A wrestler's ability to execute his moves quickly and instinctively is often the difference between winning and losing a match. Drills are the most effective practice activities to use to ingrain the instinctive actions and reactions essential for wrestling success. The Wrestling Drill Book includes match-tested drills, carefully chosen by coaches who are experts in the specific techniques and tactics they cover. Each drill is described in detail with illustrations, modifications, and coaching points for maximum effectiveness. Beginning with essential movement drills and progressing to takedowns, escapes, reversals, rides, and pinning combinations, the book addresses each fundamental that wrestlers must hone in order to become champions. A customizable practice plan demonstrates how drills can be combined and sequenced for the ultimate wrestling workout. Make practice time productive time. The Wrestling Drill Book is an essential manual for success on the mat. About the Editor William A. Welker, EdD, boasts 50 years of experience as a successful wrestler, coach, and official. He is a former Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association (PIAA) state champion and two-time All-State wrestler. As head sophomore coach at Wheeling Park High School (West Virginia), he was instrumental in producing three AAA state championship teams. Since 1974, Welker has written nearly 500 articles on the art and science of wrestling and published a computer-assisted training manual for scholastic wrestling referees titled Wrestling: Sports Officials Applied Skills and Knowledge Program. He was selected as the National Wrestling Sportswriter of the Year by Wrestling USA Magazine in 1987, and he has been chosen as the West Virginia Wrestling Sportswriter of the Year an unprecedented five times by the state coaches� association. Welker is a member of the Pennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame (Bernie Romanoski Chapter) and the Pennsylvania District IV Wrestling Hall of Fame. He has served as a clinician and rules interpreter for West Virginia since 1989. In 2001, he was honored as a Distinguished Official by the National Federation of State High School Associations, being one of only eight officials selected annually from all sports across the country. He was also named the 2002 National Wrestling Official of the Year. Welker received both his bachelor�s and master�s degrees from the University of Pittsburgh. He later earned a doctorate in the field of education from West Virginia University. Welker and his wife, Peggy, have 4 children and 10 grandchildren. They reside on Wheeling Island in Wheeling, West Virginia. ABOUT THE CONTRIBUTORS Jim Akerly is the founder, director, and coach for the Quest School of Wrestling in Canonsburg, Pennsylvania, where he has produced many prominent youth, scholastic, and collegiate wrestlers. While wrestling for West Virginia University, Akerly became the winningest wrestler in school history, recording 119 victories, and was a silver medalist at the prestigious Midlands Tournament in 1986. He qualified for the NCAA Division I Championships three times and earned All-American laurels in 1987. As a coach, Akerly headed up the Pennsylvania Freestyle and Greco national teams from 1989 to 1997. At the collegiate level, he coached at West Virginia University, Edinboro (Pennsylvania), Rider University (New Jersey), the University of Virginia, and American University in Washington, DC. While coaching at American University, he was selected as the Colonial Athletic Association�s Wrestling Coach of the Year in 1997. Akerly resides in Canonsburg, Pennsylvania. Bill Archer is the assistant principal and head wrestling coach at Huntington High School (West Virginia), where his teams have amassed a phenomenal dual meet record of 426-83 (.837). Over the past 33 years, he has won 24 regional championships (which ranks him as one of the top 10 coaches in the state) and produced 25 individual West Virginia state champions. In 2001, the two-time state Coach of the Year was selected as the National Wrestling Coach of the Year by the National High School Coaches Association. A former West Virginia Secondary School Activities Commission (WVSSAC) state champion, Archer was the all-time winningest wrestler at Marshall University in Huntington and was inducted into the university�s Athletic Hall of Fame in 2004. Archer is the state editor for Wrestling USA Magazine and has served as the state chairman for USA Wrestling for the last 20 years. He holds a master�s degree in educational administration. Archer and his wife, Diane, have two children and reside in Huntington, West Virginia. Dave LaMotte is the head wrestling coach for the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community High School in Scottsdale, Arizona. During his 24-year coaching tenure, LaMotte has produced 17 individual state champions, 53 state place winners, 28 district titlists, and 3 high school All-Americans. LaMotte began his coaching career at his high school alma mater in Bridgeport, Ohio, where his 1988 team captured the Division III State Championship and he was voted the Ohio Division III Coach of the Year in 1989. In 1993 LaMotte earned Coach of the Year honors when his Gilbert High School (Arizona) squad won the 5-A State Championship. LaMotte also coached his two sons, who were both Arizona state champions and NCAA Division II All-Americans. As a competitor, LaMotte was an all-state high school wrestler and compiled a record of 103-14-2 for West Liberty State College (West Virginia). He was also a two-time National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) All-American and an NAIA champion. In 2004, he was inducted into West Liberty State College�s Athletic Hall of Fame. LaMotte and his wife, Vickie, reside in Gold Canyon, Arizona. Pat Pecora has served as the head wrestling coach for the University of Pittsburgh, Johnstown Campus since 1976. During this time his squads have compiled a 365-103-3 (.775) dual-meet record, capturing 17 NCAA II east regional championships and two NCAA II national titles (1996 and 1999). Pecora has produced 100 All-Americans and 62 academic All-Americans, and seven of his wrestlers advanced to win a combined 13 national championships. Pecora has served two terms as president of the NCAA II Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA), including 10 years as the NCAA II representative to the NWCA. He is a 10-time NCAA II East Regional Coach of the Year and two-time NCAA II National Coach of the Year (1995 and 1999). In 1999 he also received the NWCA�s Coaching Excellence Award. Pecora is a member of five halls of fame, including the NCAA II and Pennsylvania Wrestling Coaches Halls of Fame. As a wrestler at West Liberty State College (West Virginia), Pecora was a three-time All-West Virginia Conference selection and qualified for nationals twice. Pecora, his wife, Tracy, and their four children live in Johnstown, Pennsylvania. Edwin C. Peery is a professor and coach emeritus for the United States Naval Academy. He was head coach of the Midshipmen wrestling team from 1960 until 1987 and retired from the Academy in 2000. During his coaching tenure, Peery posted a 311-90-14 dual-meet record, coaching eight Eastern Intercollegiate Wrestling Association (EIWA) championship teams, 48 individual EIWA titlists, and 16 NCAA All-Americans. He was named NCAA Coach of the Year in 1968 and received EIWA coaching honors in 1974 and 1986. He is an honorary lifetime member of the National Wrestling Coaches Association, having served as its president and as a member of its rules committee. A two-time Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association (PIAA) state champion, Peery won three NCAA titles under the coaching of his father, the legendary Rex Peery, at the University of Pittsburgh. Peery is also a distinguished member of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame and the Pennsylvania Wrestling Coaches Hall of Fame, and he was selected as an Outstanding American by the Maryland chapter of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame. Peery and his wife, Gretchen, reside in West River, Maryland. Ken L. Taylor has been head wrestling coach at Rocky Mountain High School in Fort Collins, Colorado, since 2001. During this time, he has led teams to win two regional championships and one district tournament as well as produced three state champions. An outstanding coach and official at both the college and high school levels over the last 30 years, Taylor was also a 1972 NAIA All-American silver medalist for Colorado�s Adams State College and captain of the school�s 1972 NAIA National Championship team. During Taylor�s 25-year coaching tenure at Poudre High School (Colorado), his teams won four district titles and two regional championships. He also produced seven top 10 teams at the state level, six individual state titlists, and two state runner-up squads. In 1981 he was voted Colorado State Wrestling Coach of the Year, and he coached the Colorado Wrestling All-Star Team in 1981 and 1990. Taylor, his wife, Julie, and stepson reside in Fort Collins, Colorado. Craig Turnbull has served as the head wrestling coach at West Virginia University for 26 years. He is the winningest coach in West Virginia University history, having built one of the strongest and most dominating wrestling programs in the United States. His teams have compiled an impressive record of 221-148-6, producing 18 Eastern Wrestling League (EWL) champions, 16 All-Americans, and 3 wrestlers who won five NCAA I titles. Since winning the NCAA I Rookie Coach of the Year award, Turnbull�s squads have consistently placed in the top 25 nationally. In 1990, Turnbull was selected as the Eastern Wrestling League�s Coach of the Year as WVU captured its first Eastern Mat Poll. Turnbull was also selected to coach the National Wrestling Coaches Association�s All-Star Classic in 1992. He has been named the EWL�s Coach of the Year three times and has won five Eastern Dual Meet Championships from 1990 to 2003. He is currently a board member of the National Coaches Association. Turnbull, his wife, Sue, and their two children reside in Morgantown, West Virginia. Table of Contents Chapter 1. Essential Movement Drills Chapter 2. Takedown Drills Chapter 3. Escape and Reversal Drills Chapter 4. Riding to Pinning Combination Drills Chapter 5. Advanced Pinning Combination Drills Chapter 6. Conditioning Drills Chapter 7. Effective Practices and Off-Season Activities Words of Praise "To reach your greatest potential as a wrestler, you must be willing to work hard in the off-season. The Wrestling Drill Book offers some great training activities to help you do this." Cael Sanderson, 2004 Olympic Champion �€�Accessing the best knowledge in the sport often requires bringing great wrestling clinicians to your doorstep. The Wrestling Drill Book offers a practical and successful approach to accomplishing this goal.�€� Bruce Baumgartner, 2- time Olympic Gold Medalist