IHSWCA Update 4/5/2010

[Cale Hoover]

IHSWCA Members and Wrestling Community:

 

As our schools resume after spending time away on Spring Break, it is time for the first off-season update for 2010.  Congratulations to all of those who participated and placed in the national tournaments.  Many Indiana wrestlers had outstanding performances and represented our state well.  Keep up the great work and I look forward to watching you compete in the club season over the next few months.  We have many important events coming up including an executive meeting with the IHSAA, the NWCA Scholastic Duals, the 18th Annual Spring Clinic, and Freestyle and Greco-Roman state finals as well as the USA Wrestling Central Regional.

 

The IHSAA Executive board, including Trent McCormick, JD Minch, and myself, will be meeting with the IHSAA mid-April.  Topics often vary, but I expect the topics to include the weight management program and integrity of the state tournament series.  I know in conversation with Commissioner Cox the IHSAA has concerns with blatant violations of the weight management program.  I have and will continue to stress to him the difficulties with the program.  Rules and regulations need to be clarified and it must be made more time efficient.  Second, there was alarm raised when matches were forfeited in the state tournament series with questions surrounding the reasons.  We must be careful as coaches to insure the integrity of the tournament.  I will update all of you on these topics and others discussed after the meeting.

 

The 2010 NWCA Brute Scholastic Showcase will be held April 16th and 17th at Wabash College in Crawfordsville, IN.  This tournament has been moved several times and now comes to Indiana.  This is a great event and the IHSWCA is putting together a solid group of wrestlers to represent our state.  If you get the opportunity stop by and check out the tournament.

 

The Spring Clinic will be held at North Central HS on Friday, April 23rd at North Central HS featuring Dave Crowell head coach at Nazareth HS, PA.  Coach Crowell has been named Pennsylvania coach of the year five times and the NWCA Coach of the Year in 2007.  His teams have won eight state championships and he has coached fourteen individual state champions.  I personally am excited to see a fellow high school coach who has built a national caliber program and maintained it for years.  I hope to see all of you at the clinics.  The IHSWCA would like to thank North Central HS and coach Lou Silverman for hosting the clinic.

 

I have been following the debate on the merits of freestyle and Greco-Roman wrestling on www.Indianamat.com.  I am a big proponent of wrestling all styles.  Wrestlers will benefit in multiple ways through participation the Olympic styles.  First, these styles teach position.  Ultimately, the wrestler who breaks position the fewest times will win.  These styles demand position or you will give up points.  Sometimes big points!  I also think the change in style can help keep wrestlers fresh mentally and physically.  I believe my wrestlers like these styles because our club and coaching staff embrace them.  We look at these as an opportunity to do something special.  We had our first All-American in Fargo last year, Sean Mappes, and I know we were all excited for his success.  I challenge all of you to learn the rules and get your kids participating in these tournaments.  These styles are a great way to seek out and find the best competition from around the country.

 

Good luck.

 

Sincerely,

 

 

 

Cale Hoover

IHSWCA President

Head Coach, Center Grove HS

 

[WaltHarris]

I have been following the debate on the merits of freestyle and Greco-Roman wrestling on www.Indianamat.com.  I am a big proponent of wrestling all styles.  Wrestlers will benefit in multiple ways through participation the Olympic styles.  First, these styles teach position.  Ultimately, the wrestler who breaks position the fewest times will win.  These styles demand position or you will give up points.  Sometimes big points!  I also think the change in style can help keep wrestlers fresh mentally and physically.  I believe my wrestlers like these styles because our club and coaching staff embrace them.  We look at these as an opportunity to do something special.  We had our first All-American in Fargo last year, Sean Mappes, and I know we were all excited for his success.  I challenge all of you to learn the rules and get your kids participating in these tournaments.  These styles are a great way to seek out and find the best competition from around the country.

Amen!  I hope every coach in Indiana reads this.  Great points.