RedPride

On the second day of Christmas, IHSAA gave to me, no wrestle backs
Indiana is one of the only states that doesn’t use double elimination format with full wrestlebacks in its state tournament.  We have a total of 5 single elimination rounds in our state tournament series.  We are a state, possibly the only state, that eliminates half of its state qualifiers in a single match.  Here’s a comparison to other states: 
 
The Outlier
State
Population
Wrestle Backs?
Placement
Indiana
6.8 million
first round single elimination
Remaining 8 wrestle for placement to 8th
 
The Norm (8 state comparison)
State
Population
Wrestle Backs?
Placement
Iowa
3.2 million
full wrestle backs (no single elimination)
Placement to 8th
Pennsylvania
12.9 million
full wrestle backs (no single elimination)
Placement to 8th
Illinois
12.5 million
full wrestle backs (no single elimination)
Placement to 6th
Michigan
10 million
full wrestle backs (no single elimination)
Placement to 8th
Ohio
11.7 million
full wrestle backs (no single elimination)
Placement to 8th
Missouri
6.1 million
full wrestle backs (no single elimination)
Placement to 6th
Nebraska
2 million
full wrestle backs (no single elimination)
Placement to 6th
Tennessee
7 million
full wrestle backs (no single elimination)
Placement to 6th
 
 
Part of wrestling is wrestlebacks.  Wrestlebacks allow a wrestler to deal with the adversity and bounce back from losing a match.  Colleges scouts want to see how wrestlers handle failure.  Also, if they are scouting at state, they want to see their prospects wrestle more than one match. 
 
ISWA tournaments use wrestlebacks.  NCAA tournaments use wrestlebacks.  Other states use wrestlebacks.  Not having wrestlebacks is changing a fundamental part of the sport.  It’s like not allowing the forward pass in football (go back to 1905), not allowing 3 point shot in basketball (go back to 1966), not allowing a designated hitter in baseball (go back to 1972).    
 
When you have among the lowest success rates in the country, it makes using wrestlebacks even more important.
 
Indiana High School Wrestling Coaches Association has been asking for wrestlebacks (especially at semi-state).  This request is consistently denied by IHSAA assistant commissioner Robert Faulkens.  Is that the right decision?
 
If you agree Indiana should have wrestlebacks, click “Like”.
 

On the first day of Christmas, IHSAA gave to me, lowest success rates in the country.
 
Indiana qualifies a significantly lower number of wrestlers to their state tournament annually when compared to other states.  Here’s a comparison to 8 other nearby states: 
 
The Outlier
State
Population
Annual State Qualifiers
Classes
Qualifiers per Class
Indiana
6.8 million
224
1
16
 
The Norm (8 state comparison)
State
Population
Annual State Qualifiers
Classes
Qualifiers per Class
Iowa
3.2 million
1008
3
24
Pennsylvania
12.9 million
840
3
20
Illinois
12.5 million
672
3
16
Michigan
10 million
672
3
16
Ohio
11.7 million
672
3
16
Missouri
6.1 million
896
4
16
Nebraska
2 million
896
4
16
Tennessee
7 million
616
3
16 (12 in 1A)
 
A big part of wrestling is setting and pursuing goals.  The IHSAA does a great job at its state tournament of putting on a great show…the wrestling state finals is an amazing event.  However, it is an event that very few Indiana wrestlers get to experience. 
 
Think of some of the positives that occur when a wrestler makes it to state:
1.       The community gets excited about wrestling and their wrestlers
2.       The school makes announcements about their accomplishments and hosts student pep rallies for wrestlers
3.       T-shirts are made with the wrestlers name on it “road to state”
4.       Coaches recognize the accomplishment by putting a wrestler’s name on wrestling room wall (list of qualifiers)
5.       Young athletes see all of these activities and are inspired to want to be wrestlers (youth and middle school participation numbers get a boost)
    
By qualifying so few to state makes these types of positive activities a rare occurrence for wrestlers and wrestling programs (except for powerhouse programs).  Also, the IHSAA consistently eliminates amazing athletes at semi-state.  We have college level wrestlers coming out of Indiana who never qualified for a high school state tournament. 
 
Indiana High School Wrestling Coaches Association has been asking to take more to state.  This request is consistently denied by IHSAA assistant commissioner Robert Faulkens.  Is that the right decision?  Given we don’t have classes, should we only take 16 wrestlers per weight, which appears to be the minimum when compared to other states?
 
If you agree Indiana should take more to state, click “Like”. 
 
 

170- #10 Caden Brewer 12-10 over #18 Lucas LeClerc 
 
Barn Burner match