Overall showing by Indiana at Fargo

[navy80]

2-1st place
3-2nd place
1-3rd place

I think I have them all, A few guys were close to AA, and their losses were to guys who AA'd. 

[1oldwrestler]

Wasn't it just 4 guys who did all the aa'ing (greco & fs combined)?

[Y2CJ41]

Mitch Sliga AA'd twice
Jason Tsirtsis
Drake Stein
Demi Strub
Sarah Hildebrandt

[TheOne]

Congratulations to those wrestlers, outstanding job!  So now the question is, what do we need to do as a state to get more of our kids on the podium at Fargo?  Is it coaching?  Is it the commitment of the kids?  Everyone wants to argue about wether or not we should class Indiana wrestling, but the truth is, their performance at national tournaments will be what gets them recruited.  If it's coaching, how do we recruit more D1 wrestlers to our state to coach?  How do we keep the guys that wrestle for Purdue and IU in the state?  We have dedicated coaches in the state, there is no question, but it is obvious that higher level coaching has been key in the success of other states.  If it's the commitment of the kids, why are we not stressing to them to take advantage of the opportunities provided to them?  The IU staff ran Hoosier elite, how many kids attended these practices?  Boiler elite is another opportunity that runs most of the year that I don't think we are taking full advantage of.  How do we create more quality opportunities for our kids to train?  Are our kids even willing to pay for these opportunities?  How do we motivate them to make the sacrifice?  I think I am venting more than anything, but we ask our kids to push themselves to improve, so maybe it's time for us, as a state, to push ourselves? 

[rebels4life]

TheOne, what are you talking about. These kids had some of the best Coaches a state can offer.  I am sure that these kids worked there butt off to perform well. Look at some of the scores of some of the matches and it could of went either way. Those kids that  won are studs.  I think you are selling these coaches and wrestlers way short. 

[Coach Hull]

Actually, "The One" brought up some very good points.  I do not believe he is selling our guys short but moreso bringing up valid issues that could/should be addressed when comparing Indiana with some of the other powerhouses, like the PAs, CAs, MIs, etc.  We HAVE to continue to look at ways of advancing the state as a whole in order for Indiana to truly become a powerhouse in this sport or we will continue to stay right where we are.  Working one's but off doesn't neccessarily guarantee success.  There are other factors, like coaching, practice partners, local and national tournamnets, etc. that DO affect the success of developing an athlete or building a program - this is just on a bigger scale.  I'm not here to offer solutions because I'm just now digging my heels in as a coach myself.  I had a decent career when I was competing but, in regards to coaching, it's too early to tell how this chapter of my involvement with the sport will pan out.  Either way, I do know this:

"No person ever attains eminent success by simply doing what is required of them; it is the amount and excellence of what is over and above the required, that determines the greatness of ultimate distinction" 

[cbarnett]

"No person ever attains eminent success by simply doing what is required of them; it is the amount and excellence of what is over and above the required, that determines the greatness of ultimate distinction" 

Well said, Coach!

[Drooke]

Actually Charles Francis Adams said that CB.... ba da bing!   

[MattM]

Actually Charles Francis Adams said that CB.... ba da bing!  

Actually I think its American Historian "Charles "Kendall Adams" Drooke. Though their seems to b econflicting accounts on who said it based on similar names.  Bada Boom!  


Reguardless, something can always be improved in the wrestling process.  Some of the instant fix to the situation is finding a way to get a full team to take the trip (Duals and Fargo both).  Then make sure it loaded with the top two or three placers from the state competition.  Obviously this is an issue with many states but it seems some have less of a problem with it each year than others.  I'm sure our guys fought hard but when you start in a hole its hard to dig out.

[Drooke]

Ha ha touche, MM!

How about this then.....Uh seriously CB,  Coach Hull didn't say that...Charles Adams did.  Owwwwwwwwwwwww!

[Coach Hull]

Wait.  Wait. Wait.  I didn't claim it as mine and that's why I put it in quotations.  I should have put "Unkown" or something.  Still, it's a great quote.  I wasn't sure who said it at the time and I'm not so sure I'm closer to knowing but thanks for giving me some direction, Charles Kendall Francis Adams.

Nevertheless, although I'm a little fuzzy on all the IHSAA State finalist this year, I look at the Fargo roster and I don't see all of the familiar faces I saw at Conseco.  Although I'm just now starting to dig my heels back in to Indiana H.S. wrestling, at first glance it seems that there are so many regional and national tournaments Indiana is trying to fill rosters for, Fargo has unfortunately gotten watered down.  I could be way off though.
    
In my experience, it was almost a given that all of the State finalist wrestled at Fargo.  In '95 for example, I recall we were loaded with most of Indiana's top wrestlers: Leavell, Cassidy, Deters, Hill, Brimm, Kerkhoff, and host of other 1x, 2x, and 3x state champions and state placers.  Like I said, it was almost a given.  Interestingly enough though, Indiana still only had a couple of AA's that year.  

I think the level of elite wrestlers coming out of Indiana has slowly but surely increased over time since then, however, with more Indiana wrestlers making legitimate strides at making a name for themselves nationally (Howe, Escobedo, Humphry, Tsirtsis, etc.) We're definately on the right track but we do have to make some adjustments in the upcoming years to raise the bar.

I do know of others staes, like Illinois and Pennsylvania for example, that seem to have a higher quantity of  successful collegiate wrestlers that coach at the high school level.  I don't have time to do the numbers but, I bet if someone did, I wouldn't be surprised if there were some disparities.  Maybe someone or some committee could analyze the issues that "The One" shed light on and I bet we'd find out some interesting trends.

Either way, congratulations to Team Indiana for representing us as well as they did!  Although we did not walk away with more medals, everyone got some good exposure and there will be some wrestlers who participated that will use this opportunity and be that much stronger next year.

[Drooke]

I'm not sure that it would happen but I think it would be awesome if My Man Mitch was able to work out with another successful internationa style hoosier wrestler Dave McCubbins.  Monrovia isn't all that far from Indianapolis and imo nothing but good things would result from a meeting.  Sometimes the smallest nuances can make a difference during a match.....and Dave was quite successful.   

You still lurking around here Dave?

[wildcatcountry97]

Good job by the couple of fellas at the top.

That being said.... Overall that was a terrible performance. We simply have to be better than that. Very disappointing.

[ccbig]

Congratulations to those wrestlers, outstanding job!  So now the question is, what do we need to do as a state to get more of our kids on the podium at Fargo?

There are many great coaches now but some great possibilities for coaching are on the sidelines. Adding James Tanniehill to our greco state team staff would be a nice place to start.

I'm sure there are many other olympic quality coaches we should be recruiting too right here in Indiana.

Having some RTCs at neutral sites such as local colleges instead of the majority of RTCs at high schools might help bring more of the best wrestlers to train in the same rooms instead of training separately.

Set RTC practice days to certain days of the week only, club practice days to be allowed only on days RTCs are not practicing... again to have the best wrestlers practicing with the best partners.

Increase the length of freestyle/greco season by having the USA State Folkstyle tourney the weekend after the High School tourney.

Have at least 1 freestyle AND 1 greco tourney each weekend on BOTH the Northern and Southern halves of Indiana for the entire freestyle greco season. Wrestlers should then hopefully not have to travel over 100 miles to compete in a weekend tourney.

Freestyle and greco camps dates should end so that as the wrestlers leave camp they go directly to Fargo. A week off between camp and Fargo is bad for training IMO.

[NADawgfan]

What about longer Freestlye and Greco seasons? My son practiced all summer  but when he took the mat he looked very rusty. Almost like it was his first match of the year. Just a thought.

[DemOGuy]

What about longer Freestlye and Greco seasons? My son practiced all summer  but when he took the mat he looked very rusty. Almost like it was his first match of the year. Just a thought.

There are alot of tournaments you can go to if you want to make the trips , go to Ohio, and Illinois, and around Indiana thats what I done with my son and he got in alot of wrestling when he was younger. We would go from Crown Point   to Jeffersonville and all in between.