Coaching Course

Poland Hosts Level 1 Referee and Coaches Course

By United World Wrestling Press

CETNIEWO, Poland (July 28) -- The long journey to open up wrestling activities is underway in Poland, with the recent delivery of a national coaches and referee course last week in Cetniewo.

The course, attended by 18 coaches and referees, was organized for the national freestyle and women wrestling coaches, and club the coaches in Cetniewo. The course was initiated and fully funded by the Poland Wrestling Federation and delivered in accordance with international standards.

"We are excited to see these courses being delivered in a responsible manner," said UWW Development Director Deqa Niamkey. "This is a good sign that we will soon be able to deliver more educational programming in appropriate locations."

The course was well received by the national referees and a similar course will be delivered later this year for regional level referees and coaches. The federation says it hopes the future programming will help promote education among referees and coaches; update knowledge of referees and coaches and to bring new perspectives into wrestling coaches at national level.

The coaches course focused on the proper management of athletes and included coaching skills like communication, planning, organization, training calendars, sport psychology, and a review of the UWW Code of Ethics.

Those who completed the course received certification from the Poland Wrestling Federation.

Obituary

Olympic champion Macha passes away

By United World Wrestling Press

CORSIER-SUR-VEVEY, Switzerland (May 31) -- Olympic champion and United World Wrestling Hall of Fame member Vitezslav MACHA (CZE) passed away on May 29 aged 75.

Macha, born in 1948, was the only Olympic champion from the country as he won the gold medal in Greco-Roman 74kg weight class at the 1972 Munich Olympic Games. He had defeated Petros GALAKTOPOULOS (GRE) in the final bout. At the next Olympics in 1976, Macha won a silver medal at the Montreal Games to become a two-time Olympic medalist.

In World Championships, Macha stood on the top of the podium twice -- 1974 in Poland and 1977 in Sweden. His European Championships record includes a gold medal at the 1977 edition and four other medals -- two silver and two bronze.

Macha last competed at the 1980 Olympic Games, finishing sixth, before moving into coaching and even holding the post of President of the Czech Wrestling Federation.

UWW expresses its deepest condolences to the Macha family.