Val Smirnov
Val is our free-style wrestling coach and has been teaching at 1st Legion since 2016. Val, who is a Master of Sports, has over 35 years’ experience in the sport, having been a member of the Latvian national team for 6 years and a multiple champion and medallist of the Latvian Republic Championships.
Val began his coaching career in 1994 and has worked as head coach in a number of wrestling clubs, including Nottingham Wrestling Club. Val works with a range of MAA fighters and Jiu Jitsu wrestlers to help them improve both their knowledge and skill on the sport to improve the outcome in their own sport.