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Coach, The mistake was the lift that was called a slam. I understand your point of view what you and I think is legal doesn’t really matter. The ref called it. We experienced the same thing in the 3rd place match as I feel the refs in TN call the girls matches stricter than the boys, still protecting them more than the guys. That’s just a fact we don’t have control of. These girls are still fighting for equal treatment. I’ll reference a conversation I had with a middle TN ref after the Cleveland dual match. He was amazed at how well those girls were wrestling and was talking about how far girls wrestling has come. You and I know the level these girls wrestle at on competitive teams, but it was obvious the ref who I had never seen at a girls tournament was just seeing what girls wrestling was capable of for the first time. I’m sure there are several refs that are that way. One way to fix the situation that occurred would be to stop the match make no call as to slam or no slam. Allow the athlete to recover, allow concussion protocol to run its course if necessary. The wrestler is either wrestling or not. At which point the ref makes the call. No slam and wrestler has burned injury time. If it was a slam the kid was on recovery time and retains all injury time. On a side note, Melanie is Lilli’s mom. I’m dad and her coach. I was also head coach of the boys when Jason Pennington lost to Crosby in the State Finals. Video clearly showed two different takedowns in the last seconds of the match that were in bounds but called out, a point your former head coach doesn’t contest. Crosby went on to win in sudden death. This stuff happens and again I understand the hurt. But the ref’s interpretation is the call and just like other situations in life we have to live with it. These are the lessons we as coaches use to make our kids and our communities better places.

My daughter Lilli Cobb wrestled 132 and I find your post very offensive. The situation was unfortunate neither wrestler won that match. Redmond was dominant and I’m sure would have finished as champion but she made a mistake one that cost her big. Bryant was given the title but I’m sure she would tell you that’s not the way she wanted it. But as an adult to attack a child like the post above does is horrible. I can carry this conversation further by telling you I fully believe in TITLE IX and took Lilli to the State Capital where she testified twice last Spring in front of the House of Representatives subcommittees to protect women’s sports from males entering as females. The bill was successfully passed into law. I understand the hurt of an opportunity missed as I too had similar situation in 1994. It’s easy to blame others for our shortcomings but I made a choice as did Redmound and it cost us big. It sucks but hopefully she realizes what a talented wrestler she is and continues to use these life lessons to be very successful in her life to come. To the author of the post above I hope you can also find peace and recant your statement. Sharrock Cobb

Are there any girls tournaments that will also have a girls middle school division?

Would you consider adding middle school girls?