development

Quick-fix prep clinics don’t create lasting results; retention and application do. In this episode, Carolyn sits down with coach JJ Howland, who has built a large social media following around wrestling content and has coached a string of national finalists. JJ shares what stood out after meeting Carolyn at a Vegas clinic in April and why he traveled with three of his own […]

Before you spend money sending your athletes to tumbling class to emulate what you’ve seen from Wrestling Prep athletes, understand this: the two are fundamentally different in intent and execution. Coach Carolyn Wester breaks down why tumbling and her Body Leveraging movements can look similar, but don’t transfer the same way. Tumbling chases a finished skill through disorganized effort, and rarely develops skills […]

After a big win, the real work begins. In this episode of the Wrestling Prep Podcast, Coach Carolyn examines how social media and well-meaning praise from parents, coaches, and prominent figures can wire athletes to chase dopamine hits instead of building genuine self-worth. She draws a clear distinction between the mindset work that takes place to prepare for a big competition and the […]

In this episode of the Wrestling Prep Podcast, Carolyn Wester, Drew Morgan, and Coach Cornell Robinson have an honest conversation about what happens when adult egos begin to outweigh athlete development, and the real consequences that follow.Carolyn and Cornell start by laying out the coaching principles that get lost when winning, perception, or control become the priority: serving the athlete, protecting long-term academic […]

Coach Carolyn Wester shares highlights from a busy season of camps, clinics, and high-level training across the country. Over the summer, she coached in Kentucky, Montana, Pennsylvania, and Virginia, drawing athletes from 38 states and five countries, and led a Coaches Clinic that combined on-mat technical progress with open conversations about communication and athlete development. She then visited Driveline Baseball in Tampa, where […]

Coach Cornell Robinson is a nationally respected coach with over a decade of experience leading U.S. age-group world teams. He has served as head coach at both Christian Brothers College Prep and Wyoming Seminary, where he was known for his athlete-centered, strategy-driven approach. In this conversation with Coach Carolyn Wester, Cornell shares why intentional training, not constant competition, is what leads to long-term […]

Coach Wester is joined by renowned trauma and addiction recovery expert Tennie McCarty to examine how unresolved issues in parents and coaches often surface in their relationships with athletes, sometimes sabotaging the very growth they hope to support. From toxic overinvolvement to the silent consequences of unspoken trauma, this conversation explores how boundaries, self-awareness, and healthy advocacy can shift the athletic experience from […]

In this episode, Head Coach Carolyn Wester unpacks one of the most important but overlooked dynamics in athlete development: avoidance and acceptance. Avoidance shows up as wishful thinking, rushed plans, unclear goals, and emotional deflection after losses. Acceptance, on the other hand, means facing reality: where the athlete truly is, what was actually done in preparation, and what needs to change moving forward. […]

In this episode of the Podcast, Coach Carolyn Wester sits down with Rob Setree and Mac Profumo to discuss the profound influence of Wrestling Prep on their Jiu-Jitsu training. Rob is a second-degree black belt and the co-founder of Criterion Jiu-Jitsu in Louisville, KY. In this conversation, Rob details his significant athletic improvements, noting that practicing the Body Leveraging techniques taught by Carolyn […]