Belmond-Klemme Wrestling

Wrestler/Parent Handbook Coach: Leigh Jass 641-373-1612 (cell) 641-444-4300 ext. 244 (work) leigh.jass@bkcsd.org

WHAT WRESTLERS CAN EXPECT FROM THE COACHES:

Coaches will give 100% effort to increase the technique and conditioning of the athletes. Coaches will motivate athletes to go the extra mile and achieve goals. Coaches will always be available for counsel and advice. Coaches will teach and practice true sportsmanship. Coaches will treat and care for you as a member of the wrestling family. Coaches will provide opportunities for growth, achievement and excellence that can lead to success on and off the mat. Coaches will not talk about you to other parents/athletes. Coaches will not use profanity. Coaches will strive to create and maintain an environment in which the champion in every wrestler can blossom. Coaches will provide information about off-season workouts. Coaches also have families and other commitments, which will override their commitment to you at times. Coaches will be positive role models. Coaches will not accept excuses. Coaches will hold you accountable for your actions. Coaches will recognize and value the differences between being a peer and being a coach.

My coaching philosophy My wrestlers will compete with passion and desire to do their best at all times. I want to see my athletes excel in the classroom, on the mat, and further on in life. I want to instill character and build wrestlers that show great character in every aspect of their lives. Wrestling is an individual sports with a team aspect. Wrestling may be considered an individual sport, but to accomplish ones goals it takes a great team to help put your best foot forward. Every wrestler is responsible for the success of his teammates. Competition in the wrestling room is a good thing and leads to success on the mat. Ultimately it is up to the individual to look in the mirror and answer the question, Did I do everything I could to achieve my goals? I will ultimately measure success of a season by how much each athlete got out of his given Talents. Our ultimate goals and the way that we measure ourselves against others are the Conference, Sectionals, District and State Tournaments. I believe that if we focus on building the strongest tournament team that we can, then the dual meet victories will follow. This

means focusing on the individual to ensure that they achieve their peak at the end of the season. Winning and losing are secondary. I will focus on the effort of each individual during a match. Sometimes when a wrestler wins, I will be upset because I felt the effort was not up to expectations. There will be other times when a wrestler loses that I will be satisfied that the wrestler wrestled to the best of their ability. If we focus on performing to the best of our ability, successes will happen. Some days your athletes may come home from a practice or a meet and say how mad Coach was at them. They may be right. I expect a lot from them, things like respect, a good work ethic, moral values, dedication, and 100% effort. I never expect anything from them that they cannot do or need to be able to do at home or in the future. You need to realize that at times players and coaches share things, good and bad, just as parents and children share things that they come to practice and tell me about. I keep it all in perspective.

More enduringly than any other sport, wrestling teaches self-control and pride. Some have wrestled without great skill - none have wrestled without pride. Dan Gable quote

Bronco Pride,

Coach Jass

Practice Time: All wrestlers are expected to attend practice. Practice begins at 3:45. Be on time. Practice time during vacations will posted by the coach prior to vacations. If you go home from school during the day you must let the coach know. Do not tell a friend to tell the coach. Be responsible for yourself. (Room 104)

Practice Apparel: Workout gear should be cleaned every day. You must have wrestling shoes for practice and running shoes for running. (let me know if you need shoes.)

Curfew: a. School nights Study and go to bed. b. Night before a meet 10:00 Pop Rule: Wrestlers will not drink pop during the wrestling season. Coach Jass will also follow this rule. Assistant coaches may voluntarily follow this rule. This rule includes energy drinks.

Failing to make weight: Coaches decide on proper discipline. This may include missing meets. The team depends on each individual to make weight and do their part.

Grooming: All wrestlers shall be clean shaven, with sideburns trimmed no lower than earlobe level and hair trimmed and well groomed. The hair, in its natural state, shall not extend below the top of an ordinary shirt collar in the back and on the sides; the hair shall not extend below earlobe level.

School Dress: At school, pants or shorts must be worn at the waist. No sagging is permitted. This means we do not want to see your underwear. Remember how you dress reflects on all the wrestlers.

Physicals: A physical signed by parents and a doctor must be turned in to the Athletic Office before you can practice.

Procedures in case of an injury: Wrestlers should report all injuries to the coaching staff. If a wrestler has to see a doctor, he must tell the coaches. All injured wrestlers are expected to attend practice and observe and/or follow an alternative workout as their injury allows. If you are injured you may not start practicing until I have received written confirmation from your doctor stating you may participate.

Practice Procedures: If a wrestler wants to have music played in the wrestling room, it must first be okayed by Coach Jass. No spitting in the hallways, water fountains, wrestling room, or locker rooms. If you must spit, you can find a trash can. Wrestlers need to put all belongings (book bags, clothes, sweats, etc.) in their locker. Wrestling practice will not begin until the wrestling room is free of clutter. We will make up any practice time that we miss with conditioning. Never leave the practice area without permission. Always shower after practice at school, before going home. Violation of this rule will be subject to discipline. This is to help prevent infectious diseases. This means using an anti-bacterial soap.

Bench Discipline: During varsity dual meets, varsity wrestlers will stay in the bench area for the entire varsity dual meet. Greet your teammates after a match with the same enthusiasm with which youd like to be greeted. There is to be no food on the bench. Wrestlers should win and lose like a CHAMPION. Never throw a temper tantrum. When you win, win with class. Wrestlers should never quit on the mat no matter what, until the final whistle.

Meet Days: Days of meets, wrestlers will wear slacks and (team Polo). No hats may be worn. Wrestlers must wear school warm-ups for introductions. No stocking caps during introductions. Everyone will help with meet set-up and clean-up. No horseplay. For away dual meets, all wrestlers will ride the bus to school with the team.

After Saturday tournaments if wrestlers want to ride home with their parent(s), they must sign a sign-out sheet with me prior to leaving. You are required to stay until all teammates have competed.

School Issued Equipment: Each wrestler is responsible for their own equipment. Take care of it. All equipment needs to be turned in washed.

Academics: All wrestlers are responsible for staying eligible, which means taking care of school work. Wrestlers are STUDENT- athletes. Wrestlers should strive to do better than the bare minimum.

Wrestler Conduct: No swearing will be tolerated at any time. This includes practice, meets, and during school. The coaching staff will not tolerate back talk, whining, arguing, or lack of respect for coaches or any other school personnel. Any of the above could result in loss of position or sitting out a meet. There will be no use of alcohol, drugs, or tobacco products of any kind by wrestlers. We are proud of tradition, both past and present, here and Belmond-Klemme. Dont ruin our reputation by participating in these activities. NO HAZING. We do not want to be in the newspaper for this kind of incident.

Body Piercing Policy: No body piercing of any kind, including earrings will be worn during the wrestling season. This applies to both school and practice time. This rule is for wrestlers protection. Wearing an earring during actual wrestling could result in a torn earlobe. The constant removal and reinserting of earrings can also cause open sores leading to infections. Dont subject your team and yourself to possible spread of infectious diseases such as AIDS or Hepatitis B. Both of these disease are blood-borne pathogens and can be spread from one person to another.

Dealing with problems: During the season, sometimes events happen that can lead to bad feelings. All wrestlers must understand that they can come to me with these problems. If they are about wrestling then you must talk to me. Mom, Dad or your best friend do not know as much about what happens in our wrestling family, so share your concerns with me first. If you will be gone or have a problem that must be dealt with, you need to talk to Coach Jass. Do not tell a teammate to tell me. Come directly to me. I also do not need to hear from Mom and Dad that you will be gone. I think that each of you are able to handle your own schedule on your own and do not need anyone to take care of it for you. If you treat me with respect, I am a great person to have on your side. I will do anything for you as long as you respect this program and give whatever you are doing your all.

Belmond-Klemme Wrestling is a program that will expect only the best efforts from its participants and coaches. We will have fun, but at the same time we will be successful, no matter our record, as long as we give it everything weve got. Further Responsibilities: Wrestlers should support all activities at Belmond-klemme. Act responsible when watching other activities. Wrestlers should support all levels of the wrestling program. We are all one team. Wrestlers should help with the mat club practices. These kids look up to you.

Communication with Parents: Wrestlers should always keep parents informed of practice times and meet schedules. Make sure your parents know the teams expectations and understand the reason behind them. Make sure your parents know their role as a fan. Parents please contact me first with any questions or concerns.

Leigh Jass 641-373-1612 (cell) 641-444-4300 ext. 244 (work) leigh.jass@bkcsd.org

Parent Responsibilities
The Parents Role. Wrestling can be relatively demanding, not only for the wrestler, but also for the parent. Each wrestler should receive the support of his parents including attendance at meets, timely arrivals at practice, prompt pick-up after practice, payment of fees, and guidance in sportsmanlike behavior. To excel in the sport of wrestling, some off-season work will be required of your child. This may include camps and tournaments. The parents role, however, extends beyond such tasks. Matches and practice sessions offer new and unique learning opportunities for young athletes. Involved parents spot these opportunities and make the most of them. Most importantly kids need support and encouragement. They need to be able to stake claim to something positive about themselves that they can build from in developing self-confidence. Parents can facilitate this process by identifying and reinforcing strengths while helping their child see past their weaknesses. Your positive reinforcement as a perceptive and caring parent can be the single most significant influence in your childs athletic development and personal growth. Here are some additional dos and donts: Dont impose your ambitions or expectations on your child. Remember that wrestling is your childs activity. Dont judge your childs performance on the performance of other athletes. Be supportive no matter what. Do not coach your child. Your job is to support, love and hug your child no matter what. Conflicting advice and criticism works against the coachs efforts and only serve to confuse and de-motivate your child. If you would like to contribute your services as a coach please volunteer your services through the proper channels. Do not criticize the officials. Unless you have been there, you have no idea how challenging officiating can be. Expect that in some matches your child could lose as a result of an error on the part of an official or score keeper. Thats lIfe. Support your child. Dont bad-mouth the team, coach, or other wrestlers. Attitudes of parents often have great impact on the attitudes of athletes. Follow proper procedures if a problem concerning the team arises. Good communication with the coach should always be the first step toward resolving a problem.

Conflicts, Concerns, Crises It is our goal to be crisis-free. However, it is possible that some type of conflict will arise during the course of the school year. Please address concerns at the point of contact and proceed through the chain of command. We ask that you not address a coach about a concern during or immediately following a contest. o Schedule a conference the next day. o Discuss the situation in an environment that allows for the best possible solution. o Our coaches have been asked to refrain from meeting with upset parents or fans during and immediately after a contest. o Realize that in some cases, we may disagree but we must be able to do so without becoming disagreeable.

Spectator Expectations: 1. Respect decisions made by contest officials. 2. Refrain from taunting, booing, heckling, and use of profanity in any manner. 3. Admission to this contest is not a license to verbally assault others or be generally obnoxious. 4. We want to be known for good sportsmanship all across the program. Belmond-Klemme Wrestling Attendance Policy Our wrestling team will only be as strong as the commitment made by each individual. One measure of this commitment is regular attendance. Attendance is vital to our overall success as a team and to the success of each individual. When a wrestler is absent his conditioning, weight control, and technique are affected. In addition, he affects his teammates by altering the coaching staffs ability to conduct practice. Excused Absence: 1. Illness: wrestler not attending school must follow school regulations or reporting absences. Also leave a message for coaches of absence from school. 2. Illness during school day: a wrestler who leaves school during the day for illness must follow school regulations for leaving school. Contact coaches before leaving. 3. Urgent Family Emergency situations will also be treated as an excused absence. This may require a written note from home when you return. 4. Any absence which has prior written approval of coaching staff.

Unexcused Absence: 1. Any absence not covered by above mentioned excused absences. 2. Not getting prior approval. 3. Not informing coaches of absence. Consequences for unexcused absences: 1. First unexcused: verbal warning. Some type of discipline will be enforced at the coaches discretion. This may mean missing a meet. (If the unexcused absence is for a meet, you can be assured that you will miss at least the next meet.) 2. Second unexcused: miss next event and parents will be informed. 3. Third unexcused: dismissal from team for remainder of the season. Several common excuses must be addressed: 1. Jobs make arrangements to be at practice and events. Missing practice for a job is unexcused. 2. Working on a car, running out of gas, etc. is unexcused (show up even if you are late.) 3. Haircuts, dentist appointments, etc. are unexcused Practice and Competition Days: You must be at school for the last 4 periods of the day in order practice. You must be at school all day in order to compete. You must be at school on Friday in order to compete on Saturday.

Vacation Practices: All practice sessions are required, unless otherwise noted. Our season happens to span two vacation periods (Thanksgiving and Christmas). Plan to be here on days of required practice. If your family is going to be out of town, please notify the coaching staff well in advance with a note signed by your parent. Without prior coaching approval, absences will be excused.

Belmond-Klemme Fight Ladder Making Varsity

At each weight class, position is determined by series of regulation matches held during the first month practice. We will establish a ladder of wrestlers at each weight class to determine varsity, 2nd and on down. Once a ladder is established, the top wrestler must be defeated by the 3rd place man, etc. wrestlers may work their way up the ladder by challenging the wrestler above him and winning the challenge match. Once in 2nd place, the wrestler may then challenge the varsity wrestler. In order to wrestle off you must be with in 5lbs. of your weight class before practice. Challenge matches may be held during regular practice depending on available time as determine by the head coach. Wrestle-offs will be held weekly up to and including the week of conference tournament. You must first challenge the person directly above you on the ladder. After January 1, any wrestle off involving a varsity wrestler will be 2 out of 3. If the varsity wrestler wins the first match, he keeps the position. The head coach may elect to change a varsity wrestler or restrict tryouts depending on some unusual situations discipline, lack of effort in practice or any other reason that might have a positive effect on the team.

Belmond-Klemme Lettering Point System Wrestle in a varsity meet Qualify for state Varsity Win Win Tournament Mat Club Practice(80 pts. Max) Academic All-Conference Perfect Attendance Place at State 8th 7th 6th 5th 4th 3rd 2nd 1st School record Off-Season Pts. are included 10 pts 20 pts 3 pts 20 pts 10 pts. 10 pts 10 pts 20 pts 22 pts 24 pts 26 pts 28 pts 30 pts 50 pts 74 pts 25 pts see next page

300 points are required to letter. In addition, wrestler must be in good standing at the end of the season to earn a letter. 40 points from Mat Club practices are required.

Off-Season Points System Off-season points can be earned towards a letter. Points can be earned in a variety of ways. 50 pts - Complete a season in one of the following high school sports. No points will be earned if an athlete quits during the season. Track Soccer Baseball Football Cross-country Team camp Wrestling camp Wrestling Tournament

25 pts. 15 pts. 5 pts.