#development

Croatia Takes the Next Step in Coaching education

By United World Wrestling Press

POREC, Croatia (28 May) – The Croatian Wrestling Federation organized a weeklong coaching course in Porec to help develop their newer coaches. This was their second course in as many years, and they built off the foundations established a year earlier in the Level 1 course. The Level 2 Course (Introduction to Practice Planning) was conducted on May 8-12 in the beautiful city of Porec and was done in conjunction with Olympic Solidarity and United World Wrestling.

The course was led by UWW Educator Mr. Martin HAUCK (USA). During the course, the 28 participants learned the basics of designing a practice plan and how the practice plan fits within a series of plans. The coaches also gained knowledge on performance analysis, nutrition and weight management, mental development of wrestlers and safeguarding. “I am extremely satisfied with the seminar and the lecturer; I gained new knowledge and experience,” said Dinko Kremic. “During the seminar, you could feel that the educator cared for us and wanted us to do well. Mr. Hauck’s knowledge and how he passed it on to use was amazing,” said Petar Gluhak.

The Croatian Wrestling Federation also hosted a competition during the course. This allowed the coaches to practice learned skills and get direct feedback to improve. They also had a small session on cornering (coaching during the break) during that session. “The course and competition went very well. Participants were very engaged and active in both the theoretical and practical portions of the course. Their questions and ideas were in line with the topic that was being discussed and worked on to further their understanding in that content area.” said Mr. Hauck. 

Comments from Coach Participants:
“The course was very encouraging and innovative. Cooperation with all trainers and exchange of experiences helps in quick learning.”  - Filip Verčević

“This course was very useful because it allowed me to learn a lot of new things about the training and provided me practice exercises for those subjects, and it was a very good experience.”  - Luka Sunara

“The course itself was awesome. We had to learn from Marty Hauck, the most interesting and enthusiastic coach and mentor to learn from!” Ivica Florjanić

#development

UWW Donates Mats to Mauritius for Regional Development Project

By United World Wrestling Press

MAURITUS (April 27) -- United World Wrestling has donated wrestling mats to the Mauritius National Wrestling and Allied Games Association. The mats were provided through UWW’s partner and sponsor, Taishan Sports, in support of the Olympic Solidarity/ UWW Regional Development Program.

The mats will be used as part of the OS/UWW regional program, which aims to strengthen wrestling development in Mauritius and create a lasting impact across the East Africa region. By improving access to quality training facilities and equipment, the initiative seeks to support athletes, coaches, and youth participation while helping national federations raise standards across the region.

The regional program is scheduled to take place from October 9 to 18, 2026 and will combine athlete training camps, coaches’ education, referees’ courses, and a regional competition to conclude the activities. Olympic Solidarity will soon send invitations to all National Olympic Committees in East Africa to participate in the program.

The President of the Mauritius National Wrestling and Allied Games Association Joel ANTOINETTE highly appreciated the donation.

“We are incredibly grateful for the generous donation of these wrestling mats," Antoinette said. "This contribution is more than just equipment; it’s the foundation for a new era. We promise to honor this gift by working tirelessly to revolutionize the Wrestling sport, pushing boundaries, and elevating our athletes to heights."

Thanks to the support of the Mauritius National Olympic Committee, this is not the first time that the Mauritius National Wrestling Association has organized such educational events. Over the past years, they have successfully delivered several Olympic Solidarity/UWW development activities at both national and regional levels.

Mauritius has increased its presence on the international wrestling stage in recent years, with athletes competing more regularly at major events thanks to the continued support of the Mauritius National Olympic Committee and the Mauritius Wrestling federation. This progress reflects the growing ambition of the federation and the country’s commitment to advancing the sport.