OW's?

[sly]

I started this thread to ask how do you think the OW should be determined? Should it be based on this years tournament results only? Or should a wrestlers entire career be considered? What about how difficult a particular weight class is? Or is this award just a popularity award? Please try to keep this thread to the topic and avoid bringing up who won the award in the past and who should have.

[best_of_the_west]

I don't think that the best wrestler always wins OW. Like you mentioned, I think that whoever pins through or pins and techs will win, even if they have a very easy weight class. However, if everyone dodges Gibson and James and Leen and Lane (the likely candidates for OW), they will not be able to beat good competition at state. I guess it's a double-edged sword, so I'd say they should base it on the entire year.

[coachmasters]

I believe it is based on the toughness of the weight class. Case and point...Matt Keller as a freshman. It could not have been about popularity because he was only in the 9th grade. He won a weight class that had 2 state champions in it, Sweeton and Brewster, along with 2 other returning plcers from 112. Brewster was a 2 timer and defending champion at 119. Keller shocked the world when he went out and majored Brewster 17-8 in the finals! I say it is based on the tournament only. It doesn't matter who you are it matters who you beat to get there. I believe any kid that steps on the mat this weekend is a possibility for OW.

[sly]

BOTW & KKW both of you make good points. I was wondering if any Ref's out there could answer if they're given any criteria or guide lines to follow when they vote for OW?

[LovinIt]

Has the same wrestler ever been voted OW two years in a row?

I think it should be based on the whole season.

Unless the award is "Best Wrestler at the State Tournament"

[delaWarr]

The intent of awarding OW at a tournament is to recognize performance in that tournament. If some group were interested in recognizing performance outside or above and beyond the scope of the tournament, it could be done, most probably through the coaches association. The term "Best Wrestler" was used years ago. It appears "Outstanding Wrestler" comes closer to reflecting the spirit of the recognition than "Best Wrestler", because the selection appears to attempt to honor a wrestler (or one of the wrestlers) whose performance or achievement during the course of the tournament stood out (in a singular or a number of ways).

[cbg]

When the award first started to be handed out it went to the wrestler that had the best tournament. The wrestler that finished 3rd or 4th in their district and region but peaked at the state tournament to win is a good example. It started to change probably 10 or 15 years ago to the wrestler with the best career.

[walkenvol]

cbg - 2 years ago Yost won in Kellar's senior year. While they both had outstanding careers, certainly Kellar's was more outstanding over the 4 years. Last year, Manley won in D2 instead of Dunning who would have been the career OW choice. I believe the refs do the voting and it appears that they lend more weight to the performance of the tourney vs the total career. If I had been guessing, I would have thought that last year in D1 James would have won in light of defeating another state champ in the finals although Gibson certainly had a dominating performance. One thing is for certain, there are no written rules and whoever is chosen there will be other deserving candidates that we will wonder why they didn't get it.

[clintabbott]

Before the finals, RC meets with the officials and goes over the record of the wrestlers in the state tourney, after the wrestling is nearly over the officials give a rank of 1,2, or 3 for the best match and OW. I said nearly over because before Scott Wells, I can't remember any 275lb weight class ever winning OW. I believe he was OW in D11 at Father Ryan around 1998 or 1999. If I'm wrong, please feel free to correct me- I have missed a lot of calls in my career.

[SNAPPA]

i think that it should be based on the season just as much as the tournament...all the matches during the season prepare you for the state tournament. thats my opinion...

[delaWarr]

OW awards historically are given after the finals of a tournament to honor the selected wrestler for his performance in that tournament. That is not to say that other things may not from time to time influence some judges, and the State is no different than any other tournament in that respect. Other agencies, such as some newspapers or wrestling groups, give Outstanding Season awards that may be called Wrestler of the Year. The State Tournament OW needs to remain just that. If anyone wants to offer another Outstanding Season award, go for it, but not at the expense of the outstanding performer in the State Tournament.