wrestler60160 Posted January 14, 2009 Share Posted January 14, 2009 Club Coaches, Parents...... Tonight at Cathedral, Perry Meridian and the Irish wrestle a match that will be something to see. That is the point of this post, SOMETHING TO SEE! 3200 screaming FANS!!!! It is time that we as Parents and Coaches of Youth wrestling make sure that we are getting these kids attending and rooting for their High School Teams. These young wrestlers need to experience the atmosphere that a match of this type brings to wrestling. If anything is going to Promote the sport, it is involovment by us and to make sure the youth wrestlers see what the hard work is really all about. A couple of weeks ago I took my son to watch a High School Tournament at a 5A school. We walked in and honestly, there were no more then 100 peolpe in the stands, it was a six- way. The host team had a club and a large middle school team but did not see any of them in the stands. This is not about the size of school you are at, it's about "Promoting the Sport" I know that Mish/Crown Pt. EMD/Rietz has these types of exciting matches and the stands are full of cheering and yelling, it's a blast to be involved with. Cut the Middle School practice short the day of a Home Varsity match, make it Mandatory that they go. Clubs, promote your schools matches, I am sure that if you get with the AD he would let your Elementry Team in for free. Introduce your team before that match starts, that will get Parents of these kids in to fill the gym. Make it fun! Let's take away the notion that wrestling is a Secondary Sport and push to get all in the stands. The High School Wrestlers will love it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JakeandBreighton Posted January 14, 2009 Share Posted January 14, 2009 Funny you should mention that Keith. Tuesday we wrestle Jay County. It's not near the match up of PM vs. Cathderal, but it's a big one for us, and Jay C. is always though. Our AD agreed to let all our club kids in free, hopefully our stands will be pretty full. I also think the Elementary Duels are a great way to show these kids what it could be like in high school. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wrestler60160 Posted January 14, 2009 Author Share Posted January 14, 2009 I agree Mike. The Elementry Duals are great. At the High School level, a full gym is a full gym, if it holds 400 or 4000. It makes it exciting! And it is great to see the young wrestlers cheering for their High School Hero's. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
electricwrestler Posted January 14, 2009 Share Posted January 14, 2009 Club Coaches, Parents...... Tonight at Cathedral, Perry Meridian and the Irish wrestle a match that will be something to see. That is the point of this post, SOMETHING TO SEE! 3200 screaming FANS!!!! It is time that we as Parents and Coaches of Youth wrestling make sure that we are getting these kids attending and rooting for their High School Teams. These young wrestlers need to experience the atmosphere that a match of this type brings to wrestling. If anything is going to Promote the sport, it is involovment by us and to make sure the youth wrestlers see what the hard work is really all about. A couple of weeks ago I took my son to watch a High School Tournament at a 5A school. We walked in and honestly, there were no more then 100 peolpe in the stands, it was a six- way. The host team had a club and a large middle school team but did not see any of them in the stands. This is not about the size of school you are at, it's about "Promoting the Sport" I know that Mish/Crown Pt. EMD/Rietz has these types of exciting matches and the stands are full of cheering and yelling, it's a blast to be involved with. Cut the Middle School practice short the day of a Home Varsity match, make it Mandatory that they go. Clubs, promote your schools matches, I am sure that if you get with the AD he would let your Elementry Team in for free. Introduce your team before that match starts, that will get Parents of these kids in to fill the gym. Make it fun! Let's take away the notion that wrestling is a Secondary Sport and push to get all in the stands. The High School Wrestlers will love it! Don't bet on the AD letting your elementary team in free. Last year at the school where I coach middle school (which happens to be in the same building as the high school) I had to almost beg the AD to let our kids in free to the first meet of the season. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MDinIraq Posted January 14, 2009 Share Posted January 14, 2009 I totally agree, you should suppoort your high school team and expose your young wrestlers to the excitement surrounding huge crowds and their fans...I know that down in southern indiana there is a school whose feeder program has over 1500 people in attendance everytime a k-8th grade steps on a mat. This prepares the kids to wrestle in front of large group of fans. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AJ Posted January 14, 2009 Share Posted January 14, 2009 5 years ago Muncie Southside and New Castle decided to have a Friday Night Dual to highlight the sport. We took it one step further and we now have a middle school exhibition dual before the varsity match. The kids love it. The gym is always packed and they get a sense of what wrestling in high school can be like. It is the highlight of the season for many of my wrestlers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steven Morgan Posted January 14, 2009 Share Posted January 14, 2009 Keith, you made some great points. I hate to miss such an event but I have another child involved in another sport that I need to give attention to tonight, I'll call you for updates. You bring up a good point about the six-way not bringing in good crowds. The one on one dual meet setting is the best way to promote our sport to the school student body, wrestling fans and to wrestlers in general. I love to watch wrestling but even I can't really get into watching an all day six-way, even if my kids wrestling in it. Gets plenty of matches for the kids but doesn't promote the sport as well as we would like. Any predictions Keith? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wrestler60160 Posted January 14, 2009 Author Share Posted January 14, 2009 I hope close ;D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cbarnett Posted January 15, 2009 Share Posted January 15, 2009 5 years ago Muncie Southside and New Castle decided to have a Friday Night Dual to highlight the sport. We took it one step further and we now have a middle school exhibition dual before the varsity match. The kids love it. The gym is always packed and they get a sense of what wrestling in high school can be like. It is the highlight of the season for many of my wrestlers. Several schools have started doing this around the state and it's a great idea. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drooke Posted January 16, 2009 Share Posted January 16, 2009 During the IU - Wabash duals earlier this season I was amazed at the amount of children in attendance. Albiet those kids seemed to be with area coaches and family members. . was sorely dissapointed with the high school age kid attendance. I know if I was a coach in the near vicinity I would have MADE all of my kids attend. lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WesternCat Posted January 18, 2009 Share Posted January 18, 2009 5 years ago Muncie Southside and New Castle decided to have a Friday Night Dual to highlight the sport. We took it one step further and we now have a middle school exhibition dual before the varsity match. The kids love it. The gym is always packed and they get a sense of what wrestling in high school can be like. It is the highlight of the season for many of my wrestlers. Several schools have started doing this around the state and it's a great idea. It is a great idea. At our Sr. night dual we had our club kids form the "tunnel" for the wrestler and parents to walk through. It was a lot of fun because the little guys were giving high fives to everyone as they came down through on their way to the mat. It made them a part of the tradition and the family that is wrestling. I know it's hard sometimes, but club and middle school parents......try to get your young grapplers to as many high school meets as you can. Chances are they already know some of the high school guys from when they help out in club and middle school. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AJ Posted January 18, 2009 Share Posted January 18, 2009 It can also go the other way, the High school supporting the middle school and youth programs. Having special recognition nights for them and honoring their achievements can make the younger kids feel as if they are part of the high school team. We host a small 4 team tournament every year, and Coach Abbott and the wrestlers are the ones who work the tournament. The middle school kids love seeing the guys they watched all year working their table or handing them their bout sheet or medal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WesternCat Posted January 19, 2009 Share Posted January 19, 2009 It can also go the other way, the High school supporting the middle school and youth programs. Having special recognition nights for them and honoring their achievements can make the younger kids feel as if they are part of the high school team. We host a small 4 team tournament every year, and Coach Abbott and the wrestlers are the ones who work the tournament. The middle school kids love seeing the guys they watched all year working their table or handing them their bout sheet or medal. Good point, with us it's mostly the former managers that come back and work the tables. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trinedad Posted January 29, 2009 Share Posted January 29, 2009 This year at Warren Central we held the middle school jamboree at the high scool in the field house. We had the teams in, they got to go up into the wrestling room and the varsity guys took them around, showed them the names on the wall, what you had to do to get your name on each board. Wlaked them through the locker room, basically gave them a grand tour of the facilities. Some of the kids have been in the room, others have not. From talking to the kids on the sidelines, it was a great night for them, and since this is where they hold the dual meets for the high school, it gave them a sense of what to expect there. Also during the Christmas break, the high school team opens its practice to the middle school kids wanting to get a taste of what it takes at the next level if they want to be there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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