We are in the middle of a quandary here in the Buckeye State, as are Americans throughout the country.

The number of infections are going down in many places.

Some school systems that have adopted all remote learning, as well as cancelled fall sports (Columbus City comes to mind), have started to reverse course, announce sports re-openings, and adopt hybrid (some in-school, some remote) learning methods.

And colleges, some of which haven’t even approved fall sports (or have cancelled them altogether) rush forth with plans on filling their dorms with students.

Are we out of the woods?

Not even close.

There are troubling signs at many locations, and we may very well be jumping the gun.

Last time we got a little careless (protests and riots, rallies, big events), the numbers spiked back up.

The hard truth:  WE HAVEN’T BEATEN THIS THING YET.

I can say without a smidgeon of doubt, that we are about to see another huge resurgence.

Life is NOT about to return to pre-covid normal.  Not yet anyway.

Now that we think we have it on the run, and start to venture out to more events, (including, even more political rallies and peaceful? protests), and take fewer precautions along with way, as well as opening up schools and colleges across the country…

We are going to see another spike.

Kids are going to get sick.  Large outbreaks will happen in the dorms, and on college football teams, and everywhere there are gatherings.

As a result…

• Schools will shut down again.
• Activities will close again.
• And we may well be seeing a return to a few months ago.

What to do?

In my humble yet often accurate opinion, I think we need to CHILL.

Chill until the end of September.  See where the numbers get us then.  Right now, they are NOT LOW ENOUGH YET to resume all activities.

And, because I am forward-thinking, and the end of September marks the start of Central Ohio’s longest running wrestling club (the only one to hit the 30 year in a row mark)….

I am already making plans behind the scenes as to what ACE 2020 will look like – keeping athletes’ safety, as well as our own, at the forefront (assuming things aren't so bad that we aren't able to train at all).

The format is definitely going to change.

Opportunities are definitely going to be limited.

And no doubt, some athletes will definitely miss out due to our new numbers limitations, format and very strong health protocols (which top all others I've seen anywhere in the wrestling community)

My advice?

Get on the ACE Waiting List as soon as it opens.  

I will let you know when that is – I’m sure it will be soon.

In the meantime, there will be updates to the ACE page very soon (they haven’t happened yet, so all the info out there is from the previous year.  You are welcome to take a peak at it now though, if you’d like)

Randy

Recently, someone asked me the question on everyone’s mind:  What’s your prediction on the 20/21 wrestling season?

My answer:  
First, all schools will end up moving to remote learning through the rest of 2020 (if not from Day One, soon after).  All sports will be postponed until January 2021.

There’s a possibility – make that, a probability – of another major shutdown.  

IF we get the virus under control, we could see scholastic wrestling starting in January 2021.  Its a big IF though. 

I”m not convinced the shutdown will work.  The virus is here and it is determined to stay.

I personally despite the lockdowns, and because some of the elements are based in zero science (Michigan, we're looking at you), and amount to a seizing of power, leading to government overreach in many ways, people have been fighting the restrictions.  That trend will continue.

Example in point:  There is no scientific reason to require wearing a mask outside when no one is around.

As a result of the mess left behind, we are likely to still be dealing with this in 2021.

The biggest concern right now: 
This virus has mutations (as I also mentioned in my book would happen), and now kids are getting sick a lot more often.  That’s why I think schools will end up all remote.

Finally, this dire hope-I'm-wrong-but probably-not-prediction:  

Schools, state and local governments, and colleges have a huge financial issue on their hands.  

Many colleges will fold (some will shock people).

Colleges will continue to drop sports.

On the big stage, if football doesn’t happen – the other sports won’t (since football revenue funds the other sports).  

The end result being:  any program that isn’t self-funded – able to pay for everything themselves, is at risk of getting canned.  Penn State is probably the safest school in the country due to their endowment program.

-Randy

PS:  Regarding privately owned training, tournaments, etc.  I was deeply critical of trainers that I mentioned in my book – people who don’t take safety into consideration and are reckless.  Personally, I’d rather put the kids’ safety first – hence our very strict health protocols for the recent SuperGroup trainings that we concluded.  I address this in my book as well, especially in Chapter 4:  The Danger Zones of Wrestling.

The path forward for wrestling is here

Back in March, I said this in my book: In all likelihood, Covid-19 is not going away anytime soon. After all, SARS saw a resurgence in Toronto after its initial wave…

I went on to add this:

It is a unique time in our society, and also for our sport. A scary time to be certain. But this moment in time also provides a unique opportunity to get our act together as a wrestling community – plug the holes in our health protocols that relate not just to Covid-19, but a host of medical issues that the wrestling world faces.

In Chapter One, Alarming statistics and dire predictions by health experts, I added this:

If you think the government can protect you from coronavirus or any future pandemic, all you need to do is study history so you’re not doomed to repeat it.

As we stand right now, March 2020, there is no cure – and it will take a minimum of 6 months to develop a vaccine.
The most prepared government in the world is never prepared for a pandemic. The next pandemic, like this one will be upon us, in our communities, with people infected, literally before we know it exists.
That’s why it is imperative that you take safety measures now, and in the future, to protect yourself and your family.

Additionally, this from chapter two:

It is likely that this virus is not going away anytime soon…..and precautions enacted by authorities could stem the threat – however, variant strains of this virus may well rear their ugly heads for many years into the future.
Our lives, in essence, could be drastically changed forever.

Chapter Three explains why the wrestling world is doomed (it certainly is, unless changes are made quickly, as outlined in the book, and especially chapter 5, Health protocols to keep your wrestlers safe).

Many of these protocols apply to life outside the wrestling room as well. Want extra assurance that you’re taking every precaution to keep your athlete safe and healthy? This book can certainly help.

You can check out the book here

Randy

PS: Combine all this with what our current situation is:

• Covid-19 roaring back, in our area as well as many parts of the nation
  fall sports everywhere being postponed
  schools on remote learning
  colleges and universities, as well as state governments and business as a whole, facing enormous financial deficits (see what I said in my book about Penn State and why they are likely to survive while others fail).

Carlton would know.  Haselrig, drafted in the 12th round of the 1989 draft, despite having not played football since high school (Pitt-Johnstown doesn't sponsor a football team), developed into an all-pro guard for the Steelers, following a stellar, record-shattering collegiate wrestling career at University of Pittsburgh-Johnstown, where he won an unmatched 6 national championships – 3 in Division 2, and 3 in Division 1.

Before 1990, Division 2 and Division 3 champions were extended an invitation to compete in the Division 1 national championships.

Haselrig’s success led to the appropriately nicknamed Haselrig rule, which was enacted in 1990.  After he won both Division 2 and Division 1 titles- 3 seasons in a row – they changed the rule and rescinded the invitation to D2 and D3 champs.  Because of this, his feat can never be matched, unless they change the rule again.

After his collegiate career ended, he was drafted in the 12th round by the Pittsburgh Steelers.  

When it came time to find an agent, he asked his college coach, Pat Pecora, to represent him.

I need somebody I can trust, he told Pat.

So Pecora, now the winningest wrestling coach in NCAA history, obliged him.

Pat once said this about Carlton Haselrig:  God never gives anyone everything.

He was blessed with great athletic ability and work ethic, but cursed with substance abuse, which ultimately ended his football career and occasionally landed him in jail.

It was a sad ending to a brilliant career.

Carlton Haselrig died on July 22.  He was 52.

Pat Pecora is an old friend of mine.  Long ago, I worked his wrestling camps along with my friend and fellow coach, John.  I came to know some excellent people – wrestlers on the UPJ team, coaches from around the area, and some excellent Pennsylvania wrestlers.  It was an experience that positively shaped my coaching for years to come.

It was Pecora’s belief that every human being, no matter how great, has built-in strengths and weaknesses.  Certainly the sport of wrestling highlights this – nowhere is it more prevalent to wrestle to your strengths and exploit your opponent’s weaknesses.

It is also a fundamental key to finding success in one's life.

-Randy

My job was to chase down foul balls and return them to the umpire so the game moved along smoothly.

I was good at my job too – and it made an indelible impression on my tiny brain.  In fact, to this day, anytime a ball is fouled off I JUMP right away out of my seat (before sheepishly sitting back down amid the stares).

Old habits die hard.

One player made a strong impression on me.  His name was Johnny and he was the coolest, most hip player on the team. 

I idolized Johnny.

Johnny took a liking to me, and paid extra attention to me – even created a signal – a flick of the wrist – that when he did it, I’d be compelled to repeat it – to the entertainment of his teammates.

I can’t tell you how disappointed I was, several years later, when I heard that Johnny had been arrested and spent 3 days in jail for drunk driving.

This was devastating news to me.

Through the years I’d run across him now and then – but I never felt the same about him.

Many years later I thought about my idol when someone confided that they had looked up to me when I was in high school. 

I had never given it a thought when I was competing, that you're a role model – whether you're a good one or a bad one is up to you.

Just like Johnny had never given a thought when he played baseball.

A wise mentor once told me:  No matter what you do, small eyes are watching you.  Make sure they see something they can look up to.

Randy

which led one of my wrestlers to suggest erecting a statue of Guy Fieri downtown.

Hence you scoff, this name change petition has now generated over 119,000 signatures.

As off the wall as all this sounds, imagine the possibilities, living in a place called Flavortown.

 The following tradition, tweaked for today’s times:

Fans attending Columbus Clippers games used to sing along to this song:  “Columbus Clippers ring your bell” and ring cowbells incessantly until people threw up.

Now?

Fans could ring a dinner bell instead.

Columbus was once known as a cow Town, hence the cowbells. 

Now?

“Steak Town.”


Even the beloved Buckeyes may have to make a change to their logo.  May I suggest the following:




Scrumptious.

If you’re hungry for training, and you don’t want to wait for statues to be built and towns renamed, go here for all the delicious details.

Then come back here to register while there’s still space (some groups have already reached capacity and are closed, so don’t delay if you want in).


Randy

For those of you who think this whole “virus” thing is going to eventually slink away into to the background and life and training will return to normal – think again.

That Normal is never happening again – instead to be replaced by a normal that looks strikingly different.

One thing that will happen though.

Wrestling training can and will improve, not decline.

More training where athletes get the personalized attention that they should have been getting all along.

Gone are the cattle herd trainings of the past – large camps that pack as many kids in as possible and provide the least possible value to the athletes in their care.

Case in point:

I remember back in the Olde day, attending a camp with my team.

And the instructor was one of  the top college coaches in the country.

That camp featured amazing technique, an entertaining instructor – and absolutely no retention whatsoever.

In fact, I still remember wrestling my buddy and rival in the camp, trying the brand new technique I'd just learned – and failing miserably.

The worst part wasn't the fact that I failed to score using a technique that I'd just learned.  That happens all the time in wrestling.  No, the worst part was, nobody took me aside and showed me what I did wrong, and why it didn't work.

So I did what any reasonably intelligent athlete would do….

I shoved the technique out of my head and never used it again.

Perhaps you’ve experienced it yourself, or seen it in your own athlete.  

If you've ever implored your athlete to drill what he just learned at camp, and came away less than impressed….

You knoweth of what I speaketh.

But that's what most have accepted as wrestling training in the past..

Just keep going back to camps.  Surely you will improve simply by spending time on the mats and wrestling with other kids.

But its a lot cheaper to go to an open mat and accomplish the same thing.

The key to making real progress though is in skill development.  

And there’s very little of that in the traditional camp setting.

Just too many kids and not enough personalized attention.

Now that the landscape has changed, it can change for you for the better.

In the very near future I will be opening up SuperGroup training.  Very personalized groups of 3 or 4 wrestlers.

You can make rapid gains due to the personalized training and instruction you are recceiving.

I am assembling the groups now by weight, age, and level.  Some of the groups are already assembled and those athletes will be contacted very soon -so if you want to be a part, now's your chance.

To learn more go here to the information page

Note, the only way to sign up is through the emails (hence, no link here or on the info page.  You have to be on the list).

Randy