The purpose of the focus group was to utilize "peer group discussion" among college coaches, athletic administrators, and CEOs to develop "best practices" for protecting and strengthening intercollegiate wrestling programs through this challenging economy. Specifically, the goal of the Leadership Academy is to help coaches strengthen their CEO skills and better align their programs with educational values (i.e. improve eligibility and graduation rates, etc.).
The NWCA Coaching Leadership Academy features three key components.
-Online educational modules that help coaches understand general CEO principles required to protect their teams.
-An "in person" workshop where coaches and mentors can collaborate to customize the general principles (learned in the online modules) to meet the unique needs on each campus.
-Assigned mentor program so the coaches can receive ongoing help to overcome unique challenges on their respective campuses.
"The NWCA, mentors, and the college coaches who attended cannot begin to express their gratitude to the Academy benefactors: John Harmon, Irv Naylor, and Greg Hatcher," said NWCA Executive Director Mike Moyer. "These three donors collectively provided enough grant money to pay all travel, lodging, and convention registration expenses for the coaches to participate in the Academy, many of which would not otherwise been able to attend.
"Many thanks also needs to be given to Dave Bunning and Mark Mestemacher who collectively have underwritten all of the development costs associated with the Leadership Academy course curriculum. Both of them played pivotal roles in underwriting the entire development of the College Coaches Leadership Academy."
Lt. General Martin Steele, retired United State Marine Corps, was also on hand as the keynote speaker for the Academy. His address to the attendees was, "Making Transitions: A Key to Effective Leadership." His message was extremely motivating to all in attendance.
"This was a tremendous opportunity for those who have given so much to the sport, but it was also more importantly a time to reach out to those who will shape the future. This will eventually help their athletes, colleges, and communities to shape the future leaders of this sport," said Lt. Gen. Steele.
He encouraged the coaches in the room to seize off of each other's strengths rather than attack each other's weaknesses. Also to be better tomorrow than they are today.
One of the primary purposes of this Academy was to group coaches according to "likeness of institution," then to assign mentors to each group, and through the use of professional facilitators, stimulate discussion aimed at establishing "best practices" for overcoming some of the greatest challenges on each respective campus.
All twenty nine coaches will complete "part two" of the Academy next summer and then their graduation will be celebrated at the 2010 NWCA convention.
Coaches and mentors from all collegiate divisions (Division I, II, III, NAIA) were represented at the Academy. One of the primary topics discussed at the workshop was the importance of building relationships with key decision-making people on campus, in the community, with athletes, parents, and alumni.
Todd Hibbs, who recently retired as head coach at Olivet College and has now stepped into an administrative role, was brought into the Academy as a mentor and a presenter. His message was delivered on topics that focused on character, integrity, ethics, alumni and administration as opposed to the technical and tactical aspects of coaching.
"What I admired the most was the cross learning that took place between the mentors and the coaches. This helped the sport so much more than I have seen before. You had rivals both young and old sharing their experiences with one another, focusing on the important topics that effect our sport daily, not talking double legs and single legs," said Hibbs. "I left that Academy proud of this sport, because we worked together; we shared our faults and our victories."
There was talk of the Leadership Academy all through the convention that followed, all of which was extremely positive.
"I am very proud that not only do I serve the role as NWCA President, but that I was also selected to be among the mentors for the inaugural NWCA Leadership Academy. To be part of this group is an honor as so much was shared between the experienced coaches and those who are just beginning their coaching careers. Each and every one of us was able to walk away with something," said NWCA President and University of Buffalo head coach Jim Beichner.
Coaches who participated in the Academy came from different backgrounds and divisions, some who are just within their first few weeks as a head coach to those within their first five years.
Second-year head coach Trent Goodale of South Carolina's Limestone College said, "The NWCA Leadership Academy has been the most beneficial coaching experience I have ever been involved in. I was able to learn from some of the greatest coaches in the country. It showed me that there are many different ways in which a team can be successful, and even the greatest programs and coaches have overcome much adversity. I am very appreciative of the mentors taking time out of their busy schedules to help educate some of the coaches, such as myself, that could be the future of our great sport."
A recurring theme throughout the Leadership Academy and the convention was that no program was safe from being discontinued. The coach should be doing everything in his power to make sure that his program is well represented on campus and in the community. All intercollegiate wrestling programs are being evaluated against other teams at their respective schools. It is important for every one of our wrestling programs to outperform the other sports at their school in every evaluated area.
Tom Layte, at MIT, and Shawn Charles at Arizona State attended the Academy and both represented very challenging situations. They must all figure out a way to completely endow their programs or face certain elimination in the future. In this deteriorating economy, there are many more coaches who will likely find themselves in similar situations. The key is to be proactive with your fundraising and make sure the money is flowing in from alumni and friends before there is a crisis on your campus. Once the announcement is made to eliminate a program, it is generally too late to save it.
Charles, who took over the Sun Devils program this summer, is in a unique situation. A little over a year ago, the program was announced as being dropped effective immediately. In a very unique turn of events due to some influential people, the program was reinstated within two weeks, but there is still a lot of work that needs to be done by Charles and his staff.
"What stuck out to me through this Academy, was the ability I had to sit down with mentors and talk about how to raise money towards an endowment," said Charles. "ASU is in a unique situation thanks to Art Martori who is currently funding the program; however our overall goal is to get the program endowed. I was able to sit down with (Cornell coach) Rob Koll and some of the other mentors to discuss how to effectively fundraise for our program."
"This experience has taught me that I need to constantly be cultivating relationships with our alumni, boosters, and community right away. I would recommend this Academy to all coaches."
Tom Layte, the part-time Head Coach at MIT, is at another school that desperately needs fundraising help after being dropped this past spring. He at this point is hopefully that the funding is there and that the university will rule in their favor to reinstate the program.
"What I took back with me from the Leadership Academy, was information from the areas I did not focus on as much before being a part-time coach. As I have come to learn these areas are vital to my program as our school dropped the program in April due to budget cuts throughout the university. I need to focus my efforts to have a better relationship with my administration, engage my alumni, to grow support in the community and to fundraise at every possible turn. My goal after this Academy is to begin to model our program after more successful programs, and hopefully we will soon see our program reinstated for the 2009-10 season," said Layte.
The goal is to eventually have all college coaches and their assistants go through this course, in small groups each year. The NWCA is also discussing trying to expand this Academy to college seniors who are planning to become coaches after graduation.
Former Iowa head coach Dan Gable was on hand throughout the Academy as one of the featured speakers but also to listen to what these coaches were saying, along with giving some of his personal advice.
"What was interesting to me as an observer," said Gable, "was that I really did not see one person in that room that wasn't taking in every aspect of what was said in that 24-hour workshop. Even for those seasoned veteran coaches, who have been successful like Tom Borrelli, Jim Miller, and Jeff Swenson, when you see coaches like that sitting there taking notes and being entertained and energized about our profession, it gives me a sense of pride."
"I looked around and wished that all 265 programs were represented; it would have been a huge momentum leap for this sport, together. If you were at any point questioning what you were doing as a coach this Academy was energizing. We still have a lot of work to be done, and the key is staying energized, which will happen with these coaches. That is where the impact is, in keeping the momentum from what took place with those coaches; that is the impact we are looking for," said Gable.
The 24 hours these coaches and mentors spent together hopefully will leave a lasting impression. This was not a time to talk about wrestling and how to coach your athletes to make their skills stronger. This was a lesson in life that many situations will come the way of a college coach, no matter the size of the school you coach at and down the road seeing how to react and what can be learned. It was not about winning and losing, but a lesson in humility and sharing those learning experiences with others.
Participants included: Shawn Charles (Arizona State), Mark Branch (Wyoming), Teague Moore (Clarion), Beau Vest (Dana), Tim Homan (Sioux Falls), JohnMark Bentley (Appalachian State), Risto Marttinen (Cal State-Fullerton), Ben Stehura (Cleveland State), Todd Roberts (Millersville), Jason Borrelli (Stanford), Heath Eslinger (Chattanooga), Dax Charles (CSU-Pueblo), Trent Goodale (Limestone), Ryan Smith (Newman), Ben Berogan (Mary), Jason York (Bridgewater State), John Garriques (Centenary), Tony Islas (Knox), Tom Layte (MIT), Casey Brewster (Sacred Heart), Joey Rivera (East Stroudsburg), Joe Pollard (College of New Jersey), Mike Kocsis (Muhlenberg), Clint Manny (Simpson College), Greg Ilaria (Merchant Marine Academy), Casey Stouffer (Mt. St Joseph's), Brandon Brissette (Olivet), Scott Hawes (Hannibal-LaGrange), and Thomas Prairie (Plymouth State).
Mentors and Presentors included:Lt. General Martin Steele (ret.), Derek van der Mewre, Dan Gould, Alan Utter, Joe McFarland, Brian Smith, Greg Strobel, Pat Pecora, Paul Kendle, Jim Beichner, Jim Fallis, Ron Beaschler, Jim Miller, Jeff Swenson, Dan Harris, Jim Makovsky, Todd Hibbs, Col. Billy Walker, Tom Borrelli, Rande Stottlemyer, Dave Icenhower, Darrell Randall, Rob Koll, Dave Kemmy and Tom Kessler.
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