The benefits of wrestling for a football player are many. Below are a handful of reasons for a football player to wrestle followed by a story about a football coach that started a wrestling program and saw his players flourish.
| Agility | The ability of one to change the position of his body efficiently and easily. |
| Quickness | The ability to make a series of movements in a very short period of time. |
| Balance | The maintenance of body equilibrium through muscular control. |
| Flexibility | The ability to make a wide range of muscular movements. |
| Coordination | The ability to put together a combination of movements in a flowing rhythm. |
| Endurance | The development of muscular and cardiovascular-respiratory stamina. |
| Muscular Power | The ability to use strength and speed simultaneously (explosiveness). |
| Aggressiveness | The willingness to keep on trying or pushing your adversary at all times. |
| Discipline | The desire to make the sacrifices necessary to become a better athlete and person. |
| A Winning Attitude | The inner knowledge that you will do your best – win or lose. |
There was a football coach from a small coal mining town in Pennsylvania who was anxious about keeping some of his players in condition during the winter months. Of course, his ends and backfield personnel were participating in basketball, but what about the offensive and defensive linemen?
Then an idea struck him like a sledgehammer–“Why not start a wrestling program for the bigger and, often less agile players!” Well, he did and his wrestling teams became so good that they had to compete with college freshmen. Oh, I almost forgot to mention, his powerful football units of the past are still the subject of conversation amongst his local townspeople.
What does wrestling have to offer an aspiring football candidate? Primarily, it teaches him “self-reliance”–the ability to make things happen without expecting help from others. A pigskin participant learns (via the mat sport) that although there are 10 of his peers on the field with him, he must perform his duties at all times. and not lean on his teammates for support when fatigued.
And that’s not all. In the wrestling room, he improves his agility, coordination, quickness, upper body strength, and stamina–to name just a few benefits. So, if you have a son who’s a tackle or guard and he’s spending most of the snow season on his duff, suggest wrestling. He’ll be a much better football player for it!