Brandon Sandefur

blueandgold I respect your enthusiasm but I do disagree and think equity is code for equality of outcome not opportunity. I am very much against equality of outcome but very supportive of opportunity. I don't think classing would eliminate our lack of parity throughout the state in fact I think it would further it by eliminating competition. There seems to be a widespread belief that if we class the small schools would get better. I don't believe that's the case without community support, great coaches and financial support. I do concede that Indiana has been much more competitive nationally and even internationally with a lot of ticket rounders that are very tough. Y2CJ41 in the spirit of debate if we had single class and 32 state qualifiers would that level the playing field? Essentially the ticket round is 1st round of semi state and guys in semis go for 1st and 3rd just like now and quarters losers go by how the guy they lost to advances.

I brought it up because you guys have 2 pages on this thread where you're using various data to support your position, I'm simply doing the same to support my position. Small schools are still playing the same game and are trying to get to the same state finals. Yes there are challenges with a smaller school population I simply don't believe in re aligning sectionals, adding wrestlebacks or classing wrestling for no other reason to simply qualify more kids to state. By that logic Delta and Rochester shouldn't have the Ws they have but they do.

As for the parity argument, OH has 3 divisions and since 2000 St. Ed's and St. Paris Graham have won nearly all the titles in their respective divisions. If it was combined it would be more competitive. IL has a little more parity but not much it's the same group of tough programs trading titles every year. Again I would argue by combining them it would be more competitive and provide more parity. If we classed Indiana Parris, Allred, Griffith monsters from 04-05 and Mater Dei guys would've had less challengers.

For the data folks if we go to even just 2 classes we are doubling the number of state qualifiers and we are in fact making it easier to get to state. If memory serves me correct Brownsburg wasn't knocking on the door every year until Darrick Snyder arrived. New Castle, Rochester, Western and Delta all have guys that can win state and several larger schools might not even get a qualifier. School size does matter but it doesn't guarantee success.

Feb 16-17, 2024, Ford Center, Evansville, you'll see the best and the fans always love it

You can think your guy is top 4 all you want it doesn't mean he is and the tournament doesn't need to get adjusted because some feel their guy got a bad draw. You either punch your ticket or you don't...... you can say it's unfair all you want, Indiana is terrible whatever...... bottom line he either makes it or he doesn't.

No because we all go to semi state knowing those conditions and I don't believe in changing them just because people allege unfairness. If the guy didn't get through he wasn't one of the best guys..... if you don't win your regional you have to beat a regional champ to make it through. It's not lucky when we have only 16 qualify to state with no wrestlebacks you had to beat someone pretty good.

The state tournament doesn't need equity it needs the best wrestlers. The Mooresville and Perry regionals are tough, always have been and if they're that good they should have no problem steamrolling through the competition at their respective Semi States. We don't need to re-align the tournament every year because people don't get the desired results. The Indy area is tough to get through but they also have the largest number of kids to choose from and the highest quantity of clubs in the state. For those not originally from Indiana....we don't call it the ticket round and first round clown for nothing. Enjoy the season and us Hoosiers made it simple 4 get through at every stage of our tournament series.

Congratulations young men

If you're 19 or older during your senior year you're old for HS. . . That means you're 17 at some point during your sophomore year. There are kids that are 14 and 15yrs old as freshmen that's a big physical and mental maturity gap

Thank you sir appreciate the info.

I haven't been to either Fort Wayne or Ford Center so a couple questions 1.) Do the locations have general admission tickets for sale? If not and it's done online can you purchase it in advance? Staying up until 1am to get a ticket is really annoying. 2.) Is the Ford Center really that cold or is this being exaggerated? 3.) What is the seating capacity and how are the sightlines to watch at each venue? Thanks everyone

SAW (Simmons Academy of Wrestling is 1hr22m from Angola,IN) according to Google Maps. The guy that runs the academy is Nick Simmons, Olympian (had to beat Henry Cejudo, prior Olympic Gold medalist to make the team). Fort Wayne has several academies also now. You can find them quickly with Google.

Although I still think EC is a great venue I'll bite on this....Michigan City and Lafayette Jeff have huge gyms that could also host. For you Evansville folks....Hatchet House right by I69.

Barratto Center is the 3rd largest high school gym in the country, seats just over 8k and has great views. What venue in the region do you think would be better? If you can't see from one side of the bleachers just move to the other side and you can clearly see the other two mats or move to the ends. Merrillville although a rowdy atmosphere which was fun to wrestle in didn't have nearly enough seats and they wouldn't let you bring in coolers.

NJ and California have only single class and they have huge participation numbers and very tough state tournaments. In regards to the classes, specifically in IL and OH, the large school divisions have the top tier programs. Yes you have St. Paris Graham and others but for the most part the large school divisions in those states are the most heavily recruited at the DI level. We do see alot of forfeits and the sport obviously needs to grow. How many programs have open rooms/clubs run out of the high school? After being down here in SE Indiana and talking to friends/ family up north there seems to be alot less open rooms scattered throughout the state. The ones that do have them what are the typical numbers...20 kids or so or is it single digit numbers during the off season?

Seeing as we're in Indiana....... The middle of a cornfield (Field of Dreams style) Indianapolis Motor Speedway One of the covered bridges in Parke County Soldiers and Sailors monument

Coach Hughes, I looked through your proposal and just a couple things I observed. -I read several of the posts and the reasons you listed for kids quitting. That is always unfortunate, however, the kid that said he had a rugby game and didn't want to be there all day.....Do you really think he would be successful even under your new proposal? At some point he would have the large school monsters in regional, semi state and/or state correct under your new proposal if I'm reading it right? I really don't see how providing an accommodating sectional would influence that kid to stick with it. (Just my two cents). *My alma mater South Bend Riley and I'm sure several large schools have the same issue of retaining kids due to various reasons. I don't think this is just at small schools but yes I realize a small school losing a kid is a bigger deal than a school that has a larger population of kids to pull from. -On your proposal you have a sectional that I thought needed discussion Columbus North Jeffersonville Mater Dei Center Grove *Where is this one being hosted because that is a significant distance between a few of them depending on the host location. -Some of the sectionals proposed particularly with the 4A schools in addition to the distance are really really tough and quite a few of the 1A ones not so much. Wouldn't you be creating the same issue for them as what you're trying to avoid with the small schools? They're going to have kids that could make it through to semi state/state but only three get out of their sectional. I agree there should be parity but because of geography and the changing talent in the state that's going to be very hard to avoid as we're inevitably going to have hotspots throughout Indiana (Indy area, sometimes Fort Wayne, the Region and yes my old stomping grounds in South Bend/Mishawaka area). -If you're looking for duals I see that Jay County has reached out to you. I know that Bellmont has a big tournament and Twin Lakes hosts a pretty good one near the Lafayette area. All of those are smaller schools but would still provide stellar competition. Just my two cents, please don't take this personal I'm really just responding to the post, which I think is an important one. I truly hope this helps you and good luck to your program in the future. Filipovich was very impressive this year and I wish you luck on finding the next one of his caliber. Brandon Sandefur

@bbulldog152I live in Hebron, KY, so geographically it was one of the closer schools and they had a lot of competitive lightweights (I was a 119HS/125College). @Ribd85 Thank you

Looking to get contact information for the head coach and/or coaches at East Central H.S. Looking to volunteer coach and get back into Indiana wrestling. Brandon Sandefur