legtech

I agree with everything you said. Bradley is by far the best PROGRAM in Tennessee. They build individual state champions and state team championships the way it should be done...from the ground up with incredibly hard work and preparation. And their fans are loyal like they should be. Theirs is a formula that has worked across the nation forever. Those who hate them should take a page or two from Bradley's book and look within their own program instead of second guessing their "ranking".

Cookeville would love stay in region 3. We've always said that we want to wrestle the best. That's why we wrestle so many region 4 teams every year also. Although it would be nice to make the state duals, region 3 is what has prepared our kids for the individuals each year. I'll admit that it has been frustrating to see teams at the duals that we have handily beaten year after year, but we never looked back. The only two positives about the realignment for us will be that we have a better chance to make the duals, and we won't have to travel up to two and a half hours, one way (and to another time zone), to wrestle region foes and get home to Cookeville at midnight on a school night. But we have embraced region 3 for all twelve of the short years of the Cookeville program because it's the best place to build a new program. Every coach and program in region 3 has been extremely accomodating to us, and we owe each and every one a big thanks for that. They aren't afraid of new quality teams, they embrace them as all great teams at this level do. Quality competition breeds medals and region 3 has that figured out. All things being equal, we would rather stay in region 3 and build our program up to Bradley's and Cleveland's level. It will be harder for us to do that starting next year, but we'll do our best and never look back. Coach D.

Go Cookeville! I'm proud of you guys. It's killing me that I can't be there but I've been keeping up and marvelling at what you have all accomplished. Leave it all on the mat tomorrow. You've trained hard and earned it. Now go and get it. Coach D.

Having coached in Cookeville for the first 10 years of the program, I know the coaching staff in Cookeville very well and I know the current wrestlers on the team well. I can tell you, without a doubt, that Coach Cook has the best interest of the kids (from all teams) in mind in every decision he makes. If he pulled Nick White, and if the description of the match is accurate, I'm sure it was to send Nick a message about his agression...nothing else. Nick Will be a better man and a better wrestler because of this decision, and so will the rest of Cookeville's team. Coach Cook is a man of character, and I have personally sat with him for hours after practices and meets, discussing issues just such as this. Rest assured, Cookeville is not a team that has a win at all costs mentality. In the 12 years I have known him, I have never once seen Scott Cook sacrifice his honor or his wrestler's progress for personal gain. Having said all that, I do agree that all of the concerns mentioned in the preceding posts are valid ones. They just do not apply to Scott Cook or the Cookeville program.

Boyce is going 145 because he refused to bump Proctor out of 140, and 135 was still too low for him (he started at around 155). He's healthy at 145, so he's much better off, and he may surprise some people. Don't count him out. Daniel's not the type to dodge anyone, he just respects Justin and his efforts at 140 throughout the year and that respect won't allow for bumping him. Both Daniel and Justin are class acts. Good luck to them.

Last year Overton beat Cookeville, Central Square, NY beat Overton, and Cookeville beat Central Square. All indications are that they will be fairly evenly matched again this year. Should be fun.

Proctor won both his matches at 145. He'll be at 140 from now on.