NWCA Release

WILKES-BARRE - Jon Laudenslager, head wrestling coach at Wilkes University, was honored by the National Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA) this past month. Laudenslager, who is entering into his eighth season as head coach at Wilkes, was selected as one of the 32 coaches across the nation to receive scholarships to participate in the Second Annual NWCA Coaching Leadership Academy in Delray Beach, Fla. 

The purpose of this Academy is to utilize peer group discussion among college coaches, athletic administrators, and CEOs to develop “best practices” for protecting and strengthening intercollegiate wrestling programs through this challenging economy. Further, the NWCA wants to help coaches better align their programs with educational values. 

“The NWCA has put together this academy to help develop not only young coaches CEO skills, but to help wrestling grow as a sport,” said Laudenslager.

Laudenslager was selected as a mentor for the 2010 Leadership Academy. He worked alongside coaches such as Rob Koll, head coach at Cornell, Jim Miller, head coach at Wartburg, Brian Smith, head coach at Missouri, Jack Spates, head coach at Oklahoma, and Rande Stottlemyer, head coach at Pittsburgh.

“I'm extremely honored to be recognized in the same capacity with some of the great coaches that served on the leadership panel,” said Laudenslager. “Mentors are so important in the development of coaches and to be able to share some of my experiences with new college coaches across the country hopefully will give them some insight on the early years of coaching.”

The NWCA was established in 1928, and is a non-profit organization for the advancement of all levels of the sports of wrestling with the primary emphasis on developing coaches who work in academic environments.