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Classes for division I by school size?


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Division I now has over 120 schools with wrestling programs. Some regions have as many as twenty teams. Region II has Farragut with over 2300 students competing head to head with Greenback who has 250 students as equals. I think there should be at least two classifications in division I in dual meet competion. Although statistically the larger schools are more likely to send more state qualifiers, at least the smaller schools could have something to work for that is truly attainable on the team level.

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It is interesting that since the split there are now more D1 schools wrestling than public and private together a few years ago. Please don't take this statement as an endorse ment of the split. Actually I am an advocate of 1 state (indivual) Under the same set of rules. No recruiting or financial aid. Also a minimum of two classifications in the state duals. :D

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Keep this in mind....

 

The growth in wrestling in middle TN is paralleling the rise of youth wrestling programs in middle TN over the past 5-7 years.

 

Kids involved in USAW, AAU, and FCI are beginning the sport as early as 4-6 years old. USAW, some in middle TN but mostly in West TN, FCI primarily in middle TN, and AAU in East TN. Hats off to Louise Davis for her efforts to bring the three together, under one insurance program, so they could compete at all tournaments, regardless of the sponsoring organization.

 

As the kids went to the 7th grade level, the kids AND PARENTS looked for and created middle school programs. One group even started an entire league for middle school wrestling.

 

The MTWOA (officials org) books over 140 high schools and middle schools from Clarksville to Lawrenceburg and Dickson to Cookeville. We have added at least 6 middle school programs per year over the past 8 years. This has now begun to happen at the high school level, but not quite at the same pace. We are adding schools at both levels every year now.

 

Want to see wrestling BOOM in TN? Consolidate the middle schools across the state. Run paralell to the highs school season. Have a middle school state championship. This is one LARGE revenue stream TSSAA hasnt seemed to want to tap. There is already an organization in place, TMSAA. Maybe soon enough.

 

The kids programs are causing the boom right now.

 

Just passing thoughts...

 

reftn

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I oppose classifications for several reasons. First, it takes away from the sport. If you seperate wrestlers it makes thier individual accomplishments that much less. Classifications would be a setback to a surging wrestling program in Tennessee. Also, some smaller schools have been able to be competitive with the larger schools. FRA for example in region 6 is one of favorites to win the region over many large public schools. Their enrollement is about 280, where Overton is about 1250, McGavock 2070, Hillsboro 1230, and Antioch 1980, not to mention other schools competing in the same region. Classification is not the answer, because small schools can get it done, it jus takes that much more work.

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Reftn - I agree with your comments about middle school wrestling. I wish that there was a unified program where all the middle schools could wrestle, similar to TSSAA, as you suggested. I know that in schools like Mater Dei that the kids seem to start wrestling just out of the womb; no wonder they are so good! It can only serve to better advance the sport of wrestling. I have seen so many kids grow through this tough disciplined sport and become wonderful young men. I'm all for it!

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I completely agree for a middle school wrestling season that runs parallel with high school. It would improve everyone and up the competition in Tennessee. West Tennessee's wrestling club wrestles the same schools over and over again (Collierville, germantown, houston, ridgway, westside, and Christian Brothers) Added competition would help Tennessee wrestling tremendously. Christian Brother's middle school is getting nothing by beating the same public school puds over and over again....yes, Houston stinks.

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I totally disagree with a middle school state championship for many reasons. First of all, all middle school sports compete locally and wrestling should be no different. Also, middle schoolers can't handle three weekends in a row of all day wrestling tournaments from district, regions, then on to state. The competitiveness of true wrestling is present in the middle schools (as it should be), BUT these kids must enjoy the sport of wrestling before they start spending all their weekends traveling, competing in tournaments, and spending their parents money traveling (as if a middle school could fund this anyways).

 

But on a more serious level than simply kids emotions and the logistics of such a thing taking place, a state wide competition WOULD lead to the same problems that occur in highschool such as cutting weight. I don't condone cutting weight at the high school level but atleast high school kids can physically handle it better.

 

Don't get me wrong, I love wrestling and I think every kid should have the chance to wrestle. However, wrestling should be fun for the kids first, then once they reach high school they can start competing at a more serios level which a highschooler can handle. YET if a middle schooler is serious about wrestling the best competition statewide or even nationwide, there are teams to join and tournaments to enter that will give him that opportunity.

 

Just my opinion.

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reft-

 

Just my six cents....the Middle School State might be interesting to think about but it has no chance. No money and even less coaching.

 

Also you give kudos to LD and the TWF. Please tell me what either has done for youth wrestling in Tennessee.

 

TNwrestling - I interpret your post to say...They are just kids...Lets keep it fun...If you have Middle School wrestling, kids will cut weight.

 

I'm sorry, that's a bunch of hogwash. Is your name Hillary Clinton?

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Guest cornpop

Middle school wrestling is a great idea. But there should be limits. No state championship leave that for high school, maybe a city championship. The season needs to be short with a couple of tournaments. The basics need to be tought and good sportsmenship stressed. The kids need to fall in love with the sport and want to compete at the varsity level in high schoolwhen they get there. In Chat. there are too many kids who wrestle when they are young and are ruined by bad coaches, pressuring parents, and rough practices that never even think about wrestling in high school. Remember football teams need quanity wrestling teams need quality.

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Silverbullet-

Point taken. The "Hilary Clinton" comment really puts it into perspective. I said all that stuff about weight loss and they're just kids because I have seen too many great wrestlers get burned out of the sport because they got TOO serious TOO early. But I guess that just seperates those who want it from those who don't.

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cornpop - I think there is some merit to your point. I've coached a youth league team for 12 years. It was my experience that of the kids that started before 3rd grade, only about 25% stuck with the sport into middle school while the kids that started in 3rd grade and later about 75% stayed with the sport into middle school. Based on my experience, I quit taking kids before 3rd grade a couple of years back. Eliminated most of the nonsense from the practice room and allowed us to cover significantly more material. IMHO, weight cutting should never happen before high school unless it is for health reasons and should be kept to a minimum in high school. It can certainly take all the fun out of a season.

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Cornpop-

 

Let me get this straight. You are saying any wrestler not in high school should only wrestle in a short season and in only a few tournaments.

 

Then you should be happy living in Tennessee and overjoyed at both the quality and quantity of wrestling. In March you may want to take a trip to Chattanooga to witness the Challenge Cup. There will be youth teams from all over the country. New Jersey will have a team there. They will have a different team compete in the Middle School Duals in VA and a third team will wrestle in the AAU Disney Duals in Orlando. The Disney Duals are in the summer and those kids on those teams will have wrestled 75 or 100 matches or more. States like New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Michigan and Ohio will select their teams from hundreds and hundreds of wrestlers. Tennessee will pick from dozens.

 

Most every major sport is a pyramid of participation. Take baseball for instance. How many gajillion kids play youth baseball? Each year a kid moves up the number of participants drops but the quality goes up. Wrestling is no different. Why do states like California, Florida, Louisiana and Texas produce so many Major League baseball players? Because they have the greatest numbers of youth players. Why is wrestling so good in the Midwest and Northeast? Because they have they greatest number of youth wrestlers. Why does Chattanooga/Cleveland and Nashville dominate TN high school wrestling? Lots of youth wrestling.

 

What is the recipe for a successful high school wrestling program?

1) large well run youth program

2) good middle school program

3) good coaching at all levels

4) large number of year round wrestlers at ALL ages

 

It is an age old saying but it is true, Summer wrestlers make winter Champions

 

and.....

 

 

REFTN- I'm still waiting on an answer to my question.

[Edited by Silverbullet on 12-4-02 5:43P]

 

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