Challenge Cup

[Bruinsdad]

Could anyone tell me how well the 3rd&4th graders did at the Challenge Cup? Thanks.........

[smwwrest]

Congrats to those that competed at the Challenge Cup--as a spectator for the high school matches, there was some great wrestling (e.g. Leen winning a hard fought 6-4 victory over a Michagan wrestler). All in all it was a great weekend of wrestling.

 

A couple of suggested changes

 

(1) The selection of the high school team needs to be re-evaluated. Some of the state's best were excluded (e.g. Whitt Dunning, Jimmy Hiller, Nick Marable and many others). Instead, less competitive Chattanooga wrestlers were chosen. While Chattanooga has had more state champions than the other areas of the state, it is arrogant and quite frankly hurts the event and competitiveness of the TN team to not invite the outstanding wrestlers from the rest of the state. If two years ago, Phillip Simpson would have been excluded under this year's invitation criteria!

 

(2) Also more state's need to be invited and sold on bringing teams to this event.

 

My thoughts.....

[cmmndalum]

more states where invited this year Ohio and Pennsylvania where invited this year. The selection proces does need to be re-evaluted as some of the teams from other states are decided months in advanced and have chances to practice. I would love to see all the best tallent in the state on one team, but the state FCI program needs a little help before all this will happen

[walkenvol]

smwwrest - Coach Lennon was asked 10 days prior to the event to assemble a team. He was scrambling to fill the roster that late in the game. I agree with you that there were some TN wrestlers who probably would have helped the team, and if he had been given more time I'd bet Coach Lennon would have contacted them. TN should do a better job next year of recruiting our best to compete in this event. Its a great event right in our own back yard.

[Guest cole703]

If Johnny Lennon was ask only 10 day's before the event to assemble the high school team we all need to give him a big thank's for taking on a task that was a no win situation. Ten day's is not enough lead time for the best Tennessee wrestlers to get ready for the event much less Johnny assembling the team. Like it was said in a previous post it looked like the high school team was thrown together at the last minute and now the facts come out and that is what really happened. In the future the team should have the final selections and commitments no less than 1 month prior to the event!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Edited by cole703 on 3-31-03 2:15P]

[luchador]

Here we are, approxamately 51 weeks before the next challenge cup. The FCI should go ahead and name next year's coach now or prior to the high school season so that he can evaluate and recruit the very best kids for the team. Naming the coach now would give him the time he needs to have a true representation of Tennessee wrestlers.

[smwwrest]

Thanks to Coach Lennon for taking this on with such short notice--not a great position to be put in. Knowing some of the wrestlers and parents of the high school team, the feedback was very positive. I still have some lingering doubts on the selection criteria, Jimmy Hiller was in Memphis last weekend wrestling at a freestyle tournament. The invitation would have taken a quick call to Nashville.

[walkenvol]

You guys aren't seeing the big picture of what happened. For the past several years, Coaches Henry, Jackson, and Logsdon have assembled a competitive team (last year TN won the high school division). It was not recognized until late in the game that the senior nationals had been moved forward a week to conflict with this tourney. This tourney couldn't have been moved a week earlier or it would have been opposite the NCAA's. The guys that had been coaching the challange cup were in Cleveland Ohio. Johnny jumped in and did a comendable job under the circumstances. No great effort should be required to assemble a team. Pick the coaches at the TSSAA state tourney. Solicit the 4 finalists to complete an application to be on the team if interested. Let the coaches pick from the applicants. It appears that Tommy Badon is in charge of the organization and could make this happen.

[LovinIt]

Johnny & Shane did a wonderful job this past weekend. We are very lucky to have coaches like them to help out when needed.

[ironman55]

Does anyone have the results of the Challenge Cup matches/