Summer in Charlottesville with UVA Wrestling

July 28, 2015

While some might think that late July is the offseason for Division I wrestlers and coaches, the reality is this is a crucial time of year.  Any college coaching staff with high goals is hot on the recruiting trail once rising juniors are allowed to be contacted after July 1st.  This significant date is followed by Fargo, which is held during the third week of July every summer.  Throw in some summer camps in late June and early July and you have a whirlwind of activity that make this part of the summer one of the busiest times of the year in college wrestling.

With Fargo in my rear view mirror, I decided to make the hour drive from Richmond to Charlottesville to catch up with my high school coach, Steve Castle, who was leading a teaching seminar at St. Anne's Belfield School.  Yesterday morning I touched base with Coach Steve Garland and asked if I could swing by the UVA room.  In typical Garland fashion, he replied with a simple "bring it on!"

June through August allows most college wrestlers to continue training without the rigors of the academic year and in-season competition schedules.  During my short visit hour long in the room, I saw Will Mason, Chris Yankowich, Tyler Askey, Corbin Allen, Ethan Hayes, Justin Van Hoose, Zac Watson, Cam Perry, Fox Baldwin and Patrick Gillen come in to get individual drills.  Each of these drill sessions was concentrated on one or two positions and did not last more than an hour.  Some finished with a few live goes, but most focused on the technique and the details in each position. Earlier in the day, these guys came in for an AM lift then went to class or a part-time job.  

While this routine does not sound terribly taxing, the key to this plan rests in how consistent each athlete is over the course of the summer.  Judging the morale and conversations Coach Garland had with the guys, it's fair to say this was just another day at the office for these Wahoo wrestlers who have spent the entire summer in Charlottesville, focused on getting better.  The formula to finding success in our sport at very high level is non complicated, it's just too hard for most people.