More than how to win a meet, advice from the sport's best on how wrestling can help you win at life<P>From youth leagues to college, wrestling is becoming more popular than ever, but there are few guidebooks to help coaches build winning wrestlers and teams. Much more than a basic instruction manual, "Elite Wrestling" is a coach's bible, a unique compilation of easy-to-follow tips, advice, and personal philosophies from wrestling's most legendary coaches and competitors. Ryan covers a range of wrestling essentials, from mental toughness to team unity to promoting a successful program.

Improve your team's performance with advice from grappling's greatest

Coach Tom Ryan gives you winning drills from his playbook to improve your team's speed, power, and coordination. Also included are essays by powerhouse coaches, champion wrestlers, and former competitors that will show you how to build a solid team and motivate young athletes, teach the fundamentals, and use drills to improve speed, power, and coordination.

Legendary coach and wrestler Dan Gable shows you how to gain toughness and strength from the rigors of wrestling; U.S. Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld explains how he used the challenge and discipline of the sport to propel himself into positions of power; and Olympic gold medalist Ben Peterson gives you tips on how to surround yourself with supportive people.

Contributors include: John Irving, American writer and former prep school coach Terry Brands, U.S. Olympic freestyle coach Steve Fraser, U.S. Olympic Greco-Roman coach Dennis Hastert, U.S. Speaker of the House Stephen Neal, New England Patriots player Tricia Saunders, world champion wrestler

Tom Ryan is the head wrestling coach at Ohio State University. As head coach at Hofstra University, he led his team to top-10 rankings in NCAA Division 1-A in each of the past nine seasons. He lives in Ohio.

Julie Sampson is a sports writer whose work has been published in the New York Times and Newsday. She lives in Northport, New York.