IHSAA essentially says no to Al Smith Wildcards

[Darrick Snyder]

My AD heard back from the IHSAA yesterday regarding adding wildcards to the Al Smith Classic.  We were told that any wrestler entering the tournament as a wildcard would cost his entire team two weigh-ins.

Honestly, I don't understand how the rule was interpreted that way.  Bottom line is there is nothing we can do and it appears the IHSAA just doesn't like the idea.

Too bad because I think it would have been awesome.

Snyder

[CatLover]

booooooooooo

[charger.dad]

My AD heard back from the IHSAA yesterday regarding adding wildcards to the Al Smith Classic.  We were told that any wrestler entering the tournament as a wildcard would cost his entire team two weigh-ins.

Honestly, I don't understand how the rule was interpreted that way.  Bottom line is there is nothing we can do and it appears the IHSAA just doesn't like the idea.

Too bad because I think it would have been awesome.

Snyder

that is ridiculous.....sounds like the people making that decision are much like our government.....they have no clue when it comes to common sense.......

[MattM]

that is ridiculous.....sounds like the people making that decision are much like our government.....they have no clue when it comes to common sense.......

Well at least have no clue on how to interpret the rules as they are written.  We seem to run into that problem several times when issues reach the state level.

[KarlHungus]

So why do some teams get to enter multiple varsity events on the same weekends without costing their team weigh ins?

[Flightinstructor]

So why do some teams get to enter multiple varsity events on the same weekends without costing their team weigh ins?

Great point.

[TripleB]

If this is the case, then how do they let teams dispatch multiple squads on saturdays throughout the state?

[Smooth34]

The IHSAA, like many other organizations, lacks forward thinking.

[MattM]

So why do some teams get to enter multiple varsity events on the same weekends without costing their team weigh ins?

Better question is why can teams enter JV kids into competitions without costing the whole team a point either.  Same basic situations.

[1oldwrestler]

C'mon.  Did anyone actually think the IHSAA was going to allow this?  I knew right away they would say reject the idea when I first read Coach Snyder's initial post.  Really cool idea, makes the tournament so much better, no way will the IHSAA approve it.  I would imagine the way the IHSAA would respond to most of you is that the examples your are bringing up in defense of the wildcard idea as it pertains to the IHSAA rules & regs is that you are using TEAMS as an example and the wilcard idea pertains to INDIVIDUALS.  I'm not supporting the IHSAA's ruling, just trying to figure their logic (oxymoron).

[Coach Peck]

So why do some teams get to enter multiple varsity events on the same weekends without costing their team weigh ins?

Exactly what I thought when I read Coach Snyder's post.  How would a team sending 1-2 wrestlers to the Al Smith instead of an event the rest of the team is in, be any different than sending 12-14 guys to a Tournament instead of the one the main varsity team is entered in?  As always the IHSAA interprets the rules the way they want to when they want to with only one thing in mind....them.

[KarlHungus]

Exactly what I thought when I read Coach Snyder's post.  How would a team sending 1-2 wrestlers to the Al Smith instead of an event the rest of the team is in, be any different than sending 12-14 guys to a Tournament instead of the one the main varsity team is entered in?  As always the IHSAA interprets the rules the way they want to when they want to with only one thing in mind....them.

And all of a sudden we are a team sport and the number of weigh ins per individual doesn't matter.

[MattM]

And all of a sudden we are a team sport and the number of weigh ins per individual doesn't matter.

There must be some mistake the IHSAA would never make a ruling that would paint wrestling as possibly a team sport.

[1oldwrestler]

And all of a sudden we are a team sport and the number of weigh ins per individual doesn't matter.

Not disagreeing with you at all.  They'll use whatever it takes to maintain what they believe to be the status quo.  Maybe once team is done away with they won't have any legs to stand on but I doubt it.

[bharmon01]

The IHSAA just doesn't get it - If a kid wrestles as a wildcard it cost him 2 points not the rest of his team that didn't even compete. He would just have to sit out another tournament or super dual on his team's schedule.
That is just how easy it is to make the decision, but their argument would be if wrestling did it every individual sport would want to do it. They would also say " you guys want a team tournament, but now you want individual wildcard and not cost the team weigh-ins - you guys don't know what you want. "
The IHSAA will always come up with an answer that works for them. They will give you one example to prove a point and turn around and give just the opposite example to prove your argument of the first example wrong.
They are very good at telling you what you want to hear and making you think they understand and agree with you. Then they do what they want. They will not do anything until they are ready to do it. They know they hold the power.

By the way - I don't see anything on here about the Team Tournament and what we plan to do about it. I guess the IHSAA was right - we would just sit back and take it. They said they would not support it but the association could take it over knowing that it would be difficult to continue it and eventually the talk to save it would fade away. It was a hot topic when word came that this would be the last year for it, but not much about it lately. Where do we stand as an association on this issue now?

[KarlHungus]

Not disagreeing with you at all.  They'll use whatever it takes to maintain what they believe to be the status quo.  Maybe once team is done away with they won't have any legs to stand on but I doubt it.

Unless changing the status quo (i.e. getting rid of the team tournament) means less work.