North Carolina State University Athletics
Anceravage Participates in Wrestling Leadership Academy
8/24/2011 12:00:00 AM | Wrestling
Aug. 24, 2011
RALEIGH, N.C. - NC State assistant wrestling coach Steve Anceravage was one of 60 coaches selected to participate in the third annual National Wrestling Coaches Association Coaching Leadership Academy that was held Aug. 3-4 in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.
The academy was comprised of mostly head wrestling coaches of all college divisions, but a few select assistant coaches, including Anceravage, who have shown the potential to become future head coaches, were also invited to attend the academy. Each coach received a scholarship to cover the cost of airfare, lodging, meals and convention registration fees, provided by several wrestling benefactors.
According to Mike Moyer, Executive Director of the NWCA, "The NWCA leadership academy selection committee unanimously selected Steve Anceravage to receive a full scholarship into the program. Steve has been mentoring under one of our nation's top NCAA DI head coaches, Carter Jordan, and it is our belief that he will undoubtedly become one of the next great head coaches in our sport."
The purpose of the academy was to utilize peer group discussion among college coaches, athletic administrators, and CEOs to develop the best practices for protecting and strengthening intercollegiate wrestling programs, as well as to help coaches better align their programs with educational values. Coaches were set up with one of 12 mentors, with the goal being that these mentors would teach other coaches what it is they do to make their programs so successful.
"We were very excited that Steve was able to participate in the academy," head coach Carter Jordan said. "We are working extremely hard to be proactive about the perception of wrestling, and making sure that it is seen as professional and well-educated sport. What Steve learned from the academy has already had an impact on how we recruit, the quality of kids that we are recruiting, and how we are marketing our sport."
Anceravage, who is entering his third year as an assistant coach with the Wolpack, was four-time NCAA qualifier and a two-time All-America wrestler for Cornell. His college coach, Rob Koll, was selected as one of the mentors for the 2011 academy. Anceravage believes a lot of the knowledge he gained from the academy served to reaffirm what he learned during his time at Cornell. "Cornell has a strong alumni backing and is great at doing behind-the-scenes things such as community service and charity events to promote its wrestling program.
"It was an unbelievable experience, I was able to learn from some of the best. A lot of top notch coaches were there and they shared some great advice," Anceravage said. "A lot of things that need to be implemented are very time-consuming in the beginning, but once we get the ball rolling the momentum will allow things to be less time-consuming and more efficient. This program has all the necessary tools to get there."
Jordan reaffirmed this statement, saying, "It's great to be able to talk to other coaches to see what they're doing. This provided Steve with an opportunity to sit down with coaches from the Pac 12 and the Big Ten and hear about things that they are doing in their programs."
