Last year we had a lot of interest but due to State Rules and the time of the camp, Indiana wrestlers were not able to attend.

Reserve your spots early!

See ya there.

Coach Brinzer has seen a need for a camp system that can have more of a long term impact on wrestlers and coaches. Another unique aspect of his camps is that he also invites coaches and offers a week long hands on coaching clinic. Brinzer is known for amazing knowledge of the sport. We recently sat down with him and discussed his system.

TOM: What was the driving factor in creating your own camp system?

Coach Brinzer: Camps and clinics are frustrating. During the season, you get to work with the same athletes every day, and make great progress. Then, at camps, summer, you just show a bunch of moves to kids you don’t know.

Technique is important, of course, but if that’s all it took to make great wrestlers, coaches would have been replaced by DVDs.

I wanted to create camps that were significant, and accomplished more and I realized, “For a week of camp to be important, it has to change the way the athletes spend the rest of the year.”

TOM: You had your first camp last year; do you think that those wrestlers are better off for attending? If yes how so, any examples?

Coach Brinzer: You should talk to the athletes about that; I don’t want to claim anything for them. We did have a number of athletes and parents write and say some very nice things afterwards, though, so I think I can safely say that some of them felt they were better off.

TOM: Most camps pack the kids in, I noticed your camp only has 64 wrestlers, why is that?

Coach Brinzer: Mostly because I’m a better wrestling coach than businessman.

I want to get things done. It’s hard to do that when you don’t know any of the athletes, and you can’t keep track of anybody. We can be much more effective in a camp of modest size, with a good ratio of coaches to athletes.

TOM: There is some buzz out there about a coaching clinic that goes along with this camp; could you tell us more about that aspect?

Coach Brinzer: Sure; we’re looking for good coaches who want to be better to play supporting roles in the camp. Each of our apprentice coaches will lead a team, run tests, and sit in on the lectures and demonstrations. It’s work, but should be very rewarding if you love coaching.

TOM: What is the benefit for a coach?

Coach Brinzer: They get to learn along with the athletes, and I think we’ll cover a good deal of material that’s new even to an experienced coach. They’ll also get to coach matches, and get feedback on their coaching. It’s kind of a workshop environment, in that way.

But part of coaching isn’t taught: you pick it up from being around other coaches. I can hear Dan Gable and Tom Brands in my head, for instance, and a lot of that comes out when I’m motivating athletes. You don’t get that kind of thing from study, but by taking any chance you get to be around good people.

Perhaps most importantly, though, you will not wash dishes, mow grass, or change diapers for a week. But if you tell anyone this is the real reason I run camps, I will deny it.

TOM: Will this camp help kids get more recognition?

Coach Brinzer: That’s a major aim of the camp. College coaches have a difficult time getting the information they need on athletes; often they have to rely on personal contacts or recommendations. We’re giving them objective data and impartial analyses. That helps coaches recognize which athletes fit their programs, which means happier, successful wrestlers.

TOM: What kind of wrestler is this camp for?

Coach Brinzer: First off, we can talk about what kind of wrestler this camp isn’t for. If you’d like to win, but you’re going to keep doing what you’re doing no matter what anyone tells you, save your money. We can’t help.

Improvement means change. If you’re looking for the way forward, and are willing to follow wrestling where it leads you, we can help. Having a plan is good; being able to make and execute a plan is better. We want athletes who are ready to take responsibility for their own careers.

TOM: What kind of coach is this camp for?

Coach Brinzer: In many respects, the same as the wrestlers. We want ambitious, open-minded coaches who are ready to adapt and move ahead.

They also need to be able to put the athlete first, though, and coach to an athlete’s strengths. We’re going to be working with athletes from different backgrounds, so cookie-cutter coaching isn’t going to be effective. But that means it’s a chance to become better at reading athletes, which is a vital skill.

TOM: Finally, what would you tell a kid who is considering attending but is unsure?

Coach Brinzer: First, to act in your own best interests, and be decisive; that’s part of what we’re going to teach anyway. If you think this camp will help your wrestling, do it. If not, don’t.

We’re going to talk about how to break down video; how to learn from better wrestlers, and from your own mistakes. We’ll try learning technique through experimentation. We’ll test your physical capacities, so you can see how you compare to other athletes. It’s all designed to send you home knowing what you need to do. You need to decide whether you’re the kind of person to follow through on it.

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