USA Wrestling Bronze Certification Cram Sheet
Bronze Course Introduction
Greco-Roman improves:
Hand fighting
Women’s high school wrestling growth question:
Know the course asks how many girls were participating by 2019 compared with 112 in 1990.
Course completion reminders:
Certification appears on your profile after completion.
Membership card can be printed online.
You can retake the course.
You must hit the Finalize Course/Section button at the end.
MODULE 1 Philosophy & Ethics
Know These Ideas
About 70% of youth are turned off competitive sports by age 13.
Athletes can struggle learning techniques if agility hasn't fully developed.
A coach's role includes:
Physical fitness for life
Social development
Mental and emotional well-being
Correct answer when all three are listed: All the above
Coaches should demonstrate emotional control.
Goal setting can improve communication with athletes and parents.
Yelling at officials does not set a good example.
Winning at all costs is not the purpose of athlete development.
Remember
Coach the person, not just the wrestler.
MODULE 2 Safety & Injury Prevention
Skin Disease
Daily skin checks help prevent widespread outbreaks.
Skin-condition red flags can include:
High stress
Fever/cold sores
Swollen glands
All the above
Herpes gladiatorum outbreaks commonly occur around the head/face.
Athletes should shower promptly after practice.
Poor hygiene and improperly cleaned clothing, bedding, and equipment can contribute to skin disease.
Key Number
Shower within 60 minutes after practice.
Remember
Check skin. Clean mats. Clean gear. Shower quickly.
MODULE 3 Physical Conditioning
Periodization
Know the three training cycles:
Macro = long-term, 1+ years
Meso = medium-term, about 30–45 days
Micro = short-term, about 1–14 days
If all three appear as choices:
All the above.
Recovery
Post-match recovery includes appropriate low-intensity movement, refueling, and hydration concepts covered in the course.
Hydration
Know that the course tests a minimum daily water amount (94oz), plus replacement of additional water lost through sweat.
Gradual weight reduction helps retain:
Muscle
Strength
Stamina
For Senior-level wrestlers, the course teaches coaches to target being less than 3% over competition weight at the beginning of competition week.
Prohibited Weight-Cutting Methods
USA Wrestling prohibits methods such as:
Saunas
Plastic/rubber sweat suits
Diuretics
Extreme food/fluid restriction
If asked which are prohibited:
All the above.
Injury Reconditioning
Appropriate recovery includes:
Mobility/flexibility
Gradual return to training
Working with a doctor or athletic trainer
The one that does NOT belong:
Pushing through the injury/pain.
MODULE 4 Growth & Development
Key Concept
Athletes tend to:
Over-compete and under-train.
LTAD
LTAD = Long Term Athlete Development
Its goal is to optimize long-term athlete development through proper coaching, training, and sport science.
Poor Coaching Can Cause
Poor technical development
Athletes not enjoying wrestling
Athletes failing to reach desired performance levels
Answer:
All the above.
Age & Ability Matter
Do not train every athlete using the exact same intensity and training guidelines regardless of age or ability.
Kaizen
Kaizen = Continuous Improvement
Remember
LTAD + Kaizen = develop athletes appropriately and keep improving.
MODULE 5 Teaching & Communication
Communication
Timing matters.
Tone matters.
Effective communication is part of coaching.
Positive Training Environment
Helpful motivational tools include:
Goal setting
Developing team leaders
Enthusiasm
Answer:
All the above.
Zone of Optimal Functioning
Not every athlete performs best at the same emotional intensity.
Therefore:
All athletes compete best at exactly the same Zone of Optimal Functioning = False.
Feedback
Feedback should:
Correct problems
Celebrate success
Positive Coaching
The course references 2 + 2 positive coaching and notes a stronger positive-to-constructive-feedback emphasis.
Time-on-Task
Ways to improve Time-on-Task include:
Proper room arrangement
Efficient drill transitions
Well-planned practices
Reading athlete energy and pace
Answer:
All the above.
Skill Development
More intentional practice time on a particular skill can help an athlete develop that skill further.
Mistakes
Allowing wrestlers to make mistakes and learn from them supports Long Term Athlete Development.
MODULE 6 Sport Skills & Tactics
Olympic Styles
Freestyle and Greco-Roman can contribute positively to Folkstyle development.
Therefore:
Participating in Olympic styles can benefit Folkstyle = True.
Seven Basic Skills
The Seven Basic Skills are not only useful in Freestyle and Greco-Roman.
If asked:
False.
Scouting & Match Analysis
Scouting can help with:
Planning practice drills
Improving strengths and weaknesses
Developing competition strategies
Answer:
All the above.
MODULE 7 Organization & Administration
Successful Events
Successful wrestling events should provide:
Appropriate competition levels
Organized/on-time operation
Efficient use of participants' time
Safe environments
Emergency planning
Answer:
All the above.
Risk Management Plan
Statement:
A written Risk Management Plan is a waste of time.
Answer:
False.
Supervision
Lack of supervision and training for athletes or staff is identified as an important potential source of legal or disciplinary problems.
Answer:
True.
Emergency Action Plan EAP
A complete and approved EAP can:
Improve emergency response
Help protect athletes
Potentially reduce liability exposure
Answer:
True.
Assistant Coaches
The head coach should clearly define roles for assistant coaches.
So:
It is NOT necessary to clearly define roles.
False.
Fundraising
Fundraising does not have to fall entirely on the head coach.
Answer:
False.
Remember
Risk Plan + EAP + Supervision + Defined Roles
MODULE 8 Evaluations
Evaluation Tools
Evaluations can help coaches:
Improve practice planning
Improve match preparation
Increase Time-on-Task
Identify important athlete/team needs
Answer:
True.
Winning & Losing
Evaluations should not focus only on wins and losses.
They should support Long Term Athlete Development.
So:
Evaluations only focus on winning and losing.
False.
Written Evaluations
Written athlete evaluations can help wrestlers stay focused on:
Short-term development
Long-term development
Answer:
True.
Documentation
Documenting counseling sessions with coaches, athletes, and managers can provide an important paper trail.
For sessions involving minors, the course specifically notes an open-door approach with another adult present.
Answer:
True.
NCEP
USA Wrestling's National Coaches Education Program NCEP provides coaching resources related to:
Strategies
Tactics
Planning
Answer:
True.
Numbers & Terms to Memorize
70%Youth turned off competitive sports by age 13.
60 minutesRecommended timeframe for showering after practice.
Macro1+ years.
Meso30–45 days.
Micro1–14 days.
5%Senior-level competition-week weight guideline covered in the course.
LTADLong Term Athlete Development.
KaizenContinuous Improvement.
EAPEmergency Action Plan.
NCEPNational Coaches Education Program.
Time-on-TaskMaximizing actual productive learning and training time.
Fast True/False Review
Daily skin checks help prevent outbreaks.✅ TRUE
Poor hygiene can contribute to skin disease.✅ TRUE
Gradual weight reduction better preserves performance.✅ TRUE
Pushing through injury is appropriate reconditioning.❌ FALSE
Every age group should train at the same intensity.❌ FALSE
Kaizen means continuous improvement.✅ TRUE
Every wrestler performs best at the same emotional intensity.❌ FALSE
Coaches should celebrate success as well as correct mistakes.✅ TRUE
Mistakes can contribute to athlete development.✅ TRUE
Freestyle and Greco can benefit Folkstyle development.✅ TRUE
The Seven Basic Skills only apply to Olympic wrestling.❌ FALSE
Written risk-management plans are useless.❌ FALSE
A good EAP can help save a life.✅ TRUE
Assistant coaches should have clearly defined roles.✅ TRUE
Fundraising must be handled completely by the head coach.❌ FALSE
Evaluations can improve practice efficiency.✅ TRUE
Evaluations should only measure wins and losses.❌ FALSE
Written athlete evaluations can support long-term development.✅ TRUE
Documenting counseling sessions can be valuable.✅ TRUE
NCEP provides continuing coaching resources.✅ TRUE
The 10 Things I'd Memorize Right Before the Test
70% of youth are turned off competitive sports by age 13.
Herpes gladiatorum → head/face.
Shower within 60 minutes.
Macro / Meso / Micro = long / medium / short training cycles.
Gradual weight loss beats drastic weight cutting.
LTAD = Long Term Athlete Development.
Kaizen = Continuous Improvement.
Freestyle + Greco help Folkstyle development.
EAP = Emergency Action Plan.
Evaluations measure development, not simply wins and losses.
The Pattern Behind Most Questions
When you're unsure of an answer, remember what the Bronze course consistently emphasizes:
Athlete safety over shortcuts.
Long-term development over short-term winning.
Positive teaching over destructive criticism.
Organization over chaos.
Gradual progression over extremes.
Documentation and planning over improvisation.
Continuous improvement over perfection. Practice Test
Bronze Course Introduction | 1) I understand that upon completion of this course, I'll receive a new membership card in about 2-3 weeks with my B (Bronze) certification listed on it. (It is mailed to the address I have listed on my profile.)
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Bronze Course Introduction | 2) Greco-Roman wrestling significantly improves which of the following wrestling skills?
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Bronze Course Introduction | 3) Women's high school wrestling has grown from 112 girls in 1990 to over how many girls in 2019?
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Bronze Course Introduction | 4) I understand that "if" after watching a video the test does not pop up, the fix is to replay the video again. I understand that could take several attempts.
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Module 1 of 8 - Philosophy and Ethics | 5) What percentage of youth are turned off of competitive sports by age 13?
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Module 1 of 8 - Philosophy and Ethics | 6) Some athletes might struggle to learn techniques if their agility skills have not fully developed.
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Module 1 of 8 - Philosophy and Ethics | 7) A coaches role in wrestling is to help teach which of the following skills?
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Module 1 of 8 - Philosophy and Ethics | 8) When coaches show emotional control in tense and frustrating situations, athletes will learn from that positive example of self-control?
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Module 1 of 8 - Philosophy and Ethics | 9) Coaches can use goal setting exercises as a tool to improve communication with parents and athletes?
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Module 1 of 8 - Philosophy and Ethics | 10) Yelling at an official for a "bad call" is an effective way to get the call overturned and sets a good example for young athletes
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Module 1 of 8 - Philosophy and Ethics | 11) Winning at all costs is all that matters when developing an athlete.
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Module 2 of 8 - Safety and Injury Prevention | 12) Daily skin checks can help protect a program from risk of a widespread skin outbreak.
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Module 2 of 8 - Safety and Injury Prevention | 13) Red flags for some skin issues include which of the following:
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Module 2 of 8 - Safety and Injury Prevention | 14) The majority of herpes gladiatorum outbreaks tend to occur on this part of the body:
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Module 2 of 8 - Safety and Injury Prevention | 15) It is recommended that athletes shower within at least _______ minutes after a practice to reduce risk of skin disease.
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Module 2 of 8 - Safety and Injury Prevention | 16) Common causes of skin disease include poor personal hygiene and poor cleaning of clothing, bedding and equipment.
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Module 3 of 8 - Physical Conditioning | 17) Periodization planning includes which of the following training cycles:
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Module 3 of 8 - Physical Conditioning | 18) Post match recovery should typically include which of the following:
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Module 3 of 8 - Physical Conditioning | 19) Athletes should drink a minimum of ______ ounces of water daily (plus additional water lost to sweat) to stay properly hydrated:
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Module 3 of 8 - Physical Conditioning | 20) Gradual reduction in weight helps athletes retain more muscle, strength, and stamina.
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Module 3 of 8 - Physical Conditioning | 21) Coaches for US Senior Level wrestlers (World/Olympic) set weight goals to be less than _____ percent over competition weight at the start of the competition week:
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Module 3 of 8 - Physical Conditioning | 22) USA Wrestling prohibits which of the following methods for weight reduction (for all ages below Senior Level):
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Module 3 of 8 - Physical Conditioning | 23) Which of the following IS NOT a part of the reconditioning process for an injured athlete:
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Module 4 of 8 - Growth and Development | 24) Athletes today tend to over __________________ and under ___________.
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Module 4 of 8 - Growth and Development | 25) The term ______________ helps to optimize the long term development of our athletes by taking advantage of the best sport science, coaching, and training tools.
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Module 4 of 8 - Growth and Development | 26) Coaching shortcomings can result in which of the following developmental gaps for athletes:
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Module 4 of 8 - Growth and Development | 27) Coaches should train athletes based on the same training and intensity guidelines regardless of age or ability level.
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Module 4 of 8 - Growth and Development | 28) Kaizen is a Japanese word used to stand for ____________ ________________.
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Module 5 of 8 - Teaching & Communication | 29) The timing and tone of a coach's comments are both important parts of good communication with athletes.
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Module 5 of 8 - Teaching & Communication | 30) Which of the following motivational techniques help create a positive training environment:
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Module 5 of 8 - Teaching & Communication | 31) All athletes compete best at the exact same Zone of Optimal Functioning.
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Module 5 of 8 - Teaching & Communication | 32) Feedback from a coach should be as much about celebrating successes as it is about correcting problem areas.
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Module 5 of 8 - Teaching & Communication | 33) 2 + 2 positive coaching helps coaches balance constructive criticism with positive reinforcement.
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Module 5 of 8 - Teaching & Communication | 34) Which of the following management processes help promote "Time-on-Task" coaching:
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Module 5 of 8 - Teaching & Communication | 35) Allocating more time to a specific skill can help a wrestler achieve higher levels (in that skill) than other wrestlers who have spent less time on the same skills.
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Module 5 of 8 - Teaching & Communication | 36) Allowing athletes to make mistakes and learn from those mistakes helps with Long Term Athlete Development.
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Module 6 of 8 - Sport Skills & Tactics | 37) Participating in Olympic styles of wrestling (Freestyle and Greco-Roman) can pay big dividends for a wrestler's development in Folkstyle.
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Module 6 of 8 - Sport Skills & Tactics | 38) The 7 Basic Skills are only useful in the Olympic styles of wrestling (Freestyle and Greco-Roman).
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Module 6 of 8 - Sport Skills & Tactics | 39) Scouting and match analysis can be useful for which of the following scenarios:
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Module 7 of 8 - Organization & Administration | 40) Keys to hosting successful wrestling events include:
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Module 7 of 8 - Organization & Administration | 41) Developing a written Risk Management Plan is a waste of time and it rarely helps a program:
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Module 7 of 8 - Organization & Administration | 42) One of the main reasons coaches face legal or disciplinary action is for lack of supervision/training for athletes or staff members.
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Module 7 of 8 - Organization & Administration | 43) Having a complete and approved Emergency Action Plan (EAP) may help mitigate liability for a coach and his/her program in the event of a law suit and most importantly can help save a life.
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Module 7 of 8 - Organization & Administration | 44) It IS NOT necessary for a head coach to clearly define roles for assistant coaches.
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Module 7 of 8 - Organization & Administration | 45) Fundraising for a program is the sole responsibility of the head coach and all the work must fall on his/her shoulders.
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Module 8 of 8 -Evaluations | 46) Evaluation tools help coaches focus practice and match preparation "Time-on-Task" on the most important issues for the team. These tools can greatly improve the training efficiency of a program.
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Module 8 of 8 -Evaluations | 47) Evaluations only focus on winning and losing, not on the process of Long Term Athlete Development.
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Module 8 of 8 -Evaluations | 48) Written athlete evaluations are a great tool to help wrestlers maintain a focus on both short and long-term development.
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Module 8 of 8 -Evaluations | 49) Documenting counseling sessions for assistant coaches, athletes, and managers can be time consuming but provides a great paper trail for any conflicts that may develop down the road.
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Module 8 of 8 -Evaluations | 50) USA Wrestling's National Coaches Education Program (NCEP) provides coaches with a wealth of resources to help develop coaching strategies, tactics and planning.
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Bronze Course Summary | 51) I understand that my profile is automatically updated with my Bronze certification immediately after taking this course
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Bronze Course Summary | 52) Once it is listed on my profile, I understand that I can print my membership card online from my Wrestling Leader profile (instructions available under HELP/FAQ)
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Bronze Course Summary | 53) I understand I can log in to my online profile to take this course again as many times as I'd like for free!
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Bronze Course Summary | 54) I understand that I must select the "FINALIZE SECTION" big red button after this summary test to fully complete this course and receive the credits earned.
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