Athenr Posted January 4, 2016 Share Posted January 4, 2016 Adding bleachers at the ends where there was plenty of room would have helped a bunch. The coolers and food could be moved into a conf room and vendors could find a corner. With that and moving the teams and scores to the center like suggested earlier that would've lessoned the seating burden. I still enjoed myself with all the great wrestling!! And I will say I personally liked having all mats in one arena. Just my feedback...thanks for the dedication to our sport. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
warsawwrestling Posted January 4, 2016 Share Posted January 4, 2016 If you would have waited a week we could have used Lucas Oil. It's open now! ontherise219 and Wade Dupont 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
navy80 Posted January 4, 2016 Share Posted January 4, 2016 A few years ago the Hulman Center cost around $2,500-$5,000 to rent for one day although I am not sure if any discounts were given at the time. It serves ALL wrestling needs and Mater Dei won't have to make the 5 hour journey next year. The average drive would be 2 hours or less...plus it's close to my house! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Y2CJ41 Posted January 4, 2016 Share Posted January 4, 2016 A few years ago the Hulman Center cost around $2,500-$5,000 to rent for one day although I am not sure if any discounts were given at the time. It serves ALL wrestling needs and Mater Dei won't have to make the 5 hour journey next year. The average drive would be 2 hours or less...plus it's close to my house! How retractable are those side seats? The venue looks similar to UTC for the Southern Scuffle...however they only get 8 mats down. We need 12 mats with space for teams to sit mat side Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fabio Jr. Posted January 4, 2016 Share Posted January 4, 2016 I was in the top row with mat 5 in front of me (Brownsburg, Carrol, and Lawrence North pool play mat). I could see any of the 3A matches easily, could look left and see pretty much all of 2A and could look right and even catch some of AC wrestle on mat 11. This venue is not perfect but there were good seats available and it allowed us to have 12 matches of great wrestling at a time. Some people I heard complaining were the ones that got there around 10 am and were upset about not getting a good seat. Most if not all of the 3A schools have a very large fan base so it was no surprise the attendance was large from the moment they let the public in. This was a great event and thanks to everyone involved. Plus you got to stare at the a couple of the Best Looking Coaches in the state....right right right??????? backtothemat 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rookies03 Posted January 4, 2016 Share Posted January 4, 2016 (edited) There were obviously some problems but let the organizers look at solutions to the problems while keeping it at the Coliseum. If the event gets moved every year then there will always be problems because its a new facility. Having teams between mats, putting bleachers at the ends of both mats, using another section of the facility are all good solutions to multiple problems. Bathrooms and Concession stands will be a problem but if people know its a problem ahead of time then it will be much more tolerable. Lets give this at least a couple of years to see how they can improve it where its at before just up and moving again. Edited January 4, 2016 by Rookies03 Coach McCormick, wrestler32 and bell103 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swain358 Posted January 4, 2016 Share Posted January 4, 2016 I have attended all four IHSWCA Team State Duals and in my opinion the Ft. Wayne Coliseum has been the best facility. There are a couple small tweeks that I am sure the tournament director/coordinators will make that will help tremendously with seating. I received the impression from my athletes that the coliseum felt more like a state championship tournament facility than Westfield or Ball State. When we walked into the coliseum many of our wrestlers faces instantly lit up. I have always believed that if you treat a tournament like the super bowl then it becomes the super bowl, and for our kids the facility made that more true for them than in years past. Like I said, there can be some small tweeks made to make the facility even better like moving team seats to the center facing each other rather than on the sides of the scorers table which may allow the side bleaches to extend down further opening up 3-4 more rows of seating. Or moving the team food location somewhere else as well as the tournament directors stage which would allow there to be bleachers on both ends of the mats. littlevito, Coach McCormick, ktownwrestling and 6 others 9 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aoberlin Posted January 4, 2016 Share Posted January 4, 2016 I have attended all four IHSWCA Team State Duals and in my opinion the Ft. Wayne Coliseum has been the best facility. There are a couple small tweeks that I am sure the tournament director/coordinators will make that will help tremendously with seating. I received the impression from my athletes that the coliseum felt more like a state championship tournament facility than Westfield or Ball State. When we walked into the coliseum many of our wrestlers faces instantly lit up. I have always believed that if you treat a tournament like the super bowl then it becomes the super bowl, and for our kids the facility made that more true for them than in years past. Like I said, there can be some small tweeks made to make the facility even better like moving team seats to the center facing each other rather than on the sides of the scorers table which may allow the side bleaches to extend down further opening up 3-4 more rows of seating. Or moving the team food location somewhere else as well as the tournament directors stage which would allow there to be bleachers on both ends of the mats. That there is what it is all about. Bulldog89 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wrestler32 Posted January 4, 2016 Share Posted January 4, 2016 what a great day of wrestling, I really liked being able to see all the schools 3A, 2A, 1A. Both my sons really enjoyed being able to watch some of the great wrestlers across the state that we normally wouldn't see until Februarys state finals. We enjoyed the big crowd of people going crazy when Lee pinned Bam! Hopefully are team will make it back for this event in the years to come if not we will still go for all the great wrestling. Not saying it wasn't crowded but I think most of us have been to ISWA meets & conditions have much worse. Why are people hanging out in the restrooms? I never waited in line. Smell? I guess I grew up on the farm. Thank you IHSWCA for keeping this event going! luv2compete and Bulldog89 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
X_R A T E D Posted January 4, 2016 Share Posted January 4, 2016 Plus you got to stare at the a couple of the Best Looking Coaches in the state....right right right??????? Don't be so humble, more like in the country. Like Ontherise told you before the first match, that one coach with the long hair is the only coach who might compete with you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
samaj Posted January 4, 2016 Share Posted January 4, 2016 I think the venue was easily the best so far. Our kids faces lit up when they walked in also. This event needs to stay in this facility. The seating and viewing problems are easy fixes with a few simple steps. 1. move the team seating and the scorers tables to the INSIDE of the mats instead of the outside of mats....this puts all teams facing the crowd. 2. move "tournament control center" upstairs overlooking the entire venue (They do it this way at Disney) or move it to a corner and move the team food "lounge". 3. bring in the end zone bleachers that I have seen in other pictures of the expo center. Bathrooms and concessions - are always a problem unless we are at Bankers Life, Lucas Oil, etc etc. The prices will still be too high or whatever and the cleanliness of the restrooms will still depend on the person who used the stall just before you needed to. Pigs will be pigs and the venue has nothing to do with that. Thanks to the IHSWCA for everything they are doing to make this event the best event possible. I can PROMISE everyone that they really do care and they really do want this event to be the best event of the year. I can also promise everyone that they will make adjustments and if it is at the same venue next year that it will be a much better fan experience. Bulldog89, backtothemat, littlevito and 2 others 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coach Seymour Posted January 4, 2016 Share Posted January 4, 2016 Don't be so humble, more like in the country. Like Ontherise told you before the first match, that one coach with the long hair is the only coach who might compete with you. Thanks, Nick and Joe told me I should get a hair cut! Long hair stays! ontherise219 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JMILL Posted January 5, 2016 Share Posted January 5, 2016 long hair don't care buddy !!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Novice Bat Posted January 5, 2016 Share Posted January 5, 2016 What about the Indianapolis convention center Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KarlHungus Posted January 5, 2016 Share Posted January 5, 2016 What about the Indianapolis convention center The price is too high Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Novice Bat Posted January 5, 2016 Share Posted January 5, 2016 maybe a two day tournament Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KarlHungus Posted January 5, 2016 Share Posted January 5, 2016 maybe a two day tournament I like the idea of a two day tournament. But this would also double the cost of renting a facility. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Y2CJ41 Posted January 5, 2016 Share Posted January 5, 2016 I like the idea of a two day tournament. But this would also double the cost of renting a facility.And double the cost for teams, referees, staff, etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Novice Bat Posted January 5, 2016 Share Posted January 5, 2016 Bake sale? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KarlHungus Posted January 5, 2016 Share Posted January 5, 2016 Bake sale? A carwash featuring Y2 and Fabio could bring the ladies out. Super_Fan and loscoz 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fabio Jr. Posted January 5, 2016 Share Posted January 5, 2016 DLane 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darrick Snyder Posted January 6, 2016 Share Posted January 6, 2016 I agree with Coach Swain that our wrestlers and coaching staff greatly enjoyed the venue and atmosphere. It definitely had the feel of a state level event and not a regular tournament at a high school. We enjoyed that. I understand the frustration from the standpoint of fans, though. We must make it a great experience for them to grow our sport. It was frustrating for us to see at least one team take the seats of fans even after multiple announcements were made to give up seats to our fans. Sometimes we are truly our worst enemies. If the concerns can be addressed, wow what an environment and tournament it could be for everyone. Are the suggestions for placement of tables and pulling out of bleachers etc realistic? If so, it is a matter of teams on byes doing the right thing and not taking seats from fans. #GrowTheSport Snyder littlevito 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rdrodd1 Posted January 6, 2016 Share Posted January 6, 2016 I didn't get to travel up to Fort Wayne but from all the pictures that I have seen, it would have been much better if you just moved up a few rows of seats. I have seen a few pictures where you could stand and watch above the seating area witch I would rather do anyway. Hurts my knees to sit for long periods of time. My only complaint is that traveling 3 hours to watch this is a pain in the knees. If I have to travel for 3 hours it might be to see Michigan take on the Fuc@ Eyes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AJ Posted January 6, 2016 Share Posted January 6, 2016 I believe it was brought up already, but if they could have just opened up a few more rows up top. Not sure if it was a safety reason, but they did have more room up top. I sat along the side of the mats by the food area for the wrestlers. It was actually a great seat because I was able to watch all the mats from where I was sitting. Overall, I enjoyed the event. Great wrestling and a championship atmosphere... Having issues of being crowded is a good problem. It means the event is growing and more people are interested in the event. I have faith that the wrestling community will find a way to solve some of the inconveniences that occurred for the fans. We need the fans because they make the sport great! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jmills Posted January 6, 2016 Share Posted January 6, 2016 Anyone know how many mats the old wigwam, Anderson gym, can put down on the floor? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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