bakecw001

The intent of this post is to start a dialog about growing wrestling in Indiana.  I believe there's an opportunity to significantly increase participation in small schools.  There are currently 213 1A/2A schools with wrestling programs and many of these programs currently struggle with participation and retention of their student athletes.  That has absolutely been my experience as head coach of a 1A school. And I know I'm not alone because I've spoken with 45 coaches who have all shared they face the same challenges. 
 
A little about me.  I grew up in Illinois.  They had two classes when I wrestled.  I went to Naperville North, a large school in Chicago burbs so I wrestled in the 2A class.  Naperville North had a deep wrestling tradition.  My senior year, we had two state champs and we were the runner up in dual team state.  
 
I currently am the head coach at Lutheran High School.  We're a 1A school in Indianapolis.  220 total kids at the school.  I restarted their wrestling program 6 years ago.  It was previously cancelled due to lack of participation.  I started the program because I love wrestling and I wanted my sons to be able to wrestle.  In the first two years, the program nearly failed due to lack of participation and poor wrestler retention of the few kids I successfully recruited.  But we hung on and we went 17-6 this year in dual team competition and had our first state champ, Hayden Filipovich. 
 
To get there, I coach our youth team, I coach our middle school team, and I coach our high school team.  From my experience at Naperville North, I am absolutely aware of what a quality program looks like.  But there are some things I can't duplicate at a small school.
 
Despite the successes we've had, participation and retention are still a problem.  The biggest problem is our sectional, which kills our ability to retain new wrestlers.  We face 5 large schools, Warren Central, Franklin Central, Greenfield Central, New Palestine and Shelbyville...as well as several other quality small schools.  When my new guys see that sectional, they quit.  In six years, all by one of my new wrestlers has quit.  Then my tougher, more committed guys have less training partners the following season...a vicious cycle. We had a 17-6 dual team record this year and only two of my wrestlers made it through sectional. This sectional also makes it virtually impossible for us to ever get invited to dual team state. 
 
Coming from Illinois, classing seems natural to me.  But I understand the culture in Indiana values the single champ tournament.  If you're an elite wrestler, it is about as cool as it gets.  (Is it possible that most of us coaches were elite wrestlers in our day?)  However, the practice of putting small schools up against large schools, especially right away in sectionals, has significant negative impact on wrestling participation at small schools.
 
Coaches asking for classing are simply looking for a solution to this problem.  But there is a way to keep the single tournament AND grow wrestling at Indiana's small schools.  
 
Attached is a proposal that 45 small school coaches have worked together to develop.  The goal is to address some of the challenges small school programs and ultimately grow wrestling at small schools.  I look forward to your feedback. 
 
Greg Hughes
Indianapolis Lutheran
    
 
      
ImprovingWrestlingforSmallSchools.pdf

That only happens in Fort Wayne 🤣

@UncleJimmyis that you in here . Nope .....  
 
Excuse me , wrong Thread I’ll be on my way 

The inside will all be new, including the mats. The outside will not be.

Jeff Papernik, Bryce Baumgartner, Casey Bradley, Ryan Baker, Wes Walter, Nate Strack, and Corbin Maddox... I know all northeast Indiana guys, but that is all I know lol

That narrowed it down to 1/2 of the schools past roster.  

What about #7 in the country at 174 as a freshman DJ Washington?

Jeff Papernik, Bryce Baumgartner, Casey Bradley, Ryan Baker, Wes Walter, Nate Strack, and Corbin Maddox... I know all northeast Indiana guys, but that is all I know lol

There were only two freshman in that bracket haha... I also didn't call individuals weak. I know which freshman you are referring too, but also didn't say anything about him in the post. I bet fw goes 0-4 at 220 next week.

Id sure like to sit in on one of those semi-state seeding meetings haha... I bet thered be fights haha

Id sure like to sit in on one of those semi-state seeding meetings haha... I bet thered be fights haha

Snider 170 at it again over porter by pin

Another bracket buster at FWSS...at 170 Graden upsets Morris 11-10 after a questionable no take down call at the buzzer

Another bracket buster At FWSS...170 Kreager over Lundy by fall in 3rd!

Some good matches from last week: Davenport beat Elmore, looking forward to a rematch this week; Herring pinned Lechner and looks really good; and Perkins beat Hodge in a great match that most of the crowd stuck around for, it went all overtimes and Perkins escaped.
 
I am really looking forward to these rematches at the regional. Anyone think there will be any other good match-ups this weekend?

I would say that NHC (Belmont, Columbia City, Carroll, New Haven, Norwell, Homestead, Dekalb, East Noble)  a couple of years ago. I would take the top three from there over most top threes from any other.