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Agree with Joe. Cutting weight classes won't solve the problem. I know it is difficult, time consuming, often frustrating and not what we should have to do as coaches, in a perfect world. In a perfect world 50 to 60 kids would show up every year after putting in a vigorous off-season of hard work. But that's not the world we live in. I try to talk to at least one kid each day who is not in my program about going out for wrestling. We normally have close to 50 wrestlers, sometimes more, to start the season. Some of them drop out since we have a larger number of newbies but we normally end up well over 40 on the roster by Sectional. Barry Humble got huge numbers at Adams Central. It was then a very small school. It will never be easy to get large numbers but it is worth the effort. Let's point this discussion in a new direction. Let's hear from the coaches with solid numbers what you do to build the program. 1) As I said in my post, try to talk to at least one kid per day from the start of school until season starts (over 50 days) and from the end of the season until the end of school (about another 55). Often I will speak to the same kid several times but with all those contacts it is hard not to get at least a few extra recruits each season. 2) Coaching another sport can help. I coached high school football for over 30 years and then moved to middle school four years ago (love the shorter season that ends before Fall break!). Our middle school numbers have jumped since I get to pump the sport every day (Wow, that was a great tackle. I bet you would have a mean double leg.) 3) We have a bowling party every year after County tournament. I get a cheap trophy with a wrestler and a bowling pin on it. 4) I make sure to get the cut lists from freshman and middle school basketball teams. We also encourage middle school basketball players to come out after the season (got IHSAA fifth and sixth place finishers that way). 5) I send a letter to every eighth grade wrestler welcoming them to our summer program, encouraging them to play a fall sport and try to meet up with them at the start of their freshman year. Next season I am sending a recruiting e-mail to the student e-mail account of ever Why incoming freshman student (girls and boys). 6) Get your kids exposure whenever possible. We name a Wrestler of the Meet on announcements (thanks Q!), nominate them for school programs (we have two on the Student Athletic Council), make sure to get your kids Academic All-State recognition. I make sure to fill out the recommendation forms for National Honor Society for each wrestler nominated. The Marines now have an academic certificate for wrestlers. There are more but I want to hear what you guys are doing. If you ever get a chance, talk to Danny Struck about building a program. His numbers are amazing and he builds a true sense of belonging for his kids. We don't need to get to 50 on the roster to succeed. If you currently have 15 and get to 20 that is big. Add one or two a year and you will have a sizable roster pretty quickly. Let's stop waiting for our ship to come in and swim out to it! The article uploaded below is about what teams do to build camaraderie. recruiting article.docx

Congratulations to Victor Lee from Marion for signing with Manchester. He is projected to wrestle 197. View full signing

The PIAA(Pennsylvania) passed a proposal to submit a proposal to the NFHS to reduce the weight classes to 12. Even without the NFHS's approval they may go ahead and go to 12 weights. Here are the weights 108, 115, 122, 128, 134, 140, 146, 152, 160, 172, 185, 215, and 285 Here is the article on the proposal https://www.lehighvalleylive.com/sports/2019/05/sad-but-necessary-changes-could-be-coming-to-piaa-wrestling-weight-classes.html Personally, I do not feel this fixes any issues other than putting a pretty bandaid on the problem. Bad teams will still forfeit weight classes, good teams will still have full lineups. The problems stem from the image of the sport and coaches that do not go about promoting the sport in the school. It takes a lot of work to get a program to the top and a lot more to keep it there. Discuss....

Congratulations to Cody Klettheimer from Frankton for signing with Northern Iowa Area. He is projected to wrestle 174. View full signing

Join us tonight with special guests, 4x All-American & NAIA National Champion - Jake Sinkovics AND 2x D3 All-American - Kyle Hatch. Great opportunity for wrestlers of all sizes to train! Party starts at 5:30PM!

Yeah Cody!!! Glad to hear you are wrestling!!! We will follow you every step of the way!!! love, The Slivka’s

They must not be able to count very well in Pennsylvania! In Indiana going to 12 weights "could" reduce forfeits by 40%, but that is artificial as I don't think it would help participation numbers. I would be all in if we had the 14 weights and we could enter two per weight at sectional in two or three weights. That would help two-fold, it would eliminate forfeits and prevent some of those that are making big weight cuts to make the varsity lineup. This type of rule would have a better affect on TRUE forfeits and on participation.