Mark Bertron | First-Time California State Wrestling Official

What is it really like to officiate the California State Wrestling Championships for the first time?

On this episode of Full Circle Wrestling, I sit down with Mark Bertron, a first-time California State Meet official, to talk about the experience of stepping onto one of the biggest stages in high school wrestling.

Mark shares what it takes to prepare for the California State Championships, how the intensity and expectations change at the state level, what first-time officials need to watch out for, and the lessons he learned throughout the tournament. We discuss preparation, positioning, mechanics, communication, handling pressure, staying consistent, and maintaining confidence when every call matters.

For wrestling officials hoping to someday earn a California State Meet assignment, this episode provides a firsthand look at what to expect—and how to be ready when your opportunity comes.

🎙️ Full Circle Wrestling
All Angles. All Levels. All In.

If you enjoy California wrestling, officiating, coaching, or behind-the-scenes wrestling content, LIKE, FOLLOW, SUBSCRIBE & SHARE!

Follow Full Circle Wrestling:
Instagram: @FullCircle_Wrestling
TikTok: @FullCircle_Wrestling
YouTube: @FullCircleWrestling
Facebook: Full Circle Wrestling

#CaliforniaWrestling #WrestlingOfficials #WrestlingReferee #CIFWrestling #CIFStateWrestling #HighSchoolWrestling #WrestlingPodcast #WrestlingRefs #Wrestling #FullCircleWrestling #StateChampionships #WrestlingCommunity

🏆 WAYNE BRANSTETTER: Building a Wrestling Dynasty | Poway Wrestling 4-Part Series

Hall of Fame coach Wayne Branstetter joins the Full Circle Wrestling Podcast for an incredible four-part conversation covering decades of wrestling, coaching, leadership, and the rise of Poway High School Wrestling into one of California’s premier programs.

Coach Branstetter’s résumé speaks for itself:

🔥 5× California State Team Champions
🏆 National High School Wrestling Coach of the Year
🏆 Multiple-Time California State Coach of the Year
⭐ Hall of Fame Coach
🤼 Decades of building champions, coaches, and young men at Poway High School

We planned on doing a podcast.

We ended up with FOUR.

There was simply too much wrestling history, knowledge, and great storytelling to squeeze into one episode.

Throughout this special series, Coach Branstetter and I dive into Poway Wrestling, California high school wrestling, building championship teams, developing wrestlers, coaching philosophy, leadership, program culture, legendary athletes, memorable moments, and the lessons learned over decades in the sport.

Whether you're a wrestler, coach, parent, official, or fan of California wrestling, this is a series you won't want to miss.

🎙️ WAYNE BRANSTETTER 4-PART SERIES

📅 Part 1 — October 6
📅 Part 2 — October 8
📅 Part 3 — October 13
📅 Part 4 — October 15

Subscribe and turn on notifications so you don't miss a single episode.

👉 LIKE, COMMENT & SHARE to help us continue growing the sport and telling the stories of the people who built wrestling from the ground up.

Full Circle Wrestling — All Angles. All Levels. All In.

📲 Instagram: @FullCircle_Wrestling
▶️ YouTube: @FullCircleWrestling
🎵 TikTok: @FullCircleWrestling
📘 Facebook: Full Circle Wrestling

#WayneBranstetter #PowayWrestling #PowayHighSchool #CaliforniaWrestling #CAWrestling #HighSchoolWrestling #WrestlingCoach #WrestlingPodcast #FullCircleWrestling #Wrestling #WrestlingLife #WrestlingFamily #WrestlingCommunity #StateChampions #Coaching #WrestlingCulture

🏆 WAYNE BRANSTETTER: Building a Wrestling Dynasty | Poway Wrestling 4-Part Series

Hall of Fame coach Wayne Branstetter joins the Full Circle Wrestling Podcast for an incredible four-part conversation covering decades of wrestling, coaching, leadership, and the rise of Poway High School Wrestling into one of California’s premier programs.

Coach Branstetter’s résumé speaks for itself:

🔥 5× California State Team Champions
🏆 National High School Wrestling Coach of the Year
🏆 Multiple-Time California State Coach of the Year
⭐ Hall of Fame Coach
🤼 Decades of building champions, coaches, and young men at Poway High School

We planned on doing a podcast.

We ended up with FOUR.

There was simply too much wrestling history, knowledge, and great storytelling to squeeze into one episode.

Throughout this special series, Coach Branstetter and I dive into Poway Wrestling, California high school wrestling, building championship teams, developing wrestlers, coaching philosophy, leadership, program culture, legendary athletes, memorable moments, and the lessons learned over decades in the sport.

Whether you're a wrestler, coach, parent, official, or fan of California wrestling, this is a series you won't want to miss.

🎙️ WAYNE BRANSTETTER 4-PART SERIES

📅 Part 1 — October 6
📅 Part 2 — October 8
📅 Part 3 — October 13
📅 Part 4 — October 15

Subscribe and turn on notifications so you don't miss a single episode.

👉 LIKE, COMMENT & SHARE to help us continue growing the sport and telling the stories of the people who built wrestling from the ground up.

Full Circle Wrestling — All Angles. All Levels. All In.

📲 Instagram: @FullCircle_Wrestling
▶️ YouTube: @FullCircleWrestling
🎵 TikTok: @FullCircleWrestling
📘 Facebook: Full Circle Wrestling

#WayneBranstetter #PowayWrestling #PowayHighSchool #CaliforniaWrestling #CAWrestling #HighSchoolWrestling #WrestlingCoach #WrestlingPodcast #FullCircleWrestling #Wrestling #WrestlingLife #WrestlingFamily #WrestlingCommunity #StateChampions #Coaching #WrestlingCulture

🏆 WAYNE BRANSTETTER: Building a Wrestling Dynasty | Poway Wrestling 4-Part Series

Hall of Fame coach Wayne Branstetter joins the Full Circle Wrestling Podcast for an incredible four-part conversation covering decades of wrestling, coaching, leadership, and the rise of Poway High School Wrestling into one of California’s premier programs.

Coach Branstetter’s résumé speaks for itself:

🔥 5× California State Team Champions
🏆 National High School Wrestling Coach of the Year
🏆 Multiple-Time California State Coach of the Year
⭐ Hall of Fame Coach
🤼 Decades of building champions, coaches, and young men at Poway High School

We planned on doing a podcast.

We ended up with FOUR.

There was simply too much wrestling history, knowledge, and great storytelling to squeeze into one episode.

Throughout this special series, Coach Branstetter and I dive into Poway Wrestling, California high school wrestling, building championship teams, developing wrestlers, coaching philosophy, leadership, program culture, legendary athletes, memorable moments, and the lessons learned over decades in the sport.

Whether you're a wrestler, coach, parent, official, or fan of California wrestling, this is a series you won't want to miss.

🎙️ WAYNE BRANSTETTER 4-PART SERIES

📅 Part 1 — October 6
📅 Part 2 — October 8
📅 Part 3 — October 13
📅 Part 4 — October 15

Subscribe and turn on notifications so you don't miss a single episode.

👉 LIKE, COMMENT & SHARE to help us continue growing the sport and telling the stories of the people who built wrestling from the ground up.

Full Circle Wrestling — All Angles. All Levels. All In.

📲 Instagram: @FullCircle_Wrestling
▶️ YouTube: @FullCircleWrestling
🎵 TikTok: @FullCircleWrestling
📘 Facebook: Full Circle Wrestling

#WayneBranstetter #PowayWrestling #PowayHighSchool #CaliforniaWrestling #CAWrestling #HighSchoolWrestling #WrestlingCoach #WrestlingPodcast #FullCircleWrestling #Wrestling #WrestlingLife #WrestlingFamily #WrestlingCommunity #StateChampions #Coaching #WrestlingCulture

🏆 WAYNE BRANSTETTER: Building a Wrestling Dynasty | Poway Wrestling 4-Part Series

Hall of Fame coach Wayne Branstetter joins the Full Circle Wrestling Podcast for an incredible four-part conversation covering decades of wrestling, coaching, leadership, and the rise of Poway High School Wrestling into one of California’s premier programs.

Coach Branstetter’s résumé speaks for itself:

🔥 5× California State Team Champions
🏆 National High School Wrestling Coach of the Year
🏆 Multiple-Time California State Coach of the Year
⭐ Hall of Fame Coach
🤼 Decades of building champions, coaches, and young men at Poway High School

We planned on doing a podcast.

We ended up with FOUR.

There was simply too much wrestling history, knowledge, and great storytelling to squeeze into one episode.

Throughout this special series, Coach Branstetter and I dive into Poway Wrestling, California high school wrestling, building championship teams, developing wrestlers, coaching philosophy, leadership, program culture, legendary athletes, memorable moments, and the lessons learned over decades in the sport.

Whether you're a wrestler, coach, parent, official, or fan of California wrestling, this is a series you won't want to miss.

🎙️ WAYNE BRANSTETTER 4-PART SERIES

📅 Part 1 — October 6
📅 Part 2 — October 8
📅 Part 3 — October 13
📅 Part 4 — October 15

Subscribe and turn on notifications so you don't miss a single episode.

👉 LIKE, COMMENT & SHARE to help us continue growing the sport and telling the stories of the people who built wrestling from the ground up.

Full Circle Wrestling — All Angles. All Levels. All In.

📲 Instagram: @FullCircle_Wrestling
▶️ YouTube: @FullCircleWrestling
🎵 TikTok: @FullCircleWrestling
📘 Facebook: Full Circle Wrestling

#WayneBranstetter #PowayWrestling #PowayHighSchool #CaliforniaWrestling #CAWrestling #HighSchoolWrestling #WrestlingCoach #WrestlingPodcast #FullCircleWrestling #Wrestling #WrestlingLife #WrestlingFamily #WrestlingCommunity #StateChampions #Coaching #WrestlingCulture

🎙️ Rod Frost | How Elite Wrestling Officials Think

Minnesota wrestling official Rod Frost joins the Full Circle Wrestling Officials Academy to share his experience, perspective, and approach to becoming a better wrestling official.

Rod has extensive experience officiating high school and college wrestling in Minnesota and also serves as a state evaluator, giving him a unique perspective on what separates good officials from elite officials.

In this conversation, we go beyond simply knowing the rules and discuss the details that help officials improve their craft: mechanics, positioning, judgment, communication, consistency, professionalism, and match management.

Rod also shares what he looks for when evaluating officials and how feedback, mentorship, self-evaluation, and deliberate practice can accelerate an official's development.

🎙️ Topics Include:

• What separates average officials from elite officials
• High school vs. college officiating
• Mechanics, positioning, and presentation
• Developing better judgment on the mat
• What evaluators look for in officials
• Receiving and applying feedback
• Building consistency and confidence
• Mentoring the next generation of wrestling officials
• Strategies for improving and moving up

Whether you're a first-year official or an experienced referee looking to reach the next level, Rod's insights provide practical ideas you can immediately apply on the mat.

Full Circle Wrestling Officials Academy
Educate. Mentor. Elevate.

🎙️ Marques Gales | Building Champions at Sacramento City College

Marques Gales, Head Wrestling Coach at Sacramento City College, joins the Full Circle Wrestling Podcast to talk about leadership, junior college wrestling, athlete development, and what it takes to build a championship-level program.

Coming off being named the 2025 3C2A Wrestling Coach of the Year, Coach Gales shares his approach to developing wrestlers both on and off the mat. We discuss the unique opportunities available through California junior college wrestling, helping athletes reach the next level, creating a strong team culture, and the role coaches play in preparing young men for life beyond wrestling.

🎙️ In This Episode:

• Building a successful wrestling culture at Sacramento City College
• The value of California junior college wrestling
• Developing athletes beyond wins and losses
• Creating accountability and championship habits
• Helping wrestlers transition to four-year programs
• Recruiting and developing overlooked athletes
• Lessons learned from coaching at the collegiate level
• What it means to be named the 2025 3C2A Coach of the Year
• The future of Sacramento City College Wrestling

Whether you're a wrestler, parent, coach, wrestling official, or fan, this conversation provides an inside look at the impact junior college wrestling can have on athletes looking for another opportunity to compete, develop, and continue their education.

🔥 Full Circle Wrestling — All Angles. All Levels. All In.

👍 Like the episode
🔔 Subscribe to Full Circle Wrestling
📲 Share it with a wrestler, parent, or coach who needs to hear it.

Follow Full Circle Wrestling on YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, iHeartRadio, and all major podcast platforms.

🔥 Paulo Valdez | 3x California State Placer & JUCO State Runner-Up

California wrestling standout Paulo Valdez joins Full Circle Wrestling to share his journey through high school and junior college wrestling.

A 3x California State Wrestling Placer, Paulo established himself among the top high school wrestlers in the state before continuing his career at the California JUCO level, where he became a California Community College State Runner-Up.

In this episode, we discuss Paulo’s wrestling career, competing in the California State Championships, the transition from high school to college wrestling, the value of the California JUCO wrestling system, and the mindset and work ethic required to compete at an elite level.

🎙️ In This Episode:
• Paulo Valdez’s California wrestling journey
• Becoming a 3x CA State Placer
• Competing at the California State Wrestling Championships
• Transitioning from high school to JUCO wrestling
• Becoming a California JUCO State Runner-Up
• The benefits of California community college wrestling
• Training, competition, mindset, and perseverance
• Advice for young wrestlers looking to compete in college

👉 Like, subscribe, and share Full Circle Wrestling with wrestlers, parents, coaches, and fans.

🤼 Full Circle Wrestling — All Angles. All Levels. All In.