Our Development Philosophy
At Cali Kids, we believe that passion for the sport is the single most important factor in becoming a great wrestler. Cultivating a genuine love for wrestling is our number one developmental goal.
In recent years, youth sports have increasingly shifted toward single-sport specialization and intense competition at younger and younger ages. Unfortunately, research shows that this approach does not support the long-term development of high-level athletes.
Our mission is to grow the sport of wrestling and nurture a lifelong passion for it. We encourage athletes—especially at younger ages—to participate in multiple sports, as taking time away can often build excitement and eagerness to return to the mat.
At the same time, we provide the structure, coaching, and opportunities for every athlete to pursue their goals and train at a level that matches their passion and commitment.
Why Wrestling Matters
Wrestling is one of the most complete and beneficial sports a child can participate in. It builds the foundation for success in all other sports by developing balance, coordination, agility, strength, speed, and focus.
Beyond the physical skills, wrestling instills mental toughness, endurance, and an unmatched work ethic. It’s also incredibly fun and instinctual—kids naturally wrestle and play this way from a young age. The sport promotes fitness and a lifelong appreciation for exercise while teaching self-defense and control, making it both practical and empowering.
Building Character Through Wrestling
More importantly, wrestling shapes character. It builds self-confidence through hard work and personal achievement while teaching humility through both victory and defeat.
Wrestlers learn respect—for themselves, their teammates, opponents, and coaches—and gain discipline through the sport’s demanding routines and challenges.
Wrestling mirrors life’s path to success, emphasizing goal-setting, perseverance, accountability, and resilience. It teaches that success must be earned, that effort matters, and that strength of body and mind go hand in hand.
Wrestling serves as a progressive path of physical, mental, and personal growth. Young wrestlers begin by developing balance, coordination, and agility through fun games and basic drills that emphasize enjoyment over competition. As they mature, training intensity and structure increase, with a focus on mastering technique, building strength and endurance, and learning discipline, respect, and self-motivation. Along the way, wrestlers gain valuable life skills such as handling both victory and defeat with humility, setting goals, and maintaining focus. Parents play an important role by supporting their athlete’s effort, promoting healthy habits, trusting the coaching process, and reinforcing that wrestling is about long-term development, confidence, and personal growth rather than short-term wins.
Two key factors in a wrestler’s growth are technique development and physical development. Technique development builds the foundation for success by teaching proper stance, motion, and control, then progressing to advanced skills, strategy, and mat awareness. It’s about mastering precision and timing through repetition, focus, and coachability. Physical development complements this by improving strength, balance, flexibility, endurance, and explosiveness—all essential for peak performance. Together, these two areas shape a complete athlete who not only moves efficiently and safely but also competes with confidence, power, and resilience on the mat.
We’ve provided two downloadable guides designed to help both parents and athletes gain a deeper understanding of the sport of wrestling.
The Cali Kids Future All-American Handbook introduces wrestlers to the history, fundamentals, and structure of folkstyle wrestling while explaining key techniques, scoring, and the pathway from youth to elite competition. It highlights the values of discipline, teamwork, and personal growth that wrestling instills in athletes at every level.
The Youth Wrestling Guide serves as an excellent resource for parents, covering everything from what to expect at practices and tournaments to how wrestling builds confidence, discipline, and character. It also addresses common concerns about safety, intensity, and sportsmanship, helping parents support their athletes through the journey.
You can reach Coach Linton directly at (530) 574-2953
Technique Development
Technique development is one of the most important aspects of becoming a successful wrestler, and the best way to accelerate that growth is through focused, individualized training. Our private lesson program with Coach Cody Linton offers athletes the opportunity to refine their skills in a one-on-one setting tailored to their needs and goals. Coach Linton is a 3x NAIA All-American, NAIA National Champion, and has served as an assistant college coach at Doane University and Campbellsville University, where he helped produce eight college All-Americans. He currently coaches with Team Alpha Male and at the UFC Gym, specializing in both wrestling and BJJ. With a Bachelor of Science in Exercise Science from Doane University, Coach Linton brings elite-level experience, technical precision, and proven coaching success to every session—helping wrestlers of all ages sharpen their fundamentals, improve their match performance, and build confidence on and off the mat.
Physical Development
Physical development is a crucial part of becoming a complete wrestler. Building strength, endurance, balance, and mobility not only improves performance on the mat but also helps prevent injuries and supports long-term athletic growth. To help our athletes develop properly, we offer both weighted and non-weighted workout plans—designed by Dr. Scott Judd, a Doctor of Physical Therapy and Magna Cum Laude graduate of Cal State Fullerton. These plans provide a proven framework for wrestlers to safely and effectively build strength for their age and skill level.
The single most important aspect of physical development is consistency and longevity. When creating your workout plan, make sure it’s something you can maintain over time. The best training program is not the one that’s the hardest—it’s the one you can do consistently, week after week, year after year. Sustainable progress always beats short bursts of intensity.
If you’re looking for more personalized guidance or training support, please reach out to Info@calikidswrestling.com