25th Annual Ernie Jones Wrestling Camp

The Ernie Jones Wrestling Camp has always been built on one core principle:

• Being coached by coaches and taught by teachers.

There’s no YouTube video that can simulate being down by two points late in a match, with thousands of eyes watching, and having to summon the mental toughness and grit needed to prevail. There is no substitute for experience.

You're not truly experienced in something until you’ve lived it.

• You can’t gain teaching experience without decades of guiding and mentoring students.
• And you don’t develop real coaching experience until you’ve stood in front of hundreds of wrestlers, taught them, and watched how they respond in the defining moments of competition.

It’s in those moments—when their success depends on your preparation—that true coaching ability is revealed.

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What’s Really Going On at Penn State?

As a wrestling fan—and more importantly, as a coach and teacher—I keep asking: What’s going on at Penn State Wrestling?

Under Cael Sanderson's leadership, Penn State has created a dynasty:

• 14 NCAA Championships
• 11 Big Ten Championships
• 28 NCAA Champions in 18 years

The entire wrestling world is watching in amazement. Major, tradition-rich college programs are scrambling to figure out how to replicate what’s happening in State College, PA.

If college presidents, athletic directors, and boosters are willing to do whatever it takes to capture even a fraction of what Penn State is doing—why aren’t you? I know I am.

Event Registration Details

June 11th - 14th
Braeden Davis Camp
Age Groups MS / HS Time: See Schedule Below Cost: $230 Participants Limit: 100 REGISTER

A Camp Built on Fundamentals, Not Flash

Led by Coach Rodney Jones – Structured, Intentional, Proven

All Ernie Jones Wrestling Camps will be organized and led by Rodney Jones, whose approach is rooted in education-based coaching—not showmanship.

This will not be a camp where athletes sit and watch a clinician demonstrate random techniques with no connection from one to the next. Instead, the camp is carefully designed using a teaching approach known in education as Progressive Skill Development or Building-Block Learning.

Rather than presenting skills in a disorganized or unrelated manner, the Jones Coaching and Teaching Philosophy is built on a strong foundation of fundamentals. Techniques and transitions are presented in a logical sequence, with each new skill building on the one before it.

This teaching method:

• Promotes true comprehension
• Increases skill retention
• Ensures wrestlers leave with a cohesive system they can continue to build upon

By the end of camp, your wrestler won’t just know a few cool moves—they’ll understand how and when to apply them, and how they fit into broader wrestling systems. They’ll return to their home teams or practice rooms equipped with a solid base of knowledge they can develop independently.

What We Focus On: High-Impact Skills That Translate Everywhere

The Ernie Jones Wrestling Camp doesn’t overload wrestlers with flashy moves or isolated drills. Instead, we focus on high-value skills that translate directly to live situations and competitive success—regardless of your athlete’s level or style.

• Key Areas of Focus
• Hand Fighting & Control Ties
  • Learn how to dominate ties, control tempo, and create scoring opportunities
  • Emphasis on physicality, pressure, and transitioning from ties to attacks
• Getting Off the Bottom
  • Proven strategies to escape, earn reversals, and avoid being ridden out
  • Focused drills to build confidence, timing, and mat awareness
• Cradles from Defensive Positions
  • How to turn defense into offense—defending high crotches and single legs while setting up cradles
  • Learn to recognize positions and hit transitions that lead to nearfalls
• Concepts Over Techniques
  • We teach principles, not just moves
  • Athletes will understand why a tactic works, when to use it, and how to adjust it under pressure
  • This makes skills more adaptable across styles and opponents
• Risk vs. Reward From All Positions
  • Situational awareness: knowing when to go for it and when to stay in good position
  • High-percentage attacks and counters that maximize scoring and minimize danger
  • Teaching athletes to make smart, confident decisions in match-critical moments

Every session is designed to build systematically, with each skill reinforcing the last. This camp will leave your wrestler not only better prepared—but smarter, sharper, and more self-reliant on the mat.

We are thrilled for another summer of growth, competition, and learning. Whether you're new to the sport or looking to take your wrestling skills to the next level, this year’s camps will provide something for everyone!