ASK KOLAT: How Do You Handle Stress in Competition?

Tune in every Wednesday to listen to ASK KOLAT. Hear 2000 Sydney Games US Team Member, World Medalist, and 2x NCAA Champion Cary Kolat answer questions from wrestlers, coaches, and parents. Kolat relies on a lifetime of wrestling and career of coaching from youth to college to international. Ask your own questions in the comments or on social media using #AskKolat.
The Mental Game
Cary Kolat discusses the strategies he used to keep calm and composed in high stress situations. Cary believes that wrestled his best during his last 5 years of competition. Over time he discovered what worked, allowing him to better understand the mental aspect of wrestling. During his final 5 years of competition, he had more poise on the mat, better focus, and was able to wrestle through and overcome injuries, all while competing at big events in massive arenas.
The Power of Rituals
Cary still had nerves and fears going into big matches but over time was able to learn to control and overcome those nerves. His first step was to always be as confident and prepared as possible in his training before big events. If you aren’t confident in your training you won’t be able to carry that confidence into a match. On top of being fully prepared, Kolat had specific things he did before every match to clear his mind, focus, and get fired up to compete. He would pull the straps on his singlet, he would step on the mat and stomp his feet every time, and then finally he would smack hands with his opponent instead of shaking them. Despite often being yelled at by referees for smacking his opponent’s hand he needed to do it because it signaled to him that it was time to turn it on and get ready to wrestle. Every time Cary stepped on the mat he refused to allow his chance at victory to slip away because he was locked up by fear of defeat. If he allowed that to happen, the time he spent preparing for each opportunity would of just been wasted effort. This mindset didn’t happen overnight, he had that fear driven out of him by talking to coaches and watching other people compete.
Observational Learning
The best demonstration of true mat poise, self-control and mat control for Cary Kolat was when he watched Kevin Jackson win a world title at the 1995 World Championships in Atlanta, Georgia. Kevin Jackson, a three-time World Champion, was known for his control on the mat, wrestling in a consistent style that worked for him. Many people didn’t appreciate Jackson’s style as it was usually low scoring and controlled the entire time. For Cary, though he didn’t compete, the 1995 World Championships was his first exposure to that level of competition and that type of setting. As a competitor he could feel the tension and stress in the arena. Kevin Jackson’s gold medal match was tight, having scored early most of the match went by with him leading by a single point. His style of wrestling was position based and he wrestled the entire match without changing his style. He stayed in the position’s he was comfortable in and knew he would do his best wrestling. Watching Jackson’s poise live and in-person, even though he wrestled a different style than Kolat, taught him a lot.
Training Vs. Competition
During Kolat’s Olympic preparation his training partner was injured, so John Smith, who was the head coach at Colorado, offered for Cary to train with one of his wrestlers. That wrestler was Jamill Kelly, who Cary knew nothing about at the time. After training with him, Cary Kolat asked how many NCAA titles and All Americans he had. His answer was none. Kolat was stunned because he had just seen his wrestling and couldn’t believe someone so good hadn’t accomplished either of those. After the fact he realized that Kelly had two sides to him, a practice side and a competition side. As an athlete you have to avoid that. The way you train needs to be exactly how you compete. Kelly wasn’t able to control his anxiety going into a match and it adversely affected his wrestling despite his skill. Later in his career, after spending time with Kolat in Sydney and gaining more experience he was able to better control his poise and stay in positions where he was successful to eventually win an Olympic silver medal.
Kolat’s parting words are before you are a champion you have to first be that champion. Your training, conditioning and mindset all have to reflect that of a champion. Don’t cop out by saying you are going to do your best or try your hardest. Do it or don’t, it requires commitment and you have to take every opportunity you can to improve every day.
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[@robertzalar8863]

I can recall, some of the kids saying to their self. I hope I don’t lose.🤦🏻‍♂️🤦🏻‍♂️ you are a very good speaker👍👍 what do you think about being a senator? We have one wrestler in there why not 2 you pick what side you wanna be on?🤷🏻‍♂️🤷🏻‍♂️
Robert 💯💯💪

[@sienjong2762]

Thank you, coach Kolat

[@dustindilker441]

Hey kolat my son is a first year wrestler and he is 18 and 5!in his tournament this year with only two pins he has trouble finishing he gets a lot of back points but can’t get that pin is there any simple maneuver that he can do other then the half

[@RUDISwrestling]

Hi Dustin, thanks for tuning in! Your question has been heard. Check back to hear more insight from Kolat and good luck to your son this season!

[@zsahe21]

!!