AAU State Tournament--Disaster!

[galloppingghost77]

Has the Williamson County Ag Expo Center been considered for AAU state? It would definitely be big enough.

 

yes it has. As a matter of fact several times this past weekend. That site and several others that have similar facilities have also been discussed.

[ocdanal]

You can't be nice to people like Humorwrestling, their pessimist. Their glass is always half empty.

Humorwrestling is also a coward who hides behind his fictitious name and then uses the excuse that he doesn't want to reveal himself because of his kids. Although, if he knew the first thing about the leadership of this organization, the kids come first, again pessimism. I could care less who he is or where he's from. Galloppingghost is one of the best leaders this organization has ever had and one who always puts every athlete first over any issue I've ever seen addressed. As for me, Humorwrestling, keep posting your nonsense with your pessimistic nature. You evidently have no agenda to make anything better, just stir up more negativity. Your hatred and name calling ways are only childish tools used to feed your own ego.

 

Philosophical pessimism is the similar but not identical idea that life has a negative value, or that this world is as bad as it could possibly be. It has also been noted by many philosophers that pessimism is not a disposition as the term commonly connotes. Instead, it is a cogent philosophy that directly challenges the notion of progress and what may be considered the faith-based claims of optimism. So, on that note, we chalk Humorwrestling up as a very self centered Philosophical pessimist and hold no ill feelings towards him, it's in his blood. So we will all move forward with our glasses half full and leave him to stare into his half empty glass. It's a lonely world for the pessimist.....

[Panther50]

I want to thank everyone that volunteered their time to put the tournament on. I know a lot of you didn't sleep at all trying to fix brackets. It was not the best ran tournament I have been to. However, given the circumstances, I think everyone did the best they could. There was some great wrestling, and overall a good weekend. I loved the addition of the state duals on the day after to determine who makes Team TN. In years past, the best 5th grader was usually who made the team. With the state duals, the kids have to wrestle for a spot on the team. It doesn't get more fair than that. I have some suggestions(some already mentioned).

 

1) The tournament needs to be somewhere bigger if everyone is to wrestle on the same day. We need more seating to keep people off the mats unless they are wrestling. I saw the referees fall over people more than once yesterday.

 

2) Every age group needs to qualify. The sport is growing and, it will make the kids that miss out on going work harder to get there next season.

 

3) Bigger awards area so there is room for people to take pictures of their kids.

 

4) Showcase the finals and 3rd/4th place matches. It makes it even more special to the kids.

 

5) Go to 8 regions. Top 3 go to state. 24 man brackets. The 1 seeds all get a bye. 2 and 3 seeds wrestle to face the 1 seeds. Having and odd number of regions screws up the brackets. You get more region champs on one side than the other. With the larger venue, you can allow more to wrestle. It helps grow the sport, and adds more competition.

 

6) Every tournament should be on trackwrestling with the results posted. This allows it to be seeded properly. Ideally, you want the best 2 wrestling in the finals. I know it is extra work, but the kids deserve it. The "slotted" system that is being used now does not split the best kids. It is just the luck of where your region falls.

 

7) Only TN residents can wrestle in region and state. I know the intent was to get better competion. A state championship is supposed to be special. The whole point of it is to find out who our best wrestler in each weight class is. I know of some kids that were the best TENNESSEE kid in the their weight class, but lost out on a state championship to someone from a different state.

 

I am not complaining. Just some things I think would improve youth wrestling in TN. Once again, I want to thank everyone that worked to put the tournament on.

[cchulk]

Humor, I learned a long time ago that you don't complain about the way things are done unless

you can also offer up a solution.

 

There is more to a solution than just suggesting bigger venue, two days, better bout calling system, adjust the air, etc.

You must offer up detailed solutions to each situation so that pros and cons can be discussed and an informed decision

can be made.

[YOUTHCOACH16]

First, let me just say all the adda-boys are coming from the puppet masters behind Team TN.

 

My original post was not meant as a personal attack on anyone, but rather on the methods by Team TN in organizing this tournament and their inability to accept suggestions for improvement outside of the good ole boy network. My intent was to draw attention to the fact that all the issues experienced at the tournament have been discussed at all the AAU meetings by me and others. Our concerns fall on deaf ears because the leadership doesn't want to go out of their box and try something new. We are not in the inner circle and will not be heard. For years the space and mat requirements for Region & State have always been posted but when the tournaments actually roll around, rarely are the number of mats used and guidelines followed. The requirements, IMO are meant to exclude more than to include. When the discussion of a combined tournament was raised, I was one of the most outspoken reminding everyone of the issues faced in the past with a combined tournament, including finishing after midnight. The TOP 100 tournament that ended at 2 am this year should have been a clue...In addition, I also offered a solution to the overcrowding by making tots, bantam, and midget qualify just as the jr/middle schoolers. If its a true state tournament--shouldn't the elite kids be showcased? I also suggested a two day event on the same weekend as have others, still one travel weekend and everyone can watch NCAA's--suggestion ignored.

 

And I'm not crying over spilt milk, my kids all performed above and beyond expectations.

 

You're right, there was great wrestling and the awards were nice. But to sit back and act like everything was smooth is just plain DENIAL and if everyone continues to back pat and pretend all this didn't happen, then our tournaments will never improve. I understand the person originally scheduled to run the tournament had a last minute obligation, but with a tournament this big shouldn't there be a contingency plan in place? If there would have been some planning all the regions would have posted results on track so everything could have been seamlessly integrated--I also recommended this be done last year...obviously no one took my suggestions seriously.

 

Hate me if you want, but I'm trying to improve wrestling just as much as all the others posting here. Maybe my method is unconventional with the original post but convential methods haven't served well in dealing with Team TN leadership.

 

You obviously have some kind of resentment and or inferiority complex. You claim you have made suggestions that fall on deaf ears. Well fact number one is you did not come to the open meeting where all of this was discussed. If you were not there to discuss the issues or ideas you have then how did you communicate your ideas? Secondly, do you realize we had a two day tournament the last few years and the reason we changed it was because all we heard was everyone wants a one day tournament so they dont have to travel two weekends, they dont have to get hotels, we dont lose kids to baseball, they dont miss the ncaa's. See we tried to meet everyones needs but yet again thats not good enough. The truth of the matter is there are thousands of people to consider in the state and while we cant make everyone happy we try to meet the needs of the majority. Based on the posts it looks like you are definitely in the minority. We will continue to meet the needs of the majority and not the minority and thats all we can do. You act like someone is trying to exclude you. please understand this. WE ARE BEGGING FOR VOLUNTEERS. WE DONT WANT TO DO IT ALL OURSELVES. PLEASE..PLEASE BE A PART OF THE SOLUTION AND NOT THE PROBLEM. There is your open invitation, until you step up and get involved instead of criticizing everyone anonymously you cant be taken seriously. If you dont like the way your region rep runs things all you have to do is run against him. The coaches in your area can vote you onto the board if they think you are a better candidate. We do not hand pick our board members. Your group of peers does.

[YOUTHCOACH16]

I'm glad you plan to address the issues. Time will tell if any changes are made.

 

Mr. Laderdale: I'm not quite sure why my anonymity bothers you such. I assume because someone has harshly pointed out the areas for improvement and your seeming unwillingness to correct past errors. I believe it bothers you that the silent majority has finally spoken. I'm not looking for a personal battle and I don't need undue attention on my childs club because I have went against the grain in calling out the leadership for their failures. Your discussion of the issues does nothing without action. Its action and changes I seek.

 

No fault falls on the volunteers running the tournament--they were soldiers, doing as instructed--as Satterfield pointed out--standing on the wall. It was those that ordered the code red that failed.

 

And as a side note, I agree with 2DblLeg--since Memphis is part of AAU now some consideration should be given to them hosting. There are many places around Memphis that are suitable for the tournament.

 

ok, you say we dont listen? you think we should move the tournament to memphis? Do you remember the tournament a few years back at Dickson? There was nobody there because it was too far from the rest of the states population. I am all for the Memphis region growing and I love the competition. But unfortunately moving the tournament to Memphis would be the worst decision ever made. It is too far for the rest of the state and would affect the numbers tremendously. Is that fair to Memphis? no its not and I certainly understand their gripe about having to travel. But the fact is we have to look at whats best for the state. Do we make the majority travel all the way across the state to memphis or should Memphis travel since they would be the smallest number? The reason we dont hold the tournament in Kingsport is because of the very same reason. Kingsport has the best venue to hold the tournament and everyone knows that but then we would be making everyone travel all the way to across the state. How many Memphis people would show up if the tournament was in kingsport? The tournament needs to be in nashville or Chattanooga or Crossville for logistical purposes.

[Panther50]

ok, you say we dont listen? you think we should move the tournament to memphis? Do you remember the tournament a few years back at Dickson? There was nobody there because it was too far from the rest of the states population. I am all for the Memphis region growing and I love the competition. But unfortunately moving the tournament to Memphis would be the worst decision ever made. It is too far for the rest of the state and would affect the numbers tremendously. Is that fair to Memphis? no its not and I certainly understand their gripe about having to travel. But the fact is we have to look at whats best for the state. Do we make the majority travel all the way across the state to memphis or should Memphis travel since they would be the smallest number? The reason we dont hold the tournament in Kingsport is because of the very same reason. Kingsport has the best venue to hold the tournament and everyone knows that but then we would be making everyone travel all the way to across the state. How many Memphis people would show up if the tournament was in kingsport? The tournament needs to be in nashville or Chattanooga or Crossville for logistical purposes.

 

I agree with this. Memphis is very long drive for 95 percent of the teams in TN. It would hurt participation in the state tournament. A lot of people would not go unless they had a good chance of taking 1st. It has to somewhere centrally located to make it fair to the whole state.

[cbg]

ok, you say we dont listen? you think we should move the tournament to memphis? Do you remember the tournament a few years back at Dickson? There was nobody there because it was too far from the rest of the states population. I am all for the Memphis region growing and I love the competition. But unfortunately moving the tournament to Memphis would be the worst decision ever made. It is too far for the rest of the state and would affect the numbers tremendously. Is that fair to Memphis? no its not and I certainly understand their gripe about having to travel. But the fact is we have to look at whats best for the state. Do we make the majority travel all the way across the state to memphis or should Memphis travel since they would be the smallest number? The reason we dont hold the tournament in Kingsport is because of the very same reason. Kingsport has the best venue to hold the tournament and everyone knows that but then we would be making everyone travel all the way to across the state. How many Memphis people would show up if the tournament was in kingsport? The tournament needs to be in nashville or Chattanooga or Crossville for logistical purposes.

Would holding the tournament in Cookeville on the campus of Tennessee Tech @ the Elben Center be a possibility?

 

Without knowing the specifics about each arena the Williamson County Ag Center is the best idea to be presented.

[thicks]

You can spin it however you want but the bottom line is it was a total train wreck from start to finish. It have been great the last couple of years but having it all on the same day is just a bad idea.

[cchulk]

Thank you THICKS, that comment was totally unproductive and useless. What have you done to make it better? Refer to my previous post on offering detailed solutions along with your complaints.

[thicks]

Thank you THICKS, that comment was totally unproductive and useless. What have you done to make it better? Refer to my previous post on offering detailed solutions along with your complaints.

I gave you my solution. And my honest opinion. Sorry if you can't deal with that.

[bradley08]

Where are the results for this tournament posted?

I think one of Humours gripes is that they got smoked by chattanooga and especailly by Mikes Red Raiders. Region 3 won every age group. Way to represent CHATTANOOGA!

 

 

 

Team scores:

Tots

1. red raiders 109

2.halls 61.5

3.mt juliet 58

4 Rockford 45

5. fighting wolverines

 

bantam

1.red raiders 165

2Murfreesboro Elite 103.5

3.east Ridge 90

4.Mcminn 84

5.Dickson 80.5

 

midget

1 Red raiders 139.5

2 elite 132.5

3 wave 132.5

4 Knox Youth 113.5

5 heritage 101

 

novice

1 Red raiders 223.5

2 Murfreesboro elite 177

3 eagle talon 165.5

4 wave 121

5 mt Juliet 93

 

middle school

1.soddy 212

2. mt juliet 208.5

3. nashville catholic 154.5

4. murfreesboro elite 148.5

5. higher calling 141