Development

Guatemala Hosts Sixty Wrestlers at “More Than Medals” Development Camp

Thursday, June 14, 2018 - 13:26 By Tim Foley

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GUATEMALA CITY (June 14) – More than sixty wrestlers and coaches from 12 nations congregated at the United World Wresting High Performance Training Center in Guatemala City last month for a five-day “More than Medals” developmental camp.

The camp was aimed at Cadet-level wrestlers and many of those in attendance stayed to compete at the 2018 Cadet Pan American Championships in Guatemala City. The clinicians covered how to plan for training, Olympic values, the Athletes Career Program, and proper nutrition. There was also an anti-doping seminar led by officials from United World Wrestling.

“The clinic was a great success,” said United World Wrestling Americas president Francisco LEE. “The facilities were perfect for them to learn more about techniques and the wrestlers from 12 nations were able to train at ‘More than Medals’ at a high level.”

The clinic was also attended by Ivan IVANOV, founder of the fitness equipment company SUPLES. Ivanov led many of the coaches and wrestlers through strength and condition routines with SUPLES equipment. The equipment was provided to the centre as a benefit of the long-term partnership between UWW and SUPLES..

“This was a very special opportunity for me to learn more about wrestling and how to train smart,” Onid MONTILLA (PUR). “The effort we put into training was really rewarding and we were able to spend time in Guatemala and see places like Antigua. It was a very happy time for me and my team.

“More Than Medals” was deployed on each continent in support of proper training ahead of the 2018 Summer Youth Olympic Games in Buenos Aires. The The final “More Than Medals” training camp will take place July 9-15 in Zagreb, Croatia immediately following the Cadet World Championships.

Wrestlers at the camp will be competing at the 2018 Summer YOG which is scheduled for October 12-14 in Buenos Aires.

For more information on the development schedule, including referee and coach’s clinics, please consult the online calendars:

Educational Programs: https://unitedworldwrestling.org/development/educational-programs

Training Camps: https://unitedworldwrestling.org/development/training-camps.

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South Africa Coaches Complete DNSS Phase 3, UWW Level 1 Course

Tuesday, July 28, 2026 - 12:16 By United World Wrestling Press

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PRETORIA, South Africa (July 27) -- The third phase of South Africa's Development of the National Sport System (DNSS) concluded successfully in Pretoria after five intensive days of learning, collaboration and practical coaching, reinforcing the country's commitment to building a new generation of qualified wrestling coaches.

Organised in partnership with United World Wrestling (UWW) and the South African Wrestling Federation (SAWF), the programme brought together coaches from across South Africa to complete the UWW Level 1 Coaching Course, combining theoretical knowledge with practical application.

Throughout the week, participants followed a comprehensive programme covering the foundations of modern wrestling coaching. Topics included athlete safety, risk assessment, communication, teaching methodology, discovery games, youth coaching, the GROW coaching model, safeguarding, environmental responsibility and anti-doping, before concluding with written and practical assessments.

Wrestling South Africa

The course was delivered by UWW Development Officer for Africa Vincent AKA, whose international experience provided valuable insight into athlete development and coach education. Earlier in the week, Aka also visited the Sonic Wrestling Tournament in Glencoe, where he encouraged young wrestlers and highlighted the essential role coaches play in the growth of wrestling.

"Without dedicated wrestling coaches, we will not be able to grow this ancient sport," Aka reminded the participants.

Beyond the classroom and the wrestling mat, the course fostered strong relationships among participants. Coaches exchanged experiences, challenged one another through practical exercises and created a collaborative environment that reflected the values promoted by UWW: Respect, Excellence, Friendship and Integrity.

As the programme came to a close, Louise JANSE VAN RENSBURG praised the commitment shown by every participant and encouraged them to become ambassadors of wrestling development within their own provinces.

She thanked Aka and also encouraged every coach to share their newly acquired knowledge, support fellow coaches and contribute to the long-term development of South African athletes.

Chairperson of Coaches Council Markus DEKKER reminded participants that the friendships, professional relationships and memories created during the course should continue well beyond Pretoria, strengthening the national wrestling community for years to come.

The final day concluded with the written examination, course evaluation and the presentation of UWW Level 1 Coaching certificates, marking another important milestone in the implementation of the DNSS programme and South Africa's long-term coach education pathway.