OldGoatGrappler

See topic above for signing up to be a ref.

you got dat one correct amundo !!

Fact: All the LC wrestlers were originally seeded. 
Fact: IHSAA says they can't be seeded because LC wrestlers don't have 6 qualifying weigh ins. (Because of clerical error) Although we know darn well they weighed in. 
Fact: IHSAA decides not to punish the kids and imposes that all LC wrestlers are drawn into the 7 or 8 spot. Which in turn screws the entire sectional up and domino effects to the regional
Fact: The winter bulletin is worthless and contradicts itself. Wrestlers have to have 6 qualifying weigh ins in order to be entered in the tournament. Then later says wrestler without 6 qualifying weigh ins can't be seeded. 
Fact: The IHSAA will pick and choose which rules they want to follow. 
Fact: There isn't anyway to logically reason with the IHSAA. 

Although he attended high school in NJ, the most dominant BIG MAN in history (with Indiana ties) is Bruce Baumgartner.  
 
2x Olympic and 3x World heavyweight champ.

I guess I'm not technically advanced enough to see?? Everything I click on says not available!! Donnie and I had some doozies! Best part is we got to be buddies and talk every week or 2, man that old board was the Wild West. I once posted a link to Real Pro Wrestling (remember that?) and headed off to class. When I got back to my dorm room I had death threats, Rex emailed me and told me I should be ashamed and was banned. Come to find out I had misspelled something in link and it took it the reader to a gay wrestling page, Hahahaha, man I was sooooo embarrassed!!!

I hope this page ain't archived and dug up 17 years from now.

Although he attended high school in NJ, the most dominant BIG MAN in history (with Indiana ties) is Bruce Baumgartner.  
 
2x Olympic and 3x World heavyweight champ.

Big travesty to our Indiana wrestlers... no Beast of the East, no Reno Tournament of Champions, etc. ... missing out on competition and opportunities to get better - it's just not right.  

But I type slow so guys like you and Joe can follow along.

Btw...I was thinking about you just the other day. I had to change the password on my laptop so I tried to change it to Nick Weisjahn and I got an error message that said "password too short"????

As regards to my son, no final decision has been made whether he is going to be released from Perry. It is looking like it will not go in our favor the coaching staff at Perry are working hard to get their AD to release him. To the outside world that does not know everything that has been going on, only the recent drama around his wrestling, it would appear this is strictly wrestling related. I can only tell you that, first, I have two daughters in Center Grove, we have always and still live in Center Grove. He went to Center Grove from kindergarten to eighth grade, 8 years. Went to Perry because it is literally 5 minutes from our house we live on the south side of county line which puts us technically in Center Grove. As we were planning on moving over into Perry District we wanted him to start and finish at that High School. My daughter being a Jr and my other daughter in middle school did not want to change schools, so we decided not to move out of Center Grove but just make it work. I never had any expectations of him being able to finish out this season. I already knew that was one thing he was going to have to deal with because of my mistake of starting out of the district. And to think he may have to sit out until this time next year because of decisions adults have made. I've always said I cannot believe that the kids are the ones to get caught up with this stuff. Lastly, if by some chance it all gets worked out and Brayden is released to wrestle this season, we would never step into a room and wrestle off the kid that has been in that spot because we transferred. We are not that type of people and Brayden is not that type of kid. The only way he steps into a spot in that room is if it is agreed upon by that kid. Y'all that don't know us may not believe that, but you all that do, you know that that is the way we are. This is not the way I want his memories of high school to be. Just everybody try to remember that when you're on here talking about all this stuff, if it is good or for kids bad or whatever it is about the kids. They get on here probably as much as we do. I would never want Brayden to get on here and talk about somebody, calling him garbage or some of the stuff I've seen. I'm not judging anybody. Just asking everybody to remember what this is all about.

My take on this tourney's finals:
 
Ignore the final team scores.  Too many wrestlers hurt, sick, or close weight wise from Team State three days earlier:
 
106: Baby face Bailey (no harm intended). Impressive.
113: Was that Curtis or Garcia who won the finals?
120: Wowendzak should be his name.
126: News flash: Slivka is good on top.
132: Bailey does not suck.  At all.
138: Neither does Melloh.
145: Hard-Lee worth watching.
152: Another Hiestand?  Great (insert sarcasm here).
160: Laughlin my way to the bank.
170: Deep weight class. Don't put "two" much "Stock" in Monrovia (twin brothers - FYI)
182: Both Walton and Gray are GOOD.
195: Ben Stewart.  Remember that name
220: Scroggs for life.
285: Rickie Clark bested this field of four+ possible state placers.
 
Skywalker out.

Yorktown did a fine job and Cathedral as well. I just happened to see more of their matches. I witnessed a lot of hard wrestling and a lot of young men and women we should all be proud of. On a side note, I want to send a lot of praise to Jennings County. Before the finals, my wrestler and our coaches, and a couple of wrestlers who weren't wrestling that day, decided to go into the Mooresville Wrestling Room with our Chaplain to say a final prayer before Riley White wrestled in his final match of the day.
     Jennings County wrestlers were warming up, jumping rope and drilling. When we started our prayer in the corner of the room, they all stopped what they were doing and stayed quiet until we finished the prayer. Who said wrestlers have no class? Also, during the National Anthem not a soul was moving, kneeling, or talking.Wrestlers are perceived as a harsh group, but character is never in question. I witnessed many things today that remind me why I have my own son wrestling. Jennings County you have my respect. Coach Myers Hamilton Heights

Or people get stuck to it and can't move on

Opportunity to workout over break for upcoming tourneys.
 
University of Indianapolis Wrestling staff will be running tomorrow night RTC. RTC is Wednesday at 6 PM. The bio for the coaches is below. This is a great recruiting opportunity for our kids. Even the younger kids can get to know the UIndy staff. Hope to see everyone there.
 
Bio
 
Jason Warthan
to me
48 minutes agoDetails
Jason Warthan, the 2014 NCAA Super Region #2 Coach of the Year, just concluded his seventh season at the head of the UIndy wrestling program. Warthan, a Greyhound wrestling alum, mentored the program's first National Champion in 2011 and also coached the team to the program's first Super Regional Championship in 2014. Warthan has coached thirteen All-Americans and 26 total national qualifiers during his UIndy tenure. Under Warthan, the Greyhounds have also finished as NWCA Academic National Champions twice in 2015 and 2011.
 
Four Greyhounds qualifed for the National tournament this past season, with two more All-American finishes. Josh Kieffer capped off a historic career with his third All-American honors in four trips to the national tournament. Nick Crume became the second greyhound to reach the finals under Warthan, claiming national runner-up in his sophomore season. The team finished 13th in the team standings.
 
At UIndy, Warthan was a three-time qualifier for nationals, earning All-America status in 2000. The two-time Midwest Classic and 2000 Midwest Regional champion racked-up an impressive 88-28 (.759) career record as a wrestler. He was also a three-time Little State champion as a Greyhound, a two-time team captain, two-time team MVP and was named the 2000 Midwest Regional's Most Outstanding Wrestler. Warthan also ran cross country and was a decathlete in the spring for the Greyhound track and field team. In addition, Warthan was named a Verizon Academic All-American wrestler in his senior season, the only greyhound wrestler to achieve this distinction.
 
Alex Johns
2 x All American at UIndy
Current Graduate Assistant
 
Brandon Nelsen
2 x National Qualifier at Purdue
Current Graduate Assistant
 
Warthan will show set-ups from a 2 on 1
Johns will show defense to leg attaches
Nelsen will show turns from top
 
Live wrestling
 
See you there
 
Coach T

Because I'm sarcastic and I know they do mean a great deal.

Congrats and welcome Rocco Caprino!
 
Let's send some baby gift ideas..I'll start.
 
A cool N&N Heavy Hands Trained onesy signed by the MajorGeneral.

Congratulations to Jake Kleimola from Lake Central for signing with Indiana. He is projected to wrestle 197.
 
Click here to view the signing

im down here in evansville.  lots of annoying peeps.
 
1.  mater dei fans start screaming two before the ref even starts the match.
2.  reitz gets pounded by md, but thinks there team is better.
3.  memorial has got more different singlets then wins.  is it a fashion show or a wrestling match.
4.  bob harmon dont care what anybody thinks.
 
i don't hear a lot of talk about how perry's jv team can beat all of the varsity teams like i used to.
warren won the team title, but i didnt hear a lot of crowing about that, either
 
region fans are okay in person  hard to take on the board
 
im have to say county fans are the worse.  one good year and all of the sudden there the best teams ever to strap up a singlet.  if they start yelling two and talking about how the jv team could place at state im going to start watthing basketball.  how about calling them region meridian #thecountywildcats?  
 
that would be obnoxius(spelling)

It all starts with building numbers at the lower levels. What type of club program do you have in place for kids at the elementary level, do you run elementary camps or an entire club program? What involvement do you have with the middle school development? Do you have coaches in the building? What is your relationship with the football coach, this can be huge in working as a team to get kids out for your program.

As a Mater Dei fan, I have witnessed tremendous battles waged by the Wildcats against the top teams in Indiana.  Like most fans, I’m thrilled when we win and crushed when we lose.  However, I always appreciate great wrestling, and great programs.
 
How do the top programs, year after year, seem to never really have “down” years? 
 
It seems like they have common threads, beginning with the coaches. 
 
Mater Dei annually competes against hall-of-famers Bob Harmon of Castle and Bob Hasseman of Franklin.  It seems like every year we also see the likes of Jim Tonte, Brad Harper and/or Dave Maldonado. So, what do they have in common?  For one, they are old school.  Their athletes are in-shape, hard-nosed and disciplined.  By and large, their personal conduct is outstanding.  Why is that?  I’m guessing because that is what their top-tier coaches demand.
 
For example, Shawn Streck, by all accounts, is a great kid.  By his own words, he engaged in a regrettable action at state.  What did Coach Maldonado do?  Although I can’t read lips or hear his words, if you review the video and watch his reaction, you can bet he was NOT saying “Oh, you are just a kid, it is okay.”  Young Shawn felt what it was like to have his chest poked a few dozen times and have his butt chewed.
 
It seems like the best programs hold their kids to a higher standard.
 
The coaches seem to be in it for their athletes, rather than some sort of ego magnification.  I have watched Bob Hasseman coach at the Mater Dei Classic for 15 years.  At the end of this year’s tournament, I was speaking to a friend when Hasseman approached him.  It took me a few seconds to realize who he was.  Since I view him from the stands, and do not have a particular reason to look at him, it would explain my momentary lack of recognition.  I think what this means, for Bob Hasseman, is that producing state champion wrestlers and teams is more important than Bob Hasseman being the center of attention.
 
When you speak to kids that populate the top programs, you will consistently hear the word “team.”  In Blake Rypel’s post-match interview, he didn’t talk about himself, but about how he was part of a team and how his team helped him.  Imagine that; crediting others for your success…  The concept is:  if my team is better, I am better.  If I put my team first, everything else will work out.
 
There is more than one way to accomplish any task.  If hashtags, burger king crowns, non-stop self-promotion, “I, I, I”, “Me, me, me” and/or emulating professional wrestlers/managers work for you—have at it! 
 
The perennial top teams take a different path.

Not to mention that they just straight run over most teams afterward.

And thats why we can all agree the "Team State" portion should be classed...  The individual portion should be left alone...

Whoa.  Let's slow down on boycotting freestyle state. This mindset is actually one of the reasons more of our kids aren't nationally ranked and why we aren't a top 5 state. The ISWA is not pushing kids away from getting nationally ranked. It's actually part of our objective.  Where most local coaches, fans and wrestlers are concerned with their school program, the ISWA, as a subsidiary of USAW and fueled in the OLYMPIC spirit, have the ENTIRE state to worry about.  To be fair, I don't think anyone is knowingly pushing kids away. Everyone wants the best for the state in some way, it's just that some people have different opinions on what it takes to be one of the best in the country.
 
I believe more of our kids are NOT nationally ranked because more of our kids do NOT wrestle - or win - where there are more nationally ranked kids. Specifically with our H.S./Cadet/Junior athletes, this means success at high-end tournaments like Fargo, UWW Cadet and Junior World Trials, Flo, Super 32, Walsh, Junior & Cadet Duals, USAW Regionals, etc. Indiana has a few guys that can wrestle with the best guys in the country, but we simply aren't deep enough.  Most of even our best kids are largely unequipped to consistently beat the nation's best and are usually outclassed, if not immediately, as these tournaments get into the later rounds. There are a variety of factors as to why this is so (class system, time, money, population, politics, etc) but I'll get right to it and say one of the biggest reasons we aren't ranked higher as a state is because we don't train in Freestyle and Greco enough. 
 
We primarily focus on Folkstyle because that is what we wrestle in school.  As a H.S. coach, their job is doing the best they can for that school's program.  IF the coach has time, which most usually don't, this essentially means a year-round program, developing a strong feeder system, keeping as many of them together as possible throughout the summer, training, bonding, strengthening that TEAM concept, camps, summer team competitions, etc.  If you want to build a high school dynasty these are some of the things that must be addressed in some capacity. This is very difficult to do for internal and external reasons. Tonte, Schoettle, Harper, Snyder, Schaeffer, Pendowski, etc. all are perfect examples of coaches who have been fortunate to get some things clicking and build great high school programs using these methods. Many of them will also tell you how vital Freestyle and Greco are as they push their kids to train in these styles as much as possible.  Yes, they have great programs and state ranked guys, but I'm 99% certain that every one of their NATIONALLY RANKED athletes wrestle Freestyle.
 
Unfortunately for the bulk of Indiana athletes versus the nation's best, because our primary focus is Folkstyle, this hampers our wrestler's growth as more nationally ranked kids wrestle Freestyle and Greco than not.  Can you become nationally ranked by being solely focused on Folkstyle?  Sure. I trained Nathan Boston for a few years, who already had some national success, but he stayed away from the international styles until I basically had to make him do it. Drew Hughes, Colton Cummings, and Blake Rypel don't really mess around with it as much as I'd like either - and that's ok. I know them all and have love for them all.  They rep Indiana so I rep them. Mason Parrish doesn't as well...yet. But I would also argue, and they've heard it directly from me and other credible sources, that they would be ranked even higher, and more dominant, if they did wrestle these styles as much as possible.
 
Not only do you have a higher chance of being nationally ranked with success in the international styles but more, and better, colleges will be recruiting you with this success. There are only a few Folkstyle tournaments after Folkstyle state out there that effect the national rankings.  Intermat and Flo don't even put that much stock into USAW Folkstyle Nationals. Aside from H.S. state, Flo, and maybe one or two more folkstyle events in the summer, the top, top, top college coaches and programs don't put that much stock in them either - because they prefer the well-rounded wrestlers that Freestyle and Greco PRODUCE.  
 
These folkstyle tournaments are alive, both locally and nationally, because the masses have to be fed - but the masses of our kids arent nationally ranked. There are absolutely a few nationally ranked guys at Disney Duals and other national folkstyle tournaments, and the top collegiate programs like Penn State, Oklahoma State, Iowa, Minnesota, etc. just might send a letter to you if you win USAW Folkstyle Nationals.  On the other hand, you can actually go up and talk to John Smith, Brands, Sanderson, etc. personally because you'll SEE them at Fargo. 
 
Why Fargo? Because when you look at the majority of nationally ranked wrestlers - THEY WRESTLE FREESTYLE.  Yes, there are exceptions, but I am talking about the majority.  Plenty percentages have been thrown around so I am sure someone can look at Flo's Top Sophomore list and see the percentage of these guys who wrestle in the international styles. http://www.flowrestling.org/ranking/607-steveson-snags-top-sophomore-spot/2016-02-19/sophomore. Guess who is at the top of that list? Gable Steveson, and yes he is an avid freestyle and greco wrestler.  Look at Intermat's top 100 seniors and you'll see the same.  Are there guys on there who don't wrestle Folkstyle?  Sure.  But not the one's at the top.
 
How about this: Fans LOVED the CJ Red vs. Nick Lee match.   LOVED IT!  Highlight of the night!!!  Standing ovation before it even started! Let's make it the last match. Two of Indiana's absolute best, aaaaaaaaaaaand they train and wrestle avidly in the international styles.  Why?  It's not BECAUSE they are great, it's because they want to BE great. It helps them do just that and they'll tell you the same.  But most fans don't know this.  They see them from the stands, they get a quick picture if they're lucky, maybe even have a brief chat, rave about them online, but they only see the results and not the process. The process is about MAXIMIZING YOUR POTENTIAL. Will you get better training Folkstyle year-round?  Absolutely.  Will you almost double that progress by wrestling Freestyle and Greco? Yes you will.  Crunch those numbers and see for yourself.  Jordan Burroughs will tell you. So will Kyle Dake, David Taylor, Tony Ramos, Logan Stieber, Angel Escobedo, Jason AND Alex Tsirtsis, Andrew Howe, Stevan Micic, and so many others.  Don't take it from me. I know enough to know I don't know anything at all. Take it from them.
 
Deondre Wilson, former 2x undefeated state champ, started wrestling as a freshman. Some called him an athletic phenom.  He wasn't really, but he was programmed mentally and had just enough technique to win in Indiana at the time.  As soon as his freshman season was over, and every year after, we went to as many freestyle and greco tournaments as possible to double his output because we didn't have time to waste and I knew better.  His first summer of wrestling we sent him to Cadet world Team Trials (very funny at the time) knowing he wouldnt win a match - and he understood that perspective too. Our goal was to score just once on someone.  He didn't win a match or course, but he pushed out eventual placer Kyle Norstrem.  This one point was an extra ingredient to a relatively successful high school career knowing now he could "score on the best in the country". 
 
He wrestled freshman Drew Hughes in the finals his Junior year for his first state title and if I remember correctly scored all his takedowns on the edge of the mat, because you have to keep wrestling on the edge. He got that from Freestyle and Greco.  Folkstyle wrestlers know you have to wrestle on the edge, but you aren't penalized for it like you are in the international styles, which creates more of a HABIT of wrestling on the edge.  This is just one small example of many on how the international styles help out your folkstyle wrestling. I believe he ended up ranked around 13th in the country by graduation.
 
Since stalling has been a discussion, another advantage of Freestyle and Greco is they penalize you even more for it, to MAKE you wrestle!  You get hit for stalling in Folkstyle from running away, hanging on, not doing anything, etc.  But most kids know how to squeek by this and so what if we get hit for stalling as we have a couple more times before it costs us. On the other hand, if you get for stalling in F/G you are put on the clock and HAVE to score or you are penalized. You try and hang on to something and you're going to get scored because of how easy it is to score.  Much more mat and body awareness is required for success in F/G, which directly crosses over to even more folkstyle success. The officials, although I of course don't agree with every call, do their best and that's enough for me. Officiating isn't easy. But ultimately it's not the refs fault we do or don't stall.  That's on us.  Freestyle however enforces the HABIT of action.
 
Again, there a countless amount of reasons where we could pin our lack of national success on. I do think classing Indiana wrestling WILL help get more kids wrestling, and I had pride being the only champ at my weight class at the time.  But many of the things that may be holding us back (wrestlebacks, ending the 300 mile rule, classing or not, population, school culture, admin support, etc) may not change any time soon.  We essentially must play the hand we are dealt like it's the hand we want.  It's like our expectations are just too low sometimes.  We operate more on hope, and hope is not an effective strategy.  Our kids won't be Olympic Champs anyway? Why not? Well they definitely aren't off to a good start if we are holding them back right out of the gate.  Instead we should be pushing EVERY last one of our athletes in our programs to aim for an Olympic title because it's going to take their best to do it. Every great athlete started their ultimate journey with a belief.  So what if they fail?  Aiming for the stars at least gets you to the moon.  
 
In conclusion, training in Folkstyle year-round is a step in the right direction, and better than doing nothing.  However, if that is all you choose to focus on, you are not maximizing your potential in this sport - plain and simple. You are trying to master the art of wrestling with 1/3 of the tools actually needed to even get close.  This is almost identical to trying to become a state champion but you are only good on your feet and are absolutely terrible on bottom and top.  Can you get close?  Sure?  But chances are you will fall short, and that is exactly where 95 % of Indiana athletes are versus the top athletes in the country.  Please do not call to boycott Indiana's Freestyle State Tournament.  We need to embrace it.  The two tournament qualifier is new and the waiver issue got out of hand last year, but if you want more CJ Red's and Nick Lee's then we individually and collectively need to train in the international styles much, much, much more.