05/14/2026
Indiana Coaches Continue Raising the Bar Through USA Wrestling Silver Coaches College:
Nine Indiana wrestling coaches recently took a major step forward in their coaching education by completing the demanding 2026 USA Wrestling Silver Coaches College, an intensive leadership and development program designed to prepare coaches for one of the highest levels of certification in the country.
The Silver Coaches College is considered one of the most challenging and comprehensive coaching education opportunities offered through USA Wrestling. The program is aimed at helping coaches improve every aspect of athlete development, leadership, safety, and technical instruction — all with the goal of positively impacting wrestlers across the state and country.
Over the course of the two-day clinic, coaches participated in extensive coursework covering topics such as periodization, officiating, women’s wrestling development, Coaches Care, recognizing athlete stress, practice planning, grassroots development, recruiting and retention, and strength and conditioning. The event also featured three hours of technical instruction led directly by USA Wrestling’s national team coaching staff, including Herb House, Terry Steiner, and Bill Zadick.
In addition to classroom and mat instruction, the coaches will continue the certification process through several additional requirements, including CPR certification, 3D Coaching coursework, technical demonstrations, and practical coaching experiences. Participants also attended the Senior World Team Trials and will spend a weekend coaching at Central Regionals as part of their continued development.
Indiana has become a national leader in wrestling coaches education. The state currently boasts 17 Silver Certified coaches and one Gold Certified coach through USA Wrestling. Gold Certification is exceptionally rare, with fewer than 0.07 percent of wrestling coaches nationwide achieving that distinction.
The coaches completing this year’s Silver Coaches College include:
Theresa Rankin — Contenders
Sean Schmaltz — Contenders
Doug Strayer — Crown Point
Spencer Heasman — Indian Creek
Nick Stewart — Jeffersonville
Danny Struck — Jeffersonville
Alex Lee — Jasper
Steve Livingston — Owen Valley
Mark Maldonado — Highland
Joel Flores- Center Grove
While championships and wins often grab headlines, coaching education is one of the most important long-term investments programs can make. These coaches committed their time and energy not for personal recognition, but to better serve the athletes, families, and wrestling communities they lead every day.
Their dedication reflects a powerful belief shared throughout Indiana wrestling: when coaches continue learning, kids continue growing.
For more information on coaching certification opportunities go to: themat.com/coaches/ncep-certification
