USA WRESTLING

2022-2028 Strategic Plan

Index
Introduction
Letter from CEO and President ………………………………….2
Mission, Vision, & Values ………………………………………...3
Organizational Pillars ……………………………………………4

Envisioning the Future

Emerging Trends …………………………………………………4
Success by 2028 in Los Angeles ……………………………..5
Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats …………7

Strategic Priorities
Overview …………………………………………………………..8
Athlete Support & Well Being …………………………………...9
Collaboration & Strategic Partnerships …………….................11
Customer Experience & Engagement ………………………….13
Female Participation ……………………………………………..15
Organizational Excellence ……………………………………….17
 Letter from President and CEO
“Strategic planning is the process by which the guiding members of an organization envision its
future and develop the necessary procedures and operations to achieve that future and determine
how success is to be measured.” - Goodstein, Nolan, & Pfeiffer

USA Wrestling’s strategic plan for 2018-2024 has been instrumental in providing a path
that has served to strengthen this sport and our pursuit of excellence as the National
Governing Body. Using the strategic plan as a framework, we have been able to
challenge the status quo and chart a direction that will serve USA Wrestling in the
coming years.

In that vein, we are pleased to announce that USA Wrestling has once again partnered
with the United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee (USOPC) to review and update
this plan through 2028 and the Olympic Games in Los Angeles. This updated plan
continues to focus on what USA Wrestling can do to help strengthen our sport and our
organization as we move forward to a greater and sustainable future.

This plan builds upon the prior plan, with the ultimate goal of putting our mission into
action. This updated plan is tied directly to what we do across the country and within the
wrestling community. In light of the recent pandemic, and all that has happened in
recent years, this is clearly the time to reflect on our strategic achievements and
consider the future challenges, to the maximum extent possible.

Our 2022-2028 Strategic Plan continues to build upon our five strategic priorities:
Athlete Support & Well Being, Collaboration & Strategic Partnerships, Customer
Experience & Engagement, Women’s Participation, and Organizational Excellence.
Each strategic priority contains a set of updated objectives that are important to
delivering on our mission.

Once again, on behalf of USA Wrestling, we wish to thank our staff and the Long Range
Planning Committee for their work in the development of this plan. In particular, we are
grateful for our partnership with the USOPC, and the outstanding facilitation provided by
Avery Wilson, Director of Strategic Planning, along with David Patterson, Associate
Director, NGB Governance, and Katie Grunik, of NGB Services.

Rich Bender Bruce Baumgartner

Executive Director President
USA Wrestling USA Wrestling

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 Mission
USA Wrestling, guided by the Olympic Spirit, provides quality opportunities
for its members to achieve their full human and athletic potential.

Vision
USA Wrestling will strive to be the world’s best sports organization

Values
We commit to the following guiding principles to direct our Mission
decisions and behaviors:

Responsibility. Fulfilling all functions, tasks, duties and assignments with

trust and credibility on behalf of USA Wrestling by honoring promise and
pledges.

Integrity. Being true to self and the mission of USA Wrestling, while
discerning right from wrong and acting on it.

Dedication. Dedication to carrying out the mission and goals of USA

Wrestling with the highest degree of sacrifice and discipline.

Honesty. Being truthful and upright with people on issues in furthering the
mission of USA Wrestling.

Accountability. Providing answers and reasons to others for actions and

behaviors intended to support the mission of USA Wrestling.

Respect. Recognizing the absolute dignity in every human being, with a

sense of compassion, caring and concern for the well-being of other
people.
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Diversity. Creating a culture that welcomes members of all races, gender,
religion, sexual orientation, and ethnicities; embracing equity, inclusion and
multicultural awareness that helps to affect lasting, meaningful change.

Organizational Pillars
USA Wrestling continues to build organizational strength around four key
business pillars.

 Sustained Competitive Excellence

 Grow the Base

 Build the Brand
 Connect the Community

Emerging Trends
USA Wrestling is committed to continuing to advance its mission and elevate the sport
of wrestling domestically and internationally. To this end, the Long Range Planning
Committee of the board convened in June 2018 and June 2022 to refresh USA
Wrestling’s strategy to take advantage of new opportunities and adjust to new realities.

There are emerging trends that warrant attention and action.

• Declining participation among high school boys
• Disparities in some demographics of the U.S. population compared to the wrestling
community
• Opportunity to expand female wrestling, especially on high schools and college
campuses
• Harness modern marketing and communication techniques and technology to benefit
wrestling

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• “Big Data”: Using of data and analytics in more purposeful and sophisticated ways to
drive better business decisions
• Decline in U.S. competitiveness in Greco-Roman wrestling and changing rules in the
style that are better for both athletes and fans
• Rise of improved athlete development models incorporating best practices from youth
physical development research
• Focus on ensuring safer sport environments to protect athletes from abuse and
physical harm

Success by 2028 in Los Angeles

Additionally, the Los Angeles Games in 2028 offers a unique opportunity to rally the
American wrestling community to showcase our sport and amazing athletes. Long
range success by 2028 is envisioned as:

Healthy Growth, Especially with Youth and Women

• Paris and Los Angeles Games legacy strategy has lasting results; Olympic athletes
are stars on and off the mat, resulting in:
- Sustained sport participation among males and females
- A large, passionate fan following
• NCAA/collegiate programming
- Women’s wrestling is a varsity sport at all collegiate levels
- Leveraging the 2028 Olympics to get programs established at USC and UCLA
and in Southern California
- Strong coordination with RTCs (regional training centers) to build mutual benefit
with colleges

Equipped for Excellence and Setting the Standard

• Member retention rate (year over year) averages 60%
• Most diverse and inclusive NGB
• 500K total members, at least 100K are female
• $30 million per year budget with sufficient cash reserves
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• High functioning board of directors
• NGB leader in SafeSport
• Regular, national broadcast/media exposure
• Leaders in the international movement
• Leaders in the Olympic movement for athlete services
- Stipends
- Training support
• Endowments ensure competitive success, e.g. funding for athletes, coaches and
programming

Peak Performance
• Strategically host more key international events/competitions/camps (ie. World Cups,
Continental Championships, Qualifiers, World Championships)
• 40 medals across all styles and ages
• Increase the number of Greco-Roman World medals at all ages

Wrestling Community is Connected, Engaged, and

Enthusiastic
• Robust, successful and organized alumni program
• High fan engagement, at events and through variety of platforms
• Numerous partnerships ensure wrestling is wildly popular and thriving in the United
States at all levels and all ages

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 Strengths, Opportunities, Weaknesses
and Threats
STRENGTHS (Internal)
• Fiscal Stability
• Leadership and management (national office and grassroots)
• Commitment to SafeSport by coaches, athletes, and parents
• Scholastic base with market leadership in membership
• History and association as an Olympic sport
• Competitive Performance
• Respected NGB, domestically and internationally
• Digital media and strong internet presence
• Fan and spectator engagement
• Growth in Female wrestling on all levels

WEAKNESSES (Internal)
• Participation dropping in high schools with turnover to other sports
• "New blood" and diversity on board (status quo thinking)
• Lack of flexibility
• Health Issues (weight, skin, concussions, blood, ears)
• Communicating the value and benefits of membership
• Greco Roman struggles
• Lack of diversity along with differing experiences & perspectives
• Innovative technology and data-driven decisions
• Succession planning for staff and volunteers

OPPORTUNITIES
• Leverage association with Olympic brand; "Touch the Rings"
• Continued expansion of women's wrestling
• Build-up to the LA28 Games and afterglow with membership and donors
• SafeSport education with athletes, coaches and parents,
• Growing youth membership
• Turning competitors into partners
• Increase marketing, branding, and value proposition efforts
• Increase corporate sponsorships monetization
• Creative formats or new disciplines to add fun at all levels
• Beach wrestling
• Raise consistency with State infrastructures and coaching development
• Fan & Alumni Engagement through Athlete storytelling and marketing

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THREATS (External)
• Potential negative impact of overall NGB SafeSport violations
• Loss of volunteers; protection and support of volunteers, refs, etc
• NCAA schools dropping wrestling from their athletic programs
• Perception that wrestling is not seen as a mainstream sport
• Competition with other sports
• Competitor Aggressiveness (NuWay, AAU, etc.)
• Economic uncertainties
• NCAA / RTCs, Preparing for change, and NIL impact
• Regulatory burdens of compliance and SafeSport
• National health crises

Strategic Priorities Overview

To effectively advance its mission, vision and business pillars, and position the
organization for future success, USA Wrestling continues to prioritize its strategic focus
in the following five areas:

ATHLETE SUPPORT & WELL-BEING. Increase opportunities for athletes to achieve

their highest potential in a safe environment, through coaching support, training,
competition, financial support and other activities.

COLLABORATION & STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIPS. Unify the sport through building

and strengthening relationships, bringing partners and other organizations together for
the greater good of the sport with all groups.

CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE & ENGAGEMENT. Grow and retain members and fans
with opportunities to learn, compete, and support the sport and USA Wrestling.

WOMEN’S PARTICIPATION. Positively influence further development of female

wrestling at the grassroots, elite and leadership levels to increase athlete recruitment,
retention, and talent development.

ORGANIZATIONAL EXCELLENCE. To effectively lead the sport and better serve a

diverse community, invest in people, technology, and communications to develop them
as core competencies.

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 Athlete Support & Well Being
Increase opportunities for athletes to achieve their highest potential in a safe
environment.

Objectives:

1) Athlete Resources Enhancement. Expand direct and indirect services and

compensation for athletes to support training and competition ambitions. Raise
awareness and access to enhanced resource offering.

2) Safe Sport and Healthy Environments. Articulate clear standards, business

practices and reinforcement systems to ensure the physical, emotional and mental well-
being of USA Wrestling members.
a) Regulations and Standards. Establish and enforce consistent rules,
procedures and standards of expected behavior to prevent harm to athletes.
b) Health & Wellness Best Practices and Resources. Identify and disseminate
best practices and resources that promote athlete health and wellbeing (e.g., sanitation
techniques, concussion research, headgear recommendations, etc.).
c) Culture of Safety & Well-being. Communicate and educate athletes,
coaches, parents, officials, event organizers, leaders and staff about standards and
expectations, how to recognize and respond to abuse or misconduct, and reduce the
risk of injury, infection or mental/emotional distress.
d) Coaching/Training Techniques. Adapt athlete training approaches to better
comply with safe culture intents and requirements; incorporate approaches into coach
education, training resources.
e) Safe Sport Value Promotion. Articulate the benefits of a focus on safety and
well-being such that wrestlers, parents, coaches, officials, staff and volunteers embrace
the value and preferentially seek to participate in USA Wrestling-sanctioned programs
and events.

3) Pathways Clarity. Ensure that athletes and those that strive to be elite are aware
and knowledgeable of athletic pathway opportunities, what it takes to succeed for a
given pathway, as well as the types of support available and how to qualify.

4) Greco-Roman. Assess factors affecting decline in pipeline of competitive athletes,

e.g., rules/requirements to compete, financial challenges and incentives, quality
coaching, access to training programs, etc. Formulate and implement strategy to regain
and sustain international success.

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 Measurements of Success

• Measure awareness and understanding of resources available and every athlete

knows how to access them

• Meet or exceed every aspect of SafeSport compliance as per U.S. Center for
SafeSport

• Members perceive value of SafeSport (survey metric)

• Educational resource kit launched; access/usage measured at the local level with
centralized reporting system

• Host Greco-Roman planning summit with strategy developed

• Achieve 12 Greco-Roman medals across all weight classes and world

championship/Olympic Games levels
By 2028:
• Increased athlete sentiment and satisfaction
o Overall
o With health/well-being
o With safe sport
• Podium performance in Paris and in LA
• Performance target for Greco-Roman

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 Collaboration & Strategic
Partnerships
Unify the sport through strengthening and building relationships, bringing partners and
other organizations together for the greater good of the sport.

Objectives:

1) Middle/Junior and Senior High School Retention and Expansion. Work with
administrators, such as parents, key influencers and others to enhance and expand
programs to attract and sustain participation.

2) Collegiate/NCAA Focus. Encourage sustainability of collegiate programs, by rallying

institutions to value wrestling and support the opportunity to be a talent pipeline for
Olympic disciplines.
a) Value Recognition. Promote program sustainability by articulating a mutually
beneficial value proposition for varsity wrestling; leverage relationships with NCAA and
other collegiate institutions to gain buy-in and commitment to long-term support.
b) Program and Pipeline Growth. Continue to generate increased interest and
support for existing and new collegiate wrestling programs, emphasizing the link to the
Olympics, as well as explore other options for college-age athletes in support of elite
ambitions and talent development.
c) RTC Enhancement. Seek ways to elevate and sustain the quality of
collegiate-affiliated regional training center (RTC) programs nation-wide in support of
student-athletes and elite talent development.

3) Resource Growth. Increase sport interest, marketability, and expanded diversity of

funding and services for USA Wrestling through collaboration and engagement of key
stakeholders.
a) Media/Broadcast. Leverage emerging media channels and sponsor/partner
relations to expand opportunities for new and existing audiences to enjoy viewing the
sport of wrestling and generate additional revenue for USA Wrestling. Increase
exposure and build value in major media markets.

b) Fan Engagement. Connect improvements and innovations in media to

cultivating an avid fanbase for the sport of wrestling and who also have high affinity and
appreciation for USA Wrestling’s brand (shared objective with Customer Experience &
Engagement).
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 c) Other Monetization Opportunities. Seek ways to monetize organizational
assets (e.g., licensed merchandise, certification programs, digital site(s), etc.). Explore
new and unique revenue-generating opportunities, e.g., legal sports betting,
gamification, etc.

d) Sponsorships. Identify opportunities to bring new sponsors into the wrestling

family as well as expand activations with existing sponsors to increase support for
strategic priorities, core operations and enhanced services/benefits for members.

e) Donors. Expand the focus on private donor support by creating engagement

opportunities and connect individuals directly to the mission of USA Wrestling.

4) Community Growth. Enhance relationships with other wrestling or sport

organizations (e.g., Black Wrestlers Association, Wrestle Like A Girl, MMA, Jiu Jitsu,
WWE and other combat sports, etc.) through creative, mutually beneficial collaborations
to reach and inspire new audiences and generations of wrestling participants and
supporters.

Measurements of Success

• Achieve a positive growth rate among high school participation

• Grow total collegiate programs by 20%
• $1.3M in sponsor revenue per year
• $5M in donor revenue per year
• Increase total viewership of USA Wrestling events by 20%
• Increase presence and value in major media markets
• Enhance relationships with all organizations conducting wrestling programs in the USA

By 2028:

• Increased participation in wrestling overall and by age groups

• Growth of collegiate and/or college-aged wrestling programs
• High partner satisfaction
• Increased revenue

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Customer Experience & Engagement
Grow and retain members and fans with opportunities to learn, compete, and support
the sport and USA Wrestling.

Objectives:

1) Youth. Establish a youth development pathway that encourages and supports age-
and skill-appropriate participation, increases athlete and parent satisfaction, and fosters
a long term physically active lifestyle. Incorporate the following as core elements of an
athlete development pathway:
a) For younger ages (e.g., Under 11 years of age): Emphasize physical literacy
(basic motor coordination, agility, etc.) Incorporate fun into the training environment and
skill building exercises Focus on more than winning i.e. building confidence and
character

b) Embrace and encourage participation in other sporting activities,

especially those with complementary physical characteristics (e.g., speed, dynamic
strength, stamina, etc.) with the goal of retaining current athletes, combating burnout
and recruiting new members.

c) Ensure opportunities for entry-level at all ages

d) Membership, Grow youth membership in states with lowest levels of

membership.

2) Culture. Foster a welcoming, diverse, and inclusive environment within the wrestling
community that promotes lifelong love of the sport, emphasizing fun as well as winning,
fairness and safety as well as toughness and physical fitness, and create consistently
positive and rewarding experiences at all levels of athletic endeavor and involvement,
e.g., as wrestlers, parents, coaches, officials/referees, volunteers, administrators, etc.

3) Events. Improve the experience of wrestlers, officials/referees, coaches, volunteers,

parents and spectators at events, driving increased satisfaction and positive perceptions
of USA Wrestling. Streamline and enhance the consistency of a positive and rewarding
event experience for all involved. Explore opportunities to design event formats that
support the cultural shift to be more welcoming, inclusive and promote a lifelong love of
wrestling.

4) Fan Experience. Increase the fan base and their support for athletes and USA
Wrestling with focused marketing efforts, experiential opportunities, avenues to express
their enthusiasm, and pathways to contribute financially. Utilize partners to improve fan
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connection and storytelling around premiere USA Wrestling events (shared objective with
Collaboration & Strategic Partnerships).

5) Alumni Engagement. Enlist senior/retired elite wrestlers to increase sport

awareness and advocacy, be “brand ambassadors” for USA Wrestling, and share
time, talent and expertise to advancing athlete development, connectedness with the
sport and the organization, and a culture of giving back to future generations.

Measurements of Success
• Youth development pathway(s) in place
• Youth participation and parent satisfaction is at all-time high, determined by supporting
data
• Launch mobile friendly engagement solution
• “Single sign on” is utilized and functionality is associated with high satisfaction.
• Increased engagement with alumni which results in increased donations and support
• Grow membership by 50% in ten states with lowest membership rates
By 2028:
• Increased membership
o Overall
o Younger age groups
• High member satisfaction
o Overall
o Parents
o Coaches
o Referees
o Alumni

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 Women’s Participation
Positively influence the continued growth and development of female wrestling at the
grassroots, elite and leadership levels to increase athlete recruitment, retention, and
talent development

Objectives:

1) Women in Leadership. Bolster opportunities to increase the number and

effectiveness of women as influential promoters of – and contributors to – the sport of
wrestling generally, and women’s participation in wrestling more specifically.

2) Program Expansion. Invest resources and build relationships to expand the

presence of female wrestling programs in schools and clubs.
a) Youth (14 and under). Increase the number of club-based programs available
for females to be introduced to the sport.
b) High Schools. Increase the number of varsity and state sanctioned school
programs available for females to grow competitive talent.
c) Collegiate Expansion & NCAA Recognition. Increase number of collegiate
programs and develop an influencing strategy for women’s wrestling to become a
recognized varsity sport by the NCAA, NAIA and NJCAA.

3) Female-Friendly Competitions/Events. Identify best practices to enhance

consistency in delivering a positive and productive experience for female participants.

4) Female Coaches & Officials. Grow the number and skill level of female wrestling
coaches and referees.
a) Coach & Officials Development. Improve education targeted at training
and development of women as coaches and officials/referees, and the
coaching and officiating of women’s wrestling.
b) Recruitment & Retention Focus. Remove barriers to entry and retention of
female coaches and officials/referees.
c) Athletes as Coaches and Officials/Referees. Increase targeted
recruitment and mentorship of female athletes to become coaches and
officials/referees.

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 Measurements of Success
• Female members – From 13K to 30K Success
• College programs – Achieve NCAA emerging sport status and increase from 45
programs to 75. Measures: By 2024
• State recognized High School programs – From 10 to 18
• Female coaches –25% increase
• College head and assistant coach positions – From 35 to 50
By 2028:
• Increased female participation & membership
o Athletes
o Coaches
o Referees
• Increased # women in positions of wrestling leadership
• Female performance (Paris, LA)

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 Organizational Excellence
Effectively lead the sport and better serve a diverse community, invest in people,
technology, and communications and develop them as core competencies.

Objectives:

1) USAW Human Resources. Re-evaluate short-term and long-term talent and

diversity and inclusion needs; develop succession planning and talent acquisition and
retention strategies to close identified gaps. Have a focus on developing staff and
leadership, including volunteer leadership.

2) State Association Optimization. Elevate the consistency of state associations’

effectiveness through sharing of operational best practices, including staff development
and professionalization.

3) Technology. Optimize platforms and processes to support strategic priorities,

especially the communication objectives, and facilitate more data-informed decision-
making.

a) Data & Analytics. Enhance data and analytical capabilities to enable deeper
understanding of business process drivers, customer satisfaction and strategic impact;
leverage data as a key organizational asset, regularly using data-informed insights in
corporate decision-making.

b) Social/Digital. Increase USA Wrestling’s social/digital presence and maximize

engagement of members and fans with enhanced information exchange and connection
to athletes through superior content and storytelling.

4) Communication. More effectively engage and inspire stakeholders.

a) Sport and Brand Excitement. Communicate the value of involvement with USA
Wrestling through compelling content and inspiring storytelling, celebrate athlete
accomplishments in sport and life and leverage the rings and Olympic association to
drive extraordinary interest, enthusiasm, connectedness, and support for wrestling, for
athletes and the LA 2028 Games.

b) Culture & Connectedness. Enhance internal and external communications that

support culture shift to be more welcoming, inclusive, diverse, fun, and rewarding.

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5) Marketing Advancement & Activation. Build competencies in the latest marketing
methods, channels and technology and utilize in support of communication plans and
associated narratives to advance strategic plan priorities and achieve desired outcomes
and impact.

Measurements of Success

• D&I staff position

• Total social media following of 2M Measures: By 2024
• Organizational audit completed, and action plan developed
• Stakeholder satisfaction baseline set with resulting increase by 25%
• Brand strength measurement baseline set with resulting increase by 25%
By 2028:
• High staff and volunteer satisfaction
• High staff retention
• Increased brand recognition/strength/positive sentiment
Shared with other priorities:
• Increased revenue
• Increased member & partner satisfaction

___________________________________________

Working Group Participants

Board/Committee (Executive or Strategy)
Van Stokes – Chair, Long Range Strategic Planning Committee
Bruce Baumgartner – President of USA Wrestling and Chair of Board of Directors
Rob Cate – Committee Member
Heather Lawrence – Committee Member
Wynn Michalak – Committee Member, Athlete Representative
Don Reynolds – Committee Member, JOWC Representative
Katherine Shai – Committee Member, Athlete Representative
Pat Smith– Committee Member, Athlete Representative
Angie Taylor – Independent Board Member

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Staff
Rich Bender – Executive Director
Les Gutches – Chief Operating Officer
Laura Peeters – General Counsel / Director of Safe Sport and Compliance
Gary Abbott – Director of Communications & Special Projects
Megan Ball – Executive Assistant
Cody Bickley – Director of National Teams High Performance
Tony Black – Director of State Services
Steve Fraser – Chief of Donor and Alumni Relations
Pete Isaias – Director of National Events
David Matthews – Director of Application Development
Morgan Rabine-Benham – Manager of Corporate Partnerships
Meredith Wilson – Director of IT, Digital Content & Marketing

Facilitators
Avery Wilson – Strategy & Business Consulting, USOPC
David Patterson – NGB Services, USOPC
Katie Grunik – NGB Services, USOPC

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