Our Mission
Our mission is to teach valuable life lessons through the sport of wrestling. We focus on:
- Welcoming wrestlers in grades Kindergarten through 8th grade
- Meeting wrestlers at their current level of ability and helping each individual progress to a higher level of wrestling knowledge and skill.
- Fostering a love for wrestling with athletes, families and the community.
- Teaching valuable life lessons, the importance of fun, the strength in determination and that with practice everyone can improve.
Meet the Coaches
The Geneva Viking Wrestling coaches come to you with wrestling backgrounds, experience in youth sports development, passion, commitment, and certification. All coaches are background checked and during any active season will maintain USA Wrestling Certification.
John Barnard
Bronze Certified
Team Head Coach
Maranda Barnard
Copper Certified
Team Manager
Tom Chernich
Geneva High School Varsity Head Coach
Rob Showalter
Geneva Middle School North Head Coach
Mike Graham
Geneva Middle School South Head Coach
Brent Copstead
Copper Certified
Assistant Coach
Frank Cortez
Copper Certified
Assistant Coach
Jorge Garcia
Copper Certified
Assistant Coach
Matthew Schwarz
Copper Certified
Assistant Coach
Dr. Stephen Sikorsky
Copper Certified
Assistant Coach
Adult & Pediatric First Aid/CPR/AED
Vince Skibicki
Copper Certified
Assistant Coach
Coach Certifications
USA WRESTLING COPPER CERTIFICATION
The USA Wrestling Copper Certification is an introduction to the principles of coaching youth wrestling (12 and Under) and is required to coach at some USA Wrestling events. USA Wrestling recommends this course for coaches, parents, and volunteers with a focus on coaching young athletes to improve your coaching skills in the areas of recruiting and retaining youth athletes in our sport.
USA WRESTLING BRONZE CERTIFICATION
The USA Wrestling Bronze Certification is a comprehensive coaching education program for coaches, parents and volunteers who are committed to expanding their knowledge in the art and science of our sport focusing on athletes ages 13 and up. The focus is on developing and sharing information on Sports Science, Sports First Aid, Ethics, Goal-Setting, Periodization, Evaluation, Admin and Wrestling Techniques, Strategies and Tactics.
FIRST AID FOR ADULTS AND PEDIATRIC
The Adult and Pediatric First Aid/CPR/AED course incorporates the latest science and teaches students to recognize and care for a variety of first aid emergencies such as burns, cuts, scrapes, sudden illnesses, head, neck, back injuries, heat, and cold emergencies and how to respond to breathing and cardiac emergencies to help victims of any age – adults (about 12 years and older) and pediatric (infants and children up to 12 years of age). Students who successfully complete this course will receive a certificate for Adult and Pediatric First Aid/CPR/AED valid for two years.
Our Philosophy
Our philosophy is grounded in the following principles:
- Positive and encouraging atmosphere while at the same time instilling the discipline necessary to become successful in wrestling.
- Challenging wrestlers both physically and mentally
- Building confidence through accomplishing hard things and learning how to push outside their comfort zone.
- Incorporating fun. Wrestling should be fun. Winning is fun too, so we teach what it takes to win.
- Creating wrestlers, not just teaching wrestling. Focus on the whole wrestler and living a successful lifestyle that transcends wrestling.
- Treating each child as an individual. Tailoring practices to needs, styles, strengths and weaknesses.
- Leveraging multiple planes of learning: doing, seeing, hearing, teaching and applying knowledge
- Educating families and creating community. A knowledgeable family helps make a knowledgeable wrestlers and much more fun environment and a smart wrestling community.
Volunteer Opportunities & Information
We encourage parent and volunteer participation.
Please note that all Geneva Viking Wrestling coaches and volunteers who have contact with children are required to submit a background check every two years. Unless a current background check is on file, neither volunteers nor coaches will be assigned a position within the organization. The process only takes a few minutes.
Please contact us, GenevaJuniorVikings@gmail.com, to help navigate the USAWrestling process.
In addition to background checks, we encourage all volunteers to achieve a base USA Wrestling Copper Certification. Copper Certification is an introduction to the principles of coaching youth wrestling (12 and Under) and is required to coach at some USA Wrestling events.
We recommend this course for coaches, parents, and volunteers with a focus on coaching young athletes to improve your coaching skills.