Surrounding States- state finals??

[bellrs]

So I was browsing flowrestling and ran across the Ohio Grade School Championship coverage.   http://www.flowrestling.org/videos/coverage/view/234812-oac-grade-school-state-wrestling-championships

It looks like the finalists get a singlet to wear for the final match, they have award presentations, and most of the finals matches are on flowrestling.   What is missing in IN that keeps us from doing things like that?  I also think they have sectionals, regionals, etc.   Is it a lack of interest, money, volunteers?   Just wondering what other people opinions were on this.

[lpd096]

I like the idea of having a podium, etc. for the top 8...the difficulty would be...trying to keep everyone there so you can have them up on the podium for a picture, etc.

Illinois has sectionals, regionals, etc. for their state series as well as Ohio and other states. This is going to take some major communication, cooperation, and coordination here in Indiana to get this going IF that's what the ISWA wants to move toward.  Personally, I prefer it over the current system because it mirrors the high school format and the only kids that get to state are the ones that have qualified and earned it through the various stages or tournaments. Instead of having 30, 40, or 50 kids in a bracket for state, you would have the top 16 or 24...

The one aspect about the IKWF system that I don't care for is the "A" and "B" champion for Novices and below...I think there should be ONE champ for each weight class/division but now we are opening up the whole can of worms about class wrestling, etc. 

[tyandky]

The podium is a pretty good thing.You can get a picture then.Just give their medals to them on the podium.They don't pass out the medals until the weight class was done anyways,so they have to hang out and wait.
And giving out singlets to the kids in the finals they also do that up in Michigan.(to the state champ)
But not to long ago Indiana state champ had to buy them a state champ shirt if they wanted it 

[nosoccermomhere]

I don't like the section and regional thing.  Indiana isn't as big or as populated at Ohio or Illinois and we have a few hot spots in the state, where you may get a few more top 8 kids out of the same region.  If you do sectionals or regionals  then you might leave out a few kids that deserve to be at state and maybe even on the podium in the top 8 ( if we  had a podium).  Just a few that I noticed, scanning through,  SB 77 (folkstyle) 5 or 8 placers live with in 45min of each other, Cadet 112 and 114 out of the 16 placers 7 were from Evansville 3 at 112 and 4 at 114, Intermediate 55 4 of top 8 live within 30 min of one another, Intermediate 65 had 3 Mater Dei wrestlers in top 8 and if this is what I see just scanning quickly, I am sure I miss quite a few.  I know you are going to have someone say that all that really matter is 1st place and who care who places 2-8, but I bet the kids who placed in those spots care.  I think if the kids want to go and try their skills out at state they should be able to.  Not to mention, one of the big pluses about wrestling is you only have 1 tournament that you have to hit and schedule your year around (state) you go adding sec and reg then you have 3 dates that you absolutely have to make.  Just my 2 cents.
  I like all the other ideas and I feel that in time some of those things will come about.  I have been to the ISWA meetings and I know that they do talk about these things and are always looking for ways to make our state tournaments better or more special for the wrestlers.  I think the championship shirts were proof of that and a step in the right direction.

[rvq71]

I agree with all of you on these issues....My son has been wrestling during the off-season, and Indiana needs to pick up the pace if we're going to compete with all the other states! You have to leave the state to find tournaments during the summer months! The wresting is out there, just not in Indiana!!......not to mention, it's pretty expensive!!

The podium idea is GREAT!!

Kinda off the subject, but......
I'm just glad I don't live in Evensville.....How'd you like to have Pee-Wee, Bantam, & SchoolBoy kids, or be there coaches at state time??

Pee-wee on Saturday, Bantam on Sunday, & Schoolboy the next weekend......(even further north in Huntington) .......That SURELY can be fixed!!

I also think that it's sad that when you go to the ISWA website, you have to search through it to find anything about an Indiana Boy that accomplished a "NATIONAL TRIPLE CROWN"............That should have been on the HOME PAGE!!

I better quit there......besides, it's time for dinner.

[lpd096]

Brandi:

You are correct and I agree with ya about the sectional/regional issue BUT...you had better get ready for it because it's coming real soon for Tommy and Jake among others...and what do I mean by that?

It's called the IHSAA...no getting around it there!

LOL...

[Infolady]

I really like the idea of having a state tournament where the finalists would be wresting on designated mats. This could be done at Folkstyle State using the bracket system. However, Freestyle and Greco would be more difficult to do using Vertical pairing. In order to have finals wouldn't you have to use Vertical pairing with A/B Pools?   

[nosoccermomhere]

Shane,
  Don't remind me that my baby is getting older because that means I am just get old.  We got 2 years left let me savor it.

[lpd096]

Infolady:

You are correct; the only issue I have with pools is...if you are 2nd in your pool, you go for 3rd and 4th for the entire bracket (and this wrestler could be clearly the 2nd best wrestler in the total bracket)...with no pools, true positions are achieved...albeit with added time to the tournament for the extra matches.

There are downfalls to just about every bracketing system unless seeding is allowed in a line-bracket format where you can wrestle off for a true 2nd place....to me, that's the closest you'll get to having "less" gripes. The seeding would have to come from results earned at a qualifier, i.e. "wrestler A" wins the qualifier and he is seeded 1st and so on; in my experience with seeding meetings, it works 1/2 the time but someone is always slighted so determining seeds through a wrestler's accomplishment is always preferred.

In reference to match placings on designated mats, etc. it is a good idea but extremely difficult to pull off with vertical pairing. Something to ponder though...

[Y2CJ41]

I know some states advance the top two out of each pool to a four man bracket with 1 vs. 2 and 2 vs. 1 then the winners face off for a "true" champion.  We could also do the other placements like 5-8 like they do at Fargo with the 3rd and 4th wrestlers in each pool wrestling for those spots.

[lpd096]

Y2,

I would be in favor of such a system, that looks great!

[littlechamp]

Kinda off the subject, but......
I'm just glad I don't live in Evensville.....How'd you like to have Pee-Wee, Bantam, & SchoolBoy kids, or be there coaches at state time??

Pee-wee on Saturday, Bantam on Sunday, & Schoolboy the next weekend......(even further north in Huntington) .......That SURELY can be fixed!!

In response to the above quote:  Trust me.....I live 45 minutes from Evansville, and it is tough, we coach also, and we spend a tremendous amount of time and money on the road during season.  We don't have the ability to wrestle in the off-season d/t proximity.....our kids travel for pretty much 7 months during regular season, all year would be entirely too much for the little guys!! 

We travel alot, but if we want the competition, we almost have to---it's just part of it.  GOTTA LOVE IT!

[Infolady]

I know some states advance the top two out of each pool to a four man bracket with 1 vs. 2 and 2 vs. 1 then the winners face off for a "true" champion.  We could also do the other placements like 5-8 like they do at Fargo with the 3rd and 4th wrestlers in each pool wrestling for those spots.

I like your suggestion and have run it by pairing.  I have been told that the biggest difference between Fargo and ISWA State Finals is that in Fargo everyone has to stay there. However, at State Finals we have many parents/wrestlers who don't want to hang around, especially for the 5th through 8th matches. They just seem to prefer to get their medal and go home.

[chambers]

Infolady, when you live 3-4 hours away from Indianapolis I really do not think that it is out of line for the kid or parents to want to get the medal and start on the way home.  It would be nice for the top 8 to all be there and get a picture on a podium but if you are the 5th - 8th placer and you are done wrestling on a Saturday but the top 4 have more wrestling to do on Sunday that family is going to have to pay for another hotel room or maybe a few rooms and eat out a few more times just for that picture. I know that it is a hassle sometimes for the people working the awards to go and get your medal before the weightclass is done but that two minutes of effort on their part can save a family $200 or more.

[SIR HAVOC]

  I agree that waiting 4 a picture and paying out more is not worth it , but if you have qualifiers to make it to state the tournament would not last as long and the ISWA would not lose out on money due to more people at Regionals ,sectionals etc.than u can get the photo with possibly all the matches at state being quality matches( not a tripple crown vs a beginner at state.

[Infolady]

In an attempt to hold down cost to parents, coaches, etc. the ISWA has revamped the 2010 State Schedule.
Freestlye State (Pee-Wee/Cadet) Saturday Only - with weigh-ins on Friday night.
Greco State (Bantam/Veteran) Sunday Only
Kids Folkstyle State (Bantam/Intermediate) Saturday Only and (Pee-Wee/Novice) Sunday Only
SB/Cadet/Junior Folkstyle State Juniors will finish on Saturday and Schoolboys will not wrestle till Sunday. The only division that will wrestle 2 days is Cadet (the largest group particiapting in Folkstyle State). 

[AJ]

Freestyle state will now be done in one day!!!


Good thing for time, but bad because it means the numbers are low enough that it can actually be done in one day.


Thanks for taking the interests of people and the current economic times into consideration.

[Infolady]

Just to clarify: Junior/University/Senior/Veteran age divisions will not wrestle in FS State on May 1. A seperate tournament will be held for these age divisions on May 8 at Lawrence North HS.