Thinking Outside the Box for Team State

[BlackshirtD]

As I was reading the Ihsaa Survey something occurred to me. The Individual Tournament is so loved by everyone and honestly that is the spectacle that many  make the trip every year for even if they have no pony in the show. Team State suffers I believe attendance wise by folks not able to spend another weekend down in Indy and given the choice between a weekend at the Fieldhouse or a day in Center Grove gym it's a no brainer. The Ihsaa does not want to classify Team State and in fact it look as though they want to eliminate it. Now the Coaches trophy gets handed out even though the Ihsaa does not sponsor it. Well what if.From the beginning of the season you start your quest for a State title..with as many classes as the Coaches association see fit. You could set it in any format you wanted really. It would take alot of coordination, and cooperation between coaches, principals, and Ad's..A tournament Series starting from the beginning of the season. I understand so many schools have annual tournaments they keep both individual and team, and certainly nobody would want to upset that. Keep a flex type schedule so I'm from Hobart so say Hobart gets eliminated in a Sectional or whatever you would like to call it. Guess what say Michigan City had a dual tournament that next weekend that Portage was supposed to be at..Portage advances and Hobart slides into their spot. Obviously there are some tournaments you just don't mess with like Al Smith etc. but With creativity and want to you can do something..unofficially official State Champions. Have the State Championships at the end of January. Have them rotate. The Ihsaa can't do anything about it because they are scheduled tournaments....ex. Jan 20th..The Indiana Coaches Association Dual Championships..at New Castle....And  at Center Grove..and at Carmel High..each a different class championship..I have no idea if this even makes sense but it is your sport and as long as you stay in the guidelines of the Ihsaa you can do what you want with it..If they "frown upon it" so be it..They cannot stop it because it's just a school hosted tournament. So what if they don't recognize it. They commission the sports in Indiana, and regulate them..they do not own them. The schools and kids own their sport..Make it what you want it to be. It can be however you create it to be and if you cannot get schools and coaches to come together then ultimately there is your answer...it wasn't worth keeping.

[BlackshirtD]

I'm not saying that is the plan, or even a plan..I guess my point is It's not the Ihsaa's sport and you can creatively crown a state champion or 3 within their guidelines and even in spite of them..If it worked believe me they would eventually put their name on it or legislate that it is theirs. I mean look you guys ranked 3 classes of teams this season even though the Ihsaa does not recognize classes in wrestling. Sometimes I think you have to show the Ihsaa what you want..you can fill out surveys and take polls but at the end of the day if you can keep in compliance and get organized..show them this is what we want and we are doing it. I know not likely...but if you believe in it, and you believe in the growth of the sport try some different approach...I know it's a pipe dream..just a thought.