Moving - best programs in Tennessee

[arrowhead]

My family and I are considering moving to Tennessee this summer, I am closing in on retirement so where we settle is subjective...though I may be a little partial to the Knoxville area (have some family there) My youngest son will be a sophomore next year and has been part of a great program here in western Pennsylvania.  I have no idea what wrestling is like in the Volunteer State but I do have a lot of questions.

 

1. How many school classifications are there in Tennessee and which one is the most competitive? (there are only 2 in Pennsylvania, AA & AAA)

2. How long is the season? (currently the sanctioned season here runs from mid November until the first weekend in March - states)

3. Are there "state team duals" if so how does a team qualify?

4. How many matches can you wrestle during a season? (here in PA a kid may get almost 50 matches provided his team continues to compete in the team duals and he progresses through the individual post season)

5. How many post season tournaments must you compete in to qualify for states? (currently we go through Sections, Districts, Regionals then to States) Another way of asking this would be "how do you qualify for states"

6. What schools offer "spring/summer clubs" for Freestyle and Greco and do any of them travel? (We have been to AAU/Disney duals for competition) 

7. What are some of the "better" programs in the state...ones that will offer not just good individual instruction but also encompass a team approach?

 

Thanks in advance for your help.

Chris (arrowhead)

 

[CoachJones]

coachjonestrained@gmail.com if considering Knoxville 865-368-4459

[SAC]

What county in western PA?

Edited March 13, 2014 by SAC

[Sommers]

Knoxville area is coming together from Halls, to Blount co to Sevier co. Several schools now building feeders.

 

Middle TN is also developing fast in Rutherford co and Williamson co. Including Josh Peck and his Ravenwood hs. Father Ryan also seems to finish strong and create over achievers.

 

See... http://www.fatherryan.org/page.cfm?p=2461

 

Wilson co's Kramer and Hamm has it going on in a big way now.

 

Christian Brothers leads the west.

 

Chattanooga and cleveland areas go back some 50-60 years and continues to build a strong few in all three divisions. Tradition is huge in this area and it shows. Go to TSSAA.org

[Sommers]

Sumner co is decent, even with a recent Hendersonville set back, Beech, under Jeff Roberts, is steady right there with another region foe in Montgomery co, Clarksville, under Tommy Baden & a former NCAA champ as asst Holker. Cookeville to the east is decent and always competitive under Jeff Cook. And Blackman (coach Bray) Tullahoma to the south side as well under coach Al Morris Jr. Class act Ramsey & his Siegel hs can make noise as well.

 

Cleveland, Bradley, Walker Valley, Soddy Daisy, Hixson and for private schools, Baylor and McCallie are traditional leaders in the SE side and really anywhere, 'cept up your way.

Edited March 13, 2014 by Sommers

[marshiebaby]

Chris - if you want mountains and the best flyfishing NE Tennessee is your place - 1 hour from Knoxville -  If so Johnson City is the best choice - Science Hill High school always a good program dominant over NE Tennessee and travels out of state into Virginia , North Carolina, and in state.  Wrestles large number of tournaments my two boys have always gotten 60ish varsity matches a year my sophmore @ 195 took fourth this year was tied 1-1 against a ranked senior with 20 seconds left before trying a risky throw - lost on points - so the relative coaching is good.  Have significant freestyle and greco traveling clubs for year round wrestling that travel around country - ie . Team Tornado and others locally serious traveling year round clubs.  State duals - Science Hill always in State duals by winning region every year (top two in region qualify).

 

Hope this answered some of your questions  good luck and welcome to Tennessee

Edited March 13, 2014 by marshiebaby

[Sommers]

Chris - if you want mountains and the best flyfishing NE Tennessee is your place - 1 hour from Knoxville -  If so Johnson City is the best choice - Science Hill High school always a good program dominant over NE Tennessee and travels out of state into Virginia , North Carolina, and in state.  Wrestles large number of tournaments my two boys have always gotten 60ish varsity matches a year my sophmore @ 195 took fourth this year was tied 1-1 against a ranked senior with 20 seconds left before trying a risky throw - lost on points - so the relative coaching is good.  Have significant freestyle and greco traveling clubs for year round wrestling that travel around country - ie . Team Tornado and others locally serious traveling year round clubs.  State duals - Science Hill always in State duals by winning region every year (top two in region qualify).

 

Hope this answered some of your questions  good luck and welcome to Tennessee

Price and Miller are tagteaming a fine program consistently

[cowboypete]

Chris - if you want mountains and the best flyfishing NE Tennessee is your place - 1 hour from Knoxville -  If so Johnson City is the best choice - Science Hill High school always a good program dominant over NE Tennessee and travels out of state into Virginia , North Carolina, and in state.  Wrestles large number of tournaments my two boys have always gotten 60ish varsity matches a year my sophmore @ 195 took fourth this year was tied 1-1 against a ranked senior with 20 seconds left before trying a risky throw - lost on points - so the relative coaching is good.  Have significant freestyle and greco traveling clubs for year round wrestling that travel around country - ie . Team Tornado and others locally serious traveling year round clubs.  State duals - Science Hill always in State duals by winning region every year (top two in region qualify).

 

Hope this answered some of your questions  good luck and welcome to Tennessee

Let’s be serious here. Science hill great program and everything but best in the team in the state far in public school is Cleveland. And in private school division it’s Father Ryan or Baylor you really can’t go wrong. Soddy Daisy used to have a good program but since the Turner brothers left the program has run dry. And between Father Ryan, Baylor, and Cleveland they all beat each other so it’s a tossup. But Father Ryan and Baylor have had the longest winning tradition in the state of winning championships as a team and have had more guys wrestling in college as of late than anyone. But Father Ryan has one of the better freestyle and greco programs in the state they go to fargo and they train with team ohio before they go. The freestyle coach now back at Father Ryan coached Tennessee's first fargo champ.

Edited March 14, 2014 by cowboypete

[WrestlingGod]

Let’s be serious here. Science hill great program and everything but best in the team in the state far in public school is Cleveland. And in private school division it’s Father Ryan or Baylor you really can’t go wrong. Soddy Daisy used to have a good program but since the Turner brothers left the program has run dry. And between Father Ryan, Baylor, and Cleveland they all beat each other so it’s a tossup. But Father Ryan and Baylor have had the longest winning tradition in the state of winning championships as a team and have had more guys wrestling in college as of late than anyone. But Father Ryan has one of the better freestyle and greco programs in the state they go to fargo and they train with team ohio before they go. The freestyle coach now back at Father Ryan coached Tennessee's first fargo champ.

You gotta read though. They aren't moving to middle or east tn. In WEST tn, where they said they're moving to, Christian Brothers is the best, a couple years ago being ranked in the top 25 in the country. This past year they had a champ at Fargo. Followed by Science Hill.

 

If you're looking to get in contact with a coach contact Chris Vandegriff. He has every coaches contact info in the state. Welcome to TN!!

 

WG

[fooseball96]

The Cleveland/Chattanooga area is the best area for wrestling in tennessee. In Bradley County you have Cleveland, Bradley, And Walker Valley whom are all in the top 6 constantly every year. Also I believe chattanoogas location is the best as far as being only an hour or so from Atlanta, Birmingham and 6 hours from Florida in case u want to take vacation. There are other programs in the state that are good as well. But Cleveland, Bradley,Walker Valley, Baylor, And McCallie are top notch programs in the chattanooga area

Edited March 14, 2014 by fooseball96

[cbg]

Why not just ask one simple question: In the last 5-7 years what program has produced the most NCAA D1 wrestlers in Tennessee? Any high school program considered great is sending kids on to the D1 level.

[marshiebaby]

Uh yeah -  you gotta read...  The man said he is moving to retire... and have good wrestling with lots of matches...  Now being one who originally moved here to retire - I absolutley 100% would never move to west tennessee and the africa heat and tornados it has to offer... HA! I would not move to Nashville if retirement was a thought as the same applies and add terrible traffic! double HA HA!  Sorry but Cleveland also miserable hot and climate like Atlanta, no wonder everybody summer wrestles there they got to get away...  Dare I say a triple HA HA HA! sweat city!!!. 

Knoxville is a nice middle ground I will admit, but if retirement and wrestling is your goal that is not the spot, based on wrestling...  The Maryville area would be a good choice but then you have Sevierville traffic and admittedly thats a beautiful place to visit and play tourist - but sevierville anywhere close is a negative to me.

 

The besat logical choice by deduction is the mountains and comfortable summers along with great trout fishing rivers and turkey hunting of NE Tennessee...  Am I right NE Tennesseans?!  and thus Johnson City is the logical deduction.   I know all of you posters are jealous of our climate...   Enough said!