JMILL

Howie trolled you all and you bit the hook. Hahahahahahahaha you got 'em @bluemonster in all seriousness the Bailey boys are great kids and do a lot for the wrestling in the state of IN as did their dad so it great to see it continuing on.

maybe we should all just agree that a guy who (pee's while skiig) @IPSking isn't worth everyone's time and attention and certainly doesn't speak intelligently for the masses all while not identifying who he is.

@bbell & @indypharmd yea Mr Bell's response was great except where he pointed out that the ISWA cancelling Folkstyle state during Covid broke his son's streak or consecutive titles........... Sheesh !!! can't ever make him happy !!!!!

I disagree with this post.............. Skipper is good looking

I was asked by ISWA Folkstyle Development Director and Owner of Contenders Wrestling Academy to post this on his behalf. Heartland Duals Selection Process: A Closer Look at Indiana's Approach When discussing the selection process for Indiana's national team, it's crucial to first consider the goal: to put the best possible team on the mat, representing our state in national duals. While this might seem obvious to some, there may be differing opinions on the exact method and the criteria we use. However, when looking at other states, it becomes clear that the goal is to field the strongest team possible. If Indiana wants to be competitive on the national stage, we must follow suit. This article seeks to explain the rationale behind the selection process, the challenges involved, and how we aim to ensure fairness and objectivity. 1. What is the Goal of Selecting Indiana's National Team? The overarching goal when selecting Indiana’s national team is simple: to field the best possible Indiana product. This means selecting athletes who give our state the best chance of winning a national dual. While some might disagree with this approach, we must recognize that other states are already taking this route, and to compete effectively, we must strive to put our best team on the mat. A. How is the Committee Selected? The process of selecting Indiana’s team begins with the elementary and middle school duals state team champions in each division. These champions are granted a representative spot. After that, two board members—typically the team leaders—are assigned. Then, two additional members are selected at large, with a focus on underrepresented parts of the state. For example, if there are no representatives from Fort Wayne, Northwest Indiana (NWI), or southern Indiana, we ensure someone from those areas is included to maintain state-wide representation. Although the members of the committee have never been publicly disclosed—out of respect for those who volunteer their time—NWI has traditionally had representation, for the sake of clarity. It’s important to note that the primary goal of this committee is to ensure that the best team, representing the whole state, is selected. 2. Why Have a Selection Process in the First Place? The question of why we have a selection process rather than just relying on tournament results is a valid one. There are a couple of key reasons for this approach: Elementary Team Selection At the elementary level, there is no state tournament that occurs in time to properly prepare for the national tournament. Without this crucial tournament as a selection criterion, we cannot simply say, "This tournament equals this spot." The selection process must, therefore, account for factors beyond the results of a single tournament. Middle School Team Selection Some may ask, "Why not just use the middle school state results as the selection criteria?" The answer is more complex than it seems. First, middle school weight classes do not align with those used in the Heartland Duals. In previous years, before the addition of 5th graders and weight changes, the Indiana High School Wrestling Coaches Association (IHSWCA) determined weight classes. While the Indiana State Wrestling Association (ISWA) did request alignment, the Coaches Association voted against it. My guess is that the larger number of weight classes at middle school state creates more opportunities for athletes, even though it complicates the Heartland selection process. For example, at middle school state, Indiana has a 138-pound and a 144-pound weight class, while the Heartland Duals weight is 140 pounds. Who gets the spot—the champion at 138 pounds or the champion at 144 pounds who can make 140 pounds? The latter might say, "I didn’t need to make that weight for state, but I’ll do it to help Indiana win a national title." These nuances are why the selection process cannot be solely based on state results. Another example would be the 150-pound weight class. If the best team at that weight is represented by the top two wrestlers at 144 pounds, instead of the winner of 150 pounds, the selection process must be flexible to allow for that scenario. 3. What if a Kid is Eligible for Heartland but Not for Middle School State? The topic of "reclassified" wrestlers often sparks debate. While this is a different discussion, there are instances where these athletes may be the best Indiana has to offer at a particular weight class. In these cases, even though they might not compete at middle school state, they may be more than capable of representing Indiana at the Heartland Duals. We aim to focus on getting the best athletes, regardless of whether they competed at the state tournament. 4. Why Not Use Open Wrestle-offs? Many people have asked why we don’t simply hold open wrestle-offs. While this idea has been tried in the past, it hasn’t always yielded the best results for a few reasons: a. Logistics and Participation Some athletes may not show up for a wrestle-off without knowing they’ll have an actual match. For instance, Jesse Mendez once drove three hours just to sit at a wrestle-off and wait for an hour to see if he would be challenged—twice. Asking kids and families to make that kind of commitment year after year is a tall order. Additionally, not every athlete can attend a specific wrestle-off date. What if that date conflicts with a middle school conference, a family wedding, or other obligations? It’s not always feasible to expect every athlete to be available on a single day, especially when we’re trying to ensure the best athletes are on the team. b. We Need to Eliminate Uncertainty Some argue that wrestle-offs are unnecessary because athletes just competed in tournaments like state or Indy Nationals. However, there are always scenarios where the outcome is questionable—like if an athlete loses due to a bad call or injury. To account for these situations, we offer an open wrestle-off. This ensures that every decision is based on actual competition, removing any doubt about who deserves the spot. 5. Addressing Some of the More Nuanced Complaints a. Why Have a Rematch Wrestle-off? Some argue that wrestlers should not be allowed to rematch after a state tournament result. However, various scenarios—such as a controversial call, an injury, or an unusual circumstance—can affect the outcome. A fair selection process must consider these factors. Since middle school state is not the official selection criteria, it cannot be the final determining factor. We cannot, on one hand, claim that middle school state is not the determining factor in this instance or weight, but then treat it as such in another situation. Therefore, a truly open wrestle-off eliminates any gray areas in selection, while still giving us a recent result to help guide the process. b. Why Not Have the Challenging Wrestler Go to the Challenged Wrestler? We have tried this approach in the past, but it hasn’t been practical due to the logistics involved. Setting up wrestle-offs in multiple locations, hiring officials, and ensuring accuracy and consistency across the state would be too time-consuming and expensive. Additionally, arranging a day and time that works for everyone is a challenge in itself. 6. Addressing Team Selection Changes I would also like to address that the selected team sent out may not be the team that was originally selected by the committee. In some cases, athletes decline the invite, change weight classes, or cannot make the trip for any number of reasons. Once someone declines, we continue to reselect and move down a list. The list that is posted includes only athletes who accept their selection. At the time of each selection, I personally call and explain the process to each member. They are fully aware of the wrestle-off, location, selection process, and how this process was handled—there are no surprises. 7. Addressing the "Conflict of Interest” Lastly, I will address the so-called "conflict of interest." Yes, I do own Contenders Wrestling Academy, and I’m confident it is one of the bigger academies in the state. Over the years, our academy has been represented very well at this tournament. Is that because we get some huge wrestle-off advantage with me being in charge? Honestly, I think that view is really short-sighted—and, quite frankly, it’s a slap in the face to the kids who train and compete at our academy. If you look at the high school results from this past weekend, you’ll see that athletes from our facility can actually wrestle. Is there some grand strategic play where I host wrestle-offs in my building just to make sure my kids make the team? Actually, no. I was letting the ISWA, a non-profit, use it for free to help save money. But after that complaint, I moved it to a high school and we’ll pay a fee to avoid any "conflict of interest." So, no, I didn’t strategically place my academy 20 years ago in central Indiana with the foresight that if something like wrestle-offs needed to happen, I would be giving an advantage to all my athletes. It just so happens that the center of the state is where wrestle-offs take place for logistical reasons. I don’t think many northwest Indiana kids would want to travel to Evansville, or vice versa. So, if being in the center of the state is somehow a conflict of interest, then I’m sorry. I’m one of the board members of the ISWA for one reason: to help Indiana wrestling. If you ask honest people who have been involved in any national team I’ve been a part of for the state, I’ve always tried to do what’s best for Indiana, while also being fair. This trip has been a part of the ISWA before I joined, but I believe this is my 10th year involved now. I assure you that the time, posts, and emails spent to make this trip happen aren’t worth any "quote-unquote" benefits you think it has for my business. I’m in this role as a volunteer, and I’m confident that my athletes would make the team, regardless of whether I’m the board member running the process or not. I’ve never posted on this site—no offense, Joe—but I chose not to give my opinions on things in online forums. I prefer to gather all the knowledge first and speak to the involved parties, rather than accusing them of personal gain from a volunteer position. But I felt it was necessary to come on here and explain my reasoning behind the decisions made. I’ll also say that these decisions aren’t fully mine; they are board-related. I just attach my name to them as the director of this area, and I won’t throw others under the bus. I know some people may feel my reasoning is wrong, or that the process is flawed, and maybe we should change it. Believe me, I wish there were a more straightforward way. But for now, this is the system we have, and I believe an open wrestle-off is the best way to end all debate or awkward scenarios. As the team lead, I’ve tried to be as fair and unbiased as possible. I assure you I have no conflict of interest—because, honestly, it wouldn’t be worth the trouble to create an advantage for my athletes. I will not respond further, and I’m sure there will be more negativity or problem-solving in this thread. Some people will try to poke holes in my logic, and that’s fine. I’ve never claimed to have it all figured out. I just know that I try to be fair. With my integrity called into question, something was accomplished: after 20 years of coaching and over 10 years of volunteering in this state, I finally addressed something posted about me on IndianaMat. - Ryan Parrish

@jets I will say in my opinion here is the answer to your questions........... sometime around '05 the youth club was kicking into full gear (I joined in with my oldest son about '07). That youth club gave a large group of kids/good & great athletes the love and direction for the sport and it continued to grow until they needed more. Then a lot of them went to local academies in their back yard or nearby town (CWA,RC). This helped to take all these kids to the next levels in their own right. There is always parental support which is HUGE and can not be under-estimated as this is crucial !!!!!! The head Coach is great and can literally sell ice to eskimos and get the kids to buy in to any goal and direction. He surrounds himself with mostly top level guys that share the same goals and directions for the program and individuals. Lastly I think there is the right place right time aspect because it seems like the affordability of the community made it possible for people to call home and then the success of the program became like a snowball rolling down hill and with anything else the better and better something is the more and more people outside want to be a part of it. At the end of the day winning is important and is contagious and attractive to people. The key is going to be longevity and how long will this last and keep going. Its been a long great ride so far so here is to hoping it continues.

@Hereforthe2s. you were told wrong and there was a spin on the version you received. My number is on every post and it has a 219 in it. i grew up in the region. I am a region rat and at the end of the day i only care about putting together our best most competitive team to try to win this tournament. We have come close in past finishing 3rd a few times in elementary and the year before last finally winning the MS division. The goal is and has always been to get the best kids no matter what part of the state, school, coach, team or color singlet they wear. Feel free to find me at folkstyle state to chat in person or call me and I would gladly explain last years situation to you.

@V and M's Dad very funny Mr. Wyatt, but unfortunately this thread and the subject above is not a laughing matter. How about your positive comments & support for the trip and great work by the ISWA instead as that would go a long way to the complainers know they are in the minority

@Hereforthe2s if you really knew the reasons as you said you do then you would not be supportive of that position you are taking. By all means stay behind a screen name Brian and keep posting anonymously your wrong support positions in hopes that no one will know who you are. Again my # is listed so you can feel free to reach out to me to discuss further but please refrain from bashing the ISWA, the selection process and anything else the volunteers do to better the chances of this being the best successful experience for the kids and the state of IN.

@Hereforthe2s last year we did have a coach back out up North and it was for many different reasons that we don't need to discuss here but again I would be willing to discuss with anyone who wants to call me. Again, Thank You for your support

@Hereforthe2s and @MatTime feel free to call me directly at the number listed on my posts to discuss this and your concerns as we put A LOT of time and have tried this multiple different ways for the past many many years and no matter how we select the teams someone ALWAYs has a complaint. I am always willing to listen to anyone who thinks they have the solution but would ask you all to believe that we have tried it many many different ways and are always trying to find the best and fairest way to pic the the best and most competitive team to compete at this event. Thank you all for your support !!!

@DawgPoundRed how many of those houses on the link does the LLC Bulldog Premier Club (aka Hawk) own to put families up "moving" to CP ? I kid of course Hawk is my buddy

@jshep86 Cesar is a great kid and many of those kids including your son are great and have tons of potential for deep state runs....... despite the bad coaching from Hawk/Sessa (LOL). Wish I would have taken a pic of Vinny napping all laid out on bleachers behind me to insert but at my age its tough to get my phone out fast enough to capture things

legend spotted today @HeavyHands

@GenHeavyHandz Hey General pump the brakes buddy...... last time you got all riled up talking about grappling someone you ended up in Hosp and we don't need that happening again buddy.