Calabasas Wrestling 2024 Season Preview (CA)

As the new season approaches, Calabasas High School wrestling team is gearing up for a fresh start with a strong focus on building a winning culture. Coach Charlie Lind, who enters his first year as head coach of the team, shares insights on his goals, challenges, and strategy for creating a successful team. Establishing a winning culture is Coach Lind's primary goal for the team this year. He believes that the key to achieving this lies in creating a positive and accepting environment for everyone on the team. This means promoting a sense of togetherness and inclusion, where each member feels valued and supported. To achieve this, Coach Lind has turned to the experienced players on the team, particularly the 6 seniors who have been instrumental in helping him change the culture of the team. Despite not signing up for the changes implemented by Coach Lind, the seniors have shown patience and acceptance towards them, which has been crucial in establishing a more positive atmosphere within the team. Along with the seniors, Coach Lind also credits the freshmen for their quick buy-in to his vision for the team. With close to 100% attendance in practices and a dedication to learning a new sport, the freshmen have shown a strong commitment to being a part of a winning culture at Calabasas. Coach Lind also emphasizes the importance of having cultural architects within the team. These are the individuals who play a key role in building and sustaining a positive culture. For Coach Lind, this responsibility lies with the team's motto of "family." By fostering a sense of togetherness and inclusivity, the team creates a strong bond that leaves no one behind. The journey towards building a winning culture at Calabasas has not been without its challenges. As a first-year head coach, Coach Lind was faced with the added hurdle of the team not having a coach during the summer. This made navigating the season, both as a coach and for the wrestlers, more difficult. However, Coach Lind acknowledges the support he has received from various sources and is grateful for their help in making the transition smoother. One piece of advice Coach Lind would offer for other coaches is to focus less on building a winning team and more on building a winning culture. He believes that the culture of a team is what ultimately results in success, rather than simply having a talented group of individuals. It is this culture that fosters the right mindset and work ethic needed to achieve greatness.