Forgoing Senior Season

[blueandgold]

I see the latest rankings no longer include Christian Carroll, the #1 ranked wrestler pound-for-pound in the nation. Now, before I go any further, I must acknowledge Carroll potentially not wrestling this season could be out of his hands for a variety of reasons that I do not know. So, I don’t want to assume it’s because of one thing or another, but I would like to discuss a small, but noticeable trend that has occurred in our state over the past few years. 
 

While it hasn’t happened a lot, there have been a few examples in recent years of top wrestlers forgoing their senior seasons to get an early start on collegiate training. Some of the most notable wrestlers in recent memory have made the decision including Evansville Mater Dei’s state champion Lee trio of Nick, Joe, and Matt and Mount Vernon’s state runner-up Paul Konrath. If Carroll is the latest to make this decision, how likely do you see it to continue? Wrestlers have begun to turn their focus to national tournaments to build résumés and an identity on the national level for recruiting purposes, and while good schools will call if you win your state tournament, you’ll have a wider variety of options if you place or win at these big regional or national tournaments. In addition, the added spotlight of being featured on FloWrestling can make a lasting impression on a young, wide-eyed talent. So, a solid national résumé and a commitment to a good school may be enough for one to get an early start on collegiate competition. What are your thoughts on this?

[Thor]

It's been reported that Carroll is leaving to enroll in OK State. If that's true or he changes his mind, I don't know just going off Elkhart news stations. But I would think this thing is still going to be very rare. Only a handful of the top guys in the entire nation forgo their last season of high school. 

[ReformedPoster]

I think if a wrestler like Mendez has a shot at 4 state titles then they will stay and try to get it.  If their shot a 4 is gone (LIke the Lee's and Carroll), it makes sense from a development standpoint to skip senior year (assuming the kid is ok with not doing sr year stuff like prom and graduation) and getting into a better training situation, maybe wrestling some opens, etc. than it does beating up on kids that have no shot to beat them.  Realistically, nobody at 285 would come close to beating CC this year, so why not make the jump early?  If that headlock from Koontz played out differently, maybe Mendez would have foregone his last year too

[busstogate]

4 hours ago, blueandgold said:

I see the latest rankings no longer include Christian Carroll, the #1 ranked wrestler pound-for-pound in the nation. Now, before I go any further, I must acknowledge Carroll potentially not wrestling this season could be out of his hands for a variety of reasons that I do not know. So, I don’t want to assume it’s because of one thing or another, but I would like to discuss a small, but noticeable trend that has occurred in our state over the past few years. 
 

While it hasn’t happened a lot, there have been a few examples in recent years of top wrestlers forgoing their senior seasons to get an early start on collegiate training. Some of the most notable wrestlers in recent memory have made the decision including Evansville Mater Dei’s state champion Lee trio of Nick, Joe, and Matt and Mount Vernon’s state runner-up Paul Konrath. If Carroll is the latest to make this decision, how likely do you see it to continue? Wrestlers have begun to turn their focus to national tournaments to build résumés and an identity on the national level for recruiting purposes, and while good schools will call if you win your state tournament, you’ll have a wider variety of options if you place or win at these big regional or national tournaments. In addition, the added spotlight of being featured on FloWrestling can make a lasting impression on a young, wide-eyed talent. So, a solid national résumé and a commitment to a good school may be enough for one to get an early start on collegiate competition. What are your thoughts on this?

My guess is that it may continue until Indiana schools are firmly established in the national "scene".  It has started with the easing of travel restrictions this year, as we saw this weekend.  Not everyone can be on a team that can do that right now or be on one that is soon to get there, and some top-notch wrestlers may find themselves reviewing their options if they can't make it happen during their high school season(s).

Edited December 13, 2022 by busstogate