Film Review

by Mike DeRoehn
Head Coach - University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh

As the new school year approaches, you are probably asking yourself the same thing I am, "Is it wrestling season yet"? At this time of year, one of my favorite things to do is review film of matches from last year. This allows me to put together a plan of attack for the upcoming season, and keeps my wrestling appetite full for the time being.

From a coaching standpoint, I look for information to help my athletes improve, from both a team and individual aspect. Initially I watch a match in its entirety and take notes as I go. After the seven minutes, I will go back and review the specifics on my notes. One of the major items I'm looking for is position. How was his stance, motion, pressure, etc? Is he making good contact by crowding the man or reaching and extending himself? How are his set ups before shooting, or is he just diving in there? Did he explode off the bottom as soon as the whistle blew? It is amazing how very minor items can make the difference in a match, a season, or even a career. I also look for things that the athletes did well. As other coaches know, it is always good to sandwich your constructive criticisms with positive reinforcement.

Once I've picked out the good and the bad, I will develop a list of things that we need to work on as a team. After discussing them with my fellow coaches, we develop our plan of attack, make a conscious effort to break bad habits, and reinforce the basic skills. We will then seek out individuals and work on their specific areas of needed improvement. It could be as simple as protecting a lead leg in his stance, or as complex as developing two or three secondary finishes when he's in on a leg but stuck on his knees. Each individual is going to be a little bit different and that's one of the fun parts of coaching wrestling. That leads me into the next segment, watching film with individual athletes.

From an athlete's point of view, it is amazing how watching yourself can really be helpful to determine where a match may have gone right or wrong. Sometimes you just don't know that you're making a mistake and would even disagree with a coach until you've seen yourself on film. Now you can go back and fix that with your coach and or training partner. I recommend drilling on the corrected position repeatedly (see Training Tips #1) and becoming comfortable with it. Once there, wrestle live situations from the position with your training partner, make a conscious effort to use it in matches in the room, and then in a live match.

You don't always have to be watching yourself either. Film can be used to find alternative ways to score on an opponent. I believe you may scout the way your opponent circles, steps, what side he shoots to, etc. If you've wrestled the guy before, you may be able to shut his offense down by knowing what he looks for. If you haven't, at least you'll have an idea of what his best stuff is. I'm not saying you have to know the guy inside out, but it's nice to recognize his habits and tendencies before stepping out there.

In closing, I want to emphasize how important film review is. I have barely scratched the surface but wanted to give an introductory look at this topic. Coaches and athletes who don't already use film regularly can truly reap large benefits from doing so. It is such a valuable tool that should not be neglected as part of one's training program. I was lucky enough to learn this early on from my high school coach and hope the strategies and methods I've shared will help you. If you have specific questions or would like more information, please do not hesitate to contact me at the above email address.