fluid as practices will be run at the same time. Skill, work ethic, competition level, partners, siblings, age and size will all be considered and there is a proficiency test for wrestlers to move into Advanced. The groups will be made based on what is optimal for each wrestler’s development.
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Our high school and junior high is an intense program with elite coaching. It is for wrestlers who are motivated to be the best they can be. Training and periodization is built around preparing for Super 32 in October, the State Championships in March, Fargo/World Team Qualifiers in the Spring, and Fargo in the Summer. There will be an increased focus on these events and more freestyle opportunities to reflect a bigger commitment to more success at Fargo.
We welcome wrestlers not at that level of competition and will utilize our upstairs and downstairs rooms to accommodate different experience levels and goals. “A rising tide lifts all ships”. If you are not at the level to compete nationally, training with those who are and training like you are preparing to win big events and chasing high goals will make you the better.
Working hard during the season with your school program is a must. Champions do extra in and out of season to separate themselves from their competition. Today, training outside of your school program and making a year-round commitment is necessary for success.
Junior High and into High School is the time where kids separate themselves through intrinsic motivation - understanding that their training and effort is a choice. Parents and coaches cannot force you to be great.
Key Events Targeted:
| Event | Month |
|---|---|
| Super 32 | October |
| State Championships | March |
| Fargo/World Team Qualifiers | Spring |
| Fargo | Summer |