#Built By Officials | #For Officials

The most complete, practical, and education-based training system available for wrestling officials.

Interactive Videos & Official Notebook

Learning doesn't happen by simply watching videos. Real growth occurs when you engage with the material, apply what you've learned, and reflect on your experiences.

That's why the Full Circle Wrestling Officials Academy is built around a comprehensive learning experience that goes far beyond traditional officiating education. Throughout the course, you'll engage with interactive video lessons, real-world officiating scenarios, knowledge checks, quizzes, and practical exercises designed to maximize both retention and application.

Rather than simply memorizing rules, you'll learn how to think through situations, analyze match scenarios, and apply concepts in the same way you'll be required to do on the mat. Scenario-based learning challenges you to evaluate situations, make decisions, and develop the judgment skills that are essential for successful officiating.

Each lesson is reinforced through the Officials Workbook, where you'll take notes, complete guided reflections, apply rulebook concepts, and identify specific action steps for improvement. These activities help bridge the gap between learning and performance by encouraging you to connect course content directly to your own officiating experiences, strengths, challenges, and goals.

As a veteran educator, I understand that adults learn best when they actively participate in the learning process. That's why the Academy incorporates multiple opportunities to engage, reflect, practice, and apply new concepts rather than simply consume information.

The result is a learning experience that helps you retain more information, develop greater confidence, and transfer what you've learned directly to your performance on the mat. Instead of just knowing the rules, you'll be prepared to apply them effectively when the pressure is on and the decisions matter most.

Learn at Your Own Pace

Life is busy. Between work, family commitments, practices, tournaments, and everything else competing for your time, finding opportunities for professional development can be challenging.

That's why the Full Circle Wrestling Officials Academy is designed to fit your schedule—not the other way around.

From the moment you enroll, you'll have access to the entire course. There are no weekly releases, no waiting for new content to unlock, and no deadlines forcing you to move faster than you're comfortable. Whether you prefer to work through the material over a weekend or spread your learning out over several months, the choice is yours.

You can move quickly through topics you already understand, spend extra time on areas where you need more development, and revisit lessons whenever you need a refresher. Preparing for your first season? Working toward a playoff assignment? Getting ready for a state tournament? The course will always be available when you need it.

Learning doesn't end when you finish the final lesson. As you gain experience and encounter new situations throughout your officiating career, you can return to the Academy to review concepts, reinforce key principles, and continue building your confidence and knowledge.

Your development is a journey, and the Academy is designed to support you every step of the way—at a pace that works for you.

Built by Officials, Reviewed by Officials

The Full Circle Wrestling Officials Academy brings together hundreds of years of collective officiating experience in one place—giving you the knowledge, confidence, and practical tools to become the best official you can be.

A Clear Development Pathway

Whether you're preparing to officiate your very first youth tournament or striving to earn state, collegiate, and national-level assignments, the Full Circle Wrestling Officials Academy provides a complete pathway for growth at every stage of your officiating journey.

Everything begins with the Foundations Course, where you'll develop the knowledge, confidence, mechanics, positioning, professionalism, and rule application skills necessary to build a successful officiating career. This course is designed to help newer officials establish a strong foundation while also serving as a valuable refresher for experienced officials looking to sharpen their fundamentals.

Once you've mastered the basics, you'll advance into our more comprehensive Advanced Course, where the focus shifts from learning the rules to mastering the craft of officiating. You'll dive deeper into judgment, consistency, communication, match management, positioning, situational awareness, and the subtle skills that separate solid officials from elite performers.

For officials seeking an even greater competitive advantage, one-on-one coaching and mentoring opportunities are available. Through personalized guidance, match reviews, goal setting, and direct feedback, you'll receive individualized support tailored to your strengths, areas for improvement, and officiating aspirations. Rather than navigating your development alone, you'll have an experienced mentor helping accelerate your growth and avoid common pitfalls.

Together, the Foundations Course, Advanced Course, and personalized coaching and mentoring opportunities create a complete developmental pathway unlike anything else available to wrestling officials today.

No matter where you are in your journey, you'll have a clear roadmap for improvement, access to the collective wisdom of some of the nation's top officials, and the tools needed to continue growing year after year.

This isn't just another officiating course.

It's a complete system designed to help you learn faster, perform better, advance further, and become the best wrestling official you can be.

Courses

Meet the Full Circle Academy Advisory Council

The Academy draws upon the collective experience of more than 20 respected officials from 13 states, including state rules interpreters, collegiate officials, and championship-level referees. Their insights and feedback helped shape a curriculum designed to prepare officials for success at every level of wrestling.

Dale Hanover (CA)

Founder of Full Circle Wrestling
Dale Hanover is a veteran educator and wrestling official with over 30 years of teaching experience and 15 years of officiating experience. He is passionate about helping officials develop confidence, consistency, and professionalism on the mat.

George Dixon (SC)

Founding Contributor
Waiting on Bio

Nick Grosso (CT)

Founding Contributor
Waiting on Bio

Kevin Linich (OH)

Founding Contributor
Waiting on Bio

Carlus Mansel (SC)

Founding Contributor
Waiting on Bio

Matt Sorochinsky (OH)

Founding Contributor
Waiting on Bio

Gary Wade (NJ)

Founding Contributor
Waiting on Bio

Steve Azizi (CA)

Founding Contributor
Waiting on Bio

Fred Ayers (CA)

Founding Contributor
Waiting on Bio

Sergio Cortez (CA)

Founding Contributor
Waiting on Bio

Chas DeWitt (UT)

Founding Contributor
Waiting on Bio

Andrew & Kristin Dennison (KY)

Founding Contributor
Waiting on Bio

Bob Edmunds (CA)

Founding Contributor
Waiting on Bio

Jake Evans (CA)

Founding Contributor
Waiting on Bio

Steve Faust (CA)

Founding Contributor
Waiting on Bio

Kurt Frost (MN)

Founding Contributor
Waiting on Bio

Bill Hales (UT)

Founding Contributor
Waiting on Bio

Kim Hernandez (TX)

Founding Contributor
Waiting on Bio

Dan Johnson (WA)

Founding Contributor
Waiting on Bio

Chris Maben (CA)

Founding Contributor
Waiting on Bio

Connor Nesseler (CA)

Founding Contributor
Waiting on Bio

Rob Roy (NV)

Founding Contributor
Waiting on Bio

Dejan Savich (TX)

Founding Contributor
Waiting on Bio

Chris Sortino (CA)

Founding Contributor
Waiting on Bio

Morgan Thompson (CO)

Founding Contributor
Waiting on Bio

Don Valdez (CA)

Founding Contributor
Waiting on Bio

Real Officials. Real Results.

The Full Circle Wrestling Officials Academy fast-tracked my development as an official. The combination of rule knowledge, mechanics, and real-world application helped me earn two California State Championships selections.  Your passion for developing officials has made a lasting impact on my career and continues to inspire me to strive for excellence every time I step on the mat."

Connor Nesseler

I've had the privilege of learning from Dale throughout my officiating career, and his impact on my development has been significant. Dale has a unique ability to teach the details of officiating while also helping officials understand the bigger picture of the craft. His mentorship gave me the tools, confidence, and preparation necessary to continue advancing, ultimately leading to assignments at the California State Championships and opportunities to officiate college wrestling at every level, including Division I. More importantly, he genuinely cares about the success of the officials he mentors and is always willing to invest his time and knowledge to help others improve.

Chris Sortino

"The Full Circle Wrestling Officials Academy provided a clear roadmap for my development and accelerated my growth faster than I ever imagined.  After only two years of officiating, I feel prepared and confident working high-level events and am now in position to officiate state and national-level tournaments."

Caden Hanover

Created with