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NCAA coaches pass team duals proposal


NickS

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This was just a coaches' vote and there seems to be a few more steps that need to be gone through before this format is instituted. However, if this gets passed, we could be seeing a dual tournament determining our NCAA team champion as soon as next year.

 

http://intermatwrestle.com/articles/10572

 

On Saturday, 39 of 77 Division I head wrestling coaches voted in favor of a proposal to have the NCAA team championship decided by a 16-team dual meet event. Since the majority voted in favor of the proposal, it will now be reviewed by the NCAA Championships Cabinet during a three-day meeting that gets underway on Monday. If the proposal passes, it could go into effect during the 2013-14 season.

 

NWCA president and Cornell head wrestling coach Rob Koll sent a letter on behalf of the NWCA Board of Directors to the Division I head wrestling coaches with the results of the vote and what needs to happen for the proposal to pass and go into effect.

 

 

To: DI Wrestling Coaches

Fr: NWCA President Rob Koll on behalf of NWCA Board of Directors

Re: Vote on National Duals Proposal

 

On behalf of the NWCA Board of Directors, I want to thank everyone for sharing your thoughts and concerns regarding the National Duals proposal over the past 4 weeks or so. All 77 DI head wrestling coaches did vote and the results are as follows:

 

?39 in favor of moving forward with the National Duals proposal

 

?36 opposed

 

?2 abstained

 

Please know we have listened closely to all concerns and they have been communicated to the NCAA Wrestling Committee (the committee that will shepherd the National Duals proposal to NCAA Championships Cabinet for review on September 11). In light of the recent DI coaches affirmative vote, we are going to maintain the NWCA's endorsement of the proposal but we will be sure to communicate the recurring concerns that many of you have expressed so they can be considered by the Championship Cabinet.

 

This National Duals proposal still has a long way to go before anything is finalized. It will championed by the NCAA Wrestling Committee and NCAA staff members from this point going forward and will be thoroughly reviewed and discussed by conference commissioners, athletic administrators, NCAA staff members, and ultimately a group of Presidents. This vetting process takes time and I believe whatever the outcome might be, it is clear that many more coaches now understand the importance of being much more involved with the NWCA initiatives, our Board of Directors, and our committee infrastructure. In fact, I will do everything possible to facilitate an initial meeting with all DI coaches in Chicago (October 23/24 assuming that works with everyone's schedule) so we can begin talking about wrestling challenges, committee assignments, and so forth.

 

In summary, our sport has many challenges in front of it. Now, more than ever, we need to be united and committed to rolling up our sleeves to develop viable solutions to our sport's greatest threats. I will communicate back to everyone with an update of what happens at the Championship Cabinet meeting next week.

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Here's a letter from Rob Koll, President of the NWCA, providing an update on the proposal today:

 

http://www.nwcaonline.com/nwcawebsite/News/2012/09/11/division-i-national-duals-update

 

Sep 11, 2012

 

 

To:       Wrestling Stakeholders

 

Fr:       Rob Koll, President/NWCA

 

Re:       DI National Duals Update

 

Date:   September 10, 2012

 

On behalf of the NWCA Board of Directors, we want to provide you with a status report on an NCAA DI National Duals proposal that is going before the NCAA Championship Cabinet for a vote on September 11.  If it passes there, it must still make it through the Presidents Council in November.  I?m guessing that many of you have heard bits and pieces of this because it has been quite controversial among our DI wrestling coaches and extended community.

 

As a matter of background, National Wrestling Hall of Fame member, John Graham, initially created this national dual meet concept in 1981 by forming Virginia Duals.  In 1989, John Graham asked that the NWCA assume control of the event so it could eventually become a true National Dual Meet Championship.  The National Duals was eventually titled, the NWCA/Cliff Keen National Duals in honor of one of the founding members of the NWCA (Cliff Keen).  

 

Over the years, the event enjoyed considerable success but never really became the true national dual meet championship it was intended to be because one or more of the top teams would routinely abstain from participating each year.  It has become apparent to us that the only way a true National Dual Meet Championship will ever be realized is if the NCAA sanctions it. For this reason, we have been communicating this strategy to the wrestling community for a period of time.  

 

The need for a national dual meet championship has never been greater as evidenced by the following:

1.We need a way to make intercollegiate wrestling more relevant on every college campus.  Here is our DI trend from 1982 to 2012 operating under the current individual NCAA Championship model: 147 teams/1982, 110 teams/1992, 87 teams/2002, 77 teams/2012.  We believe growing our spectator base during the regular season around exciting dual meets (that lead to a post season championship) will substantially grow our spectator base and make wrestling more relevant on each college campuses.        

2.The DI wrestling spectator base has been stagnant for over a decade.  Ten years ago, we had 3 teams with an average fan base of 4000 or more and 10 other teams with 1000 fans or more.  Ten years later, it is relatively unchanged.   A careful analysis of every mainstream spectator sport in America tells us that they have one thing in common.  Essentially, the outcome of every regular season competition ultimately determines advancement to the post season.  This dynamic is critical for creating fan and media excitement in intercollegiate wrestling.

3.The new duals concept provides an opportunity for more student athletes to participate in a national championship who otherwise would not have the opportunity to compete in the individual championships.

4.Our sport needs and deserves to have a second marquee event that is nationally televised (ESPN is interested in televising NCAA National Duals in addition to an NCAA individual championship).

5.The NCAA has conducted a demographic study of the spectators who attend the NCAA DI Championships and has discovered that we have an aging fan base we need a strategy to attract a younger crowd and/or new fans to our sport.  We believe the dual meet format will be much more attractive to school alumni and non-wrestling fans.  

6.Historically, university administrations have not hesitated to eliminate intercollegiate wrestling programs even though they have placed high in the NCAA individual championships.  Some recent examples would be Fresno State, UC Davis, and University of Oregon all had recent Top 25 finishes and NCAA champions within a few years of being dropped.  Examples of smaller schools are:

1.Liberty University dropped wrestling after advancing 4 wrestlers to the NCAAs

2.UNC Greensboro dropped wrestling after advancing 5 wrestlers to the NCAAs that year (most ever).  

3.Slippery Rock dropped wrestling after advancing 5 wrestlers to the NCAAs (most since 1973)

 

The NCAA will continue to completely support the NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships as is (recognizing All Americans, providing per diems, etc.). The one caveat that has clearly created the most controversy among our coaches is that the official team champion would be crowned at the dual meet championship and no longer the individual championship.  While the NWCA hoped to have team scores at both championships, it became clear that the NCAA can?t bend on this.

 

On August 3, 2012, the DI representatives of the NWCA Board of Directors (Brian Smith/Missouri, Rob Koll/Cornell, Mark Cody/Oklahoma, Chris Ayers/Princeton, Mike Rogers/F&M, Jim Zalesky/Oregon State, Tom Ryan/Ohio State, Steve Garland/Virginia), discussed the caveat of the NCAA no longer keeping team score at the individual NCAA Championships.  The discussion ended in unanimous support of the NCAA National Duals concept with the following strategies to overcome the team scoring concern at the individual championships (should this get passed):

?The NWCA can keep team score at the individual NCAA Championships much like the independent BCS group keeps a national ranking for football teams.

?The NWCA can sponsor secondary national dual meet championship (like the NIT for basketball) for all teams that do not advance to the NCAA DI National Duals.

 

Immediately following our August 3 Board meeting, this concept was presented in its entirely to all DI coaches who were in attendance at our convention. Approximately 2/3 of our 77 DI wrestling programs were represented at the NWCA convention.  As you can

 

imagine, there was some very spirited debate but when all of the dust settled, we were able

 

to get unanimous support from every head/assistant coach in attendance.  Over the past few weeks, numerous coaches called for yet one more vote so that EVERY coach could voice his opinion.  We subsequently conducted a vote where all 77 DI coaches voted and the measure passed 39-36-2. In addition to being supported by a majority of DI coaches, we also have the support of some very prominent and influential administrators such as:

?Bob Bowlsby, Big12 Commissioner and former athletic director at Stanford & Iowa.

?Col Billy Walker, Deputy Athletic Director at Air Force and former chair of the NCAA Wrestling Committee.

?Dave Martin, Associate Athletic Director at Oklahoma State University and current chair of the NCAA Wrestling Committee.

?Derek van der Merwe, Deputy Athletic Director at Central Michigan University and former chair of the NCAA Wrestling Committee.

?Jim Fallis, former Athletic Director at Northern Arizona University and former NCAA Championship Cabinet member.

?Dan Gable

 

All that said, the NWCA has decided to lend its full support to the proposal as the NCAA Wrestling Committee puts it in front of the NCAA Championship Cabinet for a vote on September 11. Of course, it is impossible to speculate how that vote will turn out.

 

We recognize that the new National Duals concept is NOT a ?silver bullet? by itself as it relates to saving college wrestling teams.  That is why the NWCA is contracting with Dr. Coyte Cooper at University of North Carolina to develop/implement a comprehensive marketing kit for FREE to all college programs.  We must also dedicate considerable time to addressing our DI conference infrastructure challenges (football and basketball conference realignment have made numerous wrestling conferences vulnerable).   Further, we must continue to improve intercollegiate wrestling?s overall ranking with the NCAA?s Academic Progress Rate (APR) so we have better eligibility and graduation rates.   Moreover, we have also invested heavily into coaching development so that our coaches are the absolute best stewards of their respective programs.   Needless to say, we still have a lot of work ahead of us but we are making great progress on all fronts.

 

Simply stated, growing the spectator and media support and convincing the key decision-making administrators on each campus that there is a huge community outpouring of support for their wrestling program is imperative to protecting the precious 77 DI wrestling programs we have remaining.  It?s hard for many administrators to justify spending $300,000 to $500,000 per year for a wrestling program with home dual meet crowds of less than 50 and multiple forfeits in the lineups (despite whatever success a few wrestlers might have at the individual NCAA Championships).  While there are some calculated risks in this move, we believe it pales in comparison to the risk of doing nothing.

 

We believe Albert Einstein said it best.  ?The definition of insanity is when you continue to do the same things and expect a different outcome.?  We have lost over one half of the DI wrestling programs since 1975 under the current NCAA Championship model.  We believe that if we don?t act, we could end up like men?s gymnastics with 16 college teams remaining.  For us to think we can transform intercollegiate wrestling into a mainstream spectator sport under our current NCAA Championship infrastructure is to suggest we can accomplish something that no mainstream spectator sport in America has been able to do.      

 

In summary, I believe legendary wrestler and wrestling coach Dan Gable said it best:  ?I am for moving forward whether it works or not, especially if there is little risk that it can set us backward. Going from there, I am not a status quo guy.  If this works, we will have improved college wrestling 100% by going from one great event to two.  There isn?t much in life we can improve by 100%.?   One thing is for certain.  We have a passionate wrestling community that will NEVER let wrestling fail.  If this concept doesn?t pass, we will find an alternative.  We will be sure to keep you abreast on our progress of the National Duals proposal as well as other important initiatives.  Please don?t hesitate to call if you have any questions.        

 

?National Duals Proposal

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Via the Des Moines Register, the proposal has been tabled for the time being and will be revisited in February.

 

http://www.desmoinesregister.com/article/20120912/SPORTS/120912024/1003/SPORTS/?odyssey=nav%7Chead&gcheck=1&nclick_check=1

 

The controversial proposal that would restructure college wrestling?s championship format was shelved Wednesday by the NCAA?s DivisionI sports management cabinet.

 

National Wrestling Coaches Association executive director Mike Moyer said Wednesday night that the proposal ? which would make a dual meet tournament the NCAA?s team championship event ? was sent back to the NCAA wrestling committee for further evaluation.

 

Last month at the NWCA?s annual convention, the NCAA wrestling committee unveiled the plan that would reshape a championship format that has been in place for more than eight decades. Since 1929, the NCAA has determined its wrestling team title by the points individuals accrue at its season-ending traditional tournament each March.

 

The NCAA would continue to sponsor the individual championship event each March under the proposed format, but it wouldn?t crown a team championship there. Instead, a 16-team, two-weekend dual tournament in February would serve as the NCAA?s team championship tournament.

 

The proposal polarized coaches and became a five-week source of controversy in the sport. Moyer and Cornell coach and NWCA board member Rob Koll disseminated an email last Thursday suggesting the NWCA should table the proposal for another year.

 

But after conducting a conference call Friday with NCAA wrestling committee chair Dave Martin and NCAA associate director of championships Jeff Jarnecke, and weighing the ramifications of tabling the proposal, the NWCA opted instead to survey its head coaches before pushing forward with its support.

 

The 77 DivisionI head coaches narrowly approved the proposal ? 39 voted in favor, 36 opposed and two abstained. The plan would have gone into place in 2014.

 

Koll said Wednesday evening that it appeared the NCAA DivisionI sports management cabinet would review the proposal again in February, ?which is perfect.?

 

?Had we tabled it as coaches, it probably wouldn?t come back in February,? he said. ?But if the committee chooses to do it on its own volition, they can do whatever the heck they want. ? The feeling I got was they were going to say, ?Go back and work out some more details,? which really, in my opinion, is the best scenario. I obviously had reservations about people having reservations about it.?

 

Moyer said the NWCA will hold a coaching summit Oct.23-24 at the Big Ten offices in Chicago.

 

?The great news is we have more time to discuss it,? Moyer said. ?If there?s a better alternative, I hope it comes out. We have to be willing to try something different ? whatever it is.

 

?The best decision for our sport needs to take into account a lot of different perspectives ? the perspective of a coach, the perspective of an administrator, the perspective of television, the perspective of fans and the perspective of a businessman.?

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