Wrestling Drill Book
In May of 2003, I was approached and commissioned by Human Kinetics Publishing Company to edit the Wrestling Drill Book. For those of you who are not familiar with Human Kinetics, it is the largest sports and fitness publisher in the world. It has offices in the United States, England, New Zealand, and Australia.
This has been a two-year project in which it was my responsibility to contact and contract high school and college coaches as chapter authors from around the nation. This in itself was a challenge soliciting experts in the various aspects of the mat sport. I am pleased to say that we have accomplished this goal.
The projected publication date is July 2005. Upon the book's publication, the Wheeling News-Register will highlight the wrestling volume in a detailed article, explaining its benefits to wrestlers, coaches and parents. It will be available in such bookstores as Walden's, Barnes and Noble, Borders, etc. locally and across the country.
Below is the basic outline of the contents of this unique wrestling resource book and the authors (along with brief biographies) for each chapter:
Wrestling Drill Book
Chapter One - "Essential Movement Drills" is developed by Bill Archer, the ultra-successful West Virginia coach at Huntington High School. Most recently, Coach Archer was selected as the National Wrestling Coach of the Year by the National High School Coaches Association. In 2004, Bill Archer was also inducted into the Marshall University Athletic Hall of Fame.This most recent mat sport writing adventure has been a labor of love for me. But more importantly, this book is filled with a plethora of diverse drills (and moves) that will definitely assist coaches from the youth to college levels.
Chapter Two - "Takedown Drills" is authored by Dave LaMotte from Arizona and former Bridgeport (Ohio) High School coach. Coach LaMotte was a 1979 NAIA National Champion and has produced state championship teams in both Ohio and Arizona.
Chapter Three - "Escape and Reversal Drills" is written by Pat Pecora, head wrestling coach at Pitt-Johnstown University. He has produced two Division II National Championship Teams, numerous national champs, and has been voted the Division II National Coach of the year twice. In 2003, Coach Pat Pecora was inducted into the Division II National Wrestling Hall of Fame.
Chapter Four - "Riding Drills" is authored by Edwin C. Peery, former wrestling coach at the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland. He is the third member of college wrestling's first family. Coach Ed Peery, along with his older brother Hugh and late father, Rex, all won three NCAA National Championships a piece, and are distinguished members in the National Wrestling Hall of Fame at Stillwater, Oklahoma. What more has to be said about this amazing wrestling lineage.
Chapter Five - "Pinning Combination Drills" is co-authored by West Virginia University All-American Jim Akerly and his college coach, Craig Turnbull, the University's all-time winningest wrestling coach. Coach Turnbull's teams have consistently been among the top-ten teams in Division I wrestling. He has also produced the most national champs in the school's history.
Chapter Six - "Conditioning Drills" is developed by Ken Taylor, an expert in the areas of strength and conditioning activities from Colorado. Coach Taylor has produced many state champions and was voted by his colleagues as a Colorado State Wrestling Coach of the Year. Also, an outstanding nationally-recognized wrestling official, Coach Taylor was a former national runner-up in the NAIA Championships.
Chapters Seven and Eight - "In-Season Practice Workouts" and "Off-Season Activities" is written by yours truly. I have penned the knowledge I acquired as a wrestler, coach, official, and wrestling writer over the last 50 years. I am the youngest member of Pennsylvania high school wrestling's first family of District Four. Cousin Harold Welker was a state champion in 1938 at the initial Keystone state mat championships held in Penn State's "Rec Hall." In 1959 and 1963 respectively, my brother Floyd and I were also blessed with accomplishing the same feat.