Wrestling = Football Success!
Some of the most incredible men of the gridiron, such as current Falcon's wide receiver Roddy White (2x South Carolina State Champ), former Raven's linebacker Ray Lewis (Florida State Champ) and former NFL fullback Lorenzo Neal (NCAA All-American), used to mix it up on the mat before playing in front of thousands on Sunday's.
“Wrestlers make coaching football easy, they have balance, coordination, and as a coaching staff we know they’re tough.”
“The physical parallels of hips, hands, fluidity, balance, things like that. But there’s also the mentality part. In wrestling, it’s you and another person. You can’t blame your shoes for slipping, you can’t blame your coaches for the play call, you can’t have any excuses. You let another man beat you. That kinda is the trenches. If my kids want to be football players, I’m going to have them wrestle.”
“I would have all of my Offensive Lineman wrestle if I could.”
“I’m a huge wrestling fan. Wrestlers have so many great qualities that athletes need to have.”
“Wrestling is still one of the reasons why I swivel my hips; it’s been everything for me. The principles that you learn in wrestling, none of that changes (in football). It carries over, and if you stick to those things, the low man always wins. [Wrestling] teaches you what most people want to do, which is make your hips and butt work for you…You always want to go low; you never want to walk up to an opponent standing up. Everything has to be engaged. You have to be locked and loaded. That is what makes you shift so easy. Football is that natural shoot and tackle.”
“I believe that wrestling as adopted and practiced in prep schools and universities, under trained coaches, is one of the best constructive sports that an individual can take part in and should be encouraged in prep schools, universities, and other institutions whose aim is to develop young men.”