5th Issue of TNRANKINGS

[delaWarr]

WVol, My post was in response to what I perceived as being the second guessing of decisions made by Coach Connell concerning weight classes that were not enter in given events. For clarification, maybe I should have been more specific. However, I still feel that situations like that are a coach's call. That deals with a philosophy of program development that has nothing to do with "the ends justifys the means." That reflects a coach's prerogative to exercise what he feels best for his program. And, although this had to do with a specific program's decision, my own views would support the decision of any coach to exercise those kinds actions (like to fill or not fill a weight class in a contest) that he feels are in the best interests of his program.

 

It should be understood that the best interests of wrestlers and of wrestling in general should always be a top priority.

Edited January 27, 2004 by delaWarr

[walkenvol]

dela - my appologies, but my small mind is having a hard time following your point. Are you saying that you support the right of the coach to make any decision concerning the program regardless of how it affects the individuals involved?

[sly]

walkenvol, No I wouldn't support any coach that was abusive to his wrestlers. Your "what if" questions are not very realistic so I won't respond to them. Maybe I'm wrong about that.....do you know of situations like that going on now at any high schools?

[delaWarr]

No. Not at all. How individuals are affected must always be a consideration.

[best_of_the_west]

It's both the blessing and the curse of wrestling. The coach must balance the chances for success of each individual wrestler with the success of the team, without sacrificing either.

[walkenvol]

Sly - sure I do. I experienced some of that when I was in school, I think it was much more common then. Don't think much of the coach who did it and don't want it happening to mine. On this board over the years there are regular accusations of cheating which I listed as one of my criteria. From your contact with RB you should have a feel for the clear favoritism shown by the coach at OK in his attempts to insert his chosen one into the lineup. What if that was your son, would you support the coach even if he thought it was in the best interest of the program? My "what if" questions are very realistic because I've seen both of them happen. I know someone wrestling right now who had an older brother wrestle for a different school. The coach at the different school wouldn't allow the older brother the opportunity to wrestle off at his weight of choice, dictating that he wrestle heavier. Obviously, this compromised his finish at the individual state tourney. When younger son comes along, Mom and Dad say no way and send him to a different school, do you blame them? I know another program right now where they allow a heavier wrestler who is cutting weight to wresle off with another wrestler who is under the top of the weight class. They allowed the heavy wrestler to weigh in before school 3 pounds over the weight limit and then not wrestle off until after school. The rule book calls for weighing in 30 minutes before competition, not 7 hours. They're already giving 3 pounds. That's not right. All 3 of these schools are well known with respected coaches.

Edited January 27, 2004 by walkenvol

[sly]

walkenvol, You're talking about college.....from what I've been told that is common practice at the college level. No I wouldn't like it but if the wrestlers are aware of what and who determines who starts and who doesn't then that just the way it goes. The only person who feels slighted...most likely is the parents/family and the wrestler...the rest of the program may have a clearer view of the reality of the decision. College coaches jobs are on the line and must win. In high school that is usually not the case.

[walkenvol]

Sly - I wrestled in college, and I'd never heard of it. I spoke to our last olympic coach who said he had heard that it had been done before, but that is was very rare and that he completely disagreed with it. He doesn't even agree to the massaging of the lineup to gain an advantage for a dual meet which appears to be an accepted practice in our parts. One of the 1st questions I ask every coach who contacts us about my son wrestling next year is what is the procedure to determine varsity, how often can someone challenge for varsity, and how close to weight do you have to be to wrestle off.

[sly]

Well I've heard thats the way J.S. has done it for sometime now. I'm glad your checking into this for your son's sake. If he went to a school that did the same thing as OSU and you knew it then you'd have no valid complaint. I believe that UTC does or has done something simular and I am sure I have heard about other schools too. Wrestle offs combined with results from competition and coaches gut feelings are used. It is good to know this up front. But how did we get to discussing college when I thought we were talking about high school? Was your issue about this topic with your high school coach or college coach?

[Sommers]

...would you support the coach even if he thought it was in the best interest of the program? My "what if" questions are very realistic because I've seen both of them happen. I know someone wrestling right now who had an older brother wrestle for a different school. The coach at the different school wouldn't allow the older brother the opportunity to wrestle off at his weight of choice, dictating that he wrestle heavier. Obviously, this compromised his finish at the individual state tourney. When younger son comes along, Mom and Dad say no way and send him to a different school, do you blame them? I know another program right now where they allow a heavier wrestler who is cutting weight to wresle off with another wrestler who is under the top of the weight class.

I wonder if RMC has had any experiences with this kind of thing? Personal or otherwise.

 

soms

[walkenvol]

Sly - other 2 examples are current TN high school situations.

[texas23]

walkenvol,

 

I know you were addressing this to sly, but I have been kinda following your comments as well. What schools in Tennessee are you talking about. I realize which school your associated with and I am wondering if that is what you are inferring here?