WoodJC82

I am pretty sure he went off another whistle, that was my take.

Personally, with as many middle school events as there are I would hate for kids to be forced to monitor their weights multiple times per week. As a high school coach we try to limit the number of weeks with two weigh-ins just to ease the strain on the kids. I know our middle schools will have three, sometimes four events in a week and I couldn't imagine a kid needing to make weight that many times. Even if they aren't cutting weight they still need to monitor their weight in order to not be over.
 
When talking about middle school we need to work on retention of athletes more than anything. This includes uniforms AND weigh-in procedures. 

And (In-State) doesn't count.  You're undefeated or not undefeated

So what did everyone think of the Friday night tournament?
It was a late night and didn't leave Bluffton much before midnight, but we have a Saturday off now before the the State Series begins!
 
Bluffton was a great venue and tournament was ran real smooth...just seemed to be a lot of blood and injury time that slowed down each round. 
 
Congrats to Jay County on a great team performance and winning the tournament! 

The people have spoken. Thanks for all the input. President Greg Ratliff, tournament director JD Minch, and others have put their heads together and figured out proposed ways to make 20 mats work so that we can run with the idea of 8 teams in 3A and 4A and 12 teams in 1A and 2A. See the updated nitty gritty details in the original post. Cheers

They will join Indiana Tech with a women's program next year.
https://www.trinethunder.com/general/2019-20/releases/20200117g6m7ab
 
Matt Land their Athletic Director is a former head wrestling coach at Eastside and Northrop in the late 1990's and early 2000's.

Correct.  It is my understanding that they are published every 2 years for reclassification purposes in order for the IHSAA to assign new host sites if needed.  
 
It is also my understanding that updated enrollment figures are released every year.  Host site realignment is not a concern for the IHSWCA Team State tournament.  It seems logical to use up to date enrollment figures, yearly, since they are available. 

the 25% was including EMD and IC in 4A....but yes you are correct it is false, its 22.85% while the other three classes will be around 13%.
Not sure why the classes cannot be more evenly distributed, this isn't football.
 
We want to grow the sport, making it less inclusive to smaller schools does not help in my opinion.

35/8...if EMD and IC are in 4A they are 4A so its 8 spots not 6. If they don't move up is 33/8
 
And I really thought one of the reasons to class is to grow the sport...its just my opinion this new format divided the way it is creates less opportunity for the small school TEAMS to increase their participation numbers. And its obvious EMD and IC do not need the help to increase participation at their respective schools.
 
And it regards to my math, it must be from all the years I have lived in Yorktown.

If we do 4 classes with 1A and 2A having 12 teams and then 3A and 4A having 8 teams each it would probably satisfy everyone. 1A and 2A could run their own schedule(with a bye round included) and probably get done about the same exact time as 3A and 4A.
 
Boom compromise done! Just call me the great negotiator.

100% of the teams at Team State wouldn't be wrestling at Team State if the IHSWCA didn't do an awesome job at putting on this tourney.

the 25% was including EMD and IC in 4A....but yes you are correct it is false, its 22.85% while the other three classes will be around 13%.
Not sure why the classes cannot be more evenly distributed, this isn't football.
 
We want to grow the sport, making it less inclusive to smaller schools does not help in my opinion.

Friday night at Maconaquah was filled with some great action and a lot of young ladies putting themselves on the line, but I wanted to share with all of you a photo I took that really hit me. 
 
Heritage High School hasn't (according to IndianaMat results) won a dual meet in the last four years and they are 0-47 in that time. But every time I see coaches Lockett and Martin, I am impressed at the way they run their program. They are full of energy and passion for their kids. I have seen it at home dual meets, at the ACAC duals and I saw it on Friday night. 
 
Heritage had one girl wrestling. One girl. Yet the entire team (almost, I think) and both coaches were in attendance and coaching their hearts out and laughing with their kids. This made a huge impression on me and I will be rooting for the Patriots the rest of the year. 
The whole team spent six hours in a gym to watch Amber Hoy wrestle four matches. 
 
Kudos to the Heritage team and to both coaches for the role they are playing in their program and congrats to Amber Hoy on her placement Friday night. 

I have no problem with the change with the exception on how they are divided where basically 25% of the 4A schools will "make" Team State, while the other three classes will have around 13% of the schools "make" their respective Team State. If the change is made why not divide the classes up equally as in the past to ensure the percent of teams participating are the same in each class. This change to me clearly is favoring large schools.

I have no problem with the change with the exception on how they are divided where basically 25% of the 4A schools will "make" Team State, while the other three classes will have around 13% of the schools "make" their respective Team State. If the change is made why not divide the classes up equally as in the past to ensure the percent of teams participating are the same in each class. This change to me clearly is favoring large schools.

Love the idea. Makes for a much more competitive tourney at each level, easier to run with 8 man brackets.
 Two adjustments I would like to see. 
1. Private schools are not "community based" teams and as such should be put in 4A automatically. 
2. 3A cut off at 1,800. Puts a more reasonable number of teams in 4A. 
 
I commend the committee for listening and making a change to the previous format. 
 
 

Looks like it screws over the 2A schools that have enrollment under 600.

RE: Georgia. While 7 classes seems really high and really watery. Check out the team scores for Fargo 2019, this is from Flo. This is combined Cadets and Juniors. Georgia is on the rise nationally. Why? I'm not sure it's because it has 7 classes but it certainly isn't hurting them.
 
Also funny that Minnesota is 2nd here as they have 7th graders winning state.
 
Link is where I pulled from: https://www.flowrestling.org/results/6529893-2019-usmc-cadet-and-junior-national-championships/26737
 
Team Scores (Champs, All-Americans)
Pennsylvania: 61 (2, 12) Minnesota: 51 (2, 12) Ohio: 50 (1, 10) Georgia: 42 (0, 9) Illinois: 40 (2, 9)

Ever since open enrollment, smaller schools have had a huge decline. Even top notch programs have felt the hit. Why choose to go to Bellmont in Decatur, IN where there isn't a whole lot of attraction like attending a school in Indianapolis. You can take all of Adams County, Wells County, and Jay County kids and lump them into one program and still wouldn't be able to have the draw and pool of kids like the biggest schools of the state. Our school keeps getting smaller and smaller every year, and the crop of the litter is bare. Our middle school is feeling it even worse. For a sport like basketball, where you only need 5 guys, the middle school doesn't even have an 8th grade basketball team this season. Even if we do get new students, we aren't getting top notch athletes at smaller schools. We are dealing with low income section 8 families who don't care to have there kids be in sports. It has become very ignorant of the fans of our sport to believe that we as a state can continue to grow our sport when we are only benefiting the biggest schools in the state.

It's an IndianaMat crypto-currency. You get bananas for posting topics, results, etc. We are working on some features that you can do other things with them in the future...then maybe trade them for gear and such.

I'm really glad these young men are seeking the best place to get their education.

Here is what I also see from successful programs (in all sports) is the coaching from the bottom up approach. All programs are going to a few studs. The better programs have 10 or so studs. Guess what???... those are the easiest kids to coach. I see coaches coaching from the top down. Meaning... they spend the majority of time with their suds. Those kids are self motivated, and many times know more than their high school coaches. The successful coaches spend more time with their marginal kids and make them good. This not only builds depth, but makes those kids feel more important to the team. This results in retention, and the strengthening of the program. Show more love to the lesser kids. Let them know that they are a HUGE part of the program, and they are needed. That's another great way to keep kids around. 
Here is something that the vast majority can relate to:
As a youth football coach, I was lucky to have my teams in the "super bowl" every season. All teams have a fairly even draft. All teams have two or three studs. The daddy ball coaches spend the whole practice focusing on their own kids and letting junior and his best buddy run the ball in every practice and every game. The other kids "get" to stand on the line and block. That leads to kids hating youth football and angry parents. Where as the successful youth coaches convince the kids that line play is the most important part of the game (which it is). They also find something that each kid does well, and makes them feel that each kid is the very best at doing that particular thing. The daddy ball coaches just "hide" the weaker kids and focus on junior and the other studs. If a kid is not a striper, give them the rock once a game! Put your studs on the line for a play or two. Let them put their hand in the dirt and help get the "lesser" players a few yards. That approach leads to happy well rounded players and happy parents. Every kid will want to play the following year. The kids will play hard for each other and the wins will come.
I truly think that many of us can do a better job of developing our "lesser" wrestlers, and letting them know and feel how important that they are to the team. Let dem studs "put their hands in the dirt". Let them take a little time to build up the 2nd or 3rd tier guys.  By doing a better job of this (coaching from the bottom up) we will grow depth and keep kids out.
Oh.. by the way... Once the individual tourney starts.... go ahead and play daddy ball, with your best 14!!!! 

As many of you know, my hometown of Pendleton was hit by a tornado this week. In spite of the tremendous damage there were no fatalities and only one injury which was, thankfully, not life threatening. While I love my hometown, the community I am referring to in the title is the Indiana Wrestling community. I have received numerous calls from wrestling coaches checking on my family's welfare and offering assistance. Coach Duncan and some of his Frankton Eagle wrestlers came down to help in the cleanup this week. I am profoundly grateful to have as rivals such friends who took the time to reach out. Our town will recover and be better than before, albeit without as many trees. The wrestling community will always be a source of strength and pride for me, like it is for all of you. Thank you all for your caring and concern. Local charities are accepting donations but if you are of a mind to contribute may I humbly recommend the Red Cross in your community. They were on the scene almost immediately after the storm and set up a relief center at the high school. I encountered another Red Cross team today during my visit to a site where some of our wrestlers will be working tomorrow to assist a local wrestling family. The RC volunteers assured me they would be in town until they help everyone get back on their feet. 

Wow. That sounds awesome!

I floated the Idea this weekend to some ISWA bigwhigs - TripleB_eginners Folkstyle State!!!
Must have never competed in ISWA Folkstyle State
Can only compete in beginners state in 2 consecutive years.